Amazon Kindle

[Edwood]

Color E-Ink would be better, but either way, it will have very very long battery life.

The best part is the Amazon "Whispernet" which is bascially using Sprint's EVDO network. Whether or not it has a full web browser that you can use for free has yet to be seen, but if you can surf for free, the Kindle will sell like mad.

http://www.amazon.com/kindle

Hardware wise, not really all that into the off white color that will get dirty really fast. And the whole left and right side being page turning buttons means accidental page turning galore.

Interesting product, though. Pretty spendy at nearly $400. It should really be less than $200 if they want them to sell alot, unless it has free internet surfing capabilities, then the $400 would be worth it.

[n_maher]

The black and white only is a pretty big downer.

[Edwood]

The black and white only is a pretty big downer.

Yeah, but color E-Ink would make it over $1000.

[n_maher]

If the sell 0 of them because it looks like it's from the 80s then what does price matter?

You mean I can browse the web on a screen that looks like my apple 2e, no thanks. I don't care if it's crystal clear, my cell phone screen can have color so why can't this? They can make a laptop that costs $500 have a color screen, why can't this? I'm sorry, it just seems like a pretty pointless product to me give a seriously limited feature set. It's only advantages over a small laptop are longer battery life.

[grawk]

If the sell 0 of them because it looks like it's from the 80s then what does price matter?

You mean I can browse the web on a screen that looks like my apple 2e, no thanks. I don't care if it's crystal clear, my cell phone screen can have color so why can't this? They can make a laptop that costs $500 have a color screen, why can't this? I'm sorry, it just seems like a pretty pointless product to me give a seriously limited feature set. It's only advantages over a small laptop are longer battery life.

and free evdo

[Edwood]

If the sell 0 of them because it looks like it's from the 80s then what does price matter?

You mean I can browse the web on a screen that looks like my apple 2e, no thanks. I don't care if it's crystal clear, my cell phone screen can have color so why can't this? They can make a laptop that costs $500 have a color screen, why can't this? I'm sorry, it just seems like a pretty pointless product to me give a seriously limited feature set. It's only advantages over a small laptop are longer battery life.

E-Ink will last for days and days, not a few hours. E-Ink is pretty limited in practical use, but for eBooks and magazines, it's perfect. Color E-Ink would be better, but it's still a ways away from mass production on a large scale.

And if it has free web access, it will sell like crazy. Otherwise, $400 is just too steep.

[philodox]

The wireless is nice, but its FUGLY. I'm hopefully getting the Bookeen CyBook from the wifey for christmas, which should fit my needs fine. I was tempted by the iRex, but it's just too damn expensive.

[philodox]

But yeah, Nate, you need to do a bit of reading on E-Ink. It only uses power to refresh the screen, so they measure battery life in terms of page turns rather than hours. And most of these devices get 8000 page turns per charge. It is also just as easy to read as a piece of paper, if not easier. You can view the screen in pretty much any lighting that you could read a book in, and it is viewable from any angle.

[JBLoudG20]

If the sell 0 of them because it looks like it's from the 80s then what does price matter?

You mean I can browse the web on a screen that looks like my apple 2e, no thanks. I don't care if it's crystal clear, my cell phone screen can have color so why can't this? They can make a laptop that costs $500 have a color screen, why can't this? I'm sorry, it just seems like a pretty pointless product to me give a seriously limited feature set. It's only advantages over a small laptop are longer battery life.

The idea with E-ink is to replicate the look of ink on paper. It is much less fatiguing to the eyes, and is much more efficient. this is meant to be a book, not a portable comptuer. Yeah a bit pricey, but still a fantastic idea.

[n_maher]

Yes, that sounds very cool and if I was a mass transit commuter I might think about it. But the problem as I see it is if you're using it to browse the web (many more page refreshes) the battery life is going to come way down, right? And if you're using it to browse the web the B&Wness of it is going to get really old, really fast. Look at the simulated picture of the NY times on the screen, that's pretty limited gray tones in my book. And it's probably not going to play nice with dynamic content like flash, YouTube, ect., right? So even if it has free unlimited web access I don't see them being able to use that as a big selling point or to justify the price.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think Ed's original comment, that $400 is too much, is right on the mark.

[JBLoudG20]

Yes, that sounds very cool and if I was a mass transit commuter I might think about it. But the problem as I see it is if you're using it to browse the web (many more page refreshes) the battery life is going to come way down, right? And if you're using it to browse the web the B&Wness of it is going to get really old, really fast. Look at the simulated picture of the NY times on the screen, that's pretty limited gray tones in my book. And it's probably not going to play nice with dynamic content like flash, YouTube, ect., right? So even if it has free unlimited web access I don't see them being able to use that as a big selling point or to justify the price.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think Ed's original comment, that $400 is too much, is right on the mark.

the competition that uses E-INK is around the same price, but I agree with you. I am very interested in these, but I'll wait to see if the price drops a bit.

[tkam]

Even with the possible free evdo access, I still think it's a product for a small niche market. The whole idea of being able to buy and download a book pretty much instantly is cool but unless you're a really avid reader $400 seems pretty steep to me.

[thrice]

eBook readers have been around for awhile now and they never seem to catch popular attention. I guess reading a paper book still has a certain appeal (perhaps like vinyl )

I like the idea of an eBook reader and the idea of having tons of books loaded on it, but I have yet to see a product that would compel me to make the move.... now if Apple made it....Hrmmmmm

Anyway to quote a lazy man (and he was most certainly lazy) from a great movie, "I still jerk off manually."

[philodox]

I think it is a mistake to buy one of these things and use it for internet browsing, it is meant to read books, and that is what it does well. I also think it is a mistake to buy something that looks like a bird crapped it out.

[Edwood]

I like the idea of an eBook reader and the idea of having tons of books loaded on it, but I have yet to see a product that would compel me to make the move.... now if Apple made it....Hrmmmmm

Apple will make an eBook reader after they are an industry standard and used by the masses.

[Edwood]

Yeah, not digging the Industrial Design.

Also, the whole Etch a Sketch look of the screen never really appealed to me.

They need to get the white "paper" area of the screen to look much much whiter.

[micaela]

This may be something I order! In a few years my hubby & I plan to full time RV for a couple of years. Since I read all the time, carrying books would be a real problem. Having something like this would be a perfect solution - always plenty to read & nothing taking up space.

[boomana]

Hi, Micaela. I was wondering when you'd post since I've seen you online. Nice to have another woman here.

[JBLoudG20]

Apple will make an eBook reader after they are an industry standard and used by the masses.

Which is why they made the ipod?

[Edwood]

Which is why they made the ipod?

Yup, why come up with something new, when you can just put out a prettier version of what is already out there?

Which is not what Amazon is doing in the styling dept.

[JBLoudG20]

Yup, why come up with something new, when you can just put out a prettier version of what is already out there?

Which is not what Amazon is doing in the styling dept.

i guess I see what you are saying.. but mp3 players were virtually non existent before apple. It was hardly an established product.

[micaela]

Hi, Micaela. I was wondering when you'd post since I've seen you online. Nice to have another woman here.

I listen more than I talk but I'm letting my skin get thicker And yeah - a little more estrogen is never a bad thing

[philodox]

I think that the CyBook, the Sony eBook reader and the iRex all look quite nice. This Amazon one is the only ugly one of the bunch.

[Edwood]

Anyone else find the name "Kindle" pretty retarded? Sounds like kindling. Almost like this product is going to burn Amazon.

[Dusty Chalk]

Sounds like kindling.

Pretty much. Maybe it's intended to "kindle" the desire to read that way?