If only it was about $250 dollars cheaper. I can't justify $490 no matter how bad-ass it is.

5/6/2009 12:07:05 PM

Steve Jobs, please help us....

5/6/2009 12:48:36 PM

^ pfft. I blame Steve Jobs for turning members of the tech community (and the majority of people in this thread) into a bunch aesthete weenies.

"Well I like the idea that I can carry thousands of books wherever I go, download books whenever/whereever, AND have *free* cellular web access...but look at it! This will never match my messenger bag or converse trainers!!"

Get over it, friend. Steve Jobs is a part of the problem, not the solution. The only thing he would do to the Kindle is jack up the price and give it a "sleek, modern design" that only makes the device harder to use (see skinny iPod Nano, new iPod Shuffle, iBook Air, etc). I can see it now. "iKindle, now with new screen-less design for only $999!"

Thanks but no thanks. Give me a device that actually works (the kindle does) over one that looks good any day. BELIEVE THAT. Everyone that is whining about the "look" of the Kindle can suck it.

[Edited on May 6, 2009 at 1:13 PM. Reason : edit #9]

5/6/2009 1:03:11 PM

more than $500?
An even more ugly, strangely laid-out keyboard?
More tedious navigation?

yeah, likely.

5/6/2009 1:22:07 PM

well there is a kindle app for the iphone/ipod touch

anyone try it out?

5/6/2009 1:23:47 PM

i tried it. i really enjoyed using my iphone as a reading device and have read about 6 complete books on it. they were all novels though, not technical books with pictures and diagrams and whatnot

[Edited on May 6, 2009 at 1:26 PM. Reason : .]

5/6/2009 1:25:42 PM

agent,

yah, Apple is so good at making products on the cheap.
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/03/the-mac-mini-ap/

Anyways, my point wasn't really about Apple. I am more upset that so many people in this thread are concerned with the appearance of the Kindle, yet recognize how functional the device is.

Is its interface really that hard to use? Not really. If you can use a verizon cellphone (a mobile device whose interface actually does suck), you can use a kindle with ease. Is it a beautiful piece of electronic modern art? But that isn't a bad thing.

If you are actually interested in reading eBooks (i personally am not but appreciate the Kindle for what it is), there really isn't much to complain about (price maybe, but don't pretend Apple products are cheap either). If you're interested in looking hip...well...you probably are not reading books anyways.

Here is the line that sounded so nice I had to say it twice:

Quote :

"Well I like the idea that I can carry thousands of books wherever I go, download books whenever/whereever, AND have *free* cellular web access...but look at it! This will never match my messenger bag or converse trainers!!"

[Edited on May 6, 2009 at 1:52 PM. Reason : ``]

5/6/2009 1:45:33 PM

well, looking at the Kindle 2 and the DX side-by-side, i do see a lot of improvements. For one, now it actually looks like a reading device, instead of a book-like device with a small screen on it. The screen is no longer drowning in a sea of white, and it looks like they've done their best to minimize the keyboard significantly, which is good.

5/6/2009 1:51:18 PM

Quote :

"well there is a kindle app for the iphone/ipod touch anyone try it out?"

yeah, I bought one book on it and have considered a couple of others.

It's definitely not perfect...if there are illustrations or diagrams, you can't zoom on them. The appearance of pure text is fine, though.

I've moved the vast majority of my ebooks into Stanza and just keep using it instead. The major advantage to the Kindle app is if you want to buy a new book, because Amazon's prices are way cheaper than other ebook retailers (like the ones that you can buy through the Stanza app interface).

5/6/2009 3:26:42 PM

ooh, native PDF reader. finally. That improved it hugely. This new version certainly looks a lot better (aesthete weenie, apparently) without the enormous bezel and wasted space.

5/7/2009 10:17:17 AM

It has a worse ppi than the kindle 2, but the native PDF support is what makes it awesome. To bad I bought a kindle 2

5/7/2009 11:07:25 AM

a better idea would be, what does the kindle need to become a better product, so far i've heard touch screen keyboard, native pdf (they did that), smaller bezel (though i'd rather have a inch around to hold, preferably rubberized), $150/sub $200 price point, allow better text input support.

i don't think it's impossible that these things will occur, at least at some point. it's a good device.

i don't know alot about it offhand so i dunno if this is already part of the features/services available, but i would think you could front/make available newspapers and magazines for this for a better profit margin than the print varieties.

wiki access is extremely useful.

it's so close

5/7/2009 3:31:00 PM

I agree with you on everything except the touch screen and maybe the price. Sony did a touch screen and the reaction was that the old screen looked better. If the primary function is reading, that's a step back in my book. But maybe they can do a touch screen w/o those drawbacks.

and why does it need a touch screen? the only thing I can possibly think of is to save space. Which I don't think is an issue with these since they can't go in your pocket anyway. I'd rather have a slightly larger product w/ a keyboard and not put smudges on something I'm going to be looking at all the time.

The price point is tough. It needs to come down just to get more people buying it. I don't know about $150, but i$490 is ridiculous. I think they can justify a higher cost since adding text books though. They're supposed to be about 50% off. For students, the reader could possibly pay for itself in a few semesters.

5/7/2009 4:01:22 PM

it's just too damn expensive

5/7/2009 4:02:09 PM

^ Must not buy a lot of books. Hardback from a retail store will cost you up to $30 or more, but only $10 on the Kindle. So you would really only have to buy 25 books like that before it "paid for itself" (obviously more if you're dealing with paper back numbers).

That doesn't even consider the value that comes from free wiki access, the ability to have a library in your pocket (no more storage issues!!), or the ability to have new books in a matter of minutes anytime/anywhere (and without shipping costs!!).

Personally, I think when you consider all the Kindle does, it is really not that expensive (not as much as beer and itunes anyways). I would say 90% of college students waste more than $500 a year on beer and itunes.

But...I would also bet that 90% of college students don't actually like reading that much anyways. So its no surprise everyone in this thread is claiming its "too expensive".

PS* That being said, I would never own an eBook reader either, but for totally different reasons that the "look" of the Kindle or its actually reasonable price tag.

[Edited on May 8, 2009 at 5:06 AM. Reason : ``]

5/8/2009 4:59:28 AM

i have a smart phone & mobile broadband, so i have free access to wiki & the full internet all the time anyway. i'm not a college student. i don't buy hardbacks. i don't drink and i don't spend lots of money on itunes.

i'd say i read a normal amount for an adult with a 4 year degree. it still seems expensive to me for what it does. i think $200 sounds better. it can't be that great of a "computer" and netbooks are like $300+/-. i'm sure in another couple of years when the hype is less, it will be cheaper.

5/8/2009 8:50:16 AM

I guess it's the "new cool" now to point out to someone that they "just don't read enough" if they won't make their money back on a $500 eBook reader in a reasonable amount of time

5/8/2009 8:57:24 AM

Quote :

"Hardback from a retail store will cost you up to $30 or more"

This is why people shop on the internet. I can't tell you the last time I paid retail for a book.

5/8/2009 11:10:21 AM

Quote :

"i have a smart phone & mobile broadband, so i have free access to wiki & the full internet all the time anyway"

I'm not sure what you're getting at here. Do you want Amazon to give you a discount or something because you don't "need" the free cellular access?

Look, if you have a smart phone you should understand. Wireless net capabilities don't come cheap. Most any smart phone you get is gonna run you several hundred dollars and that doesn't include the amount you pay each month for the privilege to get online. AND their screens are usually not as big as Kindle's (boy, I would sure love to read a book on an iPhone).
http://news.cnet.com/comparing-kindle-2-with-kindles-iphone-app/

So I really have no clue what you expect. If you want a device that allows you to access the net and download books anywhere at anytime, expect to pay more than $200. If you want something that just allows you to read text without net access, I got a 10 year old Palm Pilot I will sell you for $50.

[Edited on May 8, 2009 at 11:26 AM. Reason : figured i'd add a source]

5/8/2009 11:15:12 AM

Quote :

"boy, I would sure love to read a book on an iPhone"

That's a matter of personal preference...I've read 25+ novels on my iPhone since Stanza and then the Kindle app came out, and I don't have a problem with reading on it for long periods of time. The hassle of carrying around an extra device just isn't worth it to me.

It's interesting that that review you linked mentioned the problems with reading comics on the current Kindle, because I have ComicZeal on my iPhone--it's a wonderful app for that purpose.

5/8/2009 1:38:46 PM

Quote :

"Must not buy a lot of books."

Why, because she doesn't shell out $30 a book?

I think the $300 range is fair for this product, but still a slight stretch considering the cost of other devices.

Aside from people buying text books and the people who have to go out and buy a $30 book as soon as it comes out, I don't think the cost savings are nearly as much as you think.

If you like to read and live in the area, check out Mr. Mike's Used Books. There's one in Cary and one in N. Raleigh. Most of their books are 3.99. When they have fairly recent stuff, and they often do, they may be 6 or 7.99. I think I saw a book there that was still on the new release shelves at the big stores for maybe $10 once. Hardbacks may cost a dollar more than the paperback. But I've also picked up a paperback and then saw there was a hardback copy next to it for the same price.

These books are in great condition. Usually, people can't even tell they're used (i've bought them as gifts). The condition isn't even necessarily that important, I'm just trying to point out that I can pay $4-8 for a book and you wouldn't think I paid less than $15-30.

I've looked at some books I've recently bought there on the kindle store site and they all cost at least $3 more through kindle. Where are my cost savings? It doesn't even equal out when you factor in the time it takes to drive to the store and what not b/c I only go when I'm doing other stuff in that area and I buy enough books to last me a while.

For me, and I think for plenty of other people, looking at this as a cost savings model doesn't work. Although, I acknowledge that if you buy $20-30 books regularly or will be buying a lot of text books, this will pay for itself. If I were a student and they do end up making a lot of textbooks available for the kindle, I would buy one without hesitation at $490.

But as someone who doesn't pay $30/book or buy textbooks, I have to ask myself whether or not the advantages of the device itself are worth $360 or $490 + the increased cost of books (for me anyway). And it's not.

5/8/2009 1:46:49 PM

Yeah i've been using Stanza on my ipod touch. For those of you who want to "try out" a book before buying it online, newsgroups has almost every book out in most formats. don't forget to buy it if you like!

5/8/2009 1:52:05 PM

Quote :

"it's just too damn expensive"

Quote :

"Must not buy a lot of books."

yeah, when the books i buy are only $8/pop with no taxes and delivered to my door for free, it's going to take a lot of books to get the kindle to pay for itself...plus, i think i would really miss the tactile aspect of having a physical book...plus, if my book gets wet or something (i'm pretty rough with them since a book goes with me EVERYWHERE), i can just buy another $8 book...if the kindle gets wet or something, i'm out $350

5/8/2009 2:49:42 PM

duro82, Did you seriously type all that text just to inform me that you can buy used books for a discount?

Cool. Anyways...

DaveOT, My only point was that Kindle is reasonably priced because it is a mobile devices with wireless internet access just like a smartphone. But the big diff is that the Kindle is specifically designed for reading books. Can you read a book on an iphone? I guess. Some people watch movies on their iPods (god help 'em). But I hope they wouldn't argue that $1,000 full-sized TVs are over priced because I can movies on an iPod nano for a fraction of the price.

Hope that analogy helps.

5/8/2009 3:16:04 PM

Quote :

" i can just buy another $8 book...if the kindle gets wet or something, i'm out $350"

Someone else that doesn't understand.

The kindle is not a book. So why are comparing it to a book?

This is why people think the kindle is over priced. They are not actually comprehending the multiple features of the product.

5/8/2009 3:18:20 PM

my point with the smartphone is that the fact that the kindle has wiki access isn't a selling point to me. I have a company phone w unlimited data & I use pdanet to bypass verizon's mobile broadband monthly fee when using my netbook, which I could easily read books on and it was on $250.

5/8/2009 3:30:35 PM

It is overpriced. You can buy a nice netbook for the price of a kindle. i won't consider any e-reader until they drop below $200. Right now my ipod has much more functionality and despite the small screen size i can read on it in the dark before i go to sleep.

I'd feel like an idiot trying to attach a book light to a $400 electronic reader to read at night. I realize e-paper strains the eye less, but not being able to read in the dark is a big turn off for me.

5/8/2009 3:34:59 PM

Quote :

"Someone else that doesn't understand. The kindle is not a book. So why are comparing it to a book? This is why people think the kindle is over priced. They are not actually comprehending the multiple features of the product."

okay, what am i missing? i haven't extensively researched them, so i'm probably missing some key selling points...tell me what takes this out of the e-reader category and places it into the multifuctional handheld device category

5/8/2009 3:40:18 PM

Quote :

"duro82, Did you seriously type all that text just to inform me that you can buy used books for a discount?"

No, i wrote some of that to point out that you're an idiot if you think everyone spends $30 on a single book. And that in using the price of $30/book, actual cost savings are going to be grossly overestimated. Some of the details weren't necessary, but maybe someone reading the post will think it sounds like a good store and check it out. I imagine a few of the people reading this thread read books regularly.

The rest of my post was mostly just general opinions after giving it some thought (I was seriously considering getting one). You're not the only one reading the thread.

Socks``, do you really think the Kindle2 and KindleDX are worth the price of a netbook or even a laptop (in the case of the DX)?



I'm surprised the Kindle2 and DX don't have a light built in. The Sony reader has a light, touch screen, much better file format support, and costs less than the Kindle 2. But, no cell access and the books are more expensive than amazon.

[Edited on May 8, 2009 at 4:11 PM. Reason : /]

5/8/2009 4:10:30 PM

Quote :

"It is overpriced. You can buy a nice netbook for the price of a kindle. "

Quote :

"Socks``, do you really think the Kindle2 and KindleDX are worth the price of a netbook...?"

Yes, you can buy a netbook for the same price. But these comparisons are silly because they don't take into account the fact that the Kindle isn't meant to be a netbook. It's apples and oranges kids.

Let me put it in context.

For $299, I can get an iPod touch w/16GB of storage.
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_touch?mco=MTIyMDQ

For $259, I can get an Acer Aspire netbook with 120GB of storage.
http://www.officemax.com/catalog/sku.jsp?skuId=21725028&cm_mmc=GBase-_-Technology-_-Computers-_-Netbook_Computers&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=21725028

For $40 *less* the netbook will give you better web functionality than iPod touch and more space to store your songs. The numbers are only slightly less tragic when you compare the cost of a netbook to the cost of a iPod classic ($249 for 120GB of storage with zero access to the internet).
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_classic?mco=MTI2NDg

Yet I have never seen anyone in this thread suggest (here or anywhere else) buying a netbook over an iPod. I wonder why.....

[Edited on May 8, 2009 at 5:09 PM. Reason : ``]

5/8/2009 4:59:04 PM

^ The netbook vs iPod format is flawed because of the disparity in form factor. The form factor differences between a kindle dx and a netbook and much smaller and thus comparing the relative merits of cost and functionality between the two is more valid.

5/8/2009 5:50:24 PM

Yah. That. Or iPods are actually better portable music players than netbooks. They boot in less time, are easier to navigate/control (it aint easy to listen to music on your laptop and drive), have longer battery life, etc etc.

Netbooks can do everything an iPod can do and much more. But sometimes its nice to have a gadget that is designed to do one thing well. Those gadgets may be expensive, but many people are willing to pay a little more for them. Say Hello to the Kindle. For all the bitching about its "design", the Kindle actually *works* very well. That's why they are selling pretty damn quickly.

But hey. Maybe you're right. Maybe people only buy iPods because they match their outfits better than netbooks. Like I said earlier, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the truth of some people in here. But I certainly hope it isn't. Plus, it wouldn't explain why anyone would buy an ugly Zune over an ugly Netbook.


[Edited on May 8, 2009 at 10:51 PM. Reason : ``]

5/8/2009 10:48:54 PM

Quote :

"okay, what am i missing? i haven't extensively researched them, so i'm probably missing some key selling points...tell me what takes this out of the e-reader category and places it into the multifuctional handheld device category"

5/8/2009 11:38:38 PM

^^ Reading comprehension isn't a strength of yours huh? What you wrote doesn't really have anything to do with what darkone posted. You just changed the subject to an ipod being a better portable music player. He was pointing out that your comparison of an ipod to a netbook isn't a good example because the differential in size between those two are far greater than that of a kindle and netbook. That size difference would end up being a big factor in the comparison of the first pair. Where as the size of the kindle vs a netbook may not even be worth mentioning.

And just to entertain your unrelated point; I'll give you that an ipod is a better portable music player than a netbook. But apart from the great examples you gave, one huge advantage of the ipod is that it's so much smaller. It can fit in your pocket. Or as you pointed out, in a single hand as you drive. That is a great advantage over the much larger netbook. Any reasonable person would take that into consideration when comparing an ipod to a netbook as a device to use for portable music. It could very well be the biggest selling point over a netbook.

Quote :

"Yes, you can buy a netbook for the same price. But these comparisons are silly because they don't take into account the fact that the Kindle isn't meant to be a netbook. It's apples and oranges kids."

You're right, the kindle is not meant to be a netbook. That's kind of the problem. A netbook or small laptop is comparable in both size and price (2 very important factors), can do pretty much all of the same things, and a good bit more. The netbook/laptop will have a few disadvantages to the kindle; readability, battery-life, and cell access (although it will have wireless) being the main few. But it will also have some benefits as an ereader. It will support more formats than the kindle and can be read in the dark.

And there's nothing wrong with comparing apples to oranges if you're talking about what kind of fruit you prefer at a given cost. And man, I can compare a fucking horse to a kindle. One is great for riding around on and pulling shit... the other can't do either of those. But it can display ebooks. The later also costs significantly less up front and to maintain. Pick the one that makes more sense for your needs.

Quote :

"This is why people think the kindle is over priced. They are not actually comprehending the multiple features of the product."

I assumed what you meant by that statement was not that it has multiple features which improve the reading experience, but rather that it can do multiple things.

But then you said...

Quote :

"But sometimes its nice to have a gadget that is designed to do one thing well. Those gadgets may be expensive, but many people are willing to pay a little more for them. Say Hello to the Kindle."

Did I misunderstand your first statement, have you changed your mind on the multiple feature aspect, or did you just contradict yourself?


All that some of us are saying is; considering that a kindle and a netbook/small laptop are comparable in size (meaning one's not really more mobile than the other) and you get more functionality from the netbook/laptop for about the same cost, we'd rather put our money into a netbook. Yes, there are some negatives specific to the reading aspect (those i mentioned above). But there are also some benefits (again, mentioned earlier).

what it boils down to is need vs want in consideration of cost; why have X devices that each do one thing really well at $Y/each, if I can get 1 device for $Y that does all X of those things as well, if not better, than I actually need?

And yes Socks, I just typed all of that and then iterated some of it just to explain how you either misunderstood or completely ignored what darkone said; and also that it's not only perfectly acceptable to compare a kindle to a netbook, but that the netbook is actually a much better option for some people who want to be able to read books on a portable device. And I just re-iterated it. I did so because it seems to me that you're having trouble understanding. That, and I obviously had some time to kill.

5/9/2009 3:03:02 AM

^
Half of post: Different strokes for different folks.
Other half of post: Kindle is stupid because of...

IMO, if I was still a heavy reader and wanted to go digital with my books, I would want something that offered the most readability. After staring at a monitor most of the day the last thing I want to do is stare at another monitor. I haven't looked at a Kindle, but if the e-ink display performs as industry advertises than that would be the key feature. Long battery life would be my second priority for long flights or trips.

Also about the built in lighting, can you illuminate a large reflective screen? e-ink is not a transmitive display such as LCD so you cant just pop in a backlight.

5/9/2009 8:34:09 AM

duro82, i skimmed some of it but, i cant read all of that. you should really start using bullet points.

1) I disagree that I misinterpreted that other guy's statement. if he meant something else by "form" and "function" than the usual definitions, then he should have clarified.

2) Recognizing that the Kindle has multiple features does not mean to ignore the fact that all of those features are designed to support a relatively specialized task. The net access, the vast storage, etc are all there to improve your *reading* experience.

3) Where did you get the idea that a netbook is as mobile as a Kindle? The Acer I mentioned? 32 ounces. The Kindle? 10 ounces. Even the Kindle DX is over a pound lighter than an Acer (18.9 ounces). The Acer will run for 2.5 hours on a single charge. The Kindles will run for up to 4 days with wireless on (weeks if wireless is off). By any reasonable comparison, I dont see how you can argue that a netbook is even near as mobile as the Kindle (at least with regards to using a netbook to read ebooks).

And I think that fourth point really drowns your main argument. But I think thats where I will end it. I really don't need anymore bad vibes these days. Plus I always worry that my fondness of talking like an asshole online will one day lead to a big kick in the nuts from Karma. So I hope everyone realizes that I mostly talk like I do to be funny, not to be mean (it makes me laff anyways). Nice chatting with all of yuns.



[Edited on May 9, 2009 at 9:45 AM. Reason : ``]

5/9/2009 9:34:14 AM

Quote :

"Other half of post: Kindle is stupid because of..."

I don't think the kindle is stupid at all. I think it's a great product, just over-priced.

Quote :

"if the e-ink display performs as industry advertises than that would be the key feature."

E-ink is great, without a doubt. As i pointed out, it is a key feature. If you'd like to see it, the Borders on Walnut st. usually has the Sony ereader on display. They use the same technology. Although, the display on the 700 is not as good as that of the 505 (i think that was the last one). Apparently the stuff they put on it for the touch screen (it's on-top of the e-ink layer) causes some glare. But if you see a 505 model, that would be really close to the kindle.

Quote :

"Also about the built in lighting, can you illuminate a large reflective screen? e-ink is not a transmitive display such as LCD so you cant just pop in a backlight."

The Sony PRS-700 has a built in LED reading light on the sides. I've not seen it in person, but the reviews say it works very well.

Quote :

"I disagree that I misinterpreted that other guy's statement. if he meant something else by "form" and "function" than the usual definitions, then he should have clarified. "

He said "form factor." Maybe you're just not familiar with the term, but it refers to size and shape. It doesn't have anything to do with function.

Quote :

"Recognizing that the Kindle has multiple features does not mean to ignore the fact that all of those features are designed to support a relatively specialized task. The net access, the vast storage, etc are all there to improve your *reading* experience."

Awesome, I agree. As I said, that's not how I (nor others I think) interpreted that statement at first.

Mobility - I don't know many people who can't carry 32oz. I pointed out that the battery-life is a drawback, but charging isn't directly related to mobility. Neither my cell phone nor my ipod stay charged for 4 days, yet I think both are more "mobile" than an ereader. Is the netbook less mobile, yes slightly. Mainly because it's a little heavier and the battery-life is shorter. But the main "thing" about mobility to me is the ability to take it places. Due to the dimensions, I'm not carrying that thing everywhere I go unless it's in a backpack. Which would be the same for a netbook.

And I don't get the point of your photo (though I realize amazon created it). It only references thickness. The kindle2 is 8" H x 5.3" W. The DX is 10.4" x 7.2". You can't put those in a pocket. Most people don't want to carry something in their hands everywhere they go. That means they're either putting it in a bag, or only carrying it when they're going to use it. No different than a netbook. Where as I can put my phone or ipod in a pocket, or both in the same pocket as i often do, and take them out whenever I want to use one. And if I don't use either all day, no big deal.

5/9/2009 12:18:21 PM

I like the concept, but I really love having books. I like the feel in my hands, and I like having my own library One day I hope to have a really big personal library!
Of course, I could see the use if you were reading A LOT and you were travelling and didn't want to carry all the books with you. That'd get heavy.

I think I'd want both. In which case, too much money

5/9/2009 6:08:54 PM

Amazon is doing the best it can to break the balls of content providers. Most of their negotiating terms are under NDA, but what has come out is that they try to take 70% of revenue from authors and try to get rights to license the works on ALL mobile devices.

Under those terms, it's much better for authors just to release their damn books as iphone apps.

Questionable kindle future with tactics that make apple look downright saintly.

5/9/2009 6:16:56 PM

hmm, wasn't aware of that. Do you know how authors make out from from content sold through the sony store?

5/9/2009 6:20:04 PM

don't know, but i highly doubt any author can profit from a dead platform regardless of the terms

5/10/2009 12:51:51 AM

Easy way to make money using ebooks: Baen books web store. They release all books as multiple format, read online or download, NO DRM. They allow you to give away/ transfer copies to friends, and otherwise do as you want with your copy.

the result? a booming business, with authors making the money off of the deal.

5/10/2009 10:27:00 AM

I'd guess that the cost of publishing an eBook is so low, the authors and publishers make about the same amount of money or more.

5/10/2009 10:29:50 AM

so, what do you think about the idea of offering kindles at reduced prices for subscriptions to newspapers? in that, you sign a 1-year contract with the new york times and you get a kindle DX for $300 instead of $490 (i'm making up the numbers, i don't know what the actual cost is)

http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/06/technology/shambora_kindle.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2009050611

sounds like a good idea to me...the analogy ryan sohmer used is pretty good: razors and razor blades...the kindle is the razor (they can lose money on it by selling it for less than it costs) because e-books, the razor blades, make them a lot more money

5/11/2009 7:41:17 AM

Quote :

"Starting this summer, three newspapers - The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe - will offer the Kindle DX at a reduced price to readers who live in areas where home-delivery is not available in exchange for long-term subscription commitments."

so it's not open to everybody. i'm sure there's some sort of discount with a long-term subscription, but at $6.70/week for 7 day a week delivery of normal print newspaper, that's $348.40 a year.

5/11/2009 8:27:27 AM

My personal list of reasons why I won't buy a Kindle at its current price:

1 - Paperbacks
2 - Libraries
3 - Used book stores


At this point, I'm not willing to pony up $300+ for an ebook reader when its only real advantage is convenience of buying books and convenience of carrying a lot of books. I mean, I'd love to be able to have an entire library on me. That would be so awesome for travel (not that I travel much). And purchasing something on the fly would be great, too.
But I don't buy hardcover books, so there's really no way to recoup the cost of the reader. I already have access to more books than I can possibly read at the public library. And I don't have to pay a dime for that.

If I could get it for $150, then the convenience factor could be enough to push me over the edge.

5/11/2009 10:44:13 AM

In case you all would like to try out a Kindle, NCSU's DH Hill has Kindle 1 & 2 (not the brand new dx) available to students. You can check one out of the Learning Commons for a whole week. I did this, and I absolutely loved it. Beats having to pay such a large sum! Keep in mind though that you can only read certain books. The library cannot afford to order new titles currently, but will be able to by the end of the summer. To check out what titles are available now, go to: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/news/pes.php?cat=256

Hope this is helpful to you all!

5/17/2009 3:46:51 PM

Looks like they made some really weird book choices for a university library.

5/17/2009 3:52:26 PM

True! But they are trying to have more of a "popular book collection." They are going to delve more into this effort when the new Hunt Library opens up down the road.

5/17/2009 4:04:10 PM

set em up

5/17/2009 11:05:37 PM