Quote:
Originally Posted by igorsk
I don't know for sure but I have theories.
1. Because the first Reader was the product of the audio department, they added it just because they could.
2. They needed it even if for a checkmark in the feature list. Many people compare competing devices by features, and if the Reader was missing the audio and some other device had it, many might have chosen the other, even though it might have been a really crappy implementation in reality.
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igorsk, I think you have very good theories. Those are my best guesses too.
I think people would complain about missing the audio player if it weren't there at all. And, it wouldn't look quite so good for marketing on a side-by-side comparison list. General consumers want to think that they are getting the most features for their money, even if they won't necessarily use all of those features.
Here is a comparison example. The Kindle music player is so basic that you can't even see a list of what songs you have loaded, and Amazon has labeled it an "Experimental" feature. At least they can claim they have one! However, the Kindle has a separate audiobook player which is well-developed and even integrates with your audible.com account. No surprise since Amazon purchased Audible and wants you to buy their audiobooks.