New Kindles - does this mean a Kobo price drop?

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

Wow, and I thought the kobo touch was expensive in New Zealand. Surely that price is wrong....

It's probably WH smith artificially inflating the price to make a fast buck. But I doubt many people would pay THAT price for a KT.
Especially as you can buy a new one on Ebay here for a fraction of that price.

[taming]

The sellers set the price for Kobo. I am shocked that bookstores that deal with ePUB formats are attempting to gouge people now with Amazon making one of their new readers available for $109 in 177 countries.

Last Xmas season Walmart in Canada knocked down the price of Kobo WiFi here by $10. I expect something similar with the Touch this season, too.

[molman]

Originally Posted by taming

The sellers set the price for Kobo. I am shocked that bookstores that deal with ePUB formats are attempting to gouge people now with Amazon making one of their new readers available for $109 in 177 countries.

Last Xmas season Walmart in Canada knocked down the price of Kobo WiFi here by $10. I expect something similar with the Touch this season, too.

I guess it depends how much fat Kobo have in their pricing/cost models as to what they can do. I'm thinking the volumes Amazon move is probably affording them some decent economies, plus they are bigger company in which to spread costs.

Do also remember that the Kobo Touch should really be compared to the Kindle Touch which is US$139 (without the Ad's not available outside US). The Kindle (2011) is more akin to the Kobo Wifi which is already US$99 in many ways so really Kobo is in looking ok on the price front, though the Ad supported Kindle models really do provide an issue in the US market.

[taming]

I am watching Kindle roll out country specific stores and an entry level Kindle device--making a bid to have people locked into their proprietary format with this inexpensive device. I know that the $109 device is not touch and that I want touch, but will people buying a first ereader for the holidays be thinking that way? Another issue looking at the two companies is the effort Kobo is making to have multiple on device languages (menus etc). I would expect to see that with the Vox when it becomes available in other countries.

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

One huge thing in favour of the Kindle is simply brand recognition. . . No-one I know has even heard of the Nook or Kobo (neither are available in the UK).

That's a fair point. Anytime somebody asks me about my Kobo, they tend to start the conversation with "Is that a Kindle?" It's almost to the point where "Kindle" is synonymous with "ereader". I wonder how long before we hear the following exchange:

"Is that a Kindle?"
"Yeah."
"What kind?"
"It's a Kobo/Sony/Nook/etc."
"Oh, cool."

[HarleyB]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

That's a fair point. Anytime somebody asks me about my Kobo, they tend to start the conversation with "Is that a Kindle?" It's almost to the point where "Kindle" is synonymous with "ereader". I wonder how long before we hear the following exchange:

"Is that a Kindle?"
"Yeah."
"What kind?"
"It's a Kobo/Sony/Nook/etc."
"Oh, cool."

Where do you live Mtn.Man?

I have had almost the same conversation except people ask if my Kobo is an iPad? Some who apparently notice the size difference ask if it's a mini iPad?

I don't think the average Australian knows what a Kindle is yet. They have only been readily available for about a month.

[molman]

Originally Posted by HarleyB

Where do you live Mtn.Man?

I have had almost the same conversation except people ask if my Kobo is an iPad? Some who apparently notice the size difference ask if it's a mini iPad?

I don't think the average Australian knows what a Kindle is yet. They have only been readily available for about a month.

I must roll in different circles, many people I know are aware of the Kindle.. and even the Kobo for that matter. Maybe all the Borders stores locally helped.

I get asked on public transport sometimes if it's a Kindle. And for more than a year, the Dickies stores I've worked in have had at least a couple of customers a month ask if we carry Kindles. I'd always direct them to a Borders or A&R. And now we do have it, more customers are coming in and asking about them, because they have friends who bought them in or ordered them in from the US.

The brand recognition is definitely present in Australia, or at least Melbourne.

[FJames]

I've read several reviews of the new eInk Kindle 4s published in the last week, and it seems that most of the reviewers praise the new design without ever mentioning that the features they like are exactly the same as the Kobo Touch we've already had for 3 months. Can a lawsuit and injunction by Kobo be far behind?

[molman]

Originally Posted by FJames

I've read several reviews of the new eInk Kindle 4s published in the last week, and it seems that most of the reviewers praise the new design without ever mentioning that the features they like are exactly the same as the Kobo Touch we've already had for 3 months. Can a lawsuit and injunction by Kobo be far behind?

I do hope that smiley means you're not serious.

In late-breaking news, every computer and television manufacturer is suing each other for replicating critical features.