New Kindle with WiFi announced

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by =X=

Statistics have shown for some time now that the most prevalent eBook readers are the older(50+) non tech folks and middle age women.

Those people have already found the convenience of the kindle system as a whole pretty appealing when you see the demographics of existing ebook owners.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by =X=

Statistics have shown for some time now that the most prevalent eBook readers are the older(50+) non tech folks and middle age women.

=X=

Which is why a lot of libraries stock a lot of romance eBooks.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

She's not been on since May 27, 2010. That's a long time to be missing in action.

you know it IS possible to read everything without signing in right?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Here's ZDNet market impact analysis on the new Kindles:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/amazon...48?tag=nl.e539

Basically, they expect sales to go through the roof.

So do I. At £109 for the wifi only model, I expect them to sell extremely well in the UK. I rather doubt that Amazon will be able to keep up with demand. I expect there will be a backlog on orders until early 2011.

[jasonfedelem]

Kobo is dead.

If Sony isn't careful, they're dead.

Nook might make it if they match Amazon's prices.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So do I. At £109 for the wifi only model, I expect them to sell extremely well in the UK. I rather doubt that Amazon will be able to keep up with demand. I expect there will be a backlog on orders until early 2011.

I dunno about that. Amazon has been doing this for awhile. I don't expect a nook repeat here

[Crowl]

It will be interesting to see what the split of new sales tends to be, the wifi only model obviously losing some of the convenience of the current kindle experience.

[Graham]

One thing that might warrant further discussion here (just because it's fun and the thread's so lively) is the relative impact of this announcement in different countries.

In the USA I think the nearest competitor, the wifi Nook is $139, so the new K3 at $129 is attractive but not revolutionary. On top of that the Kindle is already the number one player.

In the UK though, we're reeling over this! The cost of a 6" reader is upwards of £189, and Amazon are launching at £109 with a device with the best eInk screen on the market and wifi! Over 40% cheaper.

It's no wonder that this thread's been dominated by talk about the relative formats, and, by association, library use. The arrival of this Kindle at this price could well turn the market round. Many of us who've been staunch supporters of ePub, are sitting here going "ah, right... maybe I want that Kindle..."

What's the impact going to be elsewhere in the world?

Graham

[carld]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Here's ZDNet market impact analysis on the new Kindles:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/amazon...48?tag=nl.e539

Basically, they expect sales to go through the roof.

I expect they're right. This has to be like a bombshell going off over at Sony & B&N.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

you know it IS possible to read everything without signing in right?

True. But why? It's not so easy to keep up with new posts without being logged in. So tell her to get logged back in and posting again.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by volwrath

I think ePub is a superior format for layout and images etc than mobi. Thats why I would want it. I also want amazon to whispersync even those books that they dont sell

While I've heard this claim and belive it is possible, I've yet to see an ePUB book that looks better than MOBI.

Now if images and layout are important then PDF is far far superior that both MOBI and ePUB. And the kindle does support that format.

=X=

[JSWolf]

I do expect sales of the K3 to be quite good. The others Sony, B&N and Kobo need to get something done and done soon or amazon may take over. I'm hoping Sony does it by October and no idea about the other two.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by jasonfedelem

Kobo is dead.

If Sony isn't careful, they're dead.

Nook might make it if they match Amazon's prices.

B&N seems to be taking a similar approach to Amazon with the apps on ipad etc. and indeed have a wider range of e-ink readers so they should get by just fine.

People like sony will continue to make hardware if it remains profitable, but I would be surprised if they end up making licensed kindle hardware and/or epub hardware that is tied into b&n and they get away from their own store that they only have in north america and canada in any case.

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do expect sales of the K3 to be quite good. The others Sony, B&N and Kobo need to get something done and done soon or amazon may take over. I'm hoping Sony does it by October and no idea about the other two.

Sony's Reader Store has been down for the better part of today for 'maintenance'. I wonder if they won't react more swiftly than we might have imagined.

[carld]

Originally Posted by =X=

While I've heard this claim and belive it is possible, I've yet to see an ePUB book that looks better than MOBI.

=X=

I've wondered about that too. As far as I can tell ePub books convert over to mobi unchanged.