Really, I don't see what's so unattractive about the design. I suppose ditching the buttons and going with a touch screen might be nice, but I'm not sure how grubby fingerprints would go with trying to read.
Nor does the suggested alternative of staring at the back-lit glare of an iPhone sound very appealing either. Especially scrolling about just trying to read one page.
No, I won't be running out to buy one either though. For $400, I'd rather just spend that on a pile of books. Maybe if they could get the price down, maybe offer it free with some sort of commitment I'd bite.
I agree. Most people here are spoiled by Apple's keen eye for design. But the kindle could be successful if the media is priced fairly and the next version is a little more appealing visually. The concept is good IMO.
Did anybody else notice the similarity of the boxing between apple products and this product, besides the string on the front it's nearly identical with a book like opening and then the fact that the left side is like a packet for documents and the right is like a window to display the product? compare and contrast the boxing and then look at the attempt of amazon to use the success of apple's products to leapfrog their own, the "ipod of reading"? seriously?
I like this device, but I really like the direction it is going in. The big thing I think is the wireless feature. Even if none of these sell, it will still cause a revolution for the industry. Think about this: free fetching of content (as in no contract), anywhere. like buying songs with a touch anywhere, only paying for the song. I also really like the screen. Keep in mind that these screens are still first gen, so they can only get better from here.
If you consider giving $400 to Amazon no contract, then you are correct. I understand your point, I even own a Kindle and love it, but you have to remember I am locked into Amazon for my content. More locked into Amazon than I am with my iPod to the Apple iTunes store.
In your world, does money changing hands always mean there's a contract involved?
When you are locked in to that entity as the only source for content at a more than premium price on the initial purchase, it can be perceived that way.
No, in my world the exchange of money does not always mean there's a contract involved. I was just pointing out we have to look at this realistically.
There are a lot of intelligent reasons for the black-and-white, unlit screen. Battery life above all. It's an electronic replacement for black-and-white printed pages. The trouble is people expect it to be an iPhone/iPod touch web browser for this price.
It needs to go back to the drawing board until there's a touch-screen keyboard and no bulk besides the screen.
The Star Trek novel is a funny example because Kindle's industrial design looks like a 1980s idea of the future.
Remember this uses e-ink.
E-ink Pros: This means no battery usage to view the screen and print like reading quality. I can't read a book online personally, but could read on this.
E-ink Cons: It also means that it has poor resolution, slow refresh, no color (at least until 09 they say) and problems with a touch screen approach...
Amazon has copied Apples simplicity in sales, downloading content, nifty extra features (bare bones web browser for free), packaging and a touch of advertising. I think this will influence other firms to do the same.
Alas, it made lots of design compromises and poor ergonomic and look and feel choices.
-too easy to click pages and makes noise
-odd keyboard
-funky tracker on right
-weird plastic feel
-white color (not as nice as Apple for some reason)
-Odd thickness difference between left and right sides
-weird book holder that doesn't hold book well
Apple would not have made those compromises.
So A for effort, B for execution. I'll probably still buy one. But do think version 2 might be an even more radical improvement (but how long before a new model comes out....)
For $400, I'd rather just spend that on a pile of books. Maybe if they could get the price down, maybe offer it free with some sort of commitment I'd bite.
Imagine traveling for a month in Asia and then Europe. Or a business traveler on the road M-F weak after weak. I can see the CLEAR attraction. For this reason, I will buy, but may wait a bit.
(I accept all the criticisms, but nevertheless, think this is a revolutionary product that is only a version or two from nailing it. Of course, Apple probably would have nailed it.)
One downside - may have to turn off for takeoff and landing...
Imagine traveling for a month in Asia and then Europe. Or a business traveler on the road M-F weak after weak. I can see the CLEAR attraction. For this reason, I will buy, but may wait a bit.
(I accept all the criticisms, but nevertheless, think this is a revolutionary product that is only a version or two from nailing it. Of course, Apple probably would have nailed it.)
One downside - may have to turn off for takeoff and landing...
If I'm a tourist traveling through Europe (min of 6 weeks or it's pointless) and Asia (an additional 6 weeks or it's pointless) I am a complete moron if I'm spending my time reading digital books and not soaking up the experience I most likely won't see again in my life. I'd be busy taking photos, filming scenery, working on my laptop to create DVDs of my visits to famous historical locations, museums, soaking up as much local culture as I can knowing I'll only be able to review my memory and what I recorded with my digital camera/camcorder.
I, personally, would be writing in LaTeX my experiences and possibly put them into a novella form or general diary form.
As a business man, my time will be stringently focused on business dealings. Reading books on my pocket book reader is definitely a waste of time, though perhaps reading a book over the course of being there is possible. What's more possible is picking up a book or two on the cultures and keeping them.
As a business traveler on the train/tram or whatever, I'm busy reading for leisure or most likely getting some work done. Meetings and other distractions only make getting my work accomplished throughout the week harder to attain. Having time on the train/tram to get some of it done really tends to be what I have done in my past on such a situation.
My weekly schedule also definitely could include me zoning out to some MUSIC.
And bringing up the "iPod of reading" is not enough. It's not the iPod of reading, not yet at least.
Yah...where was Sony's unboxing? It does MP3's too. The linkage to Apple is slim especially since it isn't OSX compatible.
If I were going to spend $399 on a Kindle over the Sony 505 I'd go spend $699 on an iLiad. WiFi. Pen enabled Wacom touchscreen. Takes notes on PDFs. Too danged expensive. Bit slow too. Maybe the next one will be cheaper and faster.
The Sony has the same e-ink screen with the newer controller for 8 shades of gray over 4 on the Kindle (better images). On the Amazon side they offer more font sizes. Sony has longer battery life, better design and is smaller. With the cover the Kindle is almost twice the size of the Sony (with cover) and its harder to clip a light to it.
All in all, Kindle's most important contribution to eBooks is moving the bar up a couple notches and increased competition a bit. The eBook to buy isn't the Kindle but its next competitor because the Kindle sucks for the price and limitations. And its fugly.
They should have added pen input and dropped the keyboard.
The look and design is questionable.. but it makes sense when you tuck it away in that black case. The screen looks a little too gray on these photos.. it makes me wonder if it's a good screen to read from. Anyway, great that this thing gets so much attention. Perhaps it'll help the e-book to get going so that regular people start using the technology. I'd be interested... but I'd prefer an on screen touch keyboard so that the size could be optimized.
I like it because you can carry more than one book with you for the size of only one book. It isn't THAT ugly. I would still prefer to do it on an iPhone though.
Compared to the Sony, I think it looks very old fashioned but I agree that I'd rather use an iphone or even an ipod touch to avoid the contract. This company allows you to get magazines:
Playboy, Penthouse and Macworld, can't get much better than that for an entertaining train journey.
That's the thing about the e-readers, they don't show pictures so they have extremely limited uses. The ipod touch also plays music and the battery life should be long enough to let you read through your entire journey.
If anything, Amazon should have teamed up with Sony to offer the stylish reader. I guess the keyboard was their idea for being able to search for ebooks on the device but I don't see people wanting to do that.
Is it just me or does this product, which is a good idea but has ZERO!!!! 'WOW' factor.
I remember getting my first Ipod in 2002 and It was a thing of beauty and it had a monochrome screen. I was not that impressed with the monochrome, but it worked well and navigation was flawless.
When I saw this new plastic wedge it reminded me of my first computer...from 1982!!
I think Amazon's heart is in the right place, put they really need to go back to drawing board on the design. It looks like it was designed in the 70's for a crap sci fi movie.
sorry, but that thing is UGLY! and yeh, why wouldn't you just buy the book? the only reason i could think of is uni students/researchers and the like that need a lot of books with them all the time, but would rather just carry this ugly thing. id rather carry the books...
I am an uni student, and would rather carry the books. With a book I imaging it is much easier to annotate the text, place page markers, get colour diagrams (quite important in my field, as grayscale becomes difficult to see with so many shades often needed), etc..
Important disqualifier for all of you ridiculing it:
You don't read.
I see the readers being divided about this, even most of the people that like it seem to think it needs significant work. Personally, I don't like this cost-shifting to the consumer over the previous system, I want a better discount on the books if I have to pay hundreds for the reader, but the owner would only get a fairly meager discount on the media. The biggest justification for ever increasing book prices is the cost of paper and printing, that's gone. Couple that with the loss of the ability to trade, sell or give away books, even Amazon's pricing is a money grab.
I like the basic idea of the device, I just don't like the economics behind it.
Looks pretty crap - and the b/w screen is soooo retro!
Call me old fashioned, but why not just buy the book instead?
You are complaining about the black and white screen and then said why not just buy the book? What books come in color aside from children's books?
Isn't a really high-res black and white screen preferable to a colour screen? Why do you need colour?
People are complaining about the wrong thing here. Who cares if it is "ugly"? Who cares if it has a black an white screen? The real complaint here is the keyboard - it looks like the device is trying to do too much.
Comments
Sort of like the 1st-4th gen iPods...
Really, I don't see what's so unattractive about the design. I suppose ditching the buttons and going with a touch screen might be nice, but I'm not sure how grubby fingerprints would go with trying to read.
Nor does the suggested alternative of staring at the back-lit glare of an iPhone sound very appealing either. Especially scrolling about just trying to read one page.
No, I won't be running out to buy one either though. For $400, I'd rather just spend that on a pile of books. Maybe if they could get the price down, maybe offer it free with some sort of commitment I'd bite.
I agree. Most people here are spoiled by Apple's keen eye for design. But the kindle could be successful if the media is priced fairly and the next version is a little more appealing visually. The concept is good IMO.
^^ Much prettier.
I saw the Sony reader today, and the screen does not look as good as the Kindle's.
i predicted this whole thing (and with a far better, already trademarked name!) for apple a while ago;
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showthread.php?t=71238
I like this device, but I really like the direction it is going in. The big thing I think is the wireless feature. Even if none of these sell, it will still cause a revolution for the industry. Think about this: free fetching of content (as in no contract), anywhere. like buying songs with a touch anywhere, only paying for the song. I also really like the screen. Keep in mind that these screens are still first gen, so they can only get better from here.
If you consider giving $400 to Amazon no contract, then you are correct. I understand your point, I even own a Kindle and love it, but you have to remember I am locked into Amazon for my content. More locked into Amazon than I am with my iPod to the Apple iTunes store.
If you consider giving $400 to Amazon no contract, then you are correct.
In your world, does money changing hands always mean there's a contract involved?
In your world, does money changing hands always mean there's a contract involved?
When you are locked in to that entity as the only source for content at a more than premium price on the initial purchase, it can be perceived that way.
No, in my world the exchange of money does not always mean there's a contract involved. I was just pointing out we have to look at this realistically.
There are a lot of intelligent reasons for the black-and-white, unlit screen. Battery life above all. It's an electronic replacement for black-and-white printed pages. The trouble is people expect it to be an iPhone/iPod touch web browser for this price.
It needs to go back to the drawing board until there's a touch-screen keyboard and no bulk besides the screen.
The Star Trek novel is a funny example because Kindle's industrial design looks like a 1980s idea of the future.
Remember this uses e-ink.
E-ink Pros: This means no battery usage to view the screen and print like reading quality. I can't read a book online personally, but could read on this.
E-ink Cons: It also means that it has poor resolution, slow refresh, no color (at least until 09 they say) and problems with a touch screen approach...
Alas, it made lots of design compromises and poor ergonomic and look and feel choices.
-too easy to click pages and makes noise
-odd keyboard
-funky tracker on right
-weird plastic feel
-white color (not as nice as Apple for some reason)
-Odd thickness difference between left and right sides
-weird book holder that doesn't hold book well
Apple would not have made those compromises.
So A for effort, B for execution. I'll probably still buy one. But do think version 2 might be an even more radical improvement (but how long before a new model comes out....)
For $400, I'd rather just spend that on a pile of books. Maybe if they could get the price down, maybe offer it free with some sort of commitment I'd bite.
Imagine traveling for a month in Asia and then Europe. Or a business traveler on the road M-F weak after weak. I can see the CLEAR attraction. For this reason, I will buy, but may wait a bit.
(I accept all the criticisms, but nevertheless, think this is a revolutionary product that is only a version or two from nailing it. Of course, Apple probably would have nailed it.)
One downside - may have to turn off for takeoff and landing...
Imagine traveling for a month in Asia and then Europe. Or a business traveler on the road M-F weak after weak. I can see the CLEAR attraction. For this reason, I will buy, but may wait a bit.
(I accept all the criticisms, but nevertheless, think this is a revolutionary product that is only a version or two from nailing it. Of course, Apple probably would have nailed it.)
One downside - may have to turn off for takeoff and landing...
If I'm a tourist traveling through Europe (min of 6 weeks or it's pointless) and Asia (an additional 6 weeks or it's pointless) I am a complete moron if I'm spending my time reading digital books and not soaking up the experience I most likely won't see again in my life. I'd be busy taking photos, filming scenery, working on my laptop to create DVDs of my visits to famous historical locations, museums, soaking up as much local culture as I can knowing I'll only be able to review my memory and what I recorded with my digital camera/camcorder.
I, personally, would be writing in LaTeX my experiences and possibly put them into a novella form or general diary form.
As a business man, my time will be stringently focused on business dealings. Reading books on my pocket book reader is definitely a waste of time, though perhaps reading a book over the course of being there is possible. What's more possible is picking up a book or two on the cultures and keeping them.
As a business traveler on the train/tram or whatever, I'm busy reading for leisure or most likely getting some work done. Meetings and other distractions only make getting my work accomplished throughout the week harder to attain. Having time on the train/tram to get some of it done really tends to be what I have done in my past on such a situation.
My weekly schedule also definitely could include me zoning out to some MUSIC.
It's a niche product and always has been.
I fail to see how this relates to Apple though.
And bringing up the "iPod of reading" is not enough. It's not the iPod of reading, not yet at least.
Yah...where was Sony's unboxing? It does MP3's too. The linkage to Apple is slim especially since it isn't OSX compatible.
If I were going to spend $399 on a Kindle over the Sony 505 I'd go spend $699 on an iLiad. WiFi. Pen enabled Wacom touchscreen. Takes notes on PDFs. Too danged expensive. Bit slow too. Maybe the next one will be cheaper and faster.
The Sony has the same e-ink screen with the newer controller for 8 shades of gray over 4 on the Kindle (better images). On the Amazon side they offer more font sizes. Sony has longer battery life, better design and is smaller. With the cover the Kindle is almost twice the size of the Sony (with cover) and its harder to clip a light to it.
All in all, Kindle's most important contribution to eBooks is moving the bar up a couple notches and increased competition a bit. The eBook to buy isn't the Kindle but its next competitor because the Kindle sucks for the price and limitations. And its fugly.
They should have added pen input and dropped the keyboard.
I like it because you can carry more than one book with you for the size of only one book. It isn't THAT ugly. I would still prefer to do it on an iPhone though.
Compared to the Sony, I think it looks very old fashioned but I agree that I'd rather use an iphone or even an ipod touch to avoid the contract. This company allows you to get magazines:
http://mac.blorge.com/2007/11/26/ipo...n-your-device/
http://www.zinio.com/nu01
http://www.Zinio.com/iPhone
Playboy, Penthouse and Macworld, can't get much better than that for an entertaining train journey.
That's the thing about the e-readers, they don't show pictures so they have extremely limited uses. The ipod touch also plays music and the battery life should be long enough to let you read through your entire journey.
If anything, Amazon should have teamed up with Sony to offer the stylish reader. I guess the keyboard was their idea for being able to search for ebooks on the device but I don't see people wanting to do that.
I remember getting my first Ipod in 2002 and It was a thing of beauty and it had a monochrome screen. I was not that impressed with the monochrome, but it worked well and navigation was flawless.
When I saw this new plastic wedge it reminded me of my first computer...from 1982!!
I think Amazon's heart is in the right place, put they really need to go back to drawing board on the design. It looks like it was designed in the 70's for a crap sci fi movie.
sorry, but that thing is UGLY! and yeh, why wouldn't you just buy the book? the only reason i could think of is uni students/researchers and the like that need a lot of books with them all the time, but would rather just carry this ugly thing. id rather carry the books...
I am an uni student, and would rather carry the books. With a book I imaging it is much easier to annotate the text, place page markers, get colour diagrams (quite important in my field, as grayscale becomes difficult to see with so many shades often needed), etc..
You don't read.
Important disqualifier for all of you ridiculing it:
You don't read.
I see the readers being divided about this, even most of the people that like it seem to think it needs significant work. Personally, I don't like this cost-shifting to the consumer over the previous system, I want a better discount on the books if I have to pay hundreds for the reader, but the owner would only get a fairly meager discount on the media. The biggest justification for ever increasing book prices is the cost of paper and printing, that's gone. Couple that with the loss of the ability to trade, sell or give away books, even Amazon's pricing is a money grab.
I like the basic idea of the device, I just don't like the economics behind it.
Looks pretty crap - and the b/w screen is soooo retro!
Call me old fashioned, but why not just buy the book instead?
You are complaining about the black and white screen and then said why not just buy the book? What books come in color aside from children's books?
Isn't a really high-res black and white screen preferable to a colour screen? Why do you need colour?
People are complaining about the wrong thing here. Who cares if it is "ugly"? Who cares if it has a black an white screen? The real complaint here is the keyboard - it looks like the device is trying to do too much.