$49 Kindle [could win the ebook war]

[fishface]

The close association in function between a phone and a service provider just isn't there for ebooks.

You don't buy an "ebook service". You buy the ebooks. One at a time. It's a fundamental difference. My phone is instantly useless if I can't make calls, but I definitely want my ereader to keep working if I stop buying books.

One model that might work is subscriber access to large ebook libraries. But this seems limited in relevance to academic books and most academics and engineers already have direct access via their companies institutional subscriptions.

The price curve will gradually go sub 100 soon enough, no need to hurry. I'm actually very surprised at how quickly they achieved $149 with the Kobo, that's an impressive feat of engineering.

[Poppa1956]

I was going to point oout, as others before me have, that you can already get $100 off Kindle, or any other device (iPod, Zune) that can play Audible audiolbooks, IF you subscribe to Audible for at least one year at time of purchase.
If this is more than a rumor, it is conceivable that Amazon could have an eBook club, with the ebooks, or even printed books, purchased from Amazon. As a basic business model, it is not unreasonable. Yes, they will be subsidizing the hardware through eBook sales, but they've already proved their marketing abilities,
Despite my misgivings about being roped into a contract, I would actually give this serious consideration, especially if I could figure out how to make it a tax-deductible business expense.
While neither the B&N Nook, Sony, Kobo, nor any other eReader to come down the pike is likely to be the dreaded "Kindle Killer," each and every one of them takes a Market share. I love my Nook, but realistically, it has a long way to go to sell more units than Kindle has in place. However, when you combine the numbers of non-Kindle eReaders, you can see how the big A might want to try some new strategeries (yeah, I said "stategeries," deal.) to make their product more appealing. Having a perceived price point of $59, and making the difference over a year or so, while creating a habit is the consumers of purchasing at least one or two books a month from Amazon (Sales that could have gone to B&N, Borders, Sony, Kobo, EZRead, or Bob the Weather-Cat) make Amazon more profitable, and their competators less profitable in the long run. If they do it right, and I see no reason they wouldn't, they will continue to score high marks in customer service, increasing word-of-mouth sales,
Amazon knows that they need to provide their customers with what they want, and they obviously know what their customers want.

[L.J. Sellers]

I just saw this story about a $149 Wifi only Nook. Clearly the gadget makers are trying to get the price down.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/20/w...ase-costs-149/

[afa]

If that's true, then it's excellent. $149 is a pretty good price for a Nook.

Since the 3G isn't applicable to my part of the world, I, for one, have no problem with WiFi only.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

I just saw this story about a $149 Wifi only Nook. Clearly the gadget makers are trying to get the price down.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/20/w...ase-costs-149/

That's great news. Thanks for sharing.

Something is happening as Google is already advertising it.

[HarryT]

I wonder if this indicates that B&N are considering selling this device outside North America? That would certainly be a good reason to get rid of the CDMA wireless connection which would obviously be useless elsewhere.

[fishface]

So it's basically the same device without 3G, they're just reducing the price point to compete with the Kobo. Very nice.

[Rich_D]

Originally Posted by Poppa1956

I was going to point oout, as others before me have, that you can already get $100 off Kindle, or any other device (iPod, Zune) that can play Audible audiolbooks, IF you subscribe to Audible for at least one year at time of purchase.
If this is more than a rumor, it is conceivable that Amazon could have an eBook club, with the ebooks, or even printed books, purchased from Amazon. As a basic business model, it is not unreasonable. Yes, they will be subsidizing the hardware through eBook sales, but they've already proved their marketing abilities,
Despite my misgivings about being roped into a contract, I would actually give this serious consideration, especially if I could figure out how to make it a tax-deductible business expense.
While neither the B&N Nook, Sony, Kobo, nor any other eReader to come down the pike is likely to be the dreaded "Kindle Killer," each and every one of them takes a Market share. I love my Nook, but realistically, it has a long way to go to sell more units than Kindle has in place. However, when you combine the numbers of non-Kindle eReaders, you can see how the big A might want to try some new strategeries (yeah, I said "stategeries," deal.) to make their product more appealing. Having a perceived price point of $59, and making the difference over a year or so, while creating a habit is the consumers of purchasing at least one or two books a month from Amazon (Sales that could have gone to B&N, Borders, Sony, Kobo, EZRead, or Bob the Weather-Cat) make Amazon more profitable, and their competators less profitable in the long run. If they do it right, and I see no reason they wouldn't, they will continue to score high marks in customer service, increasing word-of-mouth sales,
Amazon knows that they need to provide their customers with what they want, and they obviously know what their customers want.

I agree. Just like the Columbia House record club of the past - 12 albums for a penny and you have to buy 6 more over the next year.... Now it would be a Kindle for $50 and 12 ebooks over the next year.

[dedo]

I'm not sure at all that authors and publishers would like to be treated like 3G traffic to subsidize the hardware... nor I think it is feasable to lock-in users to consume ebooks according to a yearly plan. Apple hasn't done it for iPod & music afaik.

[Turt99]

No Apple hasn't done it for Music. But Microsoft has it for the Zune (The Zune Pass) and there are others that have done subscriptions for music. Audible does subscription systems for audiobooks.

However, a book system would have to go up against the library system.

[Rich_D]

Here's another mention of the cheap ereader with a subscription ebook service. Check the last paragraph.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-...eadlinesArea.0

[dedo]

I think Godin could have studied the market a little bit (a lot) more accurately.

Both producers and customers love always-on connectivity: it is a great sales driver and it is comfortable.

From his article it is difficult even to understand if $49 is a producer cost, a customer price or a subsidized price. $49 is indeed very very low, even taking in account only the screen.

Finally, more important: how long do you think you can keep selling 0.1MB at $10?

[BenLee]

I think Godin most likely means $49 cost to customer, just the device. He's also giving a few more marketing tactics to show how this could work even having it at $49. Subscription or book of the month models work. Just because they haven't been done, doesn't mean its not worth trying. Its not an exact comparison either between music and ebooks because music is way more readily downloadable for free than ebooks are currently. People expect free music. Not true YET for ebooks.

[Dulin's Books]

Many cusotmers do like instant/always on 3g- as long as its "free". i read here and other places many people who are wary of the 3g for 2 reasons- 1. its used to try to lock you in to one content provider 2. It wont always be free or it will not be supported . IT will be very interesting to see what develops with the Irex DR800SG. Will verizon keep providing the 3g service for free if Irex completely goes away?

wifi works just fine. more and more places have free hotspots- Starbucks is going totally free/open. And i don't have to worry that he provider might drop it.

[Rich_D]

Connectivity isn't a big deal for me with an e-ink device. I keep my nook in airplane mode at all times. It is nice knowing that I could buy a book anytime I want, but it's not a deal breaker for me.