This document discusses the opportunities and challenges presented by new digital reading paradigms such as eBooks. It notes that eBooks allow for features like cross-device synchronization and recommendations based on prior readings. However, it also acknowledges the challenges in getting publishers and readers to embrace these new formats. It envisions a future where the boundaries between books and readers are broken down through interactive features, social sharing capabilities, and new business models like freemium.

1. Opportunities and challenges of the
advent of new reading paradigms:
the case of eBooks as a Service
Justo Hidalgo, Chief Product Officer
@justohidalgo

2. ■ Co-founder, 24symbols
■ Past: B2B software (data integration,
metadata, web search and automation, …)
• VP Sales Engineering, Product Management
• VP Technology
■ Mentor at Startup Bootcamp, Tetuan Valley
■ PhD, MSc in Computer Science
• Training in Product Strategy/Mgmt,
Innovation&Creativity at Stanford, UC Berkeley
■ Blog: www.loscuentosdelabuelo.com
■ @justohidalgo

3. … but always related to books and learning
Spanish TV Magazine

5. Printing transforms the citizen
into an isolated human being
- Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes
French Stateman
XVIIIth century

6. Est virgo hec penna
… meretrix est stampificata
- Judge Filippo di Strata, XVth Century

9. Chinese Sacred - Christian Antiochia Serapeum of Alexandria
PhilosophyJerusalem Roman Emp. Roman Emp. Roman Emp.
213 BC 168 BC 303 AD 325 AD 392 AD
Book Burn
Nalanda (Dharma Gunj) House of Wisdom
Gupta Emp. (India) Historical codices Non catholics
Bagdad (Irak)
Aztec state Spain
Talmud burnings
1193 AD 1242 AD – 1568 AD 1258 AD 1427 AD 1480 AD
Sacred – Maya
Decameron Spanish Emp. Quakers Protestants In Braille Anti-comunists
Italy Boston, USA Salzburg Paris Russia
1497 AD 1562 AD 1656 AD 1656 AD 1842AD 1945AD–1989 AD
Univ. of Leuven Pompeu Fabra Lib. Univ. of Leuven
Anti-nazis Nacional Lib.
Belgium Spain Belgium
Germany Irak
1914 AD 1930 AD – 1940 AD 1939 AD 1940 AD 2003 AD

10. At least they can read!

16. Book
Discovery Biz Model
Conversation
Openness

18. Multidevice synchronization
HTML5 Web iPad app

19. Real-
Time
Learning
and
Control

21. Beautiful, b
ut static

22. Alive

23. What if the
wall
between
the book
and the
readers is
torn down?

24. … and with the author?

25. Mutable artifact
Credits: Craig Mod, June 2011

27. This is what publishers would like to be

28. But that’s a huge challenge for MOST
publishers… and for readers
Big Publisher
I just wanted to
read a book…
Great Publisher
Cool Publisher

30. Are books “it”?

31. Book or app?

32. The book as an
“application
Open Bookmarks
container”

33. Find what you need

34. Explicit contexts

35. Recommendations
Recommendations
Engine based on prior
readings
Social
recommendations
(your friends!)

36. … not just for fun…
■ Edition, Author and
Publisher Pages
■ Sharable in
Facebook, Twitter,
Google+ (virality)
■ Organic positioning
in search engines

38. Implicit contexts

40. Content is not enough
FREE CONTENT PAID
CONTENT
many
1

41. But it is still key…

42. … and core of the business

43. Freemium
READERS FREE ACCESS TO WANT MORE?
CONTENT
c

44. Free / Premium
Free
Users
Delayed subscription
(test the service & engage)
Premium
Conversion
Rate
Time

45. Fear of free?

46. Book
Discovery Biz Model
Conversation
Openness

54. Aren’t they beautiful
challenges?

56. Books have shaped my vital map…
now they will be my GPS
- Justo Hidalgo