Free Kindle

exotic1 · 03-07-2009, 01:26 PM

Heard The "Times" and others may offer free kindle with subscription anyone know how true this is?

lilac_jive · 03-07-2009, 01:34 PM

Not true at all. There was a myth going around that Kindles to all subscribers would save the Times money, but it was a myth.

pilotbob · 03-07-2009, 01:56 PM

There was an article that stated that sending a kindle to each subscriber would less more than printing and delivering the paper (for a year I think it was).

http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/...-a-free-kindle

It's not going to happen, nor is it a myth.

BOb

Ervserver · 03-07-2009, 04:12 PM

I think there will be some free readers in the future but not likely the Kindle

KindleKat · 03-07-2009, 04:36 PM

that would definitely be an incentive to subscribe, though! i'd imagine you would have to sign a pretty long contract for it to be worth while to them

Alisa · 03-07-2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

There was an article that stated that sending a kindle to each subscriber would less more than printing and delivering the paper (for a year I think it was).

http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/...-a-free-kindle

It's not going to happen, nor is it a myth.

BOb

Their math to justify it was a bit shaky IMO.

InlawBiker · 03-07-2009, 08:30 PM

Eventually, if things go as planned, the readers will just be a free commodity for delivering the content via subscription. Just like mobile phones are now for voice service. I think some day we'll look back on the current e-readers and marvel at how primitive they are. Until then... read on, readers!

G.

Alisa · 03-07-2009, 08:39 PM

Yep. I don't think that readers will be with us very long. When the screen technology improves to the point where we have color screens that are as readable as e-ink, can refresh a good deal more quickly and are more efficient than we have now (enough to at least last a day or two of solid use), people will have multi-function tablets that are also great reading devices. They will be a mass market item. This is just a step along the way. Most people read a lot more magazines, blogs and such than they do books comprised of mostly black and white text. When they can get that market, the student market and the business/tech market, then we'll have something that's as popular, and cheap, as mobile phones. When kids are reading their textbooks on these things, it will seem perfectly natural. No one will be asking you how you could possibly curl up with a gadget and enjoy a good novel.

kevindorsey · 03-07-2009, 11:22 PM

I highly doubt in times of economic turmoil, they can afford something like this.

fugazied · 03-07-2009, 11:47 PM

I read the other day that large newspapers like the times could buy all of their subscribers a Kindle and would have recouped the money in 1-2 years from the paper usage savings.

In the future, I think only the local rags will be on paper or you will pay a premium for the paper version.

koland · 03-08-2009, 01:08 PM

The problem is that advertising is what subsidizes the papers that are printing - the Kindle version has no ads, therefore no-one to pay for the Kindles. If there were a full PDF viewer or the ability to embed ads (both requiring a much larger eink screen), then it would make sense for them to sell a year subscription with a free viewer at a single bundle price.

dsip · 03-08-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

The problem is that advertising is what subsidizes the papers that are printing - the Kindle version has no ads, therefore no-one to pay for the Kindles. If there were a full PDF viewer or the ability to embed ads (both requiring a much larger eink screen), then it would make sense for them to sell a year subscription with a free viewer at a single bundle price.

It could very well have ads in it though, couldn't it? Many articles I read online are divided into pages that would probably fit an e-readers's "page" and do in fact contain one ad, often in the middle.
And considering how many things in this world are financed by advertising, I think it's not unlikely to happen (Heck, most of the internet works this way..). It will probably take a while though, because right now most customers would (at least I guess so) not be very likely to give up their paper newspaper (What would be a newspaper you can't hide behind!

).

koland · 03-09-2009, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsip

It could very well have ads in it though, couldn't it? Many articles I read online are divided into pages that would probably fit an e-readers's "page" and do in fact contain one ad, often in the middle.
And considering how many things in this world are financed by advertising, I think it's not unlikely to happen (Heck, most of the internet works this way..). It will probably take a while though, because right now most customers would (at least I guess so) not be very likely to give up their paper newspaper (What would be a newspaper you can't hide behind!

).

I think the screens will need to get larger. 16 shades of grey is fine for displaying the ads, but you would need more screen space or all that will fit is ads. This will also bulk up the downloads - so an increase is price may be necessary to cover the added wireless time.

Ads could also be made more useful - set up an index of the coupons in grocery ads, then let you just scan them in at the store, for example. This concept has already somewhat gone into place for some smart phones.

HarryT · 03-09-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fugazied

I read the other day that large newspapers like the times could buy all of their subscribers a Kindle and would have recouped the money in 1-2 years from the paper usage savings.

All their subscribers? The New York Times is sold world-wide; how would this work for subscribers in different countries for whom the Kindle is unavailable?

tompe · 03-09-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

All their subscribers? The New York Times is sold world-wide; how would this work for subscribers in different countries for whom the Kindle is unavailable?

As you probably remember the claim was for all readers in New York.

03-07-2009, 01:26 PM	#1
exotic1 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: KINDLE	Free Kindle Heard The "Times" and others may offer free kindle with subscription anyone know how true this is?

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03-07-2009, 01:34 PM	#2
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Not true at all. There was a myth going around that Kindles to all subscribers would save the Times money, but it was a myth.

03-07-2009, 01:56 PM	#3
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	There was an article that stated that sending a kindle to each subscriber would less more than printing and delivering the paper (for a year I think it was). http://www.businessinsider.com/2009/...-a-free-kindle It's not going to happen, nor is it a myth. BOb

03-07-2009, 04:12 PM	#4
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	I think there will be some free readers in the future but not likely the Kindle

03-07-2009, 04:36 PM	#5
KindleKat Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 29 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle	that would definitely be an incentive to subscribe, though! i'd imagine you would have to sign a pretty long contract for it to be worth while to them

03-07-2009, 08:30 PM	#7
InlawBiker Connoisseur Posts: 94 Karma: 544 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Seattle WA Device: Kindle 1.0	Eventually, if things go as planned, the readers will just be a free commodity for delivering the content via subscription. Just like mobile phones are now for voice service. I think some day we'll look back on the current e-readers and marvel at how primitive they are. Until then... read on, readers! G.

03-07-2009, 08:39 PM	#8
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	Yep. I don't think that readers will be with us very long. When the screen technology improves to the point where we have color screens that are as readable as e-ink, can refresh a good deal more quickly and are more efficient than we have now (enough to at least last a day or two of solid use), people will have multi-function tablets that are also great reading devices. They will be a mass market item. This is just a step along the way. Most people read a lot more magazines, blogs and such than they do books comprised of mostly black and white text. When they can get that market, the student market and the business/tech market, then we'll have something that's as popular, and cheap, as mobile phones. When kids are reading their textbooks on these things, it will seem perfectly natural. No one will be asking you how you could possibly curl up with a gadget and enjoy a good novel.

03-07-2009, 11:22 PM	#9
kevindorsey Evangelist Posts: 488 Karma: 258 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	I highly doubt in times of economic turmoil, they can afford something like this.

03-07-2009, 11:47 PM	#10
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	I read the other day that large newspapers like the times could buy all of their subscribers a Kindle and would have recouped the money in 1-2 years from the paper usage savings. In the future, I think only the local rags will be on paper or you will pay a premium for the paper version.

03-08-2009, 01:08 PM	#11
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	The problem is that advertising is what subsidizes the papers that are printing - the Kindle version has no ads, therefore no-one to pay for the Kindles. If there were a full PDF viewer or the ability to embed ads (both requiring a much larger eink screen), then it would make sense for them to sell a year subscription with a free viewer at a single bundle price.

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