Thread: Now that the K2 supports PDF
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Old 12-01-2009, 09:46 PM   #23
Kali Yuga
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nate the great View Post
There is an urban legend that we should keep in mind. Bill Gates is reputed to have said that 640k RAM is enough for anyone. How much RAM do you have right now?
Aside from the fact that the quote is false, it's not a comparable situation. A computer is built from the ground up a multipurpose device; a dedicated ebook reader is a focused device. So maybe you'll put PDF's on it, but chances are slim to none that you'll use a Kindle 3 to watch HD movies. Even PDF's are relatively small documents; i.e. it isn't that difficult to predict likely capacity needs for the next generation or so of ebook devices.

To wit: Let's say ebooks roll in at 1mb, and PDF's at 5mb. If you have 7gb of storage space, that means over 7,000 ebooks, or about 1,400 PDF's, or some combination thereof (e.g. 1,000 ebooks + 1,000 PDF's). Call me crazy, but I think the overwhelming majority of ebook reader users can survive with numbers like that in between hooking up their Kindles to their computers.

By the way, I don't recall a lot of people referring to Apple as "stupid" for not putting a SD slot into iPods and iPhones -- devices that could definitely use "endless" capacity, far more than ebook readers....


Quote:
Originally Posted by Nate
The point I'm trying to make is that just because you can't think of a reason to use that extra ability doesn't mean no one else will either. "That should be enough" is design fallacy, IMO.
Any design involves choices and compromises.

Do you want capacity or simplicity? Low weight and slim profile, or a user-replaceable battery? High QC or low cost? Fast CPU or longer battery life?

You can't build a good focused device while accounting for every single last contingency and whim your customers will want. Do that, and you end up with something overbuilt or bogged down by feature creep.

Again, I do think that "more is better," but unless there is some genuine need to carry the equivalent of the Library of Congress with you at all times, I don't think people need limitless storage on their portable devices.
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