Amazon's new Kindle dubbed the 'iPod of reading'

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  • Reply 41 of 150
    parkyparky Posts: 383member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pmjoe View Post


    A neat concept, with two glaring flaws. First, they've locked you into Sprint, which you then end up paying for in hidden costs ... it should've included WiFi and let you choose to pay for the Sprint service either on demand or through a separate subscription. Second, a convoluted model for accessing open content: specially formatted RSS feeds for $$$?, per document charge to e-mail your own documents to yourself???, otherwise you have to fiddle with an SD card or USB cable and get the files into a format the Kindle willl handle?



    It's obvious the second issue is intimately bundled with the first. The convoluted usage model is being forced on you to pay for the Sprint wireless service. Amazon should've focused on making a usable device first.



    Also, where did the article get that it has a "basic web browser"? It isn't mentioned in the specs or video I saw. I doubt they're going to offer you free wireless browsing on Sprint.



    I have to wonder if this would be cheaper without the Sprint service? Offer a cheaper WiFi version with fewer content restrictions and I'll think about it.





    The Sprint service is included for FREE, you do not pay anything to use the network.
  • Reply 42 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pmjoe View Post


    A neat concept, with two glaring flaws. First, they've locked you into Sprint, which you then end up paying for in hidden costs ... it should've included WiFi and let you choose to pay for the Sprint service either on demand or through a separate subscription.



    What costs? I guess they could be burying some of the costs in the initial purchase price. And I suppose they could be hiding some more costs in the price you pay to purchase the material for it. But apparently you can browse Wikipedia with no additional cost at all.



    Quote:

    Second, a convoluted model for accessing open content: specially formatted RSS feeds for $$$?, per document charge to e-mail your own documents to yourself???, otherwise you have to fiddle with an SD card or USB cable and get the files into a format the Kindle willl handle?



    Disappointing. Hopefully in a future revision they'll make it possible to convert your files from home rather than needing to go through the email process.



    In the meantime, I suppose you could convert Word and PDF files into the Mobipocket format for free using Mobipocket Creator. (Right now that software is Windows only.) That file format is natively supported by the Kindle, so you can send it to your Kindle for free over USB.



    You can also send the email to whatever AT free DOT kindle DOT com (instead of the wireless option's whatever AT kindle DOT com), and the converted files will be sent back to your Amazon-registered desktop email account, for free USB transfer.



    Quote:

    Also, where did the article get that it has a "basic web browser"? It isn't mentioned in the specs or video I saw. I doubt they're going to offer you free wireless browsing on Sprint.



    Check out chapter 6 of the user's guide. (Link is at the bottom of the article page)



    Quote:

    I have to wonder if this would be cheaper without the Sprint service?



    Good question.
  • Reply 43 of 150
    given the choice of hi res oled/lcd OR eink



    I would go for the LCD every time.



    Why? Because if i can put up with a bit of eyestrain (something i dont personaly suffer with, and millions of people MUST happily put up with hence the popularity of computers) I will get all the extra funky features only LCD can currently give me.

    Its a trade off, but the winning device will incorporate an outstanding internet browsng experience also. Which just aint gonna happen with eink (as far as i can tell in the near future)

    Also, some of the super hi res color screens at the moment are a pleasure to read from IMO.
  • Reply 44 of 150
    parkyparky Posts: 383member
    When can I buy one in the UK, that is the important question!
  • Reply 45 of 150
    I've been waiting for a functional replacement for the paper book and notebook for ages, and this isn't it.



    Some points:

    * The keyboard is a mistake. A simple touch screen should suffice.

    * e-Ink is the right way to go for display. They got that right.

    * But no color display at this point is a mistake.

    * It's not all that aesthetically pleasing.



    DRM: What about DRM? Will our books disappear now if we stop paying, or will we have to authorize readers to read them? This is a huge point.



    Formats: What about file formats? Can I upload a TEXT, RTF, and PDF files in there to read, or is this forbidden, too? Another huge point.



    Pricing: Horrible. The value-to-cost ratio is enormously off, against its value. At $100 it would be noteworthy news. At $400 and with all its cons it's not better than current offerings, and worse than some.



    News?: The main reason this seems to be getting press time is because it's from Amazon. There are already similar products out there from brand names like Sony.



    Conclusions: This isn't bad news. I think it might get more people to think about eBooks and eventually spur some company to create THE eBook reader. Maybe Amazon itself will have a shot at this in a few years. But I'll bet a paycheck that this won't be the device to revolutionize electronic book reading.
  • Reply 46 of 150
    In my experience with electronic books, I found a few key problems:



    1. Hard to read, visually. The screen on my TabletPC was relatively low resolution, and made the print very small. Also, horrible to read in direct sunlight.



    2. Lack of physical pages made it very difficult to flip back and forth between sections. For college books, finding information is very important, and not having that tactile 'where am I' cue makes it difficult to do so quickly.



    3. Battery life, heat, awkward profile, heavy, and all the other annoyances that come with using an actual computer to try to read.



    4. Limited to only one screen's worth of info open at a time. I like to have my books spread out, with several open at once, and I just can't do that when I only have one display.



    Kindle begins to address most of these problems. I really like the technology they're using for the display (I first heard about a year or two ago), and think they're on the right track with it. Give it another year or two and I expect we'll have a color version of it.



    I have a rather large library, for being a 28 year old student without a library, and have at times resorted to a huge backpacking bag to lug the ones I need around (handbook of chemistry and physics, anyone?). I would LOVE to have all my reference material available in one slim profile device, as long as it is easy and comfortable to use. For the entertainment reading that I occasionally do, those would go well with a portable device also. The only catch is that I really like writing in and highlighting my school books, so some way to facilitate that would be a nice addition.



    Overall, it seems to me that Amazon is probably the most capable company to sell this kind of product, specifically because of their tremendous logistical and supply backbone. While they may not be the right company to BUILD and design it, they most certainly are the right ones to sell it and its content. Kindle seems very much to me to be like the first gen ipod. It seems to be getting about the same amount of flak too. The key to a successful product though, if we are to follow the iPod example, is for it to have several promising technologies, and for it to solve an annoyance/hole that consumers have to deal with. I think Kindle does that. Despite its silly name.



    Oh, and that display is absolutely critical. Anyone who tries this with a regular LCD is doomed.



    No, I'm not gonna support that claim. Argue it all ya want. :P



    C
  • Reply 47 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by monstrosity View Post


    given the choice of hi res oled/lcd OR eink



    I would go for the LCD every time.



    ... but the winning device will incorporate an outstanding internet browsng experience also...



    well, yeah, good point. I can't imagine that porn will look good in b&w.



    c
  • Reply 48 of 150
    1. It's ugly.

    2. It's greyscale.



    The point of this device isn't necessarily to carry 200 books everywhere you go, but to have access to 88000+ books everywhere you go. I can definitely see a market for this device simply because I had to wait 26 days for a book I recently ordered from a store in Australia. WTF is that about? I wanted the book that week and waited 3 more. It's 1:16am I can order a book online and wait however many days for it to arrive or I could be reading within 60 seconds. My flatmate reads a book every 2 days and she likes the idea of being able to buy a book whenever she wants.



    Would people be interested in carrying a laptop and this device? Yes and yes. My laptop stays in its case until I get to work and the same on the way home. I stared at the thing all day, I don't want to read a book on it as well. Ever tried reading on a crowded train standing up with a laptop in your hands? No? You should definitely try it. Balance your Macbook while squashed, moving to let people out, moving to let people in, sound like fun yet? Hang on with one hand and scroll with the other, fun fun fun. This device lets you read as if it was an actual book, with the look of an actual book.



    It isn't meant to be a laptop, simply put it's for reading, reading anywhere. It weighs nothing and looks reasonably sturdy, hopefully it can hold up to rigourous travel. Let me guess - books are much sturdier, durable bla bla, missing the point much. I have access to a bookstore anywhere. I am no longer tied to any physical stores, whether it's ordering online and waiting for the book from their warehouse or going into the local bookstore (20 min drive). I can read anywhere, anytime. This is the flexibility that is missing from the current market.



    This shouldn't be compared to a laptop or PDA, think of it as a book. I read in the park, do I want to read from a laptop or a kindle? Airport, laptop/PDA or kindle? Lying on the couch, laptop or kindle? Travelling to work, laptop or kindle?



    There are some definite shortcomings. It is hideous. Truly ugly. It has functionality and no form. Apple realised if you are going to make an expensive device make it look as sexy as possible, it will help it sell. It's not colour. Great for novels, less so for everything else. Unfortunately we are stuck waiting for the tech to mature.



    The great thing about this device is the exposure Amazon will bring to this technology and way of reading. iRex? WTF is that, Sony has their thing that no one knows about. I look forward to Apple's entrance in this market. I'm sure Microsoft will make a version 2 years from now uglier and less usable than the Amazon one.
  • Reply 49 of 150
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    I can dig it, maybe after a hardware revision or two. Maybe a little big but that could be for text adjustments which would be a good thing.



    If I can get my Star Trek books on it, I may give it a run but I like being able to read my book taking off on the plane and landing. But I could get by.



    I wish the body color was in black to reduce glare but oh well. You can't share your books either with friends like I can now. Maybe this idea sucks.



    It is like someone else said, how many ebooks do we have laying around? I have one and it is a technical manual really. Not like 1998 when I had mp3's coming out of my 20 gb hdd's.
  • Reply 50 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by monstrosity View Post










    This is closest to the representation of the combination e-book reader/iPhone Apple could build that could kibosh the Kindle (pun intended!) in no time flat. I'd make it a bit thicker to accommodate a 120-160 GB hard drive and battery, plus add in full iPhone features including HSDPA broadband support and Bluetooth for wireless headset. You will buy e-books through iTunes.
  • Reply 51 of 150
    palex9palex9 Posts: 105member
    it took them THAT long to finally have a product using the overhyped eInk technology? arent there OLED displays that you can actually roll up like a sheet of plastic in the making? the only thing i like about the kindle technology is that wireless (without hotspot) download capability.
  • Reply 52 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by palex9 View Post


    it took them THAT long to finally have a product using the overhyped eInk technology? arent there OLED displays that you can actually roll up like a sheet of plastic in the making? the only thing i like about the kindle technology is that wireless (without hotspot) download capability.



    Exactly! there is a multitude of competing technologies on the horizon. eink is WAY overhyped.
  • Reply 53 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Joseph_xxl View Post


    this thing is HUGE ......Comparing it to the early ipod is an insult



    It's books. Of course it's bigger than an iPod. What it isn't is bigger than it should be. You need a screen big enough to read.
  • Reply 54 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by palex9 View Post


    it took them THAT long to finally have a product using the overhyped eInk technology? arent there OLED displays that you can actually roll up like a sheet of plastic in the making?



    That's been demonstrated with E-Ink as well. But E-Ink (I use this particular trademarked name in place of all the other generic implementations based on the same principle) has significantly better visibility than OLED over a wider range of ambient lighting.



    I think the stellar application for E-Ink would be for use with high-visibility outdoor signage. Consider a speed limit sign on a bridge which can modify itself according to the weather conditions, while being equally visible at night using a car's headlights as it is under the full noonday sun.



    It seems to me that I've read that this application has been implemented in some train stations in Europe. (Unfortunately, I don't have links to back this up - I saw all this a few years ago.)
  • Reply 55 of 150
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    I think the big area for this device would be at schools and universities. I'd rather have that and download my texts than all the books you're required to purchase.



    Still the design is a little ugly. Too bad they didn't partner with Apple. The designs here on this thread are way better looking than the Kindle.
  • Reply 56 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nondual View Post


    It's books. Of course it's bigger than an iPod. What it isn't is bigger than it should be. You need a screen big enough to read.



    the sheers amount of buttons destroys its chance of widespead adoption.

    bad use of surface real estate, screen could be bigger(or the device could be smaller)



    IMO
  • Reply 57 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lfmorrison View Post


    I think the stellar application for E-Ink would be for use with high-visibility outdoor signage. Consider a speed limit sign on a bridge which can modify itself according to the weather conditions, while being equally visible at night using a car's headlights as it is under the full noonday sun.



    Consider what happens when some hacker decides to change all of the speed limit signs to 85MPH on a winding country in the middle of winter...





    As for this concept...many of the complaints I hear I could easily level at the video segment of the iPod market. It supports one format and a very narrow definition of that format as well. Only one source to easily AND legally acquire content. iPod screens suck for viewing when used in lighted environments (attempted to watch an episode of Battlestar Galactica but gave up in frustration from the glare off the screen). Can't be resold. Can't be lent out. Poor, overpriced selection (movies most of all with the price being close to the DVD with less quality and no bonus content). The iPod isn't happy when asked to fast forward or rewind video, noticeably pausing and then hard to stop once in process. I could go on...
  • Reply 58 of 150
    The rhetoric from Newsweek and other media outlets surrounding the Kindle is getting... well, let me just break about my hip-waders.



    Considering that Amazon is using e-ink technology that is no better than other e-ink readers already on the market, I'd hardly call the Kindle revolutionary or the "iPod of reading". The good part of what Amazon is doing is trying to create a profitable delivery model for electronic books and publications, but some of what they're charging for is ridiculous. (Charging to read blogs? Wha...?) Creating the delivery model has been difficult for the e-book industry and Amazon's influence will at least help further its development even though their model probably won't hold as the industry evolves.



    However, for what the Kindle and other e-ink readers do, the technology needs to improve and the cost needs to get down into the $100 - $200 range for these devices to find wider adoption among the general public. A few improvements to come that are noteworthy are e-ink color screens, front-lighting (since e-ink screens can't be backlit) around the edges washing over the screen, and faster refresh times, although the newer versions of the technology are faster than the earlier inception of the screens.



    Advanced e-ink technology, a profitable delivery model that benefits publishers and consumers alike, minimally-restrictive DRM coupled with software support for standard formats (PDF, RTF, etc...) and a decrease in price will converge at some point in the next three to five years. Once that happens, THEN we'll be talking about the real "iPod for reading", not this Kindle wedge.
  • Reply 59 of 150
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    Consider what happens when some hacker decides to change all of the speed limit signs to 85MPH on a winding country in the middle of winter...



    Well, I've seen programmable highway signs (typically using coloured reflectors or high intensity LEDs) out in the wild already, so it's not like the use of E-Ink will make us any more vulnerable to malicious attacks than we already are. It'd just make the signs more visible.
  • Reply 60 of 150
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shifty View Post


    They've already invented the iPod of reading. It's called a book. Nobody needs to carry around all their books--it's just not like music. It's a fundamentally bad idea.



    What about magazines, newspapers, and for some- comic books?
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