New Kindles - does this mean a Kobo price drop?

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by Psyke

...they will convert non-drm'd epubs for you.

Too much trouble when there are already readers from Kobo, Nook, and Sony that support epub natively. The primary advantage of Kindle readers is that you can buy books from Amazon, but if you're someone like me who gets all of his books from the public domain then that's really not a point in the Kindle's favor. Yes, I know you can get Kindle versions of books in the public domain, but I find proprietary formats distasteful because of their non-portability. With a collection of epub files, I have a choice of several readers. With a collection of proprietary Kindle files, my choices are pretty much limited to Kindle or Kindle.

[remcdonald]

Originally Posted by illiterate

But they support text-to-speech so can play audio book on-the-go which is a plus over KT. BTW are these new kindles US only?

Don't think that text to speech means audio books what it means is that you can have a robot voice like the one on annoying phone messages read your books to you. You can't for instance load up the Dresden Files audiobooks featuring James Marsden and play them.

Frankly I bought a book reader to read not to listen to books if I wanted to listen to books I would have bought audiobooks for my ipod and used that device to play them since that is what I have it for.

The new kindles are intriguing their touch version looks almost identical to a KT except for the 3G (which really doesn't intrigue me since I have wifi nearly everywhere I go) but the Fire now that is interesting. I might be tempted to put down for one but I will first wait to see what Kobo does with the Vox. If it's comparable I might just stick with Kobo if I want a tablet.

[EricLandes]

Originally Posted by remcdonald

You can't for instance load up the Dresden Files audiobooks featuring James Marsden and play them.

Amazon owns Audible, and if you tie your Audible account to your Amazon account, you can have your Audible books automatically download to your Kindle (over wifi) and play them on the Kindle.

So, yes, you can hear James Marsden read Dresden Files. On your Kindle.

[novou]

As others have mentioned, the Kobo and Kindle prices aren't materially different, unless you get the trashy ad version. The Kobo still is $10 cheaper than the the kindle. This is offset if you pay tax buying a Kobo though. Amazon clearly encourages you to dodge the required tax instead.

The Kindle's smoother web integration with books and annotations are nice, but not defining features (or a big change from the K3). The Kobo loses its touch advantage over the Kindle, but TBH if that was the deciding factor for a purchaser, they were probably getting the NST anyway. (or they were outside of the US; that too.)
As far as eInk readers go, this seems more like a rebalancing update than one in which Amazon "leapfrogs" over the competition.

I'm curious about labeling the KindleTouch as multi-touch. I suspect it's using the same IR-touch hardware as the Kobo, and I wonder if gestures will be a significant part of the device. It doesn't seem that likely, but if so, it'd probably be possible through heavy software lifting on the Kobo too.

IMHO, the Kobo, though plastic, is a prettier device.
I rather like mine. No regrets.

[MechR]

Those sub-$100 starting prices are going to have a strong psychological effect, even after people notice they're ad-supported.

Actually, I've heard some of the ads/coupons in the "special offers" are pretty good, e.g. 20% off a Macbook Pro/Air.

No changes in file-format support, it looks like. Kobo still has some advantages there, esp. for images/comics.

[danskmacabre]

No external storage support and no ePUB support is precisely the reason why I chose the KT over the Kindle in the first place, so this changes nothing for me.

[kaikara]

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

No external storage support and no ePUB support is precisely the reason why I chose the KT over the Kindle in the first place, so this changes nothing for me.

Agreed. The kindles readers are not all that special. Now if you are in the market for a tablet the $199 Fire is very tempting especially once it is hacked to run a standard version of Android.

[molman]

Yeah I was a little disappointed with the Amazon announcement. The Fire is a mix bag being Amazon's own spin on Android, whereas I suspect I would prefer something closer to the main tree, and with the next version of Android -icecream sandwich just around the corner I do wonder about it being stuck on a base two versions back (not to mention the Silkbrowser which creeps me out).

The new eInk readers were likewise a mix bag. I feel like Amazon has over complicated things for the consumers with so many options in not just models but variants within said models. When there are flowcharts (http://theunderstatement.com/pick_your_kindle) needed to help you decide I feel like you've done something wrong. I'm also not a fan of the design; the silver has the sense of being different for the same of being different (aka looking different to last year’s model). I always find that silver paint/finish tends look old, scuffing/scratching worse than the base plastic colours like black or white.

Anyway as to pricing, as others pointed out the pricing isn't necessarily all that better once the odd Ads versions are taken into account. That said as MechR mentioned these do have an effect and I've seen many a news post with $79 Kindle in the title (or $99 for the Touch model). To be able to say starting at $... has a strong marketing pull, and with their already strong brand and market share it's things like this that will continue to squeeze the other players.

[danskmacabre]

One huge thing in favour of the Kindle is simply brand recognition.
Most of the people I know don't know what an "ereader" is, but they've heard of the Kindle and know you can read books on it.
Of all the people I know who actually have an ereader, they ALL have a Kindle.

No-one I know has even heard of the Nook or Kobo (neither are available in the UK).

I met one person in a Cafe some weeks back who was using a Sony ereader, the first time I noticed someone NOT using a Kindle.

Regardless of whether the Kindle is or isn't better than the competition, many people will buy a Kindle because they think that's their only option or see everyone else using a Kindle and just get one because everyone else uses one.

I do try to explain the disadvantages of the Kindle, namely being the format restrictions, no external storage and so on, but until they actually experience the limitations it really has no effect on their decision process.

After saying that, Lately I haven't actually been recommending the KT, as the Firmware issues lately have been a real problem and I'm not willing to recommend a KT to friends (most of who are non-technical) who just want an ereader "that works".

[PeterT]

Dan; I thought that WH Smiths carried Kobo. They DO... http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndS...okReaders.aspx

[molman]

@danskmacabre: I totally agree with you regarding the brand and halo that the Kindle has. It has been interesting for me to watch the new Kindles discussion and the media reporting around them. It's rather obvious, much like another brand that I won’t name that some of the discourse lacks a little objectivity at times.

This is not to say that Kobo has done itself any favours in some regards, and like you I don't think that atm I would recommend the KT to say my father inlaw over the Kindle which has a better library (in my country), seemingly better customer service, and is available in store locally. For my father who is rather more tech savy, and understands things like firmware I'd be ok with the KT or even the SONY PRS-T1 that also looks to be a decent option.

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Dan; I thought that WH Smiths carried Kobo. They DO... http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndS...okReaders.aspx

Ooh so they have, that must be a pretty recent thing, WOW they're expensive over here in the UK!.

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by molman

@danskmacabre: I totally agree with you regarding the brand and halo that the Kindle has.

It's not like the Kindle is BAD per Se, it's just the types of limitations it has are abhorrent to ME, but to the average user, it's probably "Good enough".
And seeing as the basic Kindle costs £111 compared to the now available KT at £170, the choice is clear to them.
Hell you can get a Kindle with a Phone contract these days.

This is not to say that Kobo has done itself any favours in some regards, and like you I don't think that atm I would recommend the KT to say my father inlaw over the Kindle which has a better library (in my country), seemingly better customer service, and is available in store locally. For my father who is rather more tech savy, and understands things like firmware I'd be ok with the KT or even the SONY PRS-T1 that also looks to be a decent option.

The sony PRS-T1 does look nice, but I prefer to support the smaller companies if I can. I've had only 1 problem with the KT anyway, which was the text getting cut off at the bottom, which for me is fixed now

[molman]

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

It's not like the Kindle is BAD per Se, it's just the types of limitations it has are abhorrent to ME, but to the average user, it's probably "Good enough".
And seeing as the basic Kindle costs £111 compared to the now available KT at £170, the choice is clear to them.
Hell you can get a Kindle with a Phone contract these days.

No they arn't bad, it's just more a case that the options arn't bad either but they arn't really considered by most. As you said the Kindle has become synonymous with eInk readers for many.

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

The sony PRS-T1 does look nice, but I prefer to support the smaller companies if I can. I've had only 1 problem with the KT anyway, which was the text getting cut off at the bottom, which for me is fixed now

Fair enough. I've been very happy with my KT (as has my wife), and honestly I have had no issues. Not even the text cutting off one, or that storage error that seemed to affect many. Makes me come off as a fanboy in some of the posts but it's been the honest truth, and touch wood it continues. Some of the posts re: customer service, and warranty policy etc. do leave me a little sad though (even I've yet to use such). You have to get such right when your fighing for market share, and it's those things the matter when I'm recommending which device to my friends and family.

[kiwipippa]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Dan; I thought that WH Smiths carried Kobo. They DO... http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndS...okReaders.aspx

Wow, and I thought the kobo touch was expensive in New Zealand. Surely that price is wrong....