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

Zoot · 11-19-2007, 06:16 PM

I don't have any problem with the DRM issues for the Kindle. I own a Sony Reader and ordered a Kindle this morning which will be here tomorrow.

The only real difference I see is that you can't read the books on a PC as well as the reader device. Other than that the specs and the DRM limitations are almost exactly the same.

The major issue is simply the price and the fact that you're not going to replace paperback books universally with a $400 device. So will Amazon still be selling these and will I still be able to read the books I've bought in 1, 2 3+ years? Who knows.

I will say that in the iPod analogy there's one way that the Amazon Kindle is better than iTunes and iPod. On my iPod probably 90% of the content came from CDs I owned before there was an iPod. The remaining 10% is everything I could find on the iTunes store that I didn't own that I wanted to listen to. I would *love* to buy more music but honestly it's virtually all crap these days. At least with Amazon I look at their initially available catalog for the Kindle and I can see a huge number of books that I might be interested in reading.

I really like reading on my Sony Reader and having the free wireless is going to be really nice. So I'm happy to support Amazon's bold venture, whether or not they make it in the long term.

Consider also that the price for the reader may go down, or might become subsidized (buy N books in a one year period, pay for some premium EV-DO subscription that includes email, etc.), that the book catalog will likely expand both into new and older titles, and that new capabilities and features may be only an (automatic forced) software update away.

People moan about PDF support but the two attempts I made to read PDF files on the Sony sent me fleeing in terror. PDF on a book reader is not practical until we have displays that can display 8.5x11 at 150dpi or better IMHO.

I think the Kindle is a step in the right direction, and while it may not be the "tipping point" device, it will take us a long way in that direction by introducing the technology to perhaps more people than all the similar devices made so far.

So far Amazon is doing this up right. Their store is well done (unlike Sony's) and the process is totally painless. When you order a Kindle they automatically register the device to your Amazon account, assign it a name "Bob's Kindle" etc. based on your Amazon account info, and even before it arrives you can start buying books and subscriptions which will appear on the device like magic within minutes of turning it on for the first time. It will start out with the same one-click buying options as your Amazon account.

I've already bought my first book, assigned the device an email address, and it hasn't even gotten on the FedEx truck yet.

Z.

11-19-2007, 06:16 PM	#60
Zoot Connoisseur Posts: 89 Karma: 34 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Amazon Kindle	Better than iTunes I don't have any problem with the DRM issues for the Kindle. I own a Sony Reader and ordered a Kindle this morning which will be here tomorrow. The only real difference I see is that you can't read the books on a PC as well as the reader device. Other than that the specs and the DRM limitations are almost exactly the same. The major issue is simply the price and the fact that you're not going to replace paperback books universally with a $400 device. So will Amazon still be selling these and will I still be able to read the books I've bought in 1, 2 3+ years? Who knows. I will say that in the iPod analogy there's one way that the Amazon Kindle is better than iTunes and iPod. On my iPod probably 90% of the content came from CDs I owned before there was an iPod. The remaining 10% is everything I could find on the iTunes store that I didn't own that I wanted to listen to. I would love to buy more music but honestly it's virtually all crap these days. At least with Amazon I look at their initially available catalog for the Kindle and I can see a huge number of books that I might be interested in reading. I really like reading on my Sony Reader and having the free wireless is going to be really nice. So I'm happy to support Amazon's bold venture, whether or not they make it in the long term. Consider also that the price for the reader may go down, or might become subsidized (buy N books in a one year period, pay for some premium EV-DO subscription that includes email, etc.), that the book catalog will likely expand both into new and older titles, and that new capabilities and features may be only an (automatic forced) software update away. People moan about PDF support but the two attempts I made to read PDF files on the Sony sent me fleeing in terror. PDF on a book reader is not practical until we have displays that can display 8.5x11 at 150dpi or better IMHO. I think the Kindle is a step in the right direction, and while it may not be the "tipping point" device, it will take us a long way in that direction by introducing the technology to perhaps more people than all the similar devices made so far. So far Amazon is doing this up right. Their store is well done (unlike Sony's) and the process is totally painless. When you order a Kindle they automatically register the device to your Amazon account, assign it a name "Bob's Kindle" etc. based on your Amazon account info, and even before it arrives you can start buying books and subscriptions which will appear on the device like magic within minutes of turning it on for the first time. It will start out with the same one-click buying options as your Amazon account. I've already bought my first book, assigned the device an email address, and it hasn't even gotten on the FedEx truck yet. Z.