“To Kindle or not to Kindle?” – that is not the question. The question is: “Is Amazon’s new Kindle (generation 2) the one to get?”
Some, including Leo Laporte, are predicting that the Kindle will do the same thing to hard copy media that the iPod did to music. That is, the Kindle may be a tremendous game changer when it comes to how we consume the written word. The Kindle is indeed compelling. It’s not just another e-book reader – the Kindle does much more. It comes with an embedded wireless connection to Sprint’s wireless network (US Only), and you don’t pay a thing to stay connected. You can then shop either on the device itself or on Amazon’s site. As you buy books and/or subscribe to newspapers and magazines, your content is sent wirelessly to your Kindle within minutes. It’s that easy. So, with the Kindle, you can carry around hundreds of your favorite publications in one nice, neat, small package.
If you are an avid reader, I’d say the Kindle is a must. The amount you save on book purchases alone will justify the Kindle’s pricetag ($359). For example, I recently went to a local bookstore to pick up a book on programming. The price at the store: $44.99. The price to buy the book on my Kindle: $26.99. I bought the book on the Kindle.
Now, there are some tradeoffs. For certain books, it’s great to be able to flip paper pages back and forth quickly, for example. But, overall, the Kindle seems to win out for me in many cases. It is just so easy to buy the content, and the reading experience is really very good.
Now, when it comes to Kindle 1 vs. Kindle 2, existing Kindle owners have a question (new owners will have to go with the Kindle 2 unless you can get your hands on a used unit). For me personally, the original Kindle is quite good (not perfect), and while the Kindle 2 offers some enhancements, it may not be worth the full upgrade price. It has a faster wireless connection. It’s buttons seem to be better placed (reducing accidental page flips), and Amazon claims better battery life. Still, I am still very happy with the original Kindle.
The bottom line is: if you like to read books and newspapers, the Kindle is probably a device you will want to pick up. The convenience of being able to buy written content quickly and easily is huge. And, you can carry so much with you at one time – much easier than carrying a stack of books. Amazon certainly has a winner on its hands with the Kindle platform.
This post by Tony Pittman – tony@getthenext.com
5 Responses to “Get The Next _ Amazon Kindle”
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March 3rd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
This is helpful, thanks. I have never used Kindle personally, so glad to hear about these different aspects. When I travel I see others using it and that Kindle is a great thing. Not having to carry a lot of books, only one unit, is a real plus. As people get used to reading online, I can see this being useful, and I think it is a great way to bring reading into the next gen. But I must confess, I love to touch the books I read, and it’s easier on my eyes to read paper than electronics. Too, I love to walk into a whole rooms filled with books. Ah well.
Note to authors … if you try to download a formatted book onto Kindle, it doesn’t translate. You have to reformat. Amazon will place your book for you on Kindle free of charge if you list your book for sale on Amazon.com.
So great that people are reading!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Good points. Books will always have a place in our hearts, for sure. The tactile experience is something we all know and love.
I must say, the digital paper approach on the Kindle is much easier on the eyes than I thought it would be. But, books have their place too.
Like you, I’m just glad that it has the potential to reignite passion for reading.
My book is for sale on Amazon.com. Does that mean I can get it on the Kindle easily? I guess my publisher had to do it?
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:05 pm
My Kindle2 arrives tomorrow. Looking forward to using it.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Amazon has an e-mail that it forwards to publishers alerting them that customers would like to read the text in the Kindle format. I have used it because I find that many older books are unavailable. I am sure this must be a nightmare for publishers trying to decide how many copies to print.
I am a Kindle 1 owner. My biggest adjustment was overcoming my vanity. Maybe it’s just me…but I miss displaying all of my books around my home and office.
The Kindle is very compact and helps pass the time during my commute on the DC Metro. The wireless access from anywhere is great. The screen is easy on the eyes and I feel like I am reading at a much faster pace.
March 5th, 2009 at 8:51 am
I hope everyone is going to ask for Playing For Paterno on the Kindle!