MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Amazon Kindle might be the worst thing that could happen to e-books?

rwsimon · 11-20-2007, 12:02 PM

All the discussion comparing Amazon and Kindle with Apple and iPod is interesting. I've had several iPods over the years and have never used iTunes. There are much better third-party applications that aren't as "autocratic" as that piece of software. So for me, the iPod is only valuable because I'm not tied to Apple's DRM'd content. And there really isn't anything I want that can't be obtained (quite legally) without going to the iTunes store.

In the case of the Kindle, Amazon has impressively made a huge amount of content available instantly with the new hardware. I would guess that much of it is only available through Amazon at the moment (certainly they have many more titles than the Sony Connect store.) So if the analogy somebody suggested with Apple format vs. MP3 and Kindle format vs. some non-DRM'd ebook format is to hold, there will need to be sources of content out there that can compete (both in diversity and price.) Until the various other ebook providers out there catch up with Amazon in this regard, they do have us at a disadvantage. The same could never be said for Apple even if most iPod users elect to use iTunes.

11-20-2007, 12:02 PM	#125
rwsimon Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 288 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate New York Device: 2 Sony PRS-500s, iPad	iPod analogy All the discussion comparing Amazon and Kindle with Apple and iPod is interesting. I've had several iPods over the years and have never used iTunes. There are much better third-party applications that aren't as "autocratic" as that piece of software. So for me, the iPod is only valuable because I'm not tied to Apple's DRM'd content. And there really isn't anything I want that can't be obtained (quite legally) without going to the iTunes store. In the case of the Kindle, Amazon has impressively made a huge amount of content available instantly with the new hardware. I would guess that much of it is only available through Amazon at the moment (certainly they have many more titles than the Sony Connect store.) So if the analogy somebody suggested with Apple format vs. MP3 and Kindle format vs. some non-DRM'd ebook format is to hold, there will need to be sources of content out there that can compete (both in diversity and price.) Until the various other ebook providers out there catch up with Amazon in this regard, they do have us at a disadvantage. The same could never be said for Apple even if most iPod users elect to use iTunes.