Will the Amazon Kindle cost US$50? - Page 10

NatCh · 06-14-2007, 03:40 PM

Allegedly, yes, Borders still allegedly caries them, but not at all stores (only one in the Houston area, and it'd the fourth largest city in the country).

Where did you see the list of Fry's locations, the one on the Frys.com site was pretty out-dated last time I looked -- have they updated it then?

nekokami · 06-14-2007, 03:53 PM

Here's the one I saw: http://www.frys-electronics-ads.com/...e-location.htm

I see now that this isn't the official Fry's website, though, and I have no idea how up to date it might be, as I don't live near any of the places on the list and there are no Fry's near me.

NatCh · 06-14-2007, 04:04 PM

Fry's itself is notoriously bad about keeping their list of locations up to date -- they finally list the locations in Houston, but they'd been open for about 4 years before they did.

Thanks for the link!

Dr. Drib · 06-14-2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mogui

The late Adam Osborne produced an early portable computer that enjoyed popularity for a while. Then he made a mistake that was fatal to his company. He announced a new improved model. Everyone wanted it, so those that had been planning to purchase his current model waited for the new model to come out. And waited, and waited . . .

When Osborne finally put the "Executive" model on the market, it was too little, too late. Osborne's company failed and Compaq inherited the design.

The Osborne effect causes consumers to delay purchases based on the promise of better, cheaper future technology. Using it, some companies can exert a measure of control over market conditions, to their advantage.

Or should we call it the Kindle effect?

---but the software didn't include WordStar. Mine ran CP/M.

Don

mogui · 06-14-2007, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowerbird

i forgot to say that it strains a bit of credulity to posit that amazon
is trying to using f.u.d. here to slow down the sony reader, because . . .

Did we first hear of the Kindle as "leaked news" or was there an announcement at a trade show? I don't recall. I speculate though, that some eBook fanciers who were contemplating the purchase of an eReader at that time delayed their purchase to see what Amazon would do.

If I thought a major bookseller would really sell a cheap eReader, and I was on the verge of buying a Sony Reader, for example, I might wait to see what Amazon offered. As it is, I can't wait for them because I make trips to the west only once a year, and the Sony was an obvious choice for me.

It is too late for the Kindle now. In the early days of computing, there were many examples of "vaporware". Companies would sometimes even take orders for a product that hadn't been developed, and then use the funds to finance their development effort.

So why would Amazon permit rumors of the Kindle to escape their organization, and then not produce anything? Will the Kindle ever come, or will the only thing it ever kindles be our curiosity?

NatCh · 06-14-2007, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mogui

Did we first hear of the Kindle as "leaked news" or was there an announcement at a trade show? I don't recall.

It was something that the Engadget folks found while trolling the FCC's website.

Here's the original thread on it: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7569

JSWolf · 06-14-2007, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightwing

They had at least one at the local store... And was going for 299. Need to check to see if it had a red tage on it. AKA that means end of product...

So do the Sony Readers at Frys have a red tag?

mogui · 06-14-2007, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

It was something that the Engadget folks found while trolling the FCC's website.

Here's the original thread on it: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7569

So we have no read whatsoever on Amazon's intentions.

NatCh · 06-14-2007, 11:53 PM

Aside from that they evidently weren't ready to go public with it then ... nope, none at all.

yvanleterrible · 06-15-2007, 08:39 AM

Well! A leak like this one would obviously ire the direction and force them to clamp down. Just try to question an Amazon guy... or his friends.

The sad thing about this is that it also gets all other companies to shut out.

gingercat · 09-05-2007, 12:34 AM

I can see a time coming when any ebook seller will supply readers cheap or free in the same way mobile phone network comnpanies were giving away phones a while ago.

jasonkchapman · 09-05-2007, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gingercat

I can see a time coming when any ebook seller will supply readers cheap or free in the same way mobile phone network comnpanies were giving away phones a while ago.

If so, it will be done the same way the phones do it. They'll lock the user in to their own content and use the hardware as a loss leader. They'll all offer roughly the same feature set and compete with dodgy marketing and a constant process of reinventing the wheel.

Nate the great · 09-05-2007, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

If so, it will be done the same way the phones do it. They'll lock the user in to their own content and use the hardware as a loss leader. They'll all offer roughly the same feature set and compete with dodgy marketing and a constant process of reinventing the wheel.

dodgy marketing... use locked in... This sounds familiar. Oh, wait, SONY! Sony did this. Only they were smart enough to get us to pay for the privilege of being controlled.

nekokami · 09-05-2007, 09:13 AM

But if Amazon offered their entire content inventory, how "locked in" would you really be? Even the Mobipocket inventory would be pretty good. It would depend on the subscription fee-- one would need to calculate the value of the deal on a personal basis.

I like to re-read my books, so I don't know as this would work for me, but it could work for a lot of other people.

jasonkchapman · 09-05-2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

But if Amazon offered their entire content inventory, how "locked in" would you really be?

Except it's not Amazon's content to offer. Don't forget, Amazon would still be just an enhanced bookseller, or possibly a combination distributor/seller. They'll still have to make distribution/sales agreements with every one of the publishers. It's not like they can just arbitrarily snarf up the e-rights on their entire inventory. For some of the books they sell, the e-rights are either no available or are otherwise contracted.

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06-14-2007, 03:40 PM	#136
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Allegedly, yes, Borders still allegedly caries them, but not at all stores (only one in the Houston area, and it'd the fourth largest city in the country). Where did you see the list of Fry's locations, the one on the Frys.com site was pretty out-dated last time I looked -- have they updated it then?

06-14-2007, 03:53 PM	#137
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Here's the one I saw: http://www.frys-electronics-ads.com/...e-location.htm I see now that this isn't the official Fry's website, though, and I have no idea how up to date it might be, as I don't live near any of the places on the list and there are no Fry's near me.

06-14-2007, 04:04 PM	#138
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Fry's itself is notoriously bad about keeping their list of locations up to date -- they finally list the locations in Houston, but they'd been open for about 4 years before they did. Thanks for the link!

06-14-2007, 11:53 PM	#144
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Aside from that they evidently weren't ready to go public with it then ... nope, none at all.

06-15-2007, 08:39 AM	#145
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Well! A leak like this one would obviously ire the direction and force them to clamp down. Just try to question an Amazon guy... or his friends. The sad thing about this is that it also gets all other companies to shut out.

09-05-2007, 12:34 AM	#146
gingercat Connoisseur Posts: 92 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: iRex iliad	I can see a time coming when any ebook seller will supply readers cheap or free in the same way mobile phone network comnpanies were giving away phones a while ago.

09-05-2007, 09:13 AM	#149
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	But if Amazon offered their entire content inventory, how "locked in" would you really be? Even the Mobipocket inventory would be pretty good. It would depend on the subscription fee-- one would need to calculate the value of the deal on a personal basis. I like to re-read my books, so I don't know as this would work for me, but it could work for a lot of other people.