About a week ago I read an article in Newsweek Online regarding the new electronic book that was coming out, it is named 'Kindle' and is going to retail on Amazon for $399. I was immediately intrigued and read the whole article (you can read it here); however I will not be lining up to buy it anytime soon. There isn't a large amount of appeal for me in a electronic book, and quite honestly I can't imagine that there ever will be.
The highlights of the machine are that you can download any book you choose (provided they have it) from anywhere you are. In other words, you don't have to hook it up to your home computer to sync it. You can get a 'paper' delivered when it goes to press (a modern equivilent of a newsboy - so claimed the Newsweek article). It can hold up to 200 titles (probably depending on size).
I am not sure of the appeal, to me there is something very special about spending hours in a bookstore looking at books, many of which you will not ever read. There is a place you escape to when you are reading, the smell of books, and the collecting of books that seems unable to be matched by electronic books. What about lending my books to my friends? Many of us pass books on when we love them. What about buying books for gifts?
My husband pointed out that this used to be the case with records and even, to a lesser extent, CDs. Now everybody has their iPods and not very many buy CDs anymore, as the dusty halls of many defunked record stores can attest. But will books go the same way as records and CDs? Or will we stick with the old paper version... will book shops become speciality stores as only collectors will purchase books?
Now it is for sale on Amazon, I am not sure precisely which day it came out, but it is sold out at this time. You can order now to reserve your spot, or you can just click on the link and check out the features.
Would you buy the Kindle?
Posted by 10lees at November 23, 2007 07:04 PMI wouldn't buy one - but that's cause I don't read much. But I also find that I get foggy places in my eyes from reading online - so it's not a lighted screen that I'd like to read from also.
But what I love is a book. I'm not a reader like yourself - but I aspire to be. :) Never going to happen though.
Stick with the books as paper as they could abridge any book and you may not notice it thru the Kindle. Why is it called kindle? Burning books? pages?
So WHEN you coming over tomorrow? I left you a message - I was guessing you were @ a movie??? :) Love, M
I really like the screen technology used, and how it's readable like paper. Several people have commented online about how they could have integrated a reading light, and I'd have to agree there. I do think a big part of the issue is lending the books. While no DRM would be nice, even better would be a way to trade in used copies (like a used bookstore, although that is exactly what the publishers want to not allow to exist). This is also why I don't buy DRM restricted music (and rarely buy anything other than CDs as well). A reader like this would probably get me to read more, but between the cost and the restrictions on content this isn't the one for me. I think the big place ebooks catch on for current content will be textbooks.
Posted by: Jeremy at November 23, 2007 10:37 PMhmmm, they said it was named Kindle to represent the 'flame of knowledge'.. but book burning sadly fits too.
Jeremy - I thought textbooks would be a good place for them too (can you imagine the market in ripped off textbooks?? ouch). But I think a large problem with getting it to work the same way as paper. How many of us highlighted and wrote in our textbooks? I know I did! It might work in disciplines where you don't have to reference the book again - you just have to read it. I am not sure what discipline this is however...
Posted by: 10lees at November 25, 2007 04:58 PMI think in a way you could argue that this has already happened. If you look at the decline in daily newspapers and the amount of folks getting their news online the basic technology that is with this already exists.
Why it won't work is laptops and the new cell phone technology that is coming out. It's like the word processor. Was really great when they came out, but ultimately it was a one trick pony and why would you buy a one trick pony when you could get a multiple trick pony?
Posted by: My Little Pony at November 27, 2007 10:57 AMwhy i bring a book with me on an airplane: b/c i cant listen to my ipod during take off & landing, when i need the distraction the most.
this is exactly why i would not be a fan of the kindle. oh well.
Posted by: dr gonzo at November 28, 2007 10:29 AMI'm with Pony,
I'm not going to drop $400 on something I can basically do on a $600 laptop which could do a lot more to boot.
What I think would be cool is if you could purchase the book which would mean you would get the sound recording *and* digital text of it. So you could listen to the book on your ipod when you had the opportunity, but you could also switch to digital form if you wanted.
Bah, I don't know why I even talk about this. I don't even buy books if I can help it. I just use the library.
Posted by: rhett at December 10, 2007 04:33 AM