Advantages of e-book readers such as the Kindle can not be overestimated. Saves space on the shelves, let bring hundreds of items in a light and handy device and publishers to allow a partial reduction of distribution costs. It seems to us that the devices to solve reading problems are fairly modern invention. It turns out, however, that the first draft of such a device comes with … 1922 years.
Then, in the magazine Scientific American published an article describing a device having then revolutionize the book market – Fiske Reading Machine, Bradley A. Fiske’a project, Admiral Navy and innovation.
Founding device was identical to the Kindle
By default the machine Fiske ‘and was to enable the reading of books in a simple, personalized way, while remaining within the pocket of his coat.
The whole consisted of four parts: a lightweight aluminum frame, which placed a specially crafted print, the tiny lens with a tenfold magnification, crank used to move the vertical print and simple eyepiece. The machine was operated with one hand, and the change of “pages” were made by slight movements of the thumb. Also had the tab next to the eyepiece, which was to cover the other eye reducing fatigue.
Specially prepared books were photocopied existing volumes, pomniejszonymi ten and crafted into a suitable form. Each time, the sight reader has 120 words, which according to the tests enabled the reading at a constant speed of about 287 words per minute. A single bar contains 10 thousand. words on each page, so the book consisting of 100 000 characters (about 400 pages of standard printed) occupied only 10 strips, falling easily into your pocket.
Fiske wanted to revolutionize the entire market
As for today’s e-book reader itself would be nothing without the proper infrastructure, online bookstores, and above all – carefully prepared e-books. The Scientific American article, the author presents the main assumptions of the idea Fiske’a. Funny how a little different from today’s reasoning.
- Reduced costs – at 10 thousand. copies of the sales price to the publisher would be 4 cents. Over 100 thousand. price could be much lower.
- Due to the specific format, you must use the highest quality paper, which would extend the life of the books. Standard paper turns yellow and brittle after a short time.
- For the production of the new format will be required only 1/60 of paper used so far.
- The small size significantly decrease the cost of distribution of books and newspapers, and logistical issues will be improved.
- Books will occupy incomparably less shelf space
The most interesting are the ideological foundations rather than economic. Fiske saw in your machine, the chance for the birth of free press, entirely paid by the advertisers. Thanks to reader negligible production costs would not be charged any fee. Is this not confusingly similar to online news services?
The greater amount of free content – according Fiske’a – contribute significantly to the reduction of the problem of illiteracy and poor education.
Unfortunately, the vision of the admiral needed nearly 100 years of crystallization
For its time the idea proved to be too revolutionary. Although ignited the imagination of the scientific and literary, collided with the harsh reality of publishing lobby, which were Fiske’a noble ideas … completely unprofitable.
As we all know, the idea of a free and hassle-free access to the content should not perish, but has evolved over the decades, eventually taking the form of today’s Internet and electronic books. Seeing one of the places from where it all began, until the pressure in the mouth …
went a long way.
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