Kindle Font Size – Kindle 2, DX Font Size

Every 2nd week there’s a comment on this blog asking exactly what the font sizes on the Kindle 2 and the Kindle DX are.

Guess the best way to answer the kindle font size questions is to put up a post with videos and all the information in one place. My Kindle DX is with a friend so no videos for that – just font size information.

Kindle Font Size – Kindle 2 Font Size Guide, Video

First, here’s a video –

For the Kindle 2, the key information is this (from Amazon itself) -

There are 6 font sizes, which correspond approximately to the following Microsoft Word standard font sizes -

Kindle Font Size 1 = 7pt
Kindle Font Size 2 = 9pt
Kindle Font Size 3 = 11 pt
Kindle Font Size 4 = 14 pt
Kindle Font Size 5 = 17 pt
Kindle Font Size 6 = 20 pt

The video should help clear up exactly what the Kindle 2 font sizes are. You can look at the appropriate font sizes in Word on your PC to get a better idea.

Form the video we can tell that the Kindle 2 Font Sizes actually correspond to -

1. Kindle Font Size 1 = A little bit less than 7pt (actually a tiny bit less).

2. Kindle Font Size 2 = Between 8pt and 9pt - closer to 9pt.

3. Kindle Font Size 3 = Between 10pt and 11 pt, closer to 11 pt.

4. Kindle Font Size 4 = Slightly less than 14 pt.

5. Kindle Font Size 5 = A bit less than 17pt.

6. Kindle Font Size 6 = 20 pt (a tiny bit less than 20 pt).

This is for the Kindle 2. It’s a really good range, and it’s going to get better.

The coming Super Font Size for the Kindle 2

Amazon have said that to make the Kindle more accessible they will, in addition to enabling Text to Speech for the Menus, add a Super Font Size that will be double the size of the current largest Font Size.

That would mean a 40pt size.

Bonus: Font Size Comparison – Kindle 2 Vs Nook Vs Sony Reader Touch

If you’re trying to decide between the Kindle, the Nook, and Sony Reader Touch and Font Size is a criteria, then consider this quick video –

Please note that the Sony Reader Touch Edition’s largest font size was not used (forgot to) – It’s bigger than the Kindle 2’s largest size. Also, the Nook is supposed to be pronounced Nuk.

The video clearly shows -

1. (actually, this it doesn’t – just take my word for it  ) The Sony Reader Touch Edition has the largest font size. It’s XXL setting is around 22-23 pt in word.

2. Sony also has the smallest font size.

3. The Kindle’s largest font size is 20 pt. It also has the most options i.e. 6 settings.

4. Nook’s largest font size is 18 pt.

5. Changing Fonts using the LCD touchscreen on Nook is a bit of a pain.

If largest font size is your main criteria weigh the Sony’s 22-23pt largest font against its glare/lower readability. The Kindle is the best choice in my opinion, especially as it’s going to get a 40pt super-size font and accessible menus in mid 2010.

Landscape Mode

Both the Kindle and the Sony Reader Touch Edition have landscape mode, while the Nook doesn’t.

Here are the key things to keep in mind -

1. Font Size doesn’t change in Landscape mode for normal books.

2. It does change for PDFs – on both the Kindle and the Sony Reader Touch.

3. Kindle does not allow changing font sizes for PDFs – except the fact that landscape mode gets larger text. Sony allows changing font sizes but it nearly always messes up formatting for larger font sizes.

4. Landscape mode is helpful when bowsing the Internet and for some documents.

As far as font size – Landscape mode is not crucial.

Here’s a video showing what you can do with the Kindle, landscape mode, and the line spacing and words per line settings -

Use Alt+Shift+1 or another number to change the line spacing. Shift is the Up Arrow button.

Kindle Font Size – Kindle DX Font Size Guide

There are a few things to keep in mind -

1. The Size of the Kindle DX screen is 2.5 times the size of the Kindle 2 screen.

2. Kindle DX does have landscape mode – Font size does not change in landscape mode (except for PDFs).

3. The largest Kindle DX font size is larger than on the Kindle 2. It’s supposed to be (courtesy Brent Newhall) -

At the largest font size, a capital letter is 3/16″ tall (just under 1/4″). Full character height–from the bottom of a “g” to the top of a “d”–is 1/4″.

Not sure why Amazon haven’t provided a Kindle DX Font Size chart like they have for the Kindle 2.

Thanks to the Kindle for Kids Blog for highlighting the importance of Kindle Font Size

This post was inspired by an EduKindle article - What Middle School Students think about the Kindle.

It’s got this snippet which highlights the importance of Font Size and how much people underestimate the Kindle’s ‘changeable fonts’ feature -

The Seneca students are clear about their preference in font size, given a choice:

The font that everyone prefers to use with the Kindle 2 is the largest font size.

Um, that’s a 20 point font, far larger than what they encounter in their textbooks. So, a summary of this admittedly informal bit of research is that -

1) kids naturally select the largest font available because 2) it makes them read faster.

The changeable font sizes of the Kindle 2 and the Kindle DX, and of eReaders in general, are a more crucial feature than people realize.

Posted in kindle 2

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Are Kindle Hacks good for books?

Just deleted a post that linked to two Kindle hacks and 1 Nook hack -

1. How to get free browsing and US range and prices outside the US.

2. How to break DRM of Kindle for PC books (although Amazon has already fixed that).

3. How to get Nook books to work on Sony Reader.

The reason is that it was really hard to decide whether these hacks are good for books and for people who love books.

DRM Hacks have lots of consequences – only a few of which are good.

It’s very fashionable to break DRM. You are the grand protector of poor, trampled rights.

However, what does it really do?

This is what happens when you hack the DRM of books -

1. The hacker and anti-DRM people get a sense of satisfaction.

2. Ethical people feel that they can now share their ebook with friends. They do.

3. Unethical people feel that they can now get ebooks for free. They do too.

4. Publishers get even more paranoid.

5. The amount authors make becomes less.

6. Publishers push back even more against eBooks and eReaders.

7. Progress is stalled.

Why do ‘Good and Open’ people and companies want to impose their moral values on other people?

Who owns the right to decide what moral or ethical model books are sold under?

1. Is it the author?

2. Is it the Publisher or the store?

3. Is it readers?

If a hacker says that things should be free or free of DRM – Is he really entitled to decide that?

Or is it a prerogative of the content creator which the hacker is usurping?

What will free international Internet browsing do?

Nothing much. Amazon was going to release the feature in 2010 anyways.

Bandwidth isn’t free so if people start abusing the workaround too much, Amazon will have to shut it off until the formal feature release date.

What will international kindle owners buying US books from outside the US do?

Just give Publishers another reason to stall on eBooks.

Consider the cycle -

1. Someone in Spain feels they are entitled to read whatever they like.

2. They figure out a workaround.

3. Just to make sure everyone knows how cool they are – they publish it on a big, huge blog.

4. Now 50% of international kindle owners start buying books whose international rights aren’t allowed for the Kindle.

5. Publishers freak out. In this case especially so as the payments will go to whatever Publisher has the US rights.

You’ve just managed to get Publishers even more stressed out.

It makes them less likely to embrace eReaders and eBooks.

Don’t think all these hacks serve books or people who love books in any way. Can’t really peek into the future so who knows what effect these hacks will have.

What do you think - Do hacks like these accelerate progress or stall it?

Posted in thoughts

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Should Amazon stay devoted to a dedicated reading device?

Newsweek has a good interview with Mr. Bezos. This is the part that really stood out in my mind -

Q: Steve Jobs once predicted Kindle would fail because “people don’t read anymore.”

A: Well, I believe that reading deserves a dedicated device.

For people who are readers, reading is important to them. And you don’t want to read for three hours on a backlit LCD screen.

It’s great for short form. This is a really important point—that we humans co-evolve with our tools. We change the tools, and the tools change us, and that cycle repeats.

Related was this snippet from another question -

And then for the Kindle device, we want that to be the world’s best purpose-built reading device.

It’s not a Swiss Army knife. It’s not going to do a bunch of different things.

We believe that reading deserves a dedicated device, and we want Kindle to be that device.

It’s pretty obvious that at this stage Mr. Bezos and Amazon are committed to the concept of the Kindle as dedicated reading device.

However, reading isn’t just about dedicated readers.

The Divide between readers and also-readers

The existing reader and reading market is evolving and we are seeing two clear sub-markets emerge -

1. eReaders focused on people who read.

2. Devices that also let you read.

The way Amazon is addressing these sub-markets is -

1. The Kindle as a dedicated reading device for people committed to reading.

2. Kindle for PC, Kindle for iPhone and other Kindle apps piggybacking on devices that also let you read.

It’s not a bad strategy.

However – Is it the best strategy to capture the most and the most lucrative readers?

What would be the best strategy to capture readers?

It’s all well and good to use Kindle for PC and Kindle for iPhone to tap into the market segment of readers that will not buy a dedicated eReader.

However, Could there be a better strategy?

1. The first obvious one is an anti-strategy. Amazon could totally ignore everyone except dedicated readers. It’s not really a good option.

2. The second is to convert the Kindle into a multi-purpose device or take it in that direction. The risk here is that you lose your core readers – and they are the most lucrative. So this strategy is ruled out too.

3. The third is to create a separate Kindle line that is basically a multi-purpose Kindle. This is not a bad option.

4. The fourth is to stop making hardware and partner up with Apple and other big multi-purpose device manufacturers. This is a particularly bad strategy as the Kindle is already doing well.

The only two viable strategies seem to be -

1. What Amazon is currently doing i.e. Kindle Books on all platforms, dedicated Kindle eReader.

2. Keep the Kindle as is. Create a separate Kindle line that caters to people who also read.

The downside with the former is that someone else has control.

Is Control over your destiny worth creating a multi-purpose device?

First, let’s just establish that we aren’t saying Amazon will kill the Kindle.

1. Amazon seem pretty sure that they will always have a Kindle that is a dedicated reading device.

2. They have no reason to kill a successful product.

That being established, we can look at the problem with selling Kindle books for the iPhone and multi-purpose devices.

Someone else controls the device.

For example -

1. With Kindle for iPhone Amazon doesn’t use in-app purchases as they would have to give Apple 30% of sales.

2. Kindle for PC is much better but still not ideal as the PC manufacturer could install a rival as the default eBook store.

That’s not really a comfortable place to be in – Google owns Android, Apple owns the iPhone, and either could lock out Amazon (it’ll be done in a politically correct way so the pretension of doing nothing wrong can be maintained).

Will Amazon introduce a multi-purpose device in 2010?

Amazon managed to make the Kindle a hit and get a lot of control over its destiny. It now has experience creating, designing, selling and supporting hardware.

Perhaps it’s time Amazon released another hardware product.

There are no downsides because at worst it’ll fail. Amazon will still have the Kindle and it will still have the Kindle Apps for different platforms.

The upside, on the other hand, is huge.

Amazon could introduce one or more of -

1. Kindle Phone.

2. Kindle Reading Tablet.

3. Kindle Electronic Pen.

4. Some amazing or strange new device.

Any customers it gets are its own customers i.e. no having to send people to the iPhone browser to buy ebooks, no worrying about whether Google will flip the kill switch in Android.

There are just too many benefits for Amazon to pass on this.

Amazon really ought to add a few multi-purpose devices to the Kindle line

There’s little doubt that the significant upside and the limited downside means the best strategy for the Kindle is -

1. Keep growing and building up the current Kindle lines.

2. Introduce multiple multiple-purpose devices – either as part of the Kindle family or as a separate line.

If Amazon doesn’t make a move they leave things up to their competitors -

1. If Android wins they’ll lock out all other eBook sellers. They won’t do this ‘in an evil way’ – they’ll simply make the Google Editions store the default and the first result on searches.

2. Apple are threatening to get into eBooks and they’ll use the same ‘our product is the default, everything else is hidden’ option.

On the surface the ‘open’ strategy being used to attack Amazon seems like a strong defence for its Kindle Apps. The ‘open and good’ companies could never lock a competitor out, could they?

Actually, they could – as long as they did it in a non-obvious way or did it gradually.

For Amazon, offence is not just best form of defence, it’s the only form of defence. We’re definitely going to get a Kindle Phone.

Posted in kindle

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Kindle 1 day Free Shipping – December 23rd

Amazon really is going all out in promoting the Amazon Kindle - today they announced Kindle 1 day free shipping if you order it on the 23rd of December.

They issued a Press Release exclusively for this and it makes you wonder just how many last-minute Kindle orders they expect to get.

Kindle 1 day free shipping offer for December 23rd orders

It’s quite simple -

1. Add the Kindle to your shopping cart.

2. At check out select One-Day shipping.

3. You don’t get charged for the free 1 day kindle shipping.

Did 2 day free shipping lead to the best Kindle Sales Day ever?

The Press release has the rather interesting news that Amazon recently saw its best sales day ever.

1. They don’t specify what day it was – recent could be anything.

2. There is a chance it was after the 2 day free shipping offer was introduced.

3. Perhaps it was due to a combination of the free 2 day shipping on the Kindle and the snowstorm.

It really is a study in contrasts to see B&N and Sony have supply problems while Amazon adds on free 2 day shipping for these last few days and free 1 day shipping for December 23rd.

Amazon’s behavior is very telling

Given that Amazon probably know more about user psychology and buying patterns than anyone else, their behavior in the last few days points at what works for Christmas shopping.

1. Free 2-day and free 1-day shipping for the Kindle probably caters to late shoppers.

2. Amazon’s repeatedly drawing attention to ‘best sales month’ and ‘best sales day’ and ‘most wished for’ probably means that people are likelier to buy what they think is popular.

We might very well see December 23rd become a new ‘best day ever’.

It’d be fascinating to figure out -

1. Daily Kindle Sales and what impact the free 2 day shipping had.

2. What impact the kindle 1 day free shipping will have.

3. How many people slightly favor the Nook but don’t want to wait until February 1st.

4. What percentage of people wait till the last-minute to buy Christmas gifts.

The amount of customer behavior data online retailers have is simply stunning.

Well, if you delayed right till December 23rd, and are stuck for a last-minute gift, then the Kindle with free 1 day shipping is a pretty good option.

Posted in kindle

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eReaders, Dunbar’s number and 1000 True Fans

There are two very interesting figures bouncing around in my head at the moment – the 150 of Dunbar’s Number and the 1,000 from the 1,000 True Fans post by Kevin Kelly.

Before we jump into the myriad of reasons these numbers are crucially relevant to the Kindle and eBooks and eReaders, let’s understand them better.

Dunbar’s Number

Dunbar’s Number is basically saying -

1. The number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships is limited to something like 150 (more on this below).

2. This number is dictated by the volume of the neocortex region of the brain.

3. This 150 limitation in turn leads to a limit on the maximum group size where the group is still cohesive and well-knit i.e. every member has a relationship with every other member and knows how that member relates to the other members.

Here are a few related points – things that people often miss.

1. It’s not that you can’t have larger groups – You just need more restricted rules, laws and norms.

2. Why? Because beyond Dunbar’s number we start to lose count and at that point all the reciprocation and give and take and connections start falling apart.

3. 150 is just an estimate. We also have a Bernard-Killworth study that found a mean of 290 and median of 231.

4. The important thing is – There is a limit and with 95% confidence we can say it’s somewhere between 100 and 230.

Please do read the Wikipedia article which is very balanced.

The key concept behind Dunbar’s Number

The key concept is that there is a cognitive limit to how big a group can get and still remain stable and well-behaved and well-connected. Beyond Dunbar’s number the ties grow weak and the magical self-governing qualities of the group begin to disappear.

Seth Godin thinks Dunbar’s Number is the law and he has a point.

Once you go beyond Dunbar’s number (regardless of whether you feel it’s 100 or 150 or 231) you just don’t have the same bond -

1. You can’t really be fully engaged with more people than your Dunbar’s Number.

2. Groups that are larger than Dunbar’s Number just can’t be as strong.

3. Cross Dunbar’s number and you need stricter rules - you have to push and regulate and ensure things that just happen naturally in smaller groups.

4. You can’t keep count of who’s doing good, who’s doing bad, and how to treat people.

Now let’s consider the concept of 1,000 True Fans.

Kevin Kelly’s Concept of needing just 1,000 True Fans

This is how Kevin Kelly defines 1,000 True Fans and its relevance -

A creator, such as an artist, musician, photographer, craftsperson, performer, animator, designer, videomaker, or author – in other words, anyone producing works of art – needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living.

A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce.

In this case the concept of a true fan is more important than the number itself. Take the artists of old - all they needed was for a King or Prince to become a true fan and they were set for life.

True Fans means Strong Bonds

Kevin Kelly talks about how the whole idea of True Fans necessitates very strong bonds -

The key challenge is that you have to maintain direct contact with your 1,000 True Fans.

From the previous sections on Dunbar’s Number we know that beyond the first 100-200 True Fans we don’t really have as strong a bond. It’s more like 200 True Fans and the next 800 semi-True Fans.

Melding together the two concepts seems difficult at first – but it makes perfect sense.

Kevin Kelly does it without realizing it when he says that True Fans are your connectors to other fans i.e.

This small circle of diehard fans, which can provide you with a living, is surrounded by concentric circles of Lesser Fans

The one thing Kevin Kelly doesn’t fully spell out is the best way to grow -

1. If we merely try to increase the number of True Fans we keep running into Dunbar’s Number.

2. The much better direction to pursue is turning True Fans into Super Fans.

How do you create Super Fans?

Create win-win situations. Win-win means letting them win when you do, and not just in terms of satisfaction.

It also helps to pick people who are on the exact same page as you.

Finally, How this applies to eReaders

The twin concepts of 1,000 true fans and Dunbar’s number show up everywhere.

DRM in terms of Dunbar’s Number

Yes, we do need more convenient DRM. However, there is one very strong reason DRM might be necessary -

- Beyond a close-knit group you lose the reciprocation and tally of give and take that exists in a smaller group.

- That means people just don’t feel bad about not paying.

- There’s no threat of being labeled as ungrateful or someone for whom no favors should be done.

Outside of a well-knit group our level of committment to paying for what we receive and the threat of penalties are both very low.

True Fans as Evangelists

Take the Kindle. If Amazon could get -

1. 1,000 True Fans that each helped sell 1 Kindle a day.

2. Another 9,000 2nd level Fans that each helped sell 1 Kindle each week.

They’d be looking at 66,000 Kindle sales just via their fans.

If they could ramp it up to 1,000 True Fans selling 5 Kindles each a day – That would account for 150,000 Kindles a month.

Just 1,000 True Fans could lead to 1.8 million Kindle sales a year.

True Fans as True Customers

Here are all the benefits that Amazon got from Amazon Fans/Customers -

1. They trusted Amazon and took a chance on the Kindle.

2. At numerous times, when the Press was writing off the Kindle, they saved the Kindle.

3. Initiatives like See a Kindle in Your city helped sell more Kindles.

4. Whenever there were attacks actual Kindle owners stepped in and corrected mistakes.

Read this Jeff Bezos interview with Newsweek and this snippet jumps out (in addition to the title) -

We start with the customer and we work backward. We learn whatever skills we need to service the customer. We build whatever technology we need to service the customer.

The focus on customer service leads to True Fans. Those in turn become True Customers.

Dunbar’s Number and Size of the Team

Most of the eReaders being made are being made by teams smaller in size than Dunbar’s number -

1. Amazon set-up a separate company, Lab 126, that focused entirely on the Kindle. While they’re probably 200-400 people now, it was almost certainly a very close-knit team of around 100-200 during the development of the Kindle.

2. Hearst has a dedicated team of 50 or so at First Paper LLC working on the Skiff Reader.

3. Kobo Books is working as a start-up.

To make a really good, cohesive eReader you need a well-knit, cohesive team and that means small start-ups within larger companies.

Closing Thought – 150 True Fans

The magic recipe really does seem to be -

1. A very close-knit team of 150-200 people all on the same page.

2. 150-200 True Fans that are connected to the company and to each other.

3. Concentric circles of Fans in intersecting groups sized under Dunbar’s Number.

That would be the best way to go about launching and pushing a new eReader.

It’s quite interesting that B&N and Sony are both doing little to develop dedicated fans. It’s hurting them in ways they don’t even grasp.

Even more interesting is that the two biggest threats to the Kindle in 2010 are Apple and Google – companies that go out of their way to create True Fans.

Posted in thoughts

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ebook reader release date list – 2010

There have been a lot of updates since my eReader Release Date post in early November. Here’s an ebook reader release date list that covers 2010 -

January 2010 ebook reader release dates

There’s a lot going on in January, with CES 2010 as the focal point.

CES 2010 ebook reader releases -

1. Plastic Logic Que, the business ebook reader, will be unveiled.

2. Asus’ dual screen ebook readers will be revealed. There are two models and both are supposed to have dual LCD screens.

3. Asus have promised that one of the two will be super low priced.

4. The first Pixel Qi based device, Notion Ink’s Android based Smartpad, will be shown.

5. Samsung will show off their SNE-50K ebook reader. A US release date has not been announced, although it’s available in Korea.

6. Cool-er have said they’ll show off a 3G capable ebook reader.

7. Entourage Edge will be present. It ships in February and it’s already available to preorder.

8. There are rumors that a Dell Reading Tablet will be on display.

In all there are 63 Exhibitors related to eBooks.

We have the known ebook reader manufacturers -

Aluratek, Bookeen, Ditto Book, Entourage Systems, Foxit (makers of eSlick), Interead (makers of Cool-er).

Onyx (makers of the Boox ebook reader), Plastic Logic, Tianjin Jinke Electronics System (makers of Jinke ebook reader).

Western Graphics Inc. (makers of the PocketBook ebook reader),  Team Research (makers of Astak ebook readers)

We also see some new companies jump in -

Aiptek, DAZA Inc., Ewig Enterprise Company, Gajah International, HanWang Tech (WISEreader), HiVision Co. Limited.

Hongfutai E-Tech, Key Ingredient Corporation (makers of Demy recipe reader), Shenzhen Bamboo Technology Company (makers of a 7″ Tablet called Bamboo),

No news from Spring Design (makers of Alex) and iRex.

Various other January releases -

1. Kindle for Mac is rumored to be out in January or February 2010.

2. The International Kindle DX should also be out in January or February 2010. There’s a very slight chance plastic screens are included although that’s likelier for a mid-year Kindle DX 2 release.

3. B&N have said Nook will get a software update that fixes some issues and enable in-store browsing. This is separate from the update going out today which is supposed to make page turns faster.

4. Txtr might be available in early 2010. They are accepting registration for preorders (which are sold out) and will email you when there is Txtr stock available.

5. iRex DR800 had stock issues and wasn’t able to deliver in 2009. It ought to arrive in full force in January 2010.

6. The Syntron Mirror Tablet Reader will be released - Although it is being positioned as an Android tablet it looks like it’ll be a viable ebook reader.

February 2010 ebook reader releases

1. It is probable that Kindle 3 is released in February 2010.

2. It’s quite likely that Sony will have new ebook readers - Sony have tended towards a 6 month release cycle and the latest set of models were announced at the end of August 2009.

3. Entourage Edge will be released.

4. Kindle for Blackberry ought to be out this month or by March.

From this point onwards the ebook reader release dates get sketchy. Therefore, will be listing dates by Quarter - the specific release month will only be listed if known.

Q1 2010 ebook reader release date list

1. This is around the time the new lighter, plastic 9.7″ screens from PVI will be available. That could mean Kindle DX 2 arrives sometime between April and June 2010.

2. Netronix EB900 Release Date of Q1, 2010 had been confirmed – It’s a 9.7″ screen ebook reader with WiFi, 3G, handwriting support, and more.

3. Bridgestone start a trial of their color ebook reader in Japan.

4. Spring Design’s Alex ebook reader might be out in Q1, 2010. There’s a chance Spring Design’s case against B&N is still going on and the Alex release is delayed.

5. PocketBook 302 from Western Graphics is slated to reach the US market in Q1, 2010.

Q2 2010 ebook reader releases

1. Kindle DX 2 should definitely be out in Q2, 2010.

2. Rumors point to a summer 2010 release of the Apple Slate/ Reading Tablet.

3. Kobo, the Indigo-Borders joint venture, will launch their ebook reader by summer 2010.

4. We might see Amazon move ahead on the Kindle Electronic Pen (for which a patent was filed in summer 2009).

5. Hearst Skiff ebook reader will launch.

6. Netronix and Texas Instruments are working on an Android based ebook reader scheduled to launch in summer 2010.

7. Microsoft Courier Tablet is rumored to be out in Q2, 2010 too.

8. MSI are launching an eReader and it should be out in Q2, 2010.

9. We should see a resolution to the Google Books Settlement.

10. Google Editions will probably be launched.

Q3 2010 ebook reader release date list

There are various companies promising color ebook readers by 2nd half of 2010 –

1. ebook readers that use Qualcomm Mirasol Displays are supposed to be out by second half of 2010.

2. BenQ have said that a color version of their nReader will be out in the second half of 2010.

3. Fujitsu has been testing their color ebook reader in Japan since March 2009 and ought to bring it over to the US by mid to end 2010.

4. PVI have also claimed that color eInk will be available by the end of 2009.

5. Jinke makes the Hanlin line of ebook readers and they have three 10″ plastic, flexible screens lined up for release for 2010.

Please note that this list is always a work in progress.

Ebook reader release dates and stock seem to fluctuate constantly so we might see some of the Q2 and Q3 ebook readers show up sooner and also have some release dates pushed back a few months or more. 2010 is going to be anything but boring.

Posted in eBook Reader Devices

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Kindle isn’t all fun and games

Actually, there are some fun Kindle games for taking short breaks between reading your favorite books.

Kindle Games and Stuff

1. Towers of Hanoi Puzzle - It’s a fun puzzle game.

2. Tic Tac Toe for Kindle - This is a lot of fun – it’s playing against the ‘computer’ aka ‘pre-set html patterns’.

3. Tic Tac Toe for 2 Players.

4. Kindle Sudoku - You can download the first volume for just 1 cent. They are now up to 43 volumes.

5. Crosswords and Sudoku from Puzux. They’re sending out an email with a free puzzle book to early registrants.

6. Books on the Knob points us to Word Morph – it’s the ‘change one alphabet to get a new word’ game.

You can also find other games like Mathdoku in the Kindle Store.

In-built Kindle Games

The in-built games are Minesweeper and GoMoku –

1. Press Alt+Shift+M on the Kindle home page to go to MineSweeper. Note that Shift is the Up Arrow key.

2. Press G on that screen to go to GoMoku.

Think that GoMoku is only available on Kindle 2 and Kindle DX.

Quick Thoughts on Kindle Games

It’s cool to see people working around the myriad restrictions and limitations and creating Kindle games.

Looking at all the choices and wondering -

- How much money do Puzux think there is in Kindle games if they have a 4-person team working on just Kindle puzzles?

- Another hint that this might be a big market is that there are 43 volumes of Sudoku games. There must be enough interest for Mobile Reference to pump out 43 volumes of Sudoku games.

- First time with GoMoku and it’s like Tic Tac Toe on steroids.

- There are also game books available in the Kindle Store – the Choose Your Own Adventure series.

- The Tic Tac Toe is pretty fun – probably my favorite out of all the games.

Kindle games are a nice addition to the Kindle ecosphere and we can always hold out hope that Amazon open up an App Store early in 2010.

Posted in extensions

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How valuable is a Kindle owner to Amazon? $221

The $100 ‘Sorry You didn’t get your Nook for Christmas’ gift certificate has been on my mind. It’s basically B&N making sure people don’t cancel their Nook orders and get the Kindle instead.

Which brings up an interesting question.

What is a Kindle/Nook owner worth to Amazon/B&N?

Let’s consider all the aspects – just substitute the Nook or the Sony Reader instead of the Kindle if that’s your inclination.

We’ll add-in rough estimates of what each benefit is worth.

Buying the Kindle

Let’s say Amazon makes $50 off of every Kindle sold. This is probably optimistic.

That’s the first direct benefit.

Free Marketing and getting Friends and Family to buy the Kindle

Every Kindle owner will talk to friends and family about his/her Kindle, they’ll be seen by people reading on the Kindle, and in general help spread the word.

1. 30 second ads cost around $130K each.

2. Let’s assume each ad reaches a million people.

That’s around 10 cents per person.

In the course of a Kindle owner’s experiences with the Kindle, say 2 years, they’ll probably -

1. Help at least 50 people see it.

2. 10 people get a strong impression – say worth $1 each.

That’s $5 plus $10 = $15 worth of marketing.

Note that we are not including the profit Amazon would make off of every additional Kindle purchase as that goes into that customer’s value to Amazon.

Buying eBooks from the Kindle Store

Amazon currently makes a loss on some eBooks.

Assuming that overall eBooks tend to make Amazon 50 cents each and the average owner buys 20 a year, that’s $10 a year.

2 year life-time equals $20 (5 year life time would mean $50).

Buying Magazines, Newspapers, etc. from Kindle Store

Let’s be conservative here and assume one subscription a month that earns Amazon $1 a month.

2 year lifetime means $24.

Customer for Life Factor

It’s hard to put a price on this -

1. Kindle owners are more likely to stay Kindle owners.

2. They are more likely to buy eBooks from Amazon.

Just something we’ll keep in mind.

Buying new versions of the Kindle and additional Kindles

Let’s say that -

1. 75% of Kindle owners buy a new Kindle and stick with Amazon and Kindle. That’s $37.50 per Kindle owner on average.

2. 10% of owners buy an additional Kindle. That’s $5 per Kindle owner on average.

Gifting the Kindle to Friends and Family

Let’s assume that 10% of Kindle owners gift someone else a Kindle during their Kindle life-time. That’s $5 per Kindle owner.

Buying other items from Amazon

This is another wild card, much like the Customer for Life factor, and very difficult to quamtify.

However, it is a tangible benefit.

Relative Advantage – Getting a customer instead of losing a customer

This is important.

Every person who buys a Kindle -

1. Usually doesn’t buy a competing eReader.

2. Adds all the benefits discussed above while not adding them to competing companies.

Let’s say this is worth $10 per Kindle owner – even though it’s probably worth more.

Strength in Numbers

The more Kindle owners there are -

1. The more volume of Kindles made and sold.

2. The lower the production costs per Kindle.

3. The lower the infrastructure and marketing costs per Kindle.

4. The stronger the Kindle’s position as the de-facto eReader.

Let’s say this adds another $5 per Kindle owner.

Kindle owner’s worth to Amazon – Adding up the Numbers

Here are all the benefits we have -

1. Buying the Kindle – $50.

2. Free Marketing – $15.

3. Buying eBooks – $20 if 2 year life-time, $50 if 5 year life-time.

4. Buying subscriptions – $24 if 2 year life-time, $60 if 5 year life-time.

5. Buying Additional Kindles – $5.

6. Gifting Kindles – $5.

7. Relative Advantage – $10.

8. Strength in Numbers – $5.

9. Customer for Life Factor – Hard to quantify.

10. Buying other items from Amazon – Hard to quantify.

Our total is $134.

If we assume (a big assumption to make) that 75% of Kindle owners buy a new Kindle after 2 to 3 years, and stick with Amazon for content for 5 total years, we get -

1. Buying a new Kindle after a year or two – $37.50 (assuming 75% of Kindle owners do this).

2. Extra $30 from books and extra $36 from subscriptions. 75% of that is $49.50.

That’s an extra $87 per Kindle owner for a grand total of $221.

Every Kindle owner is worth $221 to Amazon.

Should Amazon have offered a $50 Kindle coupon to everyone? Should they have offered a $100 coupon to people returning Nooks?

Certainly would make sense.

Perhaps, when the Nook delays were first announced, Amazon could have just said -

1. Here’s a $50 kindle coupon for everyone.

2. Here’s a $100 coupon for people cancelling Nook orders.

Not sure if that are any legal issues in doing this. However, it would work.

Of course, there’s a good argument to be made that the Nook reviews made any offers unnecessary.

Closing Thought – The $100 apology is a smart move by B&N

Every potential Nook owner who gets exasperated by the wait and buys a Kindle earns Amazon $221.

That’s without factoring in the benefits Amazon gets from having that Customer potentially becoming a life-time customer and buying other things from Amazon.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that B&N themselves stand to earn over $200 from every Nook owner.

$100 is a small price to pay to save B&N the $200 they would earn and, at the same time, prevent Amazon from benefiting to the tune of $221.

Posted in kindle

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Free Books, 7 Free Kindle Audiobooks

It’s been relatively quiet on the free book front at Amazon so here are a few free book offers from around the Internet -

1. Paul Carr, who writes rather well for TechCrunch, is giving away his book, Bringing Nothing to the Party, free at Techcrunch, with an explanation why.

2. Harper Collins’ Browse Inside seems to have 3 new books for free (online access only) – The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan, Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston, and The Decline of Men by Guy Garcia. Click on the ‘Full Access’ tab.

3. Simon and Schuster has a free downloads page that includes – a romance novel covered already, a free crossword puzzle, three free romance short stories (including Lisa McMann and Karin Tabke).

4. A software called Cover Commander 3.1 is free today. It lets you create covers for eBooks, CDs, and DVDs.

5. Eloise J. Knapp has a rather interesting sounding free book – The Undead Situation, plus it’s now in Kindle format.

6. Indie Author Dave Conifer has 5 free books at SmashWords.

Some of these (and below) were found at MobileRead.

Here are some Free Audible Books -

1. My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent (it’s been free as an eBook for a while).

2. The Conservative Nanny State by Dean Baker.

3. Free by Chris Anderson.

4. Millionaire Upgrade by Richard Parkes Cordock.

5. Romance audiobook, The Road Taken by Megan Hart.

6. Romance audiobook, And a Dead Guy in a Pear Tree by Leslie Kelly.

7. Summer’s Path by Scott Blum.

Finally, you can get 20% off Kindle skins at DecalGirl with promo code: Holiday20.

Why the sudden decline in free Kindle book offers?

Most of November and early December had free kindle books ever other day. Suddenly the pipeline has dried up.

Why is that?

1. Perhaps it’s because Amazon has switched focus to releasing new press releases for the slightest reason i.e. Canada is now the 5th most popular Kindle buying country.

2. Perhaps free books weren’t having the desired effect.

3. Perhaps Nook reviews were driving enough customers to Amazon anyways.

Whatever it is, it’s hard to get over the addiction to every other day free books – Hopefully, Amazon re-start it sometime soon.

Posted in free books

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The DRM argument is mostly about selfishness

This is the second post about big, huge issues that no one is approaching from the right perspective.

DRM is the big, big deal right now. While it hasn’t, as was promised, killed the Kindle or any of the other eReaders, it does threaten to do terrible things to eReaders and eBooks.

The actual defining characteristic of the DRM battle is the selfishness of the combatants -

1. Publishers want to prioritize DRM over user-friendly DRM and over user experience.

2. DRM advocates want to prioritize their own comfort and beliefs over authors’ livelihoods.

Publishers being greedy

DRM is part of a trend that includes delaying eBook rights, never working on efficiencies, and trying to charge unrealistic ebook prices.

Publishers don’t seem to realize that -

1. Readers pay the money.

2. Customer Service is not just a catch-phrase.

3. User-friendly rights management will lead to more sales.

4. All Customers aren’t thieves – only some of them. ‘Some’ might be 5% or it might be higher.

5. Not caring about customers makes them more inclined to pirate eBooks.

Fundamentally, Publishers are not creating a win-win situation. In fact, they might not even be factoring in the fact that customers are entitled to the best possible experience.

Interestingly enough, the most vocal ‘we’re right and good and pious’ anti-DRM people are guilty of the exact same mistake i.e. not creating a win-win situation.

DRM advocates are focused solely on their own interests

Consider the rhetoric pouring in from the anti-DRM camp -

1. It’s terrible – our rights are being trampled upon.

2. You introduced DRM so we’re entitled to steal whatever we want.

3. You’ll sell more if you remove DRM. Take our word for it -Who cares if there’s no back-up plan.

4. Publishers are evil.

5. Authors could find other ways to make money.

It’s all so centered around ‘our’ – our rights, what we would like, our comfort, our sense of what would work.

Would we rather create a great future for books or win an argument?

The direction we’re headed in is the destruction of books as we know them.

It’s because the people who appreciate great books (readers) and the people who distill for great books (publishers) are way too focused on their viewpoint and what they would like.

They are forgetting that -

1. The creators of great books i.e. the authors need to eat and have at least a decent quality of life.

2. The books eco-system needs money flowing through it.

3. A solution has to work for everyone involved.

Consider the extreme beliefs -

1. Publishers want $20 eBooks - they pretend that no efficiencies are gained and none can be added.

2. Readers want $2 eBooks – they pretend that suddenly there are no costs involved.

What are potential solutions that work for everyone?

Complete Domination by a Benevolent Company

Both anti-DRM people and Publishers will hate this equally. However, if one company takes over Publishing and treats customers well – that would work.

Adobe DRM

Adobe DRM is mostly about fighting the Kindle at this point.  However, it has a lot going for it -

1. eBooks work across all Adobe DRM enabled devices.

2. No issues about losing your eBooks when you move across devices.

3. There’s still rights management so stealing doesn’t take place.

With a few tweaks Adobe’s DRM could form the basis for a very reasonable compromise – one that would solve a lot of the issues with DRM.

Leaving the choice to Authors and Publishers

All the claims about rights and good and evil are just hiding what DRM is really about -

1. It’s about control.

2. It’s about marketing and reciprocation.

3. It’s about strategy.

4. It’s about guaranteed income.

Adding DRM (or removing it) can mean so many different things -

1. It’s authors shouting choose me because I treat you better.

2. It’s Publishers saying we want to decide how much you can share.

3. It’s about using sharing to help sales.

4. It’s telling readers they are trusted, or perhaps that they are trusted only a bit.

Leave the choice up to Authors and Publishers and let all the strategies compete.

At this point we really don’t know what strategy will work. Leave it open and we’ll reach some sort of equilibrium.

Create a completely new set of rules for eBooks

One of the big problems is that users are under the delusion that -

1. They can get much lower prices and changeable fonts and all the benefits of eBooks

2. They can, at the same time, get all the benefits of paper books.

It’s a bit selfish to want eBooks that are 40% to 50% the price of physical books and still want all the ownership, resale, and sharing rights of physical books.

Various people, for various reasons, are trying to reinforce this selfish belief.

An easy solution is to completely change the rules. Perhaps it’s using a new word for eBooks, perhaps it’s drumming up the benefits of eBooks more.

Do an exchange i.e. eBooks get text to speech in exchange for readers accepting reasonable DRM

Perhaps we just decide what feature or add-on users would want to be OK with a reasonable form of DRM -

1. Throw in author interviews or bonus content.

2. Perhaps enable Text to Speech.

3. Perhaps enable some other feature or capability.

That way users feel they get a little extra value and that user-friendly DRM is acceptable.

Closing Thought – It’s people being rationally selfish

If you look at things from only your perspective it’s easy to get carried away -

1. eBooks come in and Publishers instantly think – Wow, we can make $5 more off of every book sold.

2. eBooks come in and Readers think – Wow, now soon they’ll be free like music.

Publishers and readers have to meet in the middle.

If not, then first authors are going to suffer, then the quality of books, and finally reading.

It’s easy to point your finger at someone else’s real or imaginary faults. The question worth asking is -

Would you rather believe you’re 100% right and entitled to whatever you want OR Would you rather do what’s best for the future of books?

Posted in thoughts

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Table of Contents

Kindle Font Size – Kindle 2, DX Font Size

Are Kindle Hacks good for books?

Should Amazon stay devoted to a dedicated reading device?

Kindle 1 day Free Shipping – December 23rd

eReaders, Dunbar’s number and 1000 True Fans

ebook reader release date list – 2010

Kindle isn’t all fun and games

How valuable is a Kindle owner to Amazon? $221

Free Books, 7 Free Kindle Audiobooks

The DRM argument is mostly about selfishness