Regarding screens, I honestly don't know that making the screen better makes for a better reading experience.
I'm in LOVE with my Kindle eInk display and, while it isn't nearly as 'all around good' as a Retina display for anything other than reading, I can't read for nearly as long on a retina screen as I can on eInk. The only complaint I would posit for eInk is that page turns are fairly slow, but that's on my older model Kindle. My wife's newer Kindle is much faster, though still noticeably slower than an iPad.
Regarding the 'chapter-by-chapter' publishing, Leanpub[1] is doing this today to some degree. Not 100% sure on the chapter-by-chapter functionality, but at the very least, updates to leanpub books are pushed out automatically to anybody who has purchased a copy.
Raganwald is publishing his new book[2] there as well, which was the first I'd heard of them.
> Regarding screens, I honestly don't know that making the screen better makes for a better reading experience.
I have several Android devices (phones, tablet) and an iPod Touch. They are all useless for reading outside (in the shade) because the screens are too reflective. Indoors they are all fine. I do most of my reading outside so this turns out to be a big problem.
I can't get a Kindle for technical reasons (I do not support Amazon and their DRM) and for financial ones - they do not charge sales tax, so I would have to do so on my tax returns which incurs large CPA fees as well as an audit trigger (California hates self employed people).
I also do not want a single purpose portable device. I prefer my portable devices to be multi-function - gps, games, web, movies, music, books etc all in one rather than carrying one device for each purpose.
Once someone figures out how to make general purpose Android tablets and phones with usable outdoor screens then things will really be better!
Y'know, it's funny that you mention it as a single-purpose device, because for years that's why I wouldn't own one. Wouldn't even look at one. When a friend of mine forced me to play with his, I cited the slow screen refresh, the DRM, and the unitask capacity and put it back down.
Then I got one for a gift. I didn't want it, per se, but I figured I had to at least pretend to like it. In doing so, I purchased a book, and then I read it, and then I was in love with it.
> The thing about being a single-purpose device is, at least in my opinion, nearly perfect, as a reading device. I routinely recommend it to people who are looking for an e-reader, and I routinely recommend against it for anyone looking for anything more. It's as close to perfect as I've seen, though its only direct competition is perhaps the Nook (which sucks, all around, in my opinion.)
I won't dare to question your principles on DRM, but I can say that at least in practice, they've never affected me. I have three active Kindles belonging to separate members of my family -- all tied to the same account. In addition to that, I occasionally use the Android and desktop clients, and it's never once given me any flack.
The Amazon Music DRM bit me once, and I boycotted it, but never with the Kindle stuff.
I'm in LOVE with my Kindle eInk display and, while it isn't nearly as 'all around good' as a Retina display for anything other than reading, I can't read for nearly as long on a retina screen as I can on eInk. The only complaint I would posit for eInk is that page turns are fairly slow, but that's on my older model Kindle. My wife's newer Kindle is much faster, though still noticeably slower than an iPad.
Regarding the 'chapter-by-chapter' publishing, Leanpub[1] is doing this today to some degree. Not 100% sure on the chapter-by-chapter functionality, but at the very least, updates to leanpub books are pushed out automatically to anybody who has purchased a copy.
Raganwald is publishing his new book[2] there as well, which was the first I'd heard of them.
[1] - http://leanpub.com/
[2] - http://leanpub.com/stealthisbook