We have at least three contenders for the adjective that best describes the souped-up e-books that publishers are releasing for multimedia platforms like the iPad. These are basically regular e-books with embedded videos. Hachette calls them “enriched,” Penguin calls them “amplified,” and Simon & Schuster calls them “enhanced.”

There is something at stake here. The adjective that wins, and becomes the industry standard, will make the company that coined it look smart and forward-thinking, while the other companies will have to change their terminology and look like copycats. Also, it’s just in everyone’s best interest that we don’t end up with a stupid word for this.

“Amplified” sounds to me like a bad choice, since it pertains more to sound quality than to video. “Enriched” is okay, even though it’s more appropriate for metal ore, or a nutritious breakfast. I’m hoping “enhanced” wins this round. It sounds both visual and tech-savvy, like Picard on the bridge, ordering an ensign to enhance that image of a Klingon warbird. And it crosses over into the language of breast enhancement, which is a pretty good metaphor for souped-up e-books.

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