The "Kindle" iPod of reading - Newsweek scoops

[Hadrien]

Is there any high-resolution version of the cover available ? The Kindle does seem to look a bit better on the Newsweek cover...

[Lucien21]

OMG that is a hideous device.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Hadrien

Is there any high-resolution version of the cover available ? The Kindle does seem to look a bit better on the Newsweek cover...

Me thinks there is. Ah yes, here

[THJahar]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

Look at the cover of the Newsweek.

errrmm...i'm thinking that that cover is misleading as it's showing red text on the kindle.....hmmm, unless it is of course capable of showing colours?

[kezza]

Originally Posted by Hadrien

The Kindle does seem to look a bit better on the Newsweek cover...

Yeah, it does look a bit better than that prototype photo we've seen a million times, but it's still just way too big. One of the big benefits of the current crop of Readers is that they're really not much larger than the screen alone, and are very portable. I'm not sure the kindle would fit comfortably into any bag that I carry on a regular basis, so just like all my paper books it would stay at home.
And now I just have to vent: dedicated readers are great because they don't do anything but display books. They don't distract you with incoming messages, potential wikipedia searches, stores for browsing, etc. I'd rather use my computer to do all those things on a nice, full-color, fast display. And I don't like reading on my computer because there are so many distractions. It looks to me like the kindle is doing nothing very well, since it will be a sub-standard browsing and email device, and a sub-standard reader. Bleh.

[Liviu_5]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

I noticed a week or two ago the appearance of "Amazon Shorts" on their web site and bought and downloaded a $0.49 "short" by David McCullough available as a PDF just for kicks. I assume these are some of the cheap enticements which will soon likely increase in number and also be available in formats for the Kindle, too.

They had many Amazon shorts for a while. I bought 2 or 3 several years ago and they are still available in my digital locker in html form as opposed to the e-books I bought from them; however the value added was very small, not worth the 49c

[nekokami]

I think they need to make the most of the space the keyboard takes up. E.g. by further enhancing their Amazon site services to include reader groups, something like DotReader.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Jeff Duntemann

I've already made the promise to my readers: No DRM of any kind, ever.

This bold statement just caused me to look up your books on the net and add your SF novel to my "things I want to read in the future" list.

I think you will not have problem to sell DRM free books.
1. Reader visits your homepage and select the book
2. Reader pays via PayPal
3. Reader receives email from you to his Kindle email address.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by kacir

3. Reader receives email from you to his Kindle email address.

Aren't you the clever one!

[kacir]

Receiving email directly to your Kindle is a great idea.
This could be the "backdoor" for importing your own stuff (in case Amazon insists you only read what you purchase in the Amazon store)

On the other hand, I wonder how long it will be until spammers eat up all the available memory on the Kindle ;-)

[Barcey]

I just realized why it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to my eyes. It reminds me of the design of the original IBM PCJr with the chicklet keyboard. I've been conditioned like a lab rat to dislike it.
http://oldcomputers.net/ibm-pcjr.html

Now you know how old I am. I was wondering what happened to that design team though.

I must admit that the picture on Newsweek doesn't look as bad.

[TadW]

Looks like while Newsweek scored the scoop today (and also will tomorrow), other folks are still under Amazon's press embargo:

So it is a bit ridiculous that Amazon.com (NSDQ: AMZN) has been trying to keep us from disclosing the details on its Kindle e-book device, while giving Newsweek a cover story two days before the launch. Then, pretty much decline our request to get some face-time with Bezos at the press conference on Monday in NYC (I know, we’re not Newsweek...). Also, the business side of our company has been under an NDA with Amazon, as our news feeds are part of the news section in the reader...while we will still honor that NDA and not disclose any other details (we haven’t, even in the two previous stories we did on it), the Newsweek story pretty much has it all, and more. Reinventing the book: sure. Reinventing PR: oh well...

http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419...r-the-details/

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

I don't get all this worry about how it looks. Is it really important? Surely most of you would agree that functionality and cost are critical, yes? If so, then everything else is minutia, yes? If it had to look like an Etch-a-Sketch to have all the functionality you wanted, wouldn't you rather it did so?

Being in a design intensive field, I do care about looks, it can easily offend my senses of proportion. Same thing about cars, you can get from point A to B with any one but which model would you prefer? Don't tell me a PT Cruiser, I'll cry

[THJahar]

Originally Posted by THJahar

errrmm...i'm thinking that that cover is misleading as it's showing red text on the kindle.....hmmm, unless it is of course capable of showing colours?

Seriously, am I the only one concerned about the mis-selling of the product by using a mocked up reader displaying red ink???
Surely the readers of newsweek are going to think that this thing displays colour, and they are not disavowed of this idea by the text of the article.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

I don't get all this worry about how it looks. Is it really important? Surely most of you would agree that functionality and cost are critical, yes? If so, then everything else is minutia, yes? If it had to look like an Etch-a-Sketch to have all the functionality you wanted, wouldn't you rather it did so?

Sorry... it's important. The market says so. Show me how many ugly devices make it big in the market, and you'll have your answer.

As for Kindle... Survey says: Blaaat!!

(In fact, if they'd just ditched the keyboard...)