The Kindle: A Solution in Search of a Problem
Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 6:05AM 
Yesterday Amazon released the Kindle DX. For a mere $489, you too can read books and newspapers on a 9.7 inch screen. I'm all for technology, but sometimes, I wonder if we've lost our collective common sense. This is a device (as well as the Kindle 2) that replaces books. You know, those things that are generally designed to be handheld, and portable. No power needed, and not terribly heavy. Oh, and relatively cheap. You could buy 50 -100 for the price of the device. Plus don't forget the fees for buying books, or newspaper subscriptions for the Kindle.
If a company other than Amazon was behind this product, it would be dismissed for what it is: a niche high-end electronic. Devices continue to converge. The functionality of the Kindle can be found in an iPhone, netbook, or notebook. Granted all those devices will do it with a full color screen, and both netbooks and iPhones/iPods cost less than the Kindle. It's 2009, the words "monochrome screen" and "500 bucks" should never be in the same sentence. At a price point of say $100 maybe this makes sense for the avid reader. But as it is, it's a niche product, and one that wouldn't get much press is it wasn't for Amazon's backing. That's not to say there aren't avid Kindle fans. Some people love to use typewriters too. Let's not let the coverage and hype of the device cloud just how much of its capability is available in far more powerful devices.
Reader Comments (5)
Agreed, the Kindle functionality overlaps with iphones, netbooks, and laptops (and of course, real books). Some people find the Kindle easier to read than these other devices. Regardless I think you will originally find Amazon Kindle e-book software on multiple platforms. They have already released an iPhone app. The Kindle was just energizing the e-book market. In the end, Amazon stands to profit no matter what device you use to read their e-books. E-books will allow more purchases per consumer than traditional purchasing methods. Look at music purchasing patterns before and after your average consumer uses iTunes.
I agree with ZAPBoston, Amazon is looking to drive e-book sales, and this is just one avenue for selling them.
I'm a college instructor, and the last time I assigned a text, it cost nearly $200. That was stupidly ridiculous. I am trying to avoid that, in the future. But for someone taking 5 classes, it's cheaper after 1 semester to spend $500 on the DX plus $100/class/semester on the ebook compared to $1000/semester on the books themselves. It's the college textbook scene where this will play out.
I, for one, welcome the new overlords. Well, okay, as long as there's competition soon enough. The book publishers have "online" versions of texts, but the hardware/software interface sucks. The Kindle makes an expensive attempt at making textbooks portable (it doesn't hurt that you can get your own PDF files in there for free, as well). It's compelling. But not a mass market device. So whay?
mc,
That's a very, very good point. Textbooks are in a pricing scheme all of their own. It will be interesting to see how much the digital versions will cost. Also, I was one of those people who liked to write/highlight in the book. It will be interesting to see if there any learning benefit/cost to using the digital versions.
I agree with everything that was stated. The kindle has several issues; one being price of the device and the price of feeding the device. A device like the Kindle need to be price under $100. Yes, said under $100. My reasoning is device is nothing but a black and white document reader. This technology isn't new. It's an old tech repackage as new