I have a Kindle v1.0, I like the new version. No way I am giving that for an updated version. Let's face it, there is a difference between getting a new iPod and a new Kindle. I read a lot and listen to music a lot.
I think they have really started to nail this thing with v2.0 and I hope this takes off for them.
If you read a lot of books then the Kindle is probably worth the price. I just can't see myself paying over $300 for the device. The Kindle is the iPod of readers and Amazon has shown they are the book kings. I'm glad to wait until such devices (probably competitor devices) come down in price for us cheapstakes.
This is great for the environment and a game changer for the industry. We might actually save a forest or two with such devices. Hopefully Amazon's Kindle 3 will be more environmentally friendly on its components the next go round with maybe an aluminum case. Good enough that it saves trees.
Seconded: I think it would be appropriate for irnchriz to cool his heels for a week or so -- mods?
Kindle is an exciting technology, in my opinion. The real killer app (if it can be called an app) would be college textbooks. It would also be useful to be able to take notes "in the margins." If Amazon manages these two things, there will be no more campus bookstores at any universities (and good riddance!).
The grey scale display is not an important detail. Colour will come eventually in the eink tech; and the eink is a much better solution than an LCD as it allows for much greater power management.
Plus there's this:
I'm happy with my Kindle 2 so far, but if they cut off the free Wikipedia browsing, I plan to show up drunk on Jeff Bezos's lawn and refuse to leave.xkcd.com
Inside the box, the Kindle 2 device sits in a paperboard tray resembling a microwavable meal. It and the inside of the exterior box are both covered in what looks like Harry Potter-inspired magical black text.
Ok, I'm following you on the microwavable meal comment, but wtf are you talking about "Harry Potter" text? Abusing a contemporary reference makes you sound like a social neophyte.
The actual structure of the package leaves something to be desired, I agree, but I think the type treatment is its best-developed quality. The concept is clear and easily communicated, as well as a pleasant (if not entirely refreshing) use of spot-UV. In my opinion, at least.
Of course, leave it to a graphic designer to have nothing to say about the product itself...
"The real killer app (if it can be called an app) would be college textbooks."
I work in publishing and textbooks are the worst possible use for a Kindle. We publish hard and soft science books and the Kindle's 6 inch screen is woefully inadequate. A full 65% of the artwork in our textbooks (mainly engineering, mathematical, forensics, but some social science and humanities) cannot be displayed on the Kindle without severe loss of detail. The devise is limited to a single font, making math texts very difficult to display, the lack of color makes forensic titles irrelevant, and the lack of Unicode support means the chemistry, physics, cultural, and language studies books we we co cannot be displayed without expensive rework. Kindle is for trade paperbacks and nothing else. I hope the Kindle 3 gets with modern standards and allows us to move textbooks forward.
Cool comic, love that series and will check to see if it is available on my Kindle
"The real killer app (if it can be called an app) would be college textbooks."
I work in publishing and textbooks are the worst possible use for a Kindle. We publish hard and soft science books and the Kindle's 6 inch screen is woefully inadequate. A full 65% of the artwork in our textbooks (mainly engineering, mathematical, forensics, but some social science and humanities) cannot be displayed on the Kindle without severe loss of detail. The devise is limited to a single font, making math texts very difficult to display, the lack of color makes forensic titles irrelevant, and the lack of Unicode support means the chemistry, physics, cultural, and language studies books we we co cannot be displayed without expensive rework. Kindle is for trade paperbacks and nothing else. I hope the Kindle 3 gets with modern standards and allows us to move textbooks forward.
Cool comic, love that series and will check to see if it is available on my Kindle
Personally, I'd love to see Kindle put overpriced textbook publishers on notice.
it's the result of the (cheap) lens on the digital camera. More prominent when shooting closeups or macros.
Cheap or expensive, the main problem is the human element behind the camera. My PowerShot G5 will do the same if I shoot a closeup fully zoomed out. That's why the photographer in this story should have used his head, put the camera on a tripod, and then used full zoom on the camera to eliminate the distortion. It's easy to do. And honestly, we are all reading this story to see just how amazing the Kindle is, so I for one want to see some crisp, non-distorted photos of the screen in all its glory. Tisk, tisk, AppleInsider photographer!
I like this one a lot more than the original. I'll probably wait for a few more reviews and then seriously consider picking this up. I just wish it had a backlight, I know this would kill battery life and bring the cost up considerably, but hopefully it will be implemented at some point and time.
As the Cliche goes, "imitation is the best form of flattery;" Amazon will turn a lot more heads with 2.0.
The absence of a back light is a plus! Our eyes become stressed when light shines into them ... this is why reading on the iPhone is tiring after a only a short time.
If one drops their Kindle on the floor and it smashes into pieces...
Would you have 'kindling'...
It's supposedly impact resistant. They have videos of drop tests on their site.
Quote:
Sorry about that folks, just my weird sense of humor!
Kindle 2 looks nice! I agree with the black on a white screen comment and it would be a nice option of having illustrations or maybe even video clips in color to help make the story come alive!
Video clips making the story come alive? Why not cut to the chase and just watch the movie adaptation rather than deal with a mixed text and video story?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ksec
Why wont they make a proper, decent, simple, version?
No WiFi or Wireless Connection Tech. ( A lot of Cost Saving )
No keyboard.
Much Higher Resolution and something like 64 Grey Level.
For higher res, more grays, you're either going to pay more or have to wait a while. That's going to negate the cost savings of no wireless.
If you just want a reader like that, then it's probably not the device they intend. They might want it to feel like a product in its own right rather than a computer accessory. Also, it follows the idea that you can download media from just about anywhere at any time without having to go home to your computer. Being able to get sample chapters and buy the rest of the book without missing a beat sounds like a nifty feature.
But if the market demands a second model that is cut-down, then I imagine they will eventually do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
Personally, I'd love to see Kindle put overpriced textbook publishers on notice.
I don't see how that will change anything, the same industry is going to be the ones that will provide the ebook version. You would have to find authors that bypass that industry and sell straight to the ebook companies, and I don't know how they'll be able to afford an illustrator to make any diagrams they may need.
10 years from now Amazon could be making Apple class computers...
Normally I treat every suggestion for a product Apple doesn't currently do with a degree of ambivalence but I have to say it again Apple really are acting absurdly stupid in letting the 7 to 10" table form factor pass them by..
Unfortunately, I agree with several other posts commenting on the lack of support for other formats. I think this will ultimately lead to limited success for the device. The ipod succeeded because it supported the legacy mp3 format and incorporating it into there own ecosystem. Amazon is trying to create a similar ecosystem by keeping everything closed. There are literally millions of free books out there in PDF or DOC formats. Making it easy to use these formats would seriously reduce the number of books sold. It is kind of backwards from the ipod ecosystem. Apple makes very little money selling music and gets their money from selling ipods. Amazon is trying to grab money with both hands. Close the ecosystem as tight as you can so you can sell more books and make money off of the device itself. I might work, but it won't work as well. If I am going to carry around a reader, I am going to want to read PDF and excel documents from work... word documents from home... listen to audiobooks... listen to music. I want to do it with simple sync and not email and conversion.
It is a great idea, and I would even pay the price, but as it stands now, it is too limited. It is just so close to being where it needs to be, I can almost see it succeeding, but it is just not there yet.
Apple really are acting absurdly stupid in letting the 7 to 10" table form factor pass them by..
I really agree there. I want an iPod touch that is 7 to 10 inches in size. Slim and elegant, apps from app store, used for reading, movies, tv shows, some basic editing, email, wifi, and of course MUSIC. I'd pay good money for 3G for ultimate connectivity too.
"The real killer app (if it can be called an app) would be college textbooks."
I work in publishing and textbooks are the worst possible use for a Kindle. We publish hard and soft science books and the Kindle's 6 inch screen is woefully inadequate. A full 65% of the artwork in our textbooks (mainly engineering, mathematical, forensics, but some social science and humanities) cannot be displayed on the Kindle without severe loss of detail. The devise is limited to a single font, making math texts very difficult to display, the lack of color makes forensic titles irrelevant, and the lack of Unicode support means the chemistry, physics, cultural, and language studies books we we co cannot be displayed without expensive rework. Kindle is for trade paperbacks and nothing else. I hope the Kindle 3 gets with modern standards and allows us to move textbooks forward.
Cool comic, love that series and will check to see if it is available on my Kindle
Well, that may be true of the current Kindle, but a future version will obviously address all of those issues. Color, graphics, etc are just a matter of time and engineering.
I think texts will largely disappear within 10 years because:
1) lug-abillity. (ever hear of 'book-bag back'? Its a real issue with grade-school kids)
2) ability to take notes in-line without destroying the value of the book for future readers
3) search-ability
4) hyperlinking
5) cost. (and I don't buy the economies of scale arguments for the absurd cost of textbooks.) Forcing re-purchase of books to accommodate trivial updates of content is precisely an arguement for eTexts. Forced re-purchase is as much a scam of the tenured class as it is of the publishers.
10 years from now Amazon could be making Apple class computers...
Normally I treat every suggestion for a product Apple doesn't currently do with a degree of ambivalence but I have to say it again Apple really are acting absurdly stupid in letting the 7 to 10" table form factor pass them by..
Who says they're letting the opportunity pass by? I think a tablet is a sure thing, and its a just matter of market timing. Anecdotal evidence that a few of us hard-core, bleeding edge types want it now doesn't mean that the market is ready, particularly with the economy in its current state.
It'll be here... chill.
As for Amazon becoming a world-class computer manufacturer, nonsense. They're booksellers who've had a device designed and made for them to facilitate their core business... selling books.
It looks great now! I think it has the potential to really grow.
It's not for me though because my typical books and reference material is filled with photographs and big high resolution color images. E-ink simply can't reproduce that to the level of where it's getting useful.
If the Kindle and the whole e-book thing ever is going to catch on I believe it's got to start heavily with students and university libraries. It would be a killer app there where all student material could be updated on the kindle, not having to carry around heavy books anymore.
A agree a little with the Black on white instead of black on gray opinion. Isn't reading a lot of text on a retro gray background in dim lighting conditions potentially frustrating? Also I'd like to know if the screen is reflective or matte? Is there trouble with reflections or glares?
I'm not one of those who thinks the Kindle needs a backlight. Backlighting, which we tolerate all day long, isn't actually great on the eyes. But the Kindle needs to be black on WHITE, not black on grey. Then I'd be tempted to want one. I've seen the original Kindle's black-on-grey, and didn't like the visibility. The new one (from these photos) seems to have about the same contrast.
I'd also move the keyboard up by the screen, leaving a nice empty "grab" margin at the bottom.
But it has come a long way--I wish it success.
Actually the Kindle 2 has 16 shades of grey vs 4 shades of grey on kindle 1- a big difference. I plan to get one this summer as I enjoy reading the newspaper on my commute each day. This will make that experience a whole lot better and I won't wind up with anything to dispose of.
I am a little perplexed by the title of this thread "Will it sell?"
It's already been selling big time (Kindle1) and this will be an even bigger success- it's been selling before it was even released.
Jeff Bezos on Charlie Rose was excellent yesterday demonstrating it.
Who says they're letting the opportunity pass by? I think a tablet is a sure thing, and its a just matter of market timing. Anecdotal evidence that a few of us hard-core, bleeding edge types want it now doesn't mean that the market is ready, particularly with the economy in its current state.
It'll be here... chill.
As for Amazon becoming a world-class computer manufacturer, nonsense. They're booksellers who've had a device designed and made for them to facilitate their core business... selling books.
Yes, but how much will it sell for - that is the question. Will it be under $1,000?
Amazon is a lot more than booksellers- much, much more. They are the biggest online retailer of goods- which happens to include books.
I really agree there. I want an iPod touch that is 7 to 10 inches in size. Slim and elegant, apps from app store, used for reading, movies, tv shows, some basic editing, email, wifi, and of course MUSIC. I'd pay good money for 3G for ultimate connectivity too.
Small enough for my purse, but not too heavy.
I'd love such a device.
Netbooks and ultra compacts are selling big time now. Seems like all the R&D went into MacBook Air and the greening of Apple (thank you Al Gore). Too bad we don't have our own version of a 7-11" anything now.
Comments
I have a Kindle v1.0, I like the new version. No way I am giving that for an updated version. Let's face it, there is a difference between getting a new iPod and a new Kindle. I read a lot and listen to music a lot.
I think they have really started to nail this thing with v2.0 and I hope this takes off for them.
If you read a lot of books then the Kindle is probably worth the price. I just can't see myself paying over $300 for the device. The Kindle is the iPod of readers and Amazon has shown they are the book kings. I'm glad to wait until such devices (probably competitor devices) come down in price for us cheapstakes.
This is great for the environment and a game changer for the industry. We might actually save a forest or two with such devices. Hopefully Amazon's Kindle 3 will be more environmentally friendly on its components the next go round with maybe an aluminum case. Good enough that it saves trees.
I hope you get punished for this rudeness.
Seconded: I think it would be appropriate for irnchriz to cool his heels for a week or so -- mods?
Kindle is an exciting technology, in my opinion. The real killer app (if it can be called an app) would be college textbooks. It would also be useful to be able to take notes "in the margins." If Amazon manages these two things, there will be no more campus bookstores at any universities (and good riddance!).
The grey scale display is not an important detail. Colour will come eventually in the eink tech; and the eink is a much better solution than an LCD as it allows for much greater power management.
Plus there's this:
I'm happy with my Kindle 2 so far, but if they cut off the free Wikipedia browsing, I plan to show up drunk on Jeff Bezos's lawn and refuse to leave. xkcd.com
Inside the box, the Kindle 2 device sits in a paperboard tray resembling a microwavable meal. It and the inside of the exterior box are both covered in what looks like Harry Potter-inspired magical black text.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Ok, I'm following you on the microwavable meal comment, but wtf are you talking about "Harry Potter" text? Abusing a contemporary reference makes you sound like a social neophyte.
The actual structure of the package leaves something to be desired, I agree, but I think the type treatment is its best-developed quality. The concept is clear and easily communicated, as well as a pleasant (if not entirely refreshing) use of spot-UV. In my opinion, at least.
Of course, leave it to a graphic designer to have nothing to say about the product itself...
I work in publishing and textbooks are the worst possible use for a Kindle. We publish hard and soft science books and the Kindle's 6 inch screen is woefully inadequate. A full 65% of the artwork in our textbooks (mainly engineering, mathematical, forensics, but some social science and humanities) cannot be displayed on the Kindle without severe loss of detail. The devise is limited to a single font, making math texts very difficult to display, the lack of color makes forensic titles irrelevant, and the lack of Unicode support means the chemistry, physics, cultural, and language studies books we we co cannot be displayed without expensive rework. Kindle is for trade paperbacks and nothing else. I hope the Kindle 3 gets with modern standards and allows us to move textbooks forward.
Cool comic, love that series and will check to see if it is available on my Kindle
"The real killer app (if it can be called an app) would be college textbooks."
I work in publishing and textbooks are the worst possible use for a Kindle. We publish hard and soft science books and the Kindle's 6 inch screen is woefully inadequate. A full 65% of the artwork in our textbooks (mainly engineering, mathematical, forensics, but some social science and humanities) cannot be displayed on the Kindle without severe loss of detail. The devise is limited to a single font, making math texts very difficult to display, the lack of color makes forensic titles irrelevant, and the lack of Unicode support means the chemistry, physics, cultural, and language studies books we we co cannot be displayed without expensive rework. Kindle is for trade paperbacks and nothing else. I hope the Kindle 3 gets with modern standards and allows us to move textbooks forward.
Cool comic, love that series and will check to see if it is available on my Kindle
Personally, I'd love to see Kindle put overpriced textbook publishers on notice.
it's the result of the (cheap) lens on the digital camera. More prominent when shooting closeups or macros.
Cheap or expensive, the main problem is the human element behind the camera. My PowerShot G5 will do the same if I shoot a closeup fully zoomed out. That's why the photographer in this story should have used his head, put the camera on a tripod, and then used full zoom on the camera to eliminate the distortion. It's easy to do. And honestly, we are all reading this story to see just how amazing the Kindle is, so I for one want to see some crisp, non-distorted photos of the screen in all its glory. Tisk, tisk, AppleInsider photographer!
I like this one a lot more than the original. I'll probably wait for a few more reviews and then seriously consider picking this up. I just wish it had a backlight, I know this would kill battery life and bring the cost up considerably, but hopefully it will be implemented at some point and time.
As the Cliche goes, "imitation is the best form of flattery;" Amazon will turn a lot more heads with 2.0.
The absence of a back light is a plus! Our eyes become stressed when light shines into them ... this is why reading on the iPhone is tiring after a only a short time.
Very Little...
If one drops their Kindle on the floor and it smashes into pieces...
Would you have 'kindling'...
It's supposedly impact resistant. They have videos of drop tests on their site.
Sorry about that folks, just my weird sense of humor!
Kindle 2 looks nice! I agree with the black on a white screen comment and it would be a nice option of having illustrations or maybe even video clips in color to help make the story come alive!
Video clips making the story come alive? Why not cut to the chase and just watch the movie adaptation rather than deal with a mixed text and video story?
Why wont they make a proper, decent, simple, version?
No WiFi or Wireless Connection Tech. ( A lot of Cost Saving )
No keyboard.
Much Higher Resolution and something like 64 Grey Level.
For higher res, more grays, you're either going to pay more or have to wait a while. That's going to negate the cost savings of no wireless.
If you just want a reader like that, then it's probably not the device they intend. They might want it to feel like a product in its own right rather than a computer accessory. Also, it follows the idea that you can download media from just about anywhere at any time without having to go home to your computer. Being able to get sample chapters and buy the rest of the book without missing a beat sounds like a nifty feature.
But if the market demands a second model that is cut-down, then I imagine they will eventually do it.
Personally, I'd love to see Kindle put overpriced textbook publishers on notice.
I don't see how that will change anything, the same industry is going to be the ones that will provide the ebook version. You would have to find authors that bypass that industry and sell straight to the ebook companies, and I don't know how they'll be able to afford an illustrator to make any diagrams they may need.
The 'Killer App' imho, would be ability to walk into your public library and have them beam a book loan to your device.
Normally I treat every suggestion for a product Apple doesn't currently do with a degree of ambivalence but I have to say it again Apple really are acting absurdly stupid in letting the 7 to 10" table form factor pass them by..
It is a great idea, and I would even pay the price, but as it stands now, it is too limited. It is just so close to being where it needs to be, I can almost see it succeeding, but it is just not there yet.
Apple really are acting absurdly stupid in letting the 7 to 10" table form factor pass them by..
I really agree there. I want an iPod touch that is 7 to 10 inches in size. Slim and elegant, apps from app store, used for reading, movies, tv shows, some basic editing, email, wifi, and of course MUSIC. I'd pay good money for 3G for ultimate connectivity too.
Small enough for my purse, but not too heavy.
I'd love such a device.
"The real killer app (if it can be called an app) would be college textbooks."
I work in publishing and textbooks are the worst possible use for a Kindle. We publish hard and soft science books and the Kindle's 6 inch screen is woefully inadequate. A full 65% of the artwork in our textbooks (mainly engineering, mathematical, forensics, but some social science and humanities) cannot be displayed on the Kindle without severe loss of detail. The devise is limited to a single font, making math texts very difficult to display, the lack of color makes forensic titles irrelevant, and the lack of Unicode support means the chemistry, physics, cultural, and language studies books we we co cannot be displayed without expensive rework. Kindle is for trade paperbacks and nothing else. I hope the Kindle 3 gets with modern standards and allows us to move textbooks forward.
Cool comic, love that series and will check to see if it is available on my Kindle
Well, that may be true of the current Kindle, but a future version will obviously address all of those issues. Color, graphics, etc are just a matter of time and engineering.
I think texts will largely disappear within 10 years because:
1) lug-abillity. (ever hear of 'book-bag back'? Its a real issue with grade-school kids)
2) ability to take notes in-line without destroying the value of the book for future readers
3) search-ability
4) hyperlinking
5) cost. (and I don't buy the economies of scale arguments for the absurd cost of textbooks.) Forcing re-purchase of books to accommodate trivial updates of content is precisely an arguement for eTexts. Forced re-purchase is as much a scam of the tenured class as it is of the publishers.
10 years from now Amazon could be making Apple class computers...
Normally I treat every suggestion for a product Apple doesn't currently do with a degree of ambivalence but I have to say it again Apple really are acting absurdly stupid in letting the 7 to 10" table form factor pass them by..
Who says they're letting the opportunity pass by? I think a tablet is a sure thing, and its a just matter of market timing. Anecdotal evidence that a few of us hard-core, bleeding edge types want it now doesn't mean that the market is ready, particularly with the economy in its current state.
It'll be here... chill.
As for Amazon becoming a world-class computer manufacturer, nonsense. They're booksellers who've had a device designed and made for them to facilitate their core business... selling books.
It's not for me though because my typical books and reference material is filled with photographs and big high resolution color images. E-ink simply can't reproduce that to the level of where it's getting useful.
If the Kindle and the whole e-book thing ever is going to catch on I believe it's got to start heavily with students and university libraries. It would be a killer app there where all student material could be updated on the kindle, not having to carry around heavy books anymore.
A agree a little with the Black on white instead of black on gray opinion. Isn't reading a lot of text on a retro gray background in dim lighting conditions potentially frustrating? Also I'd like to know if the screen is reflective or matte? Is there trouble with reflections or glares?
I'm not one of those who thinks the Kindle needs a backlight. Backlighting, which we tolerate all day long, isn't actually great on the eyes. But the Kindle needs to be black on WHITE, not black on grey. Then I'd be tempted to want one. I've seen the original Kindle's black-on-grey, and didn't like the visibility. The new one (from these photos) seems to have about the same contrast.
I'd also move the keyboard up by the screen, leaving a nice empty "grab" margin at the bottom.
But it has come a long way--I wish it success.
Actually the Kindle 2 has 16 shades of grey vs 4 shades of grey on kindle 1- a big difference. I plan to get one this summer as I enjoy reading the newspaper on my commute each day. This will make that experience a whole lot better and I won't wind up with anything to dispose of.
I am a little perplexed by the title of this thread "Will it sell?"
It's already been selling big time (Kindle1) and this will be an even bigger success- it's been selling before it was even released.
Jeff Bezos on Charlie Rose was excellent yesterday demonstrating it.
Who says they're letting the opportunity pass by? I think a tablet is a sure thing, and its a just matter of market timing. Anecdotal evidence that a few of us hard-core, bleeding edge types want it now doesn't mean that the market is ready, particularly with the economy in its current state.
It'll be here... chill.
As for Amazon becoming a world-class computer manufacturer, nonsense. They're booksellers who've had a device designed and made for them to facilitate their core business... selling books.
Yes, but how much will it sell for - that is the question. Will it be under $1,000?
Amazon is a lot more than booksellers- much, much more. They are the biggest online retailer of goods- which happens to include books.
I really agree there. I want an iPod touch that is 7 to 10 inches in size. Slim and elegant, apps from app store, used for reading, movies, tv shows, some basic editing, email, wifi, and of course MUSIC. I'd pay good money for 3G for ultimate connectivity too.
Small enough for my purse, but not too heavy.
I'd love such a device.
Netbooks and ultra compacts are selling big time now. Seems like all the R&D went into MacBook Air and the greening of Apple (thank you Al Gore). Too bad we don't have our own version of a 7-11" anything now.
It's totally wireless 3G unlike any iPod- Amazon pays the 3G service which is built into the cost.
It has no backlight- uses e-ink technology- no iPod uses that.
It has a physical keyboard- again -not on any iPod.
It doesn't display picture or videos as most iPods do.
It is what it is- a huge success for Bezos and Amazon. Some people on here just can't fathom some other company having a smash hit other than Apple.