Depending on how much they paid, it could be a good acquisition.
I really don't see iPad and the Kindle in direct competition. It's more like Kindle and iBooks in direct competition. And on this front, Kindle is strong. Kindle fans tend to be as obsessive about e-ink as Apple fans tend to be about the 'experience'. That's exactly what the Kindle offers to avid readers. A more book reading type experience. A person who spends $489 on a Kindle DX is not likely to be the type of person who will want to read an e-book on a 1.5 pound computer with a glossy screen (though he might get an iPad to watch movies and surf the web when he travels). And they probably aren't going to be all that interested in spending $130 more for the device + $30/mo in data charges with limited global roaming functionality just to get access to content. That's not to say the iPad won't outsell the Kindle. It will. General devices always sell out niche devices. But I am sceptical that iBooks will outsell the Kindle store.
What Amazon should be doing is plotting a price drop. Both Kindles were ridiculously priced to begin with. The Kindle 2 should be under $100. And the Kindle DX should be under $200.
And as far as technology goes...before worrying about touch-screens (which aren't really all that necessary on an e-reader), colour should be a priority.
First Google showed a sketch of a possible tablet, now this news from Amazon. But I believe that Apple's ecosystem and the pioneering ideas behind the iPad will work out in favor of Apple. That is not to say that the other tablets may not sell well.
By the way, of both mentioned "competitors", I fear Google the most. It more and more looks that they are copying Apple's success formula by bringing the hardware under their control so as to match it closely to their software. And the scope of their software is growing at a fast pace from OS to browser to Android.
No one was even talking about the Kindle until the iPad was announced. It has existed for a couple years now but it's already seen as the cheap iPad rip off to many
That is completely wrong. No one had heard of the Sony ebook readers (which I think were already on Gen3 when the Kindle first came out). However, Amazon has done a great job of raising public awareness of ebook readers and the Kindle. No one thinks the Kindle is an iPad rip-off.
There is also an incorrect assumption here that Amazon is only competing against the iPad. There are already multiple ebook readers such as the nook and the Sony devices and the competition already has touch screens. At CES last month, everyone seemed to be launching their own ebook reader. Amazon has lots of competition.
The iPad will not kill off dedicated ebook readers, just like the iPod touch has not killed off the dedicated mp3 player (Apple still sells a lot of iPod Nanos and shuffles). E-book readers start at $199 and e-ink is supposed to be superior if all you want to do is read.
I call this throwing good money after bad. This is just complete and utter folly for Amazon to think that they can compete against Apple in hardware.
I have a Kindle and enjoy using it. It has given me 2-ish good years of solid use, is easy on the eyes when reading for a long time and pretty much just works as advertised. I look forward to trying out an iPad at the Apple store when they are released but even if I do end up getting one (after my experience buying a first gen iPhone, I will wait till at least v2 of the iPad), I will still hold onto the Kindle and probably stick with it for reading (unless the iPad excels at reducing eye fatigue as a book reader and allows me to make notes in the books and save those notes on my computer for future reference).
And as far as technology goes...before worrying about touch-screens (which aren't really all that necessary on an e-reader), colour should be a priority.
I would say that even before color, e-ink has to speed up its refresh rates to be a genuinely satisfying experience. A black and white Kindle with LCD refresh speeds would be a marvel. Unfortunately, I don't think that's something Amazon can fix by throwing money at it, unless there's some other startup somewhere with truly breakthrough tech.
As for the acquisition at hand, I dunno. It's like Amazon went "Competition! We better buy something!" But I can't see where cheap, flexible, limitless multitouch screen overlays are all that helpful for a pure E-book play. Are you going to be putting 10 fingers on the pages of your book to do something interesting? Are they planning curved screen Kindles? The only part that seems congruent with Amazon's current business is "cheap", but I can't imagine that the differential on one component is so great that it would lead big savings, per unit. But maybe it does. Maybe that's all they wanted, cheap multitouch screens.
I think Amazon would be better off investing in a software company. I don't think anyone thinks the Kindle OS is any kind of triumph, or anything, it's just sort of there and more or less gets the (limited) job done. If they do intend to incorporated multitouch into the Kindle or its successors, they really need to have a nice UI and OS to make it all hang together.
Why did Amazon actually buy Touchco and its technology? Amazon could have just licensed their tech or just bought their microcontrollers. Does not make sense to me. Actually I think Amazon bought a pig and a poke. Their are better resistive multi-touch technologies available, why would they hitch their wagon to just one.
this small firm with that awesome(?) technology could have been interesting for those iPhone-competitors that can't offer multitouch-interface. Why didn't they get this before amazon? Palm, REM, MS, Samsung etc.
if this is so awesome... are these 6 people really as cool as Amazon says?
this small firm with that awesome(?) technology could have been interesting for those iPhone-competitors that can't offer multitouch-interface. Why didn't they get this before amazon? Palm, REM, MS, Samsung etc.
if this is so awesome... are these 6 people really as cool as Amazon says?
As inexplicable as it is, I can't believe that Amazon doesn't have some reasonably astute people in house, and that they did due diligence in evaluating this technology. I mean, I hope it wasn't a case of a couple of bright guys putting on a show and the Amazon execs going "Awesome! Let us write you a check!"
As inexplicable as it is, I can't believe that Amazon doesn't have some reasonably astute people in house, and that they did due diligence in evaluating this technology. I mean, I hope it wasn't a case of a couple of bright guys putting on a show and the Amazon execs going "Awesome! Let us write you a check!"
That does happen. However assuming they did think it through they now need an OS ... as I said before, Google may get involved here.
The Newton used a resistive touch screen. I hope the Touchco folks have really improved it. I'd still be using my Newton if the resistive touch screen hadn't worn out.
As you can imagine, I'm looking forward to an iPad. To bad it won't have handwriting recognition :-)
Good that you can still write! I can barely scrawl my signature after 30 years on a keyboard.
That is completely wrong. No one had heard of the Sony ebook readers (which I think were already on Gen3 when the Kindle first came out). However, Amazon has done a great job of raising public awareness of ebook readers and the Kindle. No one thinks the Kindle is an iPad rip-off.
Sony was on their second generation when the Kindle came out. Sony released their 3rd Gen E Ink touch screen after the 1st Gen Kindle.
And it is also incorrect to say that no one heard of the Sony Readers before. Sony partnered with Borders in 2006 (before the Kindle) and had had a presence at every one of Borders stores (the main stores at least, not the Bordres Express stores). Sony had demo units for people to play around with all over Bordres stores (and still do) and have a spot on Border's online store.
Comments
I really don't see iPad and the Kindle in direct competition. It's more like Kindle and iBooks in direct competition. And on this front, Kindle is strong. Kindle fans tend to be as obsessive about e-ink as Apple fans tend to be about the 'experience'. That's exactly what the Kindle offers to avid readers. A more book reading type experience. A person who spends $489 on a Kindle DX is not likely to be the type of person who will want to read an e-book on a 1.5 pound computer with a glossy screen (though he might get an iPad to watch movies and surf the web when he travels). And they probably aren't going to be all that interested in spending $130 more for the device + $30/mo in data charges with limited global roaming functionality just to get access to content. That's not to say the iPad won't outsell the Kindle. It will. General devices always sell out niche devices. But I am sceptical that iBooks will outsell the Kindle store.
What Amazon should be doing is plotting a price drop. Both Kindles were ridiculously priced to begin with. The Kindle 2 should be under $100. And the Kindle DX should be under $200.
And as far as technology goes...before worrying about touch-screens (which aren't really all that necessary on an e-reader), colour should be a priority.
First Google showed a sketch of a possible tablet, now this news from Amazon. But I believe that Apple's ecosystem and the pioneering ideas behind the iPad will work out in favor of Apple. That is not to say that the other tablets may not sell well.
By the way, of both mentioned "competitors", I fear Google the most. It more and more looks that they are copying Apple's success formula by bringing the hardware under their control so as to match it closely to their software. And the scope of their software is growing at a fast pace from OS to browser to Android.
No one was even talking about the Kindle until the iPad was announced. It has existed for a couple years now but it's already seen as the cheap iPad rip off to many
That is completely wrong. No one had heard of the Sony ebook readers (which I think were already on Gen3 when the Kindle first came out). However, Amazon has done a great job of raising public awareness of ebook readers and the Kindle. No one thinks the Kindle is an iPad rip-off.
There is also an incorrect assumption here that Amazon is only competing against the iPad. There are already multiple ebook readers such as the nook and the Sony devices and the competition already has touch screens. At CES last month, everyone seemed to be launching their own ebook reader. Amazon has lots of competition.
The iPad will not kill off dedicated ebook readers, just like the iPod touch has not killed off the dedicated mp3 player (Apple still sells a lot of iPod Nanos and shuffles). E-book readers start at $199 and e-ink is supposed to be superior if all you want to do is read.
I call this throwing good money after bad. This is just complete and utter folly for Amazon to think that they can compete against Apple in hardware.
I have a Kindle and enjoy using it. It has given me 2-ish good years of solid use, is easy on the eyes when reading for a long time and pretty much just works as advertised. I look forward to trying out an iPad at the Apple store when they are released but even if I do end up getting one (after my experience buying a first gen iPhone, I will wait till at least v2 of the iPad), I will still hold onto the Kindle and probably stick with it for reading (unless the iPad excels at reducing eye fatigue as a book reader and allows me to make notes in the books and save those notes on my computer for future reference).
Now this is what I thought the iPad was going to look like. - something truly revolutionary, a real fold up, roll up digital paper.
Good for us consumers- competition is truly a good thing.
And as far as technology goes...before worrying about touch-screens (which aren't really all that necessary on an e-reader), colour should be a priority.
I would say that even before color, e-ink has to speed up its refresh rates to be a genuinely satisfying experience. A black and white Kindle with LCD refresh speeds would be a marvel. Unfortunately, I don't think that's something Amazon can fix by throwing money at it, unless there's some other startup somewhere with truly breakthrough tech.
As for the acquisition at hand, I dunno. It's like Amazon went "Competition! We better buy something!" But I can't see where cheap, flexible, limitless multitouch screen overlays are all that helpful for a pure E-book play. Are you going to be putting 10 fingers on the pages of your book to do something interesting? Are they planning curved screen Kindles? The only part that seems congruent with Amazon's current business is "cheap", but I can't imagine that the differential on one component is so great that it would lead big savings, per unit. But maybe it does. Maybe that's all they wanted, cheap multitouch screens.
I think Amazon would be better off investing in a software company. I don't think anyone thinks the Kindle OS is any kind of triumph, or anything, it's just sort of there and more or less gets the (limited) job done. If they do intend to incorporated multitouch into the Kindle or its successors, they really need to have a nice UI and OS to make it all hang together.
if this is so awesome... are these 6 people really as cool as Amazon says?
this small firm with that awesome(?) technology could have been interesting for those iPhone-competitors that can't offer multitouch-interface. Why didn't they get this before amazon? Palm, REM, MS, Samsung etc.
if this is so awesome... are these 6 people really as cool as Amazon says?
As inexplicable as it is, I can't believe that Amazon doesn't have some reasonably astute people in house, and that they did due diligence in evaluating this technology. I mean, I hope it wasn't a case of a couple of bright guys putting on a show and the Amazon execs going "Awesome! Let us write you a check!"
That is so interesting ... can't wait to see what amazon has in store
I can/will wait.
Amazon has operations in CA?! How can they not charge sales tax here then?
My guess is because they're not retail operations.
Could have made alot moer money than probably the relatively meager amount they got from Amazon.
Who says Apple's touch screen cannot detect unlimited touch points? We only have 10 fingers!
Yeas I had a double take at that ... Amazon's lets you use all ten and ...??
As inexplicable as it is, I can't believe that Amazon doesn't have some reasonably astute people in house, and that they did due diligence in evaluating this technology. I mean, I hope it wasn't a case of a couple of bright guys putting on a show and the Amazon execs going "Awesome! Let us write you a check!"
That does happen. However assuming they did think it through they now need an OS ... as I said before, Google may get involved here.
GIven they need an OS too to do anything of real interest I wonder if Google might partner with them to take on Apple?
Google is too busy trying to scan every book ever written. Amazon has nothing to offer Google.
The Newton used a resistive touch screen. I hope the Touchco folks have really improved it. I'd still be using my Newton if the resistive touch screen hadn't worn out.
As you can imagine, I'm looking forward to an iPad. To bad it won't have handwriting recognition :-)
Good that you can still write! I can barely scrawl my signature after 30 years on a keyboard.
Google is too busy trying to scan every book ever written. Amazon has nothing to offer Google.
An operating system maybe? Oh sorry I am lysdexic. Yes I see what you mean. Google could do this without Amazon. Gotchya.
That is completely wrong. No one had heard of the Sony ebook readers (which I think were already on Gen3 when the Kindle first came out). However, Amazon has done a great job of raising public awareness of ebook readers and the Kindle. No one thinks the Kindle is an iPad rip-off.
Sony was on their second generation when the Kindle came out. Sony released their 3rd Gen E Ink touch screen after the 1st Gen Kindle.
And it is also incorrect to say that no one heard of the Sony Readers before. Sony partnered with Borders in 2006 (before the Kindle) and had had a presence at every one of Borders stores (the main stores at least, not the Bordres Express stores). Sony had demo units for people to play around with all over Bordres stores (and still do) and have a spot on Border's online store.