Quote:
Originally Posted by Teddman
I don't think launching so expensive was necessarily the best move, because the DX is not going to move many units at that price. To lock consumers into your market, you have to sell them the hardware first. At ~$500, even hardcore readers will stay on the fence.
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Amazon doesn't need to lock a large number of consumers; they just have to capture the
right group, namely the high-volume readers. The customer does the math, determines if and when they would save money (due to the lower prices and no shipping fees), and calculates that into whether or not an e-book reader will work for them.
However, it's clear to me that the DX is currently aimed at a premium slice of the premium group.
Namely, students and professionals who
really need technical manuals and PDF's. Students might break even or wind up a little ahead, if they realize substantial savings on textbooks. Professionals will get soaked, but at the same time, $500 isn't quite as bad if it's a tax deduction or if your employer pays for it.
I agree that the K2 and DX are a tad expensive, but I don't think it's quite the barrier to adoption that everyone assumes. A
survey recently indicated that only about 9% of potential e-book buyers are waiting for price drops -- not bad in the middle of a major recession, IMO. (About 65% of the public have no interest in an ebook reader at all, btw.)