Are we ready for Amazon’s Kindle

Those who thought that Gutenberg’s invention was so handy and so perfect in its conception that it would be irreplaceable even in the digital age, they begin to question their certainties. An enormous transformation is approaching in the publishing market. Especially after the arrival of a device that will mean its toughest competition, but his disappearance in the medium or long term. Stay with your name. Kindle is called.

For the moment, it is considered by experts publishers such as the iPod for books. Has begun to be sold only in the United States by Amazon, the online store that was introduced to the market, although its expansion will not be long. Nobody doubts that soon something similar, will reach the rest of the planet. To begin with, orders to 399-piece dollars (278 euros) – have been exhausted over the Internet. Meanwhile, in Spain, publishers, booksellers, distributors and writers are wondering: Are we ready for us Kindle?

It does not seem so. Vertigo, fear, ignorance, bewilderment is what produces more Kindle among those living in the book. No wonder. This invention, which measures 18 cm long by 13 wide and weighs 300 grams, is crazy to publishers, booksellers and writers, which in this case will be most benefited. In the guts of that space can fit up to 200 books. But users will have possibility to download, for now, 90,000 titles, plus access to newspapers around the world and blogs for all tastes.

But Kindle is that not only offers the advantages of a storage comparable to any library. Represents a new dimension in reading, with embedded dictionaries, as well as maps and street, not to mention the variable lighting of the screen and the possibility of adapting the bodies of letter to taste and sight of each other.

What many had feared, that is, a device that competes with the comfort and facilities practices of the book, begins to arrive and that not all letters of electronics manufacturers are dropped. “It remains to be seen what the launch of Apple and how to improve its bid for the Sony, the brand that has more invested in this field so far with the Sony Reader,” says Francisco Cuadrado, director general of Santillana. What is clear is that what comes out from now on will look like much to Kindle, say the experts. That is, that the invention represents a turning point in the history of the publishing market.

While some are hesitant to predict a future paradoxical. Optimistic and black at a time. With many more readers, but without bookstores. “I did I imagine a world without bookshelves,” said Santos Palazzi, head of the Mass Market area, the group Planeta. “It is beyond doubt that will affect the traditional market and that for the moment, live a coexistence of the two carriers, the digital and paper,” added Cuadrado. Even a classic publishing as Beatriz de Moura, owner of Tusquets, its future looks bleak. Although it refuses to go away thinking that these objects that has spent a lifetime: “I live these days with curiosity. There will be radical changes, although the book as such, has always found its way to survival,” he says. Until these booksellers are threatened: “Hard to imagine our role in a future without drama. We are very green in this matter,” says Fernando Valverde, president of the guild.

The first thing we supposed Kindle is another redistribution of the cake in the book. So far the percentages more or less clear. With its variations, the thing was as follows: 30% for the bookseller, distributor and publisher and 10% for the author. What percentage Kindled raze them all? It could eliminate all but those of the author. “It will be the most benefited from the distribution,” said Jose Antonio Millan, author of the blog The future of the book.

If a writer has a novel, hangs on his website and stay with what you want, who will discuss it? It’s what we have done to Radiohead with his latest album. The revolution brought by the digital age in the recording market may give clues. “We have the advantage of being able to learn from what happened in that field,” says Palazzi, Planeta.

The case is playing rethink the role of editor. And thoroughly. “They are a quality guarantee and will remain,” says Palazzi. His efforts to filter stand in the middle of that market hiperecléctico that lies ahead. “When detect items of interest, we will also continue to be useful,” says Square. Will become consultants as well. But the truth is that no one is going to need someone who is transformed into an object of the work. “There are modalities such as printing on demand, that is, get copies of anything in printing on demand or Internet sites where the authors publish their works,” says Square. This is the case of lulu.com or publishers who have come to be called vanity to have emerged in Argentina. “Even so, we need a stamp behind,” added the head of Santillana.

The promotion, marketing on the Internet will be key in the new era of publishing. “That will have to develop to the fullest,” and believe Palazzi Square. Like diversify the offer: “We will grow increasingly for smaller government,” added the second.

Cohabitation is, for now, inevitable. Especially with works of reference. “It presents an opportunity added to the market. If Amazon until now he has done has been to dispose of what we have stored, e-books will allow us to download catalogs,” says Riccardo Cavallero, managing director for Spain and Latin America Random House Mondadori.

In fact the major groups have already digitized all of its titles for what is to come. Each in its extent and not as Google is doing, for example, with an impressive project that aims at toppling the network all the books that exist. But the Italian publisher is optimistic not only in this area. In addition to what is the future of the traditional book. According to him, it will save fetishism. It will become an object of worship and more prestige. “The books are taught,” says Cavallero.

Also lump. And in a world of increasingly smaller spaces, to begin on objects in the houses. Many predict passage of a black future for manufacturers of shelves. Or to the players. According to Beatriz de Moura, intermediaries will be the first affected. “They are going to notice before the coup. They just need to anyone who placed their works,” believes the editor of Tusquets. Although the issue of copyright, with all the piracy that is on the network also will bring tail. There may be something to scratch in the future. “But it will be a thing of the publishers rather,” said De Moura.

On fetishism and collectors not everyone agrees. It may last for generations in these traditional readers. But the youngest … “appreciate the little object itself. They want everything to the voice of now. Immediately. Nor are they going to sign the books at the fair. Contact with the authors when they want it. And we can have even better before, the Internet, “says Square.

So some are imagining a future without book fairs such as Madrid, without signatures in the booths of the day. Teodoro Sacristan, director of the same, prefers not to think about it. “I do not want to imagine the scene, or what will be us,” he says.