Any news if Amazon plans on rolling out a Kindle 4.0 soon?

[murraypaul]

Fundamentally Amazon is a retailer, not a hardware company, they sell Kindles to build sales of eBooks. Conversely Apple is fundamentally a hardware company, they sell content in order to build sales of their devices. Just because something makes sense for Apple doesn't mean it makes sense for Amazon. (or vice-versa)

[jbcohen]

Could you say wallcraft that Amazon and Sony are targeting different audiances then the Kobo is? Perhaps Amazon and sony are targeting the audiance that likes to have the latest and greatest of all of the electronics where as Kobo is targeting audiances that want a job done even if it is not the latest and greatest?

[Joonbug1]

Jeff Bezos discussed this a bit on his last visit to The Charlie Rose Show, where he was asked if he would try competing with Apple's iPad and the whole touchscreen/tablet trend, and he firmly said no. Instead, they would focus on non-backlit devices.

I have to agree with this approach, as (1) from a purely personal reason, I'm not keen on touchscreens or tablets anyway, (2) Amazon would be crazy to try competing in the same technology markets against Apple for obvious reasons, and (3) if you have an iPad or tablet, how much easier is it for you to be distracted and do other things besides reading ebooks? A dedicated ereader should not have to be an all-in-one type of device, but be something that does its job well of conveying an author's words to the reader in such a way that they're not focused on the device but the content of what is written. If that means ereaders are destined not to break completely "mainstream," then so be it. Otherwise, it's just back to backlit LCDs of one kind or another.

Just my 2 cents'.

[tubemonkey]

When they can make a tablet with the same size, weight, battery life and readability as a Kindle, then I'll abandon eInk. Until then, I'm perfectly content with owning both devices.

[Joonbug1]

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1910868

This video is close enough to the real thing as far as what people say they want and expect from ereaders that it's almost not a parody anymore...

[Barty]

The best android tablet out there now is the motorola xoom and in spite of good reviews, it's not exactly setting the market on fire. Soon it'll be joined by samsung and HTC and a bunch of other companies with more experience in mobile device than amazon. Can amazon make a better/cheaper tablet than they? Not to mention the non-android competitors palm OS, QNX, Windows7.

Amazon likes to take jabs at the iPad for sun glare. They'll be depriving themselves a selling point for their own very successful product.

But hey, weirder things have happened.

[Giggleton]

Originally Posted by Joonbug1

Jeff Bezos discussed this a bit on his last visit to The Charlie Rose Show, where he was asked if he would try competing with Apple's iPad and the whole touchscreen/tablet trend, and he firmly said no. Instead, they would focus on non-backlit devices.

That's good news, I like the Kindle for what it is, easily read network interface with minimal advertisement intrusions.

Things should get interesting when Amazon opens up their SDK to the public, I hope they are considering doing so.

[snipenekkid]

Then again anyone ask Bezos why he had Amazon buy Touchco? I often wonder why so many of these interviews never touch on that topic. Of course it is Charlie Rose, a noted beacon for the tech world.

By saying he wanted to focus on non-backlit devices he is not leaving out a general computing device. By going in the non-backlit direction he is also safe in stating Amazon is not going to chase the trend.

It's always more fun to examine what is not stated rather than what is said. Is there a newer video than the 2007 interview between rose and Bezos? I'm looking but seem to be rather "Google challenged" at the moment. d'oh???!!

[Adriaan12452]

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

huh? care to elaborate this one?

Tablets refresh the screen about fifty times a second, ebookraders keep the same screen until you push a button. You do not conciously notice the difference but parts of your brain do, as an effect most people get more tired when they read from an LCD-screen (or an CRT-screen). Ask any good neurobiologist. Tablets are not made for reading hours in a row, ebookreaders are.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

Then again anyone ask Bezos why he had Amazon buy Touchco? I often wonder why so many of these interviews never touch on that topic. Of course it is Charlie Rose, a noted beacon for the tech world.

By saying he wanted to focus on non-backlit devices he is not leaving out a general computing device. By going in the non-backlit direction he is also safe in stating Amazon is not going to chase the trend.

Touchco at the time of the buy out was working on epaper touch screens.I could totally see a future version of the kindle including a touch interface, especially if they go color epaper of some sort.

[wyndslash]

mmm...color epaper sounds good. sure hope they can get it worked out! though i don't know how they'd present glossy magazines, if they would even try

[JeremyR]

Well, the thing is, while Amazon is a book store, they are really a media store. Books, movies, music, and games.

The Kindle does books well (at least novels), but falls flat in those three other areas, where Tablets win out.

B&N really outflanked them with the Nook Color, but mostly being a book company, they can't fully take advantage of this

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Well, the thing is, while Amazon is a book store, they are really a media store. Books, movies, music, and games.

The Kindle does books well (at least novels), but falls flat in those three other areas, where Tablets win out.

B&N really outflanked them with the Nook Color, but mostly being a book company, they can't fully take advantage of this

Wouldn't going the app route be more effective? Right now, with the Amazon streaming video service, they're on very few devices. Windows, Mac, Tivo, GoogleTV, Roku, or some LG and Sony Bravia TVs are your options. If they had an Android or iOS app, it would be more accessable. Heck, I wish they had a PS3 or 360 option, so I could use it like I do Hulu Plus and Netflix.

I should note that Amazon does have an MP3 purchasing app that comes preinstalled on many Android phones. I've used it before, and makes things quick and easy. I don't have figures related to that app though.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by Adriaan12452

Tablets refresh the screen about fifty times a second, ebookraders keep the same screen until you push a button. You do not conciously notice the difference but parts of your brain do, as an effect most people get more tired when they read from an LCD-screen (or an CRT-screen). Ask any good neurobiologist. Tablets are not made for reading hours in a row, ebookreaders are.

I don't think it's so much the refresh rate, which is fast enough to be imperceptible, even at some subconscious level, but the emissive light, glare, and visible pixel structure. But even then, some people claim not to be bothered by it. The other thing to consider is it's a lot different to sit at your desk and look at a large screen doing work versus relaxing in a comfy couch reading a tablet size device for leisure.

I still prefer reading on my kindle than iPad, but I wouldn't attribute it to refresh rate. We're not talking about those old CRTs with noticeable screen refresh.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

Then again anyone ask Bezos why he had Amazon buy Touchco? I often wonder why so many of these interviews never touch on that topic. Of course it is Charlie Rose, a noted beacon for the tech

it just means they will go the Sony touch route; doesn't mean they'll go the iPad route. A tablet general computing device requires more than touch tech; it requires a screen that refreshes fast enough to do scrolling / panning / zooming, etc.