I read the other day that Amazon are releasing the second version of their electronic reader, the Amazon Kindle. It looks like a great little device but I think it’s going to be a few years before this kind of thing is accepted by the masses. Many are suggesting it is the ipod of the book world but at $359 US, I don’t think all book readers will be switching over just yet (bear in mind you can buy a laptop for less than that).
Here are the official specifications :
- Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.
- Simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing.
- Wireless connectivity enables you to shop the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle—whether you’re in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed.
- Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute.
- More than 230,000 books available, including more than 105 of 112 current New York Times® Best Sellers.
- New York Times® Best Sellers and New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise.
- Free book samples. Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.
- Top U.S. newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; top magazines including TIME, Atlantic Monthly, and Forbes—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
- Top international newspapers from France, Germany, and Ireland; Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine, and The Irish Times—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
- More than 1100 top blogs from the worlds of business, technology, sports, entertainment, and politics, including BoingBoing, Slashdot, TechCrunch, ESPN’s Bill Simmons, The Onion, Michelle Malkin, and The Huffington Post—all updated wirelessly throughout the day.
- Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback; weighs only 10.3 ounces.
- Holds over 200 titles.
- Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.
- Unlike WiFi, Kindle utilizes the same high-speed data network (EVDO) as advanced cell phones—so you never have to locate a hotspot.
- No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments—we take care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
- Includes free wireless access to the planet’s most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org.
- Email your Word documents and pictures (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .PNG) to Kindle for easy on-the-go viewing.
- Included in the box: Kindle wireless reader, Book cover, Power adapter, USB 2.0 cable
Although I’m not planning on getting one, I would like to try it out. I brought 6 books with me to Thailand and they take up a lot of room in my bag. If the price comes down within the next two years then I think this is something I would be interested in, specifically when going on holiday or travelling somewhere.
The official video below shows you how it works.
What do you think of the Kindle?
Rarst – I’ll need to look into it more. I still haven’t used an e-reader before so my opinion of them is based on video reviews etc on the web. As I said, if the price comes down I would definately consider getting one for travelling etc. Most of the people who have bought a kindle a raving about it.
This should be great for a travel
I’ve bought book reader (joint of local firm and China manufacturer) for ~340$ last year. It’s somewhat bugged and hangs a lot but e-ink screen is best type of display for reading ever.
A lot of people are comparing book readers to devices of similar size (smartphones, tablets, etc) – that’s just wrong. e-ink screens are made for reading and it shows.
About price – there are tons of way more expensive devices around and no one complains about them. :)