Quote:
Originally Posted by crossi
I just want to buy, store, find and read my novels easily. That's where the focus should be with ereaders. The rest is fluff. Fine to work on if you have mastered the essential four requirements but having those other things doesn't make up for being lacking in the essentials.
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That's it exactly for me.
I want a built in SD card slot, user replaceable battery and just general durability -- maybe the ebook makers should take a note from the Alphasmarts, which are durable enough to be dropped from 4-5 feet high (repeatedly) and not suffer any damage.
I really want a keyboard so I can search easily -- the current Kindle basic interface is embarrassing.
I think the big issue that such articles are overlooking -- cheaper and cheaper tech. There's not a lot of profit to be gained by further refinements on black and white eink readers.
But, as with most electronics, it's logical to assume that the cost of manufacturing these devices are going to keep on going down and down. If current trends continue, I'd expect to see a $49 Kindle (basic) by Christmas, maybe $35 by Christmas 2014...it might not be too long before Amazon can offer a basic Kindle for $25 or even free, even if offered at a loss, because at that price, it only takes a handful of ebook sales to offset the hardware cost. And the rest is pure profit.
When ebook readers get as cheap as disposable mp3 players, I'd expect to see the market explode -- lots of casual readers will pick them up for convenience and hard core readers will no doubt pick up an "extra/spare" for travelling, for other family members, etc.
If Amazon is not working towards this $25 or Free basic Kindle reader, I'd be amazed.