Digital Publishing Roundup: Holiday Trends 2010

From top left, clockwise: Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Barnes & Noble nook color, and Amazon Kindle

There are several big new items on the digital market for this year’s holiday season. Many analysts say that eReaders and tablet devices are the best gifts for 2010, and they expect the sales of these devices to soar. Gartner predicts that sales of eReaders will reach 6.6 million, a 79.8% increase from last year.

Prices range from $100–$500 and accommodate a variety of reader interests and preferences. The big names, like iPad, Nook and Kindle, seem to garnish the most attention, but there are plenty of other options available for every kind of reader.

The Nook Color was released in the past couple of weeks and features a backlit screen for reading eBooks, magazines, and other content. Another new color wireless electronic reader is the Literati, from The Sharper Image.

Tablet options are just as numerous. The iPad, released in October, is still getting a lot of attention. Fortune Tech estimates that so far, Apple has sold about 8.25 million iPads this year. There are also a number of Android-operated tablets on the market, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab. There’s the Archos tablet; there’s a Cruz reader AND a Cruz tablet; and Pandigital makes an eReader/tablet device.

The great thing about all these different kinds of readers is that they are easily available at multiple and big-name stores, like Target, Walmart and Best Buy. When shopping for a digital reader this year, make sure you know what the recipient would like. For a book reader, a Kindle or Nook may be best, but if you want to use e-mail and see color and magazines, the iPad is the better choice. With so many options out there now, you can be sure to find a device for everyone on your list.

Related pages:

Great Holiday Expectations for E-Readers (The New York Times)

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Book Lover (Tecca)

Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas: New e-Readers Add Color to Christmas (marketwire)

Holiday gift guide: eBook readers (PC World)

As the E-Book World Blossoms, Is There Room for Both the iPad and the Kindle? (The eMarketer Blog)

Giving a Kindle? Check out these 8 other e-readers first (Dvice)

Digital trends from Pace:

iPad Owners Heart Their Magazines

RIM’s Playbook Joins The Tablet Fray

Digital Publishing eReader Roundup: What’s New

iPad Increases Lead in the Race to Publish Magazines

Digital Publishing eReader Roundup: New Slang

-compiled by Katie Ostrowka

Posted By: Digital Trends Team