Amazon is destroying e-reader innovation

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

One point which I think is valid here is that the overwhelming majority of people buy multi-purpose devices which can read, but also be used for email, web browsing, watching video, playing games, etc. The market for dedicated reading device is tiny by comparison.

Correct. Which is why that particular wheel is going to get less and less grease. That tiny market can't squeak loud enough.

But internet "distractions" aside... the number of books I buy (and read) has only gone up since I switched wholesale to a tablet. I don't really care why I like reading on my tablet better, but I do. I suspect I'm not alone.

I guess I just don't really understand many people's apparent need for eInk to be universally recognized as the *better* technology for readers. Isn't it enough that it's the best technology for you (rhet)?

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

Fair enough, I took my Kindle to the beach and left my tablet at home for that very reason. However, the question you have to ask yourself is what proportion of their tablet use time are you seeing? It may be that even though it's sub-optimal for reading in those conditions, that only makes up 10-15% of their total use time, and the benefits of having a single device (and the additional functions a tablet offers which they may take advantage of at other times) outweigh the reading issues they have while taking transit?

It could be, but if I see the same people, in the same public transport, wrestling with their tablets in the same way, every day, for over an hour, then I my reaction is: 'Get a fracking e-ink reader.'

I'm near the German border, and one of the stores just across it has e-ink readers starting at €69. A few weeks ago the basic Kindle was discounted for only €49.

For that kind of money, I'm not going to torment myself.

These people read +/- 1 hour to work (in that train; maybe they travel before or after that as well), and probably, read +/- 1 hour on the way home. That's like 10+ hours a week, or 40 in a month, at least. That's a workweek of reading right there.

Nope... I wouldn't torment myself for 2 hours a day.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I guess I just don't really understand many people's apparent need for eInk to be universally recognized as the *better* technology for readers. Isn't it enough that it's the best technology for you (rhet)?

No. Impossible. You know why?

[ingmar]

That makes sense. XKCD is required reading in legal circles, I hear ... Sorry for OT (well, not really).

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Yes.



I beg to differ... When looking around in public transport, I see quite a lot of people reading on a 7 inch tablet (I assume they are reading because they often only touch the screen once in a while), while squinting and turning the tablet this way and that to keep glare off the screen.

Those are the people that seem to need an e-reader, but bought a tablet because it can do more, and now often use it in conditions it's not fit to handle well.

Or maybe they just need an anti-glare screen protector? I don't do it often, but I can easily read in full sun on my Nexus 7 if I put the brightness to 100% and have a light background with black font. I am sensitive to bright screens and normally have the brightness set to only 12% at home or 20% if it's a well lit room.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

That simply isn't true. As Harry said, Amazon is primarily a content seller, not a device seller. Cutting down choice is the last thing they want to do because they want everyone to be able to buy their content.

As it is, I have more choice in devices on which to read Amazon content than any other competitor. There are Amazon choices for people with Windows, Android, and iOS portable devices; there are Amazon choices for Windows and Apple computers.

If anyone produced a standalone large e-ink tablet with app support, Amazon would probably put the Kindle app on it, too.

They want lots of devices, but they don't care which particular ones.

Does anyone know why Amazon limits some features to their hardwre only (for example, Amazon Kindle Lending Library?)

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by crossi

I've asked Amazon to make their computer app compatable with existing programs like Windows Speech Recognition or Dragon Naturally Speaking. Speech recognition work after a fashion. You can use it to open Kindle for PC and to turn pages but you can't use it to select and open the books. This doesn't seem like a hard problem to solve. They don't even need to develop their own speech recognition program, just fix the compatablity problem with existing programs.

Very good idea.
Did they acknowledge receipt?
If not, you could try sending it straight to Bezos' email. It would be very valuable to the disabled.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by John F

Does anyone know why Amazon limits some features to their hardwre only (for example, Amazon Kindle Lending Library?)

It never hurts to have a few extra features adding value to the ownership of actual Amazon hardware.

You can always read your purchases wherever you want. But this provides incentive to buy a device that is mostly useful for buying exclusively from Amazon.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's one reason I'd be wary of a self-driving car with a voice interface. Imagine the damage that could result there!

Especially after Skynet takes over.
"Home, jeeves."
"I'm sorry. I can't do that. I hope your will is up to date, meat sack."

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

Or maybe they just need an anti-glare screen protector? I don't do it often, but I can easily read in full sun on my Nexus 7 if I put the brightness to 100% and have a light background with black font. I am sensitive to bright screens and normally have the brightness set to only 12% at home or 20% if it's a well lit room.

Ditto on my FIRE HD 8.9.
I wouldn't take it to the beach (but I don't go to the beach, anyway. ) but the shaded terrace flooded in natural light is no problem at 35%. At 100% it lights up a room enough to read a newspaper six feet away. Normally I keep it at 15% for surfing and comics and run FBreader at maybe 10%.

Different strokes are fine.

Eink readers seem to be fairly durable but sooner or later mainstream buyers (from the 2010-11 adoption boom) will be going for refreshes. It'll be interesting to see if they stick with eink or move to LCD (or Liquavista). Say, round 2015-16.

[oj829]

Come 2015-2016, I expect to see e-ink phones. Maybe it will be at the bleeding edge of the market, but it's a tremendous application, IMHO.

I'll buy another e-ink reader - preferably from Kobo - but while today's AuraHD is too physically heavy (IMHO), I expect they'll have a more attractive (to me) lineup on shelves in that 2015-2016 timeframe.

The only Android LCD tablet which my eyes kiss me for using to read books (and I have gone through 7 of them) is the 7" NookHD, so count me in for 2 e-ink devices in the future.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by oj829

Come 2015-2016, I expect to see e-ink phones. Maybe it will be at the bleeding edge of the market, but it's a tremendous application, IMHO.

There already are eInk phones.

[oj829]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

There already are eInk phones.

Yes - a small number, and bleeding edge - I wouldn't get the Yotaphone, even if I could - and I'm currently in contract lock. The time to start really phone shopping is still a year away for me, I think.

[Edit: Huh. I see that Onyx has introduced one.... interesting, but, one half-Gig storage? Bleah.]

[HarryT]

Most people want to use smartphones for watching YouTube videos, playing games, etc. eInk is fine for "dumb" phones (and that's where it's currently used) but I really don't see it being a particular attraction for a smartphone. Why do you think it would be?

[oj829]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Most people want to use smartphones for watching YouTube videos, playing games, etc. eInk is fine for "dumb" phones (and that's where it's currently used) but I really don't see it being a particular attraction for a smartphone. Why do you think it would be?

1. I'm not ready for most vendors' pricing on data plans. Still too much for
me. Get off my lawn with those prices for 250MB.

2. I recently lost a 8yo readable-in-sunlight Nokia 3588i in a cab,
went for another "dumb" phone (Samsung) and I quite simply
can't use it during daylight hours unless I look for shade
somewhere. It's beyond absurd. I could read the 3588i's display
whenever, wherever.

3. I'd like SOME device consolidation. My "smart" unlocked GSM Samsung
6310 (Android 4.x) is my constant companion, but again -- can't really
see the thing outside during waking hours, so I never bothered to buy
an American SIM to phonify it.

If I have to wait until I get home to play some tunes, read news, etc, I can handle that, but a phone you can only use under highly specific situations? I feel like Maggie Smith in "Downton Abbey": "Is this an instrument for communication or torture??"


[Edit: I see from teh Google that the 3588i had an LCD STN (super-twist nematic) screen, which has gone the way of VHS for phones. Pending e-ink phones being for realz, I want that kind of experience back.)

[John F]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

It never hurts to have a few extra features adding value to the ownership of actual Amazon hardware.

You can always read your purchases wherever you want. But this provides incentive to buy a device that is mostly useful for buying exclusively from Amazon.

But if they are in it to sell content, not devices, wouldn't it make sense to have the features on ALL devices?