Amazon to introduce "big screen" Kindle device this week
Amazon.com is expected to introduce later this week a version of its Kindle digital eBook reader with a larger display screen fitted for presentation of newspapers, magazines and textbooks in a more traditional format, according to reports.
The big-box retailer and online bookseller on Monday began issuing to members of the media invitations to a special press conference this Wednesday, May 6th at 10:30 a.m. that will take place at Pace University in Manhattan.
These invites arrived just hours after a report in the New York Times cited people briefed on Amazon's plans as saying the retailer was gearing up to introduce "a larger version of its Kindle wireless device tailored for displaying newspapers, magazines and perhaps textbooks."
The newspaper, which is expected to be one of several media outlets involved in the unveiling, believes eBook readers with screens larger than the 6-inch display on the existing Kindle may pose an "irresistible proposition" to newspaper and magazine publishers who are looking to save millions on the cost of printing and distributing their publications at a time when there business have come under immense financial pressure.
The jumbo Kindle, as some have called it, is expected to be the first of several similarly-positioned devices due to hit the market in the next 12-months, with other offerings reported to be in the works by the likes of News Corp., the magazine publisher Hearst, and upstart Plastic Logic.
A Kindle with a larger viewing surface could renew consumers interest in paying for subscriptions to content that has in recent years has become freely accessible on the Web, while also affording publishers the opportunity to present their material in a digital format that resembles that of their print editions.
But when Amazon takes the wraps off its new device on Wednesday, it may focus on an entirely different market: education. In the weeks leading up to the introduction of the Kindle 2 (unboxing, review) this past February, rumors were abound of an upcoming education model that would feature a larger screen and be marketed to students as an alternative to textbooks.
Plastic Logic has been touting its own larger-form factor digital eBook reader, expected to hit the market later this year.
With Amazon having selected an educational institution to host this week's event, it's likely those rumors will pan out to some degree. The retailer chose public libraries as the site of its first two Kindle introductions.
The big-box retailer and online bookseller on Monday began issuing to members of the media invitations to a special press conference this Wednesday, May 6th at 10:30 a.m. that will take place at Pace University in Manhattan.
These invites arrived just hours after a report in the New York Times cited people briefed on Amazon's plans as saying the retailer was gearing up to introduce "a larger version of its Kindle wireless device tailored for displaying newspapers, magazines and perhaps textbooks."
The newspaper, which is expected to be one of several media outlets involved in the unveiling, believes eBook readers with screens larger than the 6-inch display on the existing Kindle may pose an "irresistible proposition" to newspaper and magazine publishers who are looking to save millions on the cost of printing and distributing their publications at a time when there business have come under immense financial pressure.
The jumbo Kindle, as some have called it, is expected to be the first of several similarly-positioned devices due to hit the market in the next 12-months, with other offerings reported to be in the works by the likes of News Corp., the magazine publisher Hearst, and upstart Plastic Logic.
A Kindle with a larger viewing surface could renew consumers interest in paying for subscriptions to content that has in recent years has become freely accessible on the Web, while also affording publishers the opportunity to present their material in a digital format that resembles that of their print editions.
But when Amazon takes the wraps off its new device on Wednesday, it may focus on an entirely different market: education. In the weeks leading up to the introduction of the Kindle 2 (unboxing, review) this past February, rumors were abound of an upcoming education model that would feature a larger screen and be marketed to students as an alternative to textbooks.
Plastic Logic has been touting its own larger-form factor digital eBook reader, expected to hit the market later this year.
With Amazon having selected an educational institution to host this week's event, it's likely those rumors will pan out to some degree. The retailer chose public libraries as the site of its first two Kindle introductions.
Comments
Update: If however I had a large tablet like device that could both display books, newspapers etc. and access the web, run basic applications, e-mail... you'd have my business
Apple ??
Nothing against the Kindle or the idea of an electronic device to replace school books but this thing seems to large and cumbersome for strictly reading text. I would not choose this over a magazine or newspaper that I could fold up and stick in my bag or pocket.
I think you've missed the point. It's not supposed to take the place of 1 magazine or 1 book, it's supposed to take the place of many of those items, you can't fold 4 magazines and two books up enough to fit in your pocket.
I think you've missed the point. It's not supposed to take the place of 1 magazine or 1 book, it's supposed to take the place of many of those items, you can't fold 4 magazines and two books up enough to fit in your pocket.
Agreed, see update to my post. but thinking of my own experiences when I have the time to read is also when I have time to catch up on e-mail, watch a movie etc. With this device I would still need a laptop, iphone etc... or just a mac tablet.
this a device that any 50 year old non-tech would appreciate!
GOOD LORD! Did you see how disgusting that woman's arms looked?
Revolting! She has a really bad case of epidermis all up and down that arm.
/likes real women
Watch Apple transform the eBook business just as it has music and video....
2. If they trimmed an inch off the outer edge (as pictured), I think it would fit in a bookbag nicely. 8 x 10.5 would be slightly smaller than a letter sized page, and easy to create protective sheaths.
3. The larger size would also differentiate them from the iPhone and likely any forthcoming iTablet.
4. (@paxman) I agree, once color hits, it's a much different product. Web browsing would be rather pointless until then, and any business productivity. Meanwhile, I think Apple will beat them to the punch, upsizing before they all can add color. Honestly, the color issue is the most critical, as this is what is keeping eReaders becoming much more versatile and mainstream. eReader functionality is simply covered in the iPhone plus size model unless you specifically need something beyond 10 or 11" diagonal screen size. I could imagine a set size with varying thicknesses for different battery life/processing power/storage.
Revolting! She has a really bad case of epidermis all up and down that arm.
/likes real women
And you don't have any skin?
Am I the only expecting Apple to launch a tablet device that is slated not only to be a maxi-iTouch but a Kindle-killer as well?
Watch Apple transform the eBook business just as it has music and video....
That's what I was trying to say in my post(s) just less hutzpa.
Am I the only expecting Apple to launch a tablet device that is slated not only to be a maxi-iTouch but a Kindle-killer as well?
Watch Apple transform the eBook business just as it has music and video....
Almost everybody is expecting and predicting a larger Touch, and it makes some sense. Still, one of the main features (from a reading experience point of view) is the liquid ink technology used in the Kindle. It is more pleasing to read and easier on the battery. I would not expect Apple to go back to monochromatic displays... Reading pleasure on a backlit device is and will remain limited ? it is ok when reading for a few minutes only, but you can do that on the existing iPhone and Touch as well. A bigger Touch does make more sense as a portable video player, Web browser and for e.g. Office-type and note taking applications... eBook reading is rather an afterthought.
Apple, as always, may be up to something vis-a-vis a larger format iPod Touch and if that's the case AND IF they do some type of e-book reader THEN Amazon will have some serious trouble.
I know that there's a Kindle app available but it would surely need to be rewritten for a larger screened iPod whatever and what would the chances be for that coming from Amazon anytime soon?
Apple, I neeeed a large screen iPod Touch! PLeeeeease!
Stan
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But the name? Jumbo Kindle? That's horrible! Kindle Grande (make sure you say it "gron-DAY") could be worse, but not by much. MegaKindle would suck as would Giganto-Kindle. Almost everything I think of is pretty terrible. It may end up that Jumbo Kindle wins by being virtue of being the least bad.
Too bad the iPhone is keeping all us Mac users from having an Apple 7- 11 inch device already.
Too bad the Kindle can't play music- I like listening whilst I read.
Oh well- you can't have everything.
But the name? Jumbo Kindle? That's horrible! Kindle Grande (make sure you say it "gron-DAY") could be worse, but not by much. MegaKindle would suck as would Giganto-Kindle. Almost everything I think of is pretty terrible. It may end up that Jumbo Kindle wins by being virtue of being the least bad.
MobiDick ???
... the liquid ink technology used in the Kindle. It is more pleasing to read ...
I keep hearing this over and over again, but the only personal experience I've had with Kindles left me feeling the opposite.
I found that dark grey on medium grey or light grey was the absolute *worst* situation for readability. I much prefer reading on the (much brighter and clearer), iPhone screen.
I often wonder if this idea is just a holdover from the days when people said that if you watched too much TV your eyes would water. Later people used to say that your eyes got "strained" if you read off of a computer instead of a page, but I never found that to be the case in practice either.
I only have my own personal experience or never having perceived or experienced any of these problems to draw on, but I wouldn't be surprised if this kind of stuff was really all just old-wives tales and suppositions based on nothing at all. People believe, and even actively experience all kinds of illusory things.
Amazon should instead introduce cost-reduced version (say, $99 to $199) with smaller built-in storage and without EVDO. Although EVDO hardware may not cost all that much, there's substantial fee toward Sprint for lifetime data access.