1. Foreword
As educational methods evolve, learning-related derivative products and aids are becoming increasingly diversified. For example, “mobile learning” that combines a mobile device and digital content to allow the user to learn “any place, anywhere anytime”, and “whiteboards” that, through integration of hardware and software, allow the teacher and learner to engage directly in interactive teaching and learning on the same platform. This kind of integrated learning method has added to the fun of learning and increased learner motivation. The development of hardware and software in recent years has led to the appearance of a new favorite–eBook Reader.

2. Keys and breakthroughs

Learning behavior and attitude” has always been the key in developing successful learning products and modles. In other words, understanding learners’ needs, their motivation and objectives and allowing him/her to learn automatically in a non-coercive way are the directions that educational scholars and learning industry operators have been researched.

Books are learning tools that every learner uses and the original intention of the development of “eBook Reader” (Picture 1) was to merge it into the learning life of learners in a way that closely matches their learning behavior. “eBook Reader” reduces paper use substantially because it reduces carbon emissions and resource consumption. Some people have asked: Will the “eBook Reader” replace conventional books? In our point of views “eBook Reader” is like other learning tools (e-dictionary and white boards for example), it is a learning aid that adds value that supports learners, makes it more effective, which will not replace the original learning method.

Picture 1 : The world’s first e-ink e-book Sony Librie
（Data source:Sony website）

How does “eBook Reader” make learning easier? “Simulating real books” has been the development direction of e-books over the past few years. To make e-books like real books, some key aspects need to be overcome:
 
1. Low power consumption: power shortage reduces users’ willingness to adopt eBook
2.Readness ability: a screen too large or small affects user reading quality。
3. Small, light, convenient：Having to carry a large number of heavy books is a burden in children’s education. Today, the number of books they need to carry is increasing which placing them under a physical burden while also giving them psychological pressure
4. Annotation function: The user needs to be able to add notes just like in a real book

Nowadays, the combination of electronic ink and digital paper has solved the above issues. (Picture 2). Light source refraction is used to make the contents visible (LED projects light through the backlight board.) In other words, it is the same as reading an ordinary book. When using an eBook Reader, power will only be consumed during page changing as it requires ink to reorganize. The only drawback is that in a dark place, just like an ordinary book, the text cannot be seen.

Picture2: A Magink e-paper applicatioon
（Data source: Magink website）

3. Applications and opportunities
In addition to hardware breakthroughs, the success business model also determines whether eBook Reader will be widely accepted in the future. The following requirements need to be met: “Is there enough content to satisfy learners?”, ”How will content be charged for?” ,”Will publishers enjoy intellectual property rights protection?”

In order to broaden the e-book market, the world’s biggest on-line bookstore, Amazon, introduced Amazon’s Wireless Reading Device on November 19, 2007. Amazon simply used its advantages in reseller channels to add value to eBook Reader, combined it with the learning behavior and formulated a set of business models that have appeal to the general public. Kindle’s main characteristic is that it connects to Amazon kindle store free of charge through a prebuilt network mechanism and also allows book purchases to be made (from overseas). The cost is less than half of the cost of a book in paper. Also, if you accidentally delete the book you downloaded you can re-download it again without any additional charge. This model is very appealing.

Picture 3:、Amazon Kindle
（Data source:Amazon website）
Some people have asked how its DRM mechanism. We can view Kindle as an Apple iPod. The content needs to be the certain format (.azw）to be viewed in the reader. If you want to browse other documents on Kindle (except for txt, mbi, prc,mp3), you have to send them to Amazon to convert the files. This method can, indeed, avoid the problem that the content you purchased is been used in other computers.
In addition to the Kindle eBook discussed above, Plastic Logic has brought out an e-book that can be folded which making carry easier. Clearly, the technological application of electronic paper is receiving more and more attention. 

4. Conclusion
Although eBook possesses many factors for success, there are a number of issues and problems that need to be resolved. For example, reducing e-book manufacturing costs to increase consumer willingness to buy and increasing the number of users and the content. These are keys that decide whether e-books will become widely used and are worthy of more research.