Amazon has released two new versions of the Kindle (here and here for more). The new Kindle is a bit lower in price, offers the ability to have 3G network capability or 3G and WiFi, and has a smaller form factor than the previous model with the same size screen. Amazon has also provided a battery that will run for up to a month when the wireless is turned off. This is a feature I really like. I've gotten at least 3 weeks of battery life out of mine, I bet I could get 4. One feature that I think is keen is the new book light. It's not a part of the Kindle, but a part of a cover or sleeve that protects the Kindle. Additionally, the light is powered by the Kindle's battery, not a second, separate one.
As I've said before, I think it's refreshing, but a tad dangerous for Amazon to try and manufacture, market and focus their Kindles on books and readers alone. Refreshing in that it's always good to be the best at one specific thing. If Amazon wants readers to have the best eReader experience and can create the Kindle to do that, great. But, and this is the danger, I think that eReading as a term is still being defined. Amazon is trying to define it as nothing more than the ability to download and read books on a Kindle. Apple and iPad are trying to define it as much more.
I loved this quote from Amazon however, "For the vast majority of books, adding video and animation is not going to be helpful. It is distracting rather than enhancing. You are not going to improve Hemingway by adding video snippets."
But, there is some hypocrisy later on when the WSJ article points out that "(s)till, Amazon has hedged its bets for its e-bookstore, making a series of apps that let users read their Amazon e-book purchases on other devices, such as the iPad, iPhone and BlackBerry."
All in all, I think this will be Amazon's final thrust in delivering a pure eReader. Despite the quote that says, "Mr. Bezos said he wasn't interested in making an Amazon tablet computer. "There are going to be 100 companies making LCD [screen] tablets," he said. "Why would we want to be 101?"" I believe the next product launch of a Kindle will have more bells and whistles. Not as much as iPad, but not so basic as Kindle is now.
1 comment:
The new K is interesting, but why does it even have a keyboard, or why not have the keyboard on the screen ala iPad. It seems the hardware keys, which are seldom used take up so much room that should be used for screen real-estate. No?
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