Amazon Announces 4 New Kindle devices...

[Josieb1]

I'd like the Fire Kindle, don't need it though, just saying.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm not sure what you mean by "allowed". It's WiFi only - are you suggesting that Amazon are going to restrict your WiFi usage?

nio not the wifi. i heard that the Fire might actually have a whispernet connection for delivering books/media to the device. i was saying if that is true they probably wont allow too much(if any) regular browsing over that whispernet. it might be restricted to just the amazon media sites. like when you choose the store it might connect over the whispernet instead of the wifi but if you bring up the browser itself it may only connect over wifi.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

nio not the wifi. i heard that the Fire might actually have a whispernet connection for delivering books/media to the device. i was saying if that is true they probably wont allow too much(if any) regular browsing over that whispernet. it might be restricted to just the amazon media sites. like when you choose the store it might connect over the whispernet instead of the wifi but if you bring up the browser itself it may only connect over wifi.

I don't think it has 3G hardware at all. Bezos mentioned Whispersync, which is the wireless syncing, but not Whispernet, which is their 3G network thing.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

nio not the wifi. i heard that the Fire might actually have a whispernet connection for delivering books/media to the device. i was saying if that is true they probably wont allow too much(if any) regular browsing over that whispernet. it might be restricted to just the amazon media sites. like when you choose the store it might connect over the whispernet instead of the wifi but if you bring up the browser itself it may only connect over wifi.

No, it doesn't have 3G. "Whispernet" in this case refers to wireless content delivery over WiFi, and also to content syncing between devices. But it's all WiFi. Definitely and absolutely no 3G .

[SleepyBob]

I don't see how Nook and Sony can continue as more than marginal competitors in the e-ink field. Pretty much all of the Nook ST advantages have evaporated with the new Kindle and the introduction of Overdrive lending. I don't see anything left in its favor, aside from in-store reading and ePub, for those who want to support the open format ideal.

[ghostyjack]

First Sony and now Amazon bring out new readers. How am I supposed to decide on what to tell my family to get me for my birthday.

I know! I'll get both! At these prices, that's starting to look affordable.

I'm not interested in 3G on my reader as will load all my books before leaving the house and when I read, I prefer a one-handed experience so wont be using the touch-screen for page control. So of the Kindles, I'm looking at the cheapest model for £89. Sounds like a bargin.

[amjbrown]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd guess it's simply a matter of the number that they can manufacture. Apple did much the same with the iPad 2. My guess would be that we'll see a European launch of the touch models after Christmas.

I think you are spot on. I shall hang onto my Kindle 3G until the 3G Touch turns up here. Then I think it will be very tempting!

amjb

[OtterBooks]

Looking at the photo of the Fire on the product page, there appears to be a small circular thing in the top left corner of the device, at least in some of the photos. Anyone know what that is? Light sensor?

[HarryT]

It certainly looks like a light sensor, yes.

[jaxx6166]

Poor Sony. When they developed the IR Touch Screen, who would have thought they'd be playing second fiddle to Amazon in the touch reader market...

That said, anyone notice that all of the next generation eReaders are starting to look eerily similar? nook touch, kindle, kobo, t1..

I didn't even know they were making the announcement today until I got a text from my girlfriend asking if she should get a Kindle Fire.

They do look nice though...I always said my biggest gripe with the Kindle was the chiclet keyboards..

Not a fan of the kso prices being advertised as "the price" though. Wonder how many people are going to preorder one not realizing that they're getting an ad supported reader

[khalleron]

So, the cheapest one has no touch screen, no wifi and no 3g, correct?

It's just a basic reader - much like the early Sonys - only with advertising and made from plastic.

Nice of Amazon to hit all the price points - and I'm sincere about that - but it might now kill all those 'Kindle is better than everything in every way' arguments.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by khalleron

So, the cheapest one has no touch screen, no wifi and no 3g, correct?

No - it does have WiFi.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jaxx6166

Not a fan of the kso prices being advertised as "the price" though. Wonder how many people are going to preorder one not realizing that they're getting an ad supported reader

But the ads are only noticeable if you stare at your screen savers or stare at the tiny ad banner at the bottom of the home page. I do neither, so they're not noticeable to me. To me, the offers and lower device price are well worth it.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by khalleron

So, the cheapest one has no touch screen, no wifi and no 3g, correct?

It's just a basic reader - much like the early Sonys - only with advertising and made from plastic.

Nice of Amazon to hit all the price points - and I'm sincere about that - but it might now kill all those 'Kindle is better than everything in every way' arguments.

It has been a long time since I have argued that.

The way I see it now is that the only major factors that differentiate a Kindle from a Nook/Kobo/Sony is the format and the memory card slot.

Most people don't care about the format, the people posting at sites like this are the exception to the rule. Most people are not going to care about the memory card slot because most people know that storing 3,500 books is more then enough.

The fact that there are two Kindles below the $100 price point is huge. That is what is going to hurt Nook/Sony/Kobo. Unless BN is getting ready to announce a huge price cut on its models or put out that bare bones reader, Kindle is going to regain any momentum that it has lost in the last year.

Honestly, the readers all have the same features and look pretty similar. The price is what differentiates them now.

[ghostyjack]

I don't see any mention of ad-supported on the Amazon UK site, does that mean that the UK ones are not the KSO variant?