Amazon Kindle 2.0 to be launched on Feb 9th?

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Ok... so my feeling is that they are not going to announce a new 6inch device. It will be one of the following in order to my mind of possibility:

1. A new firmware versions for the current device that adds some major features. Could be:
a. Folder support
b. ePub support
c. PDF support

2. The sale of Kindle books for non-Kindle devices.

3. A GSM rev of the same device for Europe and/or Asia and/or Australia.

4. A larger screen sized unit

5. A rev of the current device with the Epson controller or move to the plastic screen.

6. Least likely a whole new rev of the 6inch device with different case similar to pics that were previously leaked. Although non-replaceable battery and no SD card slot seem like steps backward that I can't see them taking.

BOb

From your mouth to Bezos' ears. It could be they're announcing something as simple as a price cut.

[Penforhire]

To those who don't give a fig about asthetics, why do you figure some of us bought other devices? Hint, it wasn't the price or availability for me. If the next Kindle is a bit sexier then I could be a buyer. So it isn't all about fan-boi-ism. And if you think the Kindle is more sexy than ugly then I'm willing to bet you're in the minority (and probably thought Apple's Newton was "teh sex" too).

Amazon, with Bezos at the controls, has been one of my favorite companies. My household happily buys an awful lot of stuff from them and our Amazon Prime membership pays for itself in months. So I've got a dog in the fight even if I don't yet own a Kindle. Go Bezos!

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

To those who don't give a fig about asthetics, why do you figure some of us bought other devices? Hint, it wasn't the price or availability for me. If the next Kindle is a bit sexier then I could be a buyer. So it isn't all about fan-boi-ism. And if you think the Kindle is more sexy than ugly then I'm willing to bet you're in the minority (and probably thought Apple's Newton was "teh sex" too).

Amazon, with Bezos at the controls, has been one of my favorite companies. My household happily buys an awful lot of stuff from them and our Amazon Prime membership pays for itself in months. So I've got a dog in the fight even if I don't yet own a Kindle. Go Bezos!

I have a Kindle but I'm not a fan of the aesthetics. It was a function-over-form decision for me. I'd rather have both, but if I have to sacrifice, I'll sacrifice beauty for functionality any day. The Kindle had more of my high-priority features than the other devices and better content selection. I thought the Sony was gorgeous but I was truly appalled that it lacked both searching and dictionary functions. You've got files and processing power. It seems like rather a no-brainer that these things could be brought together to do more than just display the files.

[Andurian]

I think most of the people who are describing the Kindle as "fugly" aren't doing so to insult anyone, but to point to what they see as a potential improvement in the device.

I bought a Sony rather than a Kindle mostly because of price considerations, but the fact I thought the Sony was pretty and the Kindle was not factored in as well. If the Kindle had looked just like the Sony I might have shelled out the extra bucks for the convenient wireless access.

Since this thread is mostly guesses about what Amazon could be doing to improve the Kindle, I can't see how it is unreasonable for people to note that its appearance could be improved. Some people like the current appearance, which is fine, but some people like the 5" screen and I don't see them getting upset when people suggest a larger form factor would be an improvement...

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by Andurian

I think most of the people who are describing the Kindle as "fugly" aren't doing so to insult anyone, but to point to what they see as a potential improvement in the device.

I bought a Sony rather than a Kindle mostly because of price considerations, but the fact I thought the Sony was pretty and the Kindle was not factored in as well. If the Kindle had looked just like the Sony I might have shelled out the extra bucks for the convenient wireless access.

Since this thread is mostly guesses about what Amazon could be doing to improve the Kindle, I can't see how it is unreasonable for people to note that its appearance could be improved. Some people like the current appearance, which is fine, but some people like the 5" screen and I don't see them getting upset when people suggest a larger form factor would be an improvement...

Indeed, I didn't really want to insult anyone. Just throwing that out there.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Andurian

Since this thread is mostly guesses about what Amazon could be doing to improve the Kindle, I can't see how it is unreasonable for people to note that its appearance could be improved. Some people like the current appearance, which is fine, but some people like the 5" screen and I don't see them getting upset when people suggest a larger form factor would be an improvement...

Despite the staunch defenders of Kindle's looks, if you read gadget blogs and most of the posts here on the subject it seems pretty clear that most people don't care for the design. I think you'll find very few people who would honestly say they find it more attractive than the Sony. If I were on this project at Amazon, I would think there was a very clear message that we could pick up more market share with a different design approach.

[phenomshel]

Being a newcomer to these forums, it seems to me that we have representatives of a lot of ebook reader distributors here..but not Amazon. Am I correct? Or is there a very quiet "fly on the wall" thing going on and our conversations/speculations/suggestions make themselves known at Amazon in a roundabout way? (I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I just play one on tv *grin*).
Anyway, you'd think if an Amazon exec read this board just ONCE....he'd go away with his ears burning and breaking out in hives!

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Being a newcomer to these forums, it seems to me that we have representatives of a lot of ebook reader distributors here..but not Amazon. Am I correct? Or is there a very quiet "fly on the wall" thing going on and our conversations/speculations/suggestions make themselves known at Amazon in a roundabout way? (I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I just play one on tv *grin*).
Anyway, you'd think if an Amazon exec read this board just ONCE....he'd go away with his ears burning and breaking out in hives!

We have a bunch of people from Amazon here. Unfortunately, none of them post. I suspect that Amazon has policy to that effect.

[Daithi]

I really like my Kindle and I have no problem admitting that I much prefer the looks of the Sony model. However, I also prefer the Kindle's functionality and selection (just like Alisa said, "function-over-form").

Suggestion to Amazon: A device that hides the keyboard (like a slide out phone).

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

We have a bunch of people from Amazon here. Unfortunately, none of them post. I suspect that Amazon has policy to that effect.

Poor people must have to sit on their hands a lot...

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

We have a bunch of people from Amazon here. Unfortunately, none of them post. I suspect that Amazon has policy to that effect.

It's pretty standard. It's a firing offence at my company to post about our products or competitor products.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by Alisa

It's pretty standard. It's a firing offence at my company to post about our products or competitor products.

Yep. I work at a grocery store chain and it's in the manual that if we blog about something "detrimental" to the company we can be terminated. They get to decide what's detrimental, of course.

I just feel for the poor Amazon people reading this thread who can't respond under pain of losing their jobs. Like I said, they must have to sit on their hands a lot.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Alisa

Despite the staunch defenders of Kindle's looks, if you read gadget blogs and most of the posts here on the subject it seems pretty clear that most people don't care for the design. I think you'll find very few people who would honestly say they find it more attractive than the Sony. If I were on this project at Amazon, I would think there was a very clear message that we could pick up more market share with a different design approach.

I don't think the design will be a major point in a decision to buy a certain device, but it is most certainly a point. I am will to let go of some minor advantages if the design of another device is sexier. I will have to look at at every single time I use it, so it might as well have a nice design.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Daithi

Suggestion to Amazon: A device that hides the keyboard (like a slide out phone).

I wouldn't like this. Then I would have no where to hold my Kindle. Plus that would just make the device thicker.

BOb

[TheJohnNewton]

I find it pretty funny how much emphasis people put on the look of these devices. Mine is in my gym bag most of the time, in the case all of the time, and when I'm using it I'm staring at the screen. I suppose if it was screaming hot pink it might be distracting but otherwise I don't care much how it looks.

As to the announcement I have no clue. Somebody on the Amazon boards just posted something about Amazon no longer selling certain formats (MS reader and Adobe http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6631991.html) that doesn't seem to bode well for adding Adobe support to the Kindle but who knows. I'm going to guess that the annoucement is something nobody is expecting but I'm just guessing ;-) If it is a new Kindle I'm fully prepared to be underwhelmed by the update. Really what could they possibly change that would be all the different?