Quote:
Originally Posted by SensualPoet
Always on, always connected -- this is a core differentiator and only Amazon has put in place a seamless global solution, currently at no extra cost to the consumer.
So what's next? Some sort of colour device, when the technology catches up with consumer desire. But you can bet it will offer even deeper hooks into Amazon's 3G enabled consumer community and continue to internationalise its base.
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Well put. On both counts.
The *no-recurring* cost aspect of Kindle is one of its competitive advantages. Instant gratification is a big sales driver.
And the idea that Kindle will increase its social reading aspects is right on target. Firmware 2.5x has taken some eary steps into implementing reading circles on Kindle and we will more likely see more.
Also, today I saw a commentary suggesting that Facebook's "like" tagging feature might pose a major threat to Amazon's core retailing advantage (for all products they carry) and my first reaction was: "true, maybe Amazon should buy Facebook".
At minimum, I see serious potential for Facebook integration into Kindle or at least facebook-style user pages where users can interact with friends and family and review/comment on/recommend books for each other. (Online reading circles.) This will bring in the kind of Network effects that XBOX Live (for example) brings to XBOX, where people buy XBOX because their friends are on XBOX and Live lets them play with them, not rowdy/offensive strangers.
Amazon obviously sees similar potential for Whispernet so I agree, we'll see more of this. Of course, these kinds of features position Kindle as a "premium" reading device rather than a generic budget reader so its another reason they might not want to do a stripped down Kindle even if they could.