Could this be it? The new Kindle e-book reader from Amazon? The Guardian (not the best source) reports it wil roll out today. (That is once Monday get to North America.)
It seems to use an e-paper B&W display combined with a new sort of network that will let newspapers and stuff be delivered to you automatically. Cool!
Pig ugly, and pricey, but perhaps this is the e-book reader that will change the industry.
Woo Woo!
I do not want to hijack this thread too much so I will comment on the reader - hate it - and then start a new thread on a tangental subject.
Basically, I like the smell of books, and do not want to virtually flip pages. I will not be purchasing one of these.
On a lighter note and somewhat less snarky as I know the OP is a kindred guy who likes the technology…I think this is a perfect gift for techy’s and folk who don’t want a library in their home. But for this bibliophile I really rather open a book, hear the spine crack an small the ink on the parchment.
Neat idea, but until the prices come down I don’t see how it could take off. First, I have to buy a $400 device that does nothing but let me read books. Second, I have to pay full price for the book itself. Looking at some random prices:
“World Without End” - Amazon new: $19.25. Amazon used: $15.00. Mobipocket: $35.00
“A Thousand Splendid Suns” Amazon new: $14.27 Amazon used: $11.99 Mobipocket:
$25.95
“Blackwater” (#16 on the NYTimes bestsellers) Mobipocket doesn’t carry
“Clapton” Amazon new: $15.60, Amazon used: $13.95, Mobipocket: $17.95
and so on and so forth.
I just don’t think people are going to want to pay MORE for an electronic copy than it costs for a physical copy. They might pay the same - that’s essentially what you do for iTunes - but more? No way.
Where did you get those book prices? Those are not nice numbers.
I’m guessing this is the same as most of the rest - you can only get books with strict DRM, and if the thing dies you’re going to have to buy them all over again. Plus, the thing easily costs more than a dozen books.
No thanks.
OK< an hour ago it was not on Amazon. Now it is. $399 for the thingee and $9.99 for the Kindle edition of the new Oliver Sacks book. That seems to be lower than the hardback price, more than the paperback.
I may get one in January if they get good reviews.
As you mentioned, an hour ago this stuff was not on Amazon. Now that it is, I see that the prices are significantly lower. I was getting them off the mobipocket web site.
Seems like the Kindle prices are all $9.99. At that price, I might buy them, if someone gave me the Kindle thingy free!
Ok, so will the wireless service work in Saudi Arabia. I hate it when people assume everyone lives in The West.
OK, I just watched the Kindle video, and I take back everything I said. This thing looks COOL.
I really like the wireless system, and the fact that you can download newspapers/magazines makes the device worth the price. Along with the cheap prices on the books themselves, I could see it taking off.
The interface looks clunky with physical buttons all over the place. I suppose e-paper does not support a touch screen interface.
And most of the new books don’t have a paperback out yet.
$400 for a device that has no other functions? Pass.
Even if this one is clunky (as the Sony is) it sort of shows where the technology is headed. Wonder what we we have for Christmas 2008?
(Still hoping to hear it will work in Saudi.)
==edited to add==
(Isn’t that guy in the video disturbingly androgynous? No man should have such nice eyelashes.)
It’s interesting, they’ve got some things almost spot on - the ease of shopping for new titles, for example - everyday users of any prospective e-book system cannot reasonably be expected to do anything technical to get new books - it should just work.
But I don’t like the idea of being tied to Amazon for the supply of books - I wonder how well, if at all, it integrates with other book sellers and eBooks the user has created himself (or converted from something like Project Gutenberg).
The physical design of the unit leaves me very cold - I just don’t like the way it looks at all (either in the stills, or the video). The control interface looks a bit strange too - with that scroll wheel moving a cursor in a completely separate little strip of screen, but I can see that might have logically come forth from a decision that it wouldn’t have a stylus (plus the fact that I don’t think a moving cursor can easily be displayed on an electronic paper screen using current technology).
The screen looks just a little bit Etch-a-Sketchy.
I dunno. It doesn’t quite push all the buttons for me.
I have seen the Sony e-book reader. Its e-paper screen is super-sharp, not a bit of etch-a-sketch.
It seems to be a US-only system for now. Call me when it works in Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
I have Sony Reader and love it. However given the prices of ebooks I doubt I’ll buy any in the near future. I bought it mainly because there were free tools to convert from html/txt to it’s own format lrf, so I’m able to grab books from Project Gutenberg and drop them on my reader without much hassle.
It won’t replace books, but it’s a nice complement. Great for reading stuff downloaded off the net or for when traveling and space is at a premium.
The new 505 model looks even better. That said, the current prices are way too high. The only reason I bought mine is because Sony had a Visa offer to get one for $60 if you signed for for a new credit card.
The Kindle looks interesting, but again, unless the price of the device and books come down there not much incentive for me to buy one. Ebooks shouldn’t cost as much as a hardback.
All in all, we might want to view these as first-generation devices. The best is yet to come.
==edited to add==
I wonder if machines made in the future by other companies will be allowed to use Kindle Whispernet thingee? That would really spark some product development.
Also I wonder if a smart young person should buy one these suckers and develop and sell book covers, tea-cozies and whatnot as accessories?
In 2000 I worked for a startup called Everybook that planned to be this - but instead with two screens so that it emulated a book. It wasn’t a bad idea, but the technology was never there (although a spin off company is still trying to market it) and the cost could not be kept down (at least not by their engineers.)
The ePaper technology may make this more affordable and might be what they needed all along.
I agree with Athena though - if the cost of the content doesn’t come down, I see very little upside for me. (There are still some markets where this could make sense, IMO)
Here are a link to a picture of the Kindle
http://printisdeadblog.com/wp-content/photos/amazon_kindle.jpg
I am usually slow to hop on bandwagons. Once the price comes down (and it will, right?) and the kinks are found/eliminated, I would buy an e-reader of some kind.
I read books on my phone constantly (finally stopped carrying a PocketPC and got a Blackjack) the major selling point for me is the tiny size so I can and do carry it everywhere. A doohickey the size of a paperback would get left at home. MicroSD card holds hundreds of books and only very rarely do I run into a copyright problem.
I won’t be buying a Kindle, although I really want one.