Leaked Kindle and accessories prices, links, images

[CCDMan]

Meaning the Kindle Editions are only for the Kindle and you can only get them wirelessly

I am still not clear on whether you can also download content to PC and upload via USB - lots of rural areas do not have EVDO. The manual is very ambiguous. This would be critical for me as we are one of those areas.

[jharker]

I don't have a Kindle yet, but based on the demo video and reading Amazon's web page here are a few of my reactions and guesses:

• The fee for getting "free" Internet content like blogs and the NY Times is meant to cover two things: the cost of wireless delivery via EVDO, and the cost of converting the NY Times to the Kindle page size. I think basically you're paying for convenience.
  
• If publishers haven't signed exclusivity deals, it's likely that the ebooks they're making available in Kindle format via Amazon will also show up in Mobipocket format elsewhere. Once Amazon makes publishers create e-books, the publishers will want to sell them everywhere, which will be good news for other e-reader users in general.
  
• A quick price comparison: Amazon and Mobipocket offer the same selection of books by Neal Stephenson. However, the Kindle books run $1-$4 cheaper than Mobipocket.
  

• Originally Posted by mdibella

  I'm not sure why they insisted in putting that large keyboard on it. Yes, I know there are features that use the keyboard, but I for one carry an EBook reader in order to read ebooks. My Sony reader is nicely sized for that purpose. I am concerned that the keyboard will interfere with comfortable reading.

  I think the keyboard is there to make it really easy to get new books. IMHO it's a lot better than the iLiad's on-screen keyboard, which is slow and hard to use. I think you'll be surprised by how totally slick the Kindle is. I agree the form factor could be sleeker, though.
  
• I think that the fast-response side selection bar (watch the video to see it) is brilliant, as it makes the UI experience quick and easy. Combined with the keyboard and EVDO content delivery, it makes the Kindle a vast improvement in usability over any other reader.
  
• Formats and USB: From this page, you CAN download from Amazon and upload from your computer using a USB cable. In addition to Kindle format, the Kindle will open .mobi, .prc, and .txt files, as well as mp3 and Audible (aa) files.
  
• My big question: will the Kindle at some point support PDF files?

I think the Kindle will be the first killer app of e-books. They've worked around every limitation of e-ink and made it really easy to use. iRex and Sony are going to have to step up fast to match this. As a devoted iLiad owner, I have to say that the Kindle blows it out of the water for convenience and ease of use. Everything iLiad owners have wanted for a while (dictionary, bookmarking, etc.) the Kindle does out of the box.

Very nice work by Amazon. They can fix the form factor in version 2 next year.

[igorsk]

Originally Posted by CCDMan

I am still not clear on whether you can also download contentto PC and upload via USB - lots of rural areas do not have EVDO. The manual is very ambiguous. This would be critical for me as we are one of those areas.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...200127480&#usb

If Kindle uses a wireless connection, why can it connect to my computer?

You don't need a computer to use Kindle. However, your Kindle comes with a USB cable and is compatible with Windows or Macintosh computer systems so you can download files directly from your computer to your Kindle. This feature is useful if you're out of wireless coverage or downloading audio files. You can also use the USB connection to remove files from Kindle's memory and store copies on your computer.

[bandsaw]

The FAQ says you can choose to download to your PC (or MAC), but your Kindle must be registered to do so. It doesn't say whether or not you can register your Kindle via your PC though. Definite drawback to anyone living outside the US!



"I am still not clear on whether you can also download contentto PC and upload via USB - lots of rural areas do not have EVDO. The manual is very ambiguous. This would be critical for me as we are one of those areas."

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Rhys

Browsing the U.S. Amazon store you can see 120,000 or so books (mostly with blank placeholders) listed when searching for 'Kindle'. The fact that no such placeholders appear on the U.K. site strongly suggests that we're not in for some wedge-shaped goodness today.

It's interesting to see that the Kindle link provided in the original posting does seem to allow orders to be placed. Best of luck to anyone who takes advantage of that.

Thanks for taking the time to root out this information Alexander. Now if only someone could find out which formats the Kindle will support then I could stop browsing the web and get back to work.

Welcome aboard Rhys!
Nice hat!

Originally Posted by dugbug

at least its no longer commodore beige

Black would have been better and easyer for the eyes.

Originally Posted by wgrimm

My prediction- the Kindle will crash and burn. Sales will be dismal- just like for the Sony reader. And the reasons have been around ever since the Rocketbook/GEM flop- but no one is considering them. Yet again, I see a device that the manufacturer thinks will make them rich from "content sales." Yet again, a comparison is made to the Apple Ipod- hey, this reader will "do the same thing for books as the Ipod did for music." Where did I hear that line before? Oh, yeah, in an article about the Sony Reader.

Sorry, unless this thing comes with a High-speed book scanner, it will do no such thing. I have hundreds of music cd's I can rip to my ipod. This reader doesn't let me rip my paper books to its format- I won't even be able to read my ereader books on it, probably.

Hype and more hype, no substance. Gem 1150 mark 2.

I don't agree with the failure comment yet. They propose very inexpensive books on the little movie, they say $9.99 for a $29.99 book, that's nice when you compare to most places.
The fact that you can access books without a computer will make it very popular I'm sure.

Originally Posted by mdibella

I'm not sure why they insisted in putting that large keyboard on it. Yes, I know there are features that use the keyboard, but I for one carry an EBook reader in order to read ebooks. My Sony reader is nicely sized for that purpose. I am concerned that the keyboard will interfere with comfortable reading.

They say in the same movie that you will have access to some blogs, the keyboard will be handy for that.

@Alex
Hey! Will MR be accessible through this? It would be cool to blog through it!

[CCDMan]

You don't need a computer to use Kindle. However, your Kindle comes with a USB cable and is compatible with Windows or Macintosh computer systems so you can download files directly from your computer to your Kindle. This feature is useful if you're out of wireless coverage or downloading audio files. You can also use the USB connection to remove files from Kindle's memory and store copies on your computer.

OK, thanks. My only remaining concern is that the only simple unencrypted format is .txt.
I read a lot of BAEN books and would like to see .rtf.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

@Alex
Hey! Will MR be accessible through this? It would be cool to blog through it!

I am afraid we are not among the first chosen blogs whose RSS feed will be carried. Maybe, if enough people would request it, ...

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by dugbug

amazon will sell more ebooks today than all other ebook sales in history

Nope.

Think about it: Anyone who even orders a Kindle won't get it for a few days. Who's going to order e-books for a device you don't have yet?

[jharker]

Hey, cool-- I was just watching the intro video at Amazon, and they say the Kindle comes with free wireless access to Wikipedia!

[CCDMan]

This is amusing:

Most expensive Kindle Book: "Growth Strategies for Software Companies" $1,079.96

Cheapest Kindle Book: " Chemoton Theory: Theory of Living Systems" $0.01

Both on my reading list, of course <g>

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

I am afraid we are not among the first chosen blogs whose RSS feed will be carried. Maybe, if enough people would request it, ...

The Kindle having a keyboard would make it possible to blog instead of just reading RSS. Think it's possible?

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

I am afraid we are not among the first chosen blogs whose RSS feed will be carried. Maybe, if enough people would request it, ...

They probably won't include Mobileread, considering how many of us have called the Kindle fugly...

Seriously, though, this site also supports and advocates other methods of mobile reading, including other devices, and other stores besides Amazon. They may not want to support the competition!

Not to mention the odd use of words like "hacking" and "unrestrictive"...

[romix]

Big Brother Bezos

Glanced through the Kindle documentation.

As far as I could see, no support for PDF.

Furthermore all YOUR own content (docs, pdfs, email messages) that you want to install on your Kindle will have to go through Amazon for conversion (for a small fee) and transmission via Whispernet.
Great, Amazon having access to all the stuff (apart from MP3's) I want on MY Kindle.

It gets worse, the device sends home all sorts of information about your use of your Kindle. From the terms of service:

<ToS>
Information Received. The Device Software will provide Amazon with data about your Device and its interaction with the Service (such as available memory, up-time, log files and signal strength) and information related to the content on your Device and your use of it (such as automatic bookmarking of the last page read and content deletions from the Device). Annotations, bookmarks, notes, highlights, or similar markings you make in your Device are backed up through the Service. Information we receive is subject to the Amazon.com Privacy Notice.
</ToS>

Mind you, it says such as, which means they may collect much more.
What do they/can they do with the data, well read Amazon's privacy policy. Does not make me happy.

Some aspects of the Kindle are great, but the above will prevent me from getting one.

[TadW]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Seriously, though, this site also supports and advocates other methods of mobile reading, including other devices, and other stores besides Amazon. They may not want to support the competition!

You think MR has been too Sony-friendly, and too Amazon-unfriendly? That would be a very cheap shot for not including our community ;(

[fryandlaurie]

Alexander is already working on redirecting user interest from the Kindle discussion threads on the Amazon homepage to mobileread