Kindle in Every Backpack -

[rrburton]

Can't believe that this hasn't appeared here yet

http://www.dailytech.com/Government+...ticle15715.htm

(Maybe it has and I have poor search skills)

[poohbear_nc]

No wonder Amazon abruptly did an about-face on the cracking case issue to make it go away. They're poised for the big time now!

[vivaldirules]

I don't see how an ebook reader is a solution "to children lacking the tools needed to succeed". These are terribly limited devices unless you just want to read a novel. I wish that people who come up with what they think are cool ideas would take the time to actually investigate and try them out before they push their ideas forward.

[Teyrnon]

I really don't know about this one. The Kindle doesn't really seem designed with children in mind. I think you'd want something designed for more durability that can take the kind of abuse school children can dish out.

[poohbear_nc]

This proposal, inane as it may be, does illustrate 2 big points:

1. The public's perception that Kindle is the ONLY ebook reader on the market.
2. Amazon's ascension to national status - and the contacts Bezos must have in high places (at least Democratic high places) for such a proposal to be launched.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

I don't see how an ebook reader is a solution "to children lacking the tools needed to succeed". ...

+1

Sometimes you wonder these guys are "lacking the tools" needed to think.

[phenomshel]

It not only has Amazon drooling, it has my SON drooling. He's fallen in love with my EZ Reader and now wants an ebook reader of his own. Considering most of his carry on weight for the plane trip up here was taken up in books (physical ones), I can see why he wants one.
However, he's going into 8th grade, and is pretty good about taking care of his electronics.
I can't see this as a viable solution for every student K-12. I might buy my son an ebook reader, but it won't be a Kindle if I do. And I wouldn't do it if he weren't as careful as he is about the stuff he loves.

[ficbot]

I wrote about kids and ebooks for Teleread in June. My biggest revelation (which I would not have thought of until I saw it in action) was a reminder of how tactile young readers are. They read with their fingers, pointing and touching the words---at best, a smudging problem on a non-touchscreen reader, and at worst a potentially huge usability issue in anything touchscreen-based. They thought the reader was fun, readily grasped the concept etc. but I do not see a reader designed for adults as being in any way practical for a child younger than pre-teen, unless they are advanced for their age and over the need to use their fingers as a cue when they read.

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by Sonist

+1

Sometimes you wonder these guys are "lacking the tools" needed to think.

They definitely seem to lack the tools needed to govern.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

This proposal, inane as it may be, does illustrate 2 big points:

1. The public's perception that Kindle is the ONLY ebook reader on the market.
2. Amazon's ascension to national status - and the contacts Bezos must have in high places (at least Democratic high places) for such a proposal to be launched.

It also illustrates the fact that the DLC are not in their right minds. If they'd actually used eBook readers, they'd find that none of them are good enough (except maybe the iRex 1000DR) for text books. And they are too fragile for kids to have in their backpacks. Who is going to pay the bill for the broken Kindles?

And I am tired of people suggesting the Kindle for situations where it is inappropriate. Even Amazon is doing that with the DX. The DX is inappropriate for text books in schools. And from the article I read about blind users, it's worse for them as it's unusable. Schools cannot replace textbooks with eink readers at the present time. None of them are suitable.