Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
As nice as the Kindle service may be, I think the one thing keeping it from "taking the market" is the expensive and ungainly-looking reader itself. I've mentioned elsewhere that the Kindle seems like a proof-of-concept or prototype device. If someone manages to create a truly attractive device, especially at a cheaper form factor (or at least better usability with aesthetics), I can see major "disruption" coming on.
Similarly, if Amazon opens up the Kindle system to other hardware, reader-emulators and other wireless access methods, I see disruption aplenty.
And speaking of Forbes' Disrupt-o-meter: I'm not sure I agree with all of their points. For instance, it states that Sony's reader and Connect store lack differentiation from the competition, and I disagree there: Sony's reader is by far more attractive than the other hardware out there, costs significantly less than its closest competitors, and has major brand recognition backing it up. The claim that Kindle's business model "might make it susceptible to competition from Apple" is highly speculative, and I don't see how that makes it a more disruptive influence.
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What would work very well is an add-on module for the Sony that gives a keyboard and wifi that can be removed so we have the sleek design we have now when the keyboard and wifi are not needed.