Kindle 2 Price Cut to $299

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Dropping e-ink means losing the long battery life, which is a large part of the appeal of these readers. And backlighting is a mixed blessing--yes, it reads in the dark, but it's also hard on the eyes for a lot of people.

Although, keep in mind, as screen technology improves so will battery technology. It may be that in 3 to 5 years a reflexive LCD screen will look better than eink, be able to display video and last 100 hours on a single charge of the nifty fuel cell battery.

BOb

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Although, keep in mind, as screen technology improves so will battery technology. It may be that in 3 to 5 years a reflexive LCD screen will look better than eink, be able to display video and last 100 hours on a single charge of the nifty fuel cell battery.

BOb

Oh, I hope so. But in the meantime, dropping e-ink to allow color & backlight is pretty much an even exchange of benefits; whether it's better or worse depends mostly on the individual's preferences.

[Penforhire]

I won't buy another reader without e-ink. To me it is THAT good compared to LCD. So if my 505 died tomorrow I would give the $299 K2 serious consideration. If you don't need e-ink there is a cornucopia of cheap long-battery-life portable PC's that would do the job. Going LCD, at least today, would kill the product IMO.

Originally Posted by Penforhire

I won't buy another reader without e-ink. To me it is THAT good compared to LCD. So if my 505 died tomorrow I would give the $299 K2 serious consideration. If you don't need e-ink there is a cornucopia of cheap long-battery-life portable PC's that would do the job. Going LCD, at least today, would kill the product IMO.

The Jetbook's LCD screen is superior to any e-ink device today, both in terms of contrast and refresh rate. It has an estimated battery life of ~20 hours continuous usage, realistically long enough to satisfy everyone. And it can be bought for less than $200.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by akira28

I don't believe the price drop will do much to spur Kindle sales, especially in these times. In order to have a significant, mainstream impact Amazon would have to:

1. Drop the price below $200
2. Drop the e-ink screen in favor of hi-density LCD to increase contrast levels, cure the screen flashing problem, give color and backlighting options, and reduce manufacturing cost.
3. Drop ebook prices to make them an incentive to purchase the hardware
4. Drop the DRM protection
5. Drop any control over materials already in the users possession
6. Separate Kindle accounts from Amazon.com accounts
7. Add user replaceable battery

Hmm, I suspect you are not in their target demographic.

Dale

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Oh, I hope so. But in the meantime, dropping e-ink to allow color & backlight is pretty much an even exchange of benefits; whether it's better or worse depends mostly on the individual's preferences.

Actually the competing LCD screen do not have color or backlight. Read about reflective LCD in the wiki. All LCD screens are not alike.

Dale

[Ryanfromvisalia]

Hey Everyone! Just wanted to let you guys know that I just called Kindle Customer Service and they refunded me the $60 difference. My fiance bought me a K2 last week. I called them up a few minutes ago after noticing the price drop and they promptly refunded me the difference. *Woot Woot!*

[pboss]

Originally Posted by akira28

I don't believe the price drop will do much to spur Kindle sales, especially in these times. In order to have a significant, mainstream impact Amazon would have to:

1. Drop the price below $200
2. Drop the e-ink screen in favor of hi-density LCD to increase contrast levels, cure the screen flashing problem, give color and backlighting options, and reduce manufacturing cost.
3. Drop ebook prices to make them an incentive to purchase the hardware
4. Drop the DRM protection
5. Drop any control over materials already in the users possession
6. Separate Kindle accounts from Amazon.com accounts
7. Add user replaceable battery

Price drop will increase sales, it always does. Nice list btw. It summed up all the pain we are having.

[DaleDe]

Computer World posted this article on the price reduction http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic..._pm_2009-07-09

It says in part:

True, the Kindle remains light years ahead of the competition both in its interface quality and in its integration with an online storefront. But now it has company: the Sony Digital Reader PRS-700 ($350) and the Sony Digital Reader PRS-505 ($280), as well as lesser-known alternatives like the Interead Cool-er Books ($249) and the Astak EZ Reader ($270). Though the latter two products aren't as well implemented, they cost less than even the reduced-price Kindle 2. Their very existence as low-end alternatives challenges Amazon's stranglehold on the e-book market. In addition, they work with PDB- and ePub-based books, which opens up the market beyond Amazon's walled-off Kindle garden.

Dale

[ahammer]

the Astak EZ Reader ($270). Though the latter two products aren't as well implemented, they cost less than even the reduced-price Kindle 2

thats going to make robertb sad

[bully23]

I called the # and got my$60. Good luck with everyone who bought Kindle 2 over recent 30 days.

Originally Posted by disney_mommy

I called customer service (1-866-216-1072) and said "I bought the Kindle two weeks ago and now I see the price has dropped. I'd like to see if I can get the difference back." The customer service dude said "hold on, let me see what I can do... Normally we don't give back price differences, but for this we've made an exception. I'll refund you the difference of $60."

That was it. This morning, the $60 is back on my credit card.

[lovestoreadalot]

*****

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

I won't buy another reader without e-ink. To me it is THAT good compared to LCD. So if my 505 died tomorrow I would give the $299 K2 serious consideration. If you don't need e-ink there is a cornucopia of cheap long-battery-life portable PC's that would do the job. Going LCD, at least today, would kill the product IMO.

I agree about the e-ink screen vs. the LCD. By the end of my workday, I'm tired of looking at my 3 LCD monitors and am very happy to sit in my recliner and read on the e-ink screen.

However, were my Sony 505 to die tomorrow I'd send it back to Sony (I bought the extended warranty ). If it truly died and I couldn't send it back to Sony under warranty , I still wouldn't consider a Kindle. High on my list of requirements are the number and type of formats that a device can read, and my number 1 priority is that the device be able to handle ePub, followed by various other formats. Not even on my radar screen is a locked in wireless, although I would consider wi-fi or some more open wireless capability that let me access bookstores of my choosing.

[sl33py]

Originally Posted by Kris777

It is interesting if customers who purchased Kindle for $359.95 can get $60 refund...

5 min phone call and got the $60 refund w/o a problem. : D

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Doesn't reading scrolling text make people dizzy? I never understood that requested feature.

BOb

Use it all the time on my nx73v Clie...combined with the thumb/jog dial/wheel it is a must have sorta feature. It's the sort of thing and until you actually try it out for a bit you think is it about as needless a feature as can be. I know I felt that way initially...thought it was as dumb as dishwater...now I really miss it when using the N800 to read.

I am sure some folks will get a bit of vertigo but most likely because they are scrolling too fast. With the jog-wheel one can control the speed instantly. If I find I am having to move my eyes up (scrolling too fast) or down (scrolling too slow, I just move the dial a click or two in the needed direction.

I don't see eink displays having that ability for a looooong time, unless something new has come along since my last visit here a couple months ago.

Still, at the same time it's not a feature for everyone. Then again I am sure there are features each individual wants/likes that others find no desire to use. It is just nice to have the option.

I will say if it is not scrolling, I probably would have a hard time with automated page turns because there would likely be no way to keep an eye on reading too fast or slow.