"E-Readers" and mainstream Black Friday

[ahi]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Kindle TV advert is just a mess. If you didn't know about the Kindle, you'd still not know.

I would recommend against calling them eReaders, JSWolf. The term "eReader" actually refers to a proprietary (!!) eBook format--that isn't nearly as good as ePub--and so people are sure to be confused.

Thank you!



- Ahi

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Yesterday was the first day I'd seen the Kindle commercials on TV... not impressed. (My wife, sitting next to me, said: "What are they selling?")

TeleRead highlights a Computerworld article that gives 7 reasons why e-book devices are not a good buy this year. Mostly obvious and spurious reasons, IMO: The same 7 reasons would apply to about any piece of electronics out there, including--ahem--computers.

Still, I'm safe at home, not braving the malls, so I have no way of knowing how much of this is actually impacting buying customers.

That was a IMHO a stupid article. Number 6 declaring those who want one would already have one so if you bought for someone you'd be enforcing a gift to someone who doesn't want one: WHAT A CROCK. I have wanted an ereader ever since I read up on the Kindle when it was first released, and only bought my first ereader in september.

Number 5: screen technology that is old and busted? My 3 year old laptop has the same screen as what is selling now, my mobile phone has the same screen as new ones.

All the points are bollocks but I am going to lastly comment on number 3, so many different ways to read an ebook. Well yes you can use your PDA, computer and mobile phone - much to the same extent you can use your PDA, computer and mobile phone to listen to music....yet people have the need/want for a dedicated mp3 player.

Sorry, just needed to rant.

[KarenH]

I was at Best Buy today (yes, I know I'm a little bit crazy). They had the PRS 300 as one of their limited quantity doorbuster items - regular price, but with a $30 Best Buy gift card. When I was there at around noon (at least 6 hours after the ad started) not only did they still have quite a few of the special offer readers available, but in the 15 or so minutes I was there I never saw anyone even approach the display. Definitely not a hot item in my little corner of the world!

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by KarenH

I was at Best Buy today (yes, I know I'm a little bit crazy). They had the PRS 300 as one of their limited quantity doorbuster items - regular price, but with a $30 Best Buy gift card. When I was there at around noon (at least 6 hours after the ad started) not only did they still have quite a few of the special offer readers available, but in the 15 or so minutes I was there I never saw anyone even approach the display. Definitely not a hot item in my little corner of the world!

Readers aren't that hot relative to TVs, GPS units etc. as they only appeal to avid readers, and $30 gift card isn't much of a deal for Black Friday on any item around that price. So no surprise they weren't getting much attention.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by ahi

I would recommend against calling them eReaders, JSWolf. The term "eReader" actually refers to a proprietary (!!) eBook format--that isn't nearly as good as ePub--and so people are sure to be confused.

Thank you!



- Ahi

at this point in time that has become a common usage phrase like tissues are referred to as kleenex, female hygiene products as tampax, carbonated brown sugar water as coke. nothing to get your panties in a bunch over

[neilmarr]

Just mentioned in another thread that a five second clip on French TV news this morning showed the Black Friday rush on one huge US store (looked to me to be roughly the size of Monaco). When the camera turned onto the checkout, what should be rung up but a Sony reader. Sheer coincidence, perhaps, that of all the tens of thousands of items that could be going through checkout, it happened to be an ereader. Kinda backs up a claim here the other day that ebook readers were the second top item on the Black Friday shopping list ... second only to boots. Hoots. Neil

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ahi

I would recommend against calling them eReaders, JSWolf. The term "eReader" actually refers to a proprietary (!!) eBook format--that isn't nearly as good as ePub--and so people are sure to be confused.

Thank you!



- Ahi

Thank you for for once again being pointless.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by KarenH

I was at Best Buy today (yes, I know I'm a little bit crazy).

Yes, you are.

Originally Posted by KarenH

They had the PRS 300 as one of their limited quantity doorbuster items - regular price, but with a $30 Best Buy gift card. When I was there at around noon (at least 6 hours after the ad started) not only did they still have quite a few of the special offer readers available, but in the 15 or so minutes I was there I never saw anyone even approach the display. Definitely not a hot item in my little corner of the world!

Well, let's face it: That's not a "deal" at all... no wonder no one got near them. Obviously Best Buy wasn't serious about moving them... but then, I've seen the Sonys at Best Buy, and their salespeople don't know a thing about them. I could just imagine a manager saying, "You mean, that's not a Kindle? Well, what are we gonna do with it?"

[kennyc]

Boots? I want some boots.

[sassanik]

In a new commercial Best Buy mentions the Sony Reader as a possible gift, along with headphones? I have to say the headphones part seems lame to me, aren't there better guy gifts out there? Like one of those expensive universal remotes?

Anyways I think the Kindle commercials randomness is meant to show the wide variety of topics that a kindle's ebooks can have? Suiting a variety of moods and tastes? At least that is how I interperted it.

I saw an Foxit ereader in the wild this week at Fry's, it was on a end of the row advert area. A good sign I think!

Amy

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by sassanik

Anyways I think the Kindle commercials randomness is meant to show the wide variety of topics that a kindle's ebooks can have? Suiting a variety of moods and tastes? At least that is how I interperted it.

Me, too. It's problem is that it doesn't really get across the idea of people getting all that stuff from a book on the Kindle. And let's face it: Quite a bit of the "book" imagery they use is pretty lame...

[kennyc]

I haven't seen either one, but that's not surprising -- I avoid commercials if at all possible. That's why everything get Tivo'd

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Me, too. It's problem is that it doesn't really get across the idea of people getting all that stuff from a book on the Kindle. And let's face it: Quite a bit of the "book" imagery they use is pretty lame...

When the girl first grabs the Kindle, if you didn't know it was a Kindle, you'd never know it. It seems just another thing in the mish-mash that is the advert. Though I do like the song.

[TallMomof2]

I actually had to go to YouTube for the Kindle commercial. I *don't* watch commercials by timeshifting all my TV shows and using software to skip the commercials in the shows that have them.

Anyway, it was okay. If you don't specifically know what a Kindle is the commercial is a bit oblique.

Jon - You can download the song if you want.

[kennyc]

This one's pretty good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI0Zry_R4RQ&feature=fvw