Got Me a Kindle
Finally bit the bullet and got myself an Amazon Kindle ebook reader. Technically, Amazon calls it a “wireless reading device,” which is actually quite accurate — besides ebooks, it does newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc.
I like it. Lots. And yes, I still think they’re asking too much for it. Current pricing puts it at $279, which has actually got me miffed, since I got mine just a few weeks before for $20 more, but c’est la vie. It’s still a luxury for me at the lower price point.
Well, since on paper I can’t really afford luxury, let me call my Kindle “research.” Better than even likelihood that you’ll be seeing “how to create/market Kindle infoproducts”-type posts here soon.
At this early stage, I wouldn’t exactly call myself a Kindle Expert — not even a Regular — but for what they’re worth, here are my initial impressions and observations:
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• The “reading experience” and interface is actually quite comfortable. Learning curve insignificant. Just about anyone should be able to figure out the Kindle basics.
• Given the choice between reading something in traditional book form or on the Kindle, I’d go with the dead tree. However, the Kindle is to the mobile reader what the iPod is to the mobile music listener. It’s light (10.2oz), thin (.33″) and at 5.25″x8″ (like many paperbacks), if you can’t find space for it, you really have to rethink your bag strategy.
The clincher is that in those tiny dimensions, you’ve got storage for an estimated 1,500 full-sized books. I really don’t know how many bags you’ll need to carry that many regular paperbacks.
• I’ve only lightly played with this capability so am not aware yet of the limitations, but you can store and read Adobe Acrobat PDFs and a few other basic document formats on the Kindle. Transferring files between my laptop and the Kindle via the supplied USB cable is child’s play.
Someone I chatted with on the subway (DC Metro) said he actually uses his Kindle to transport document files between his office and home computers. (On an aside, pulling out the Kindle on the Metro is currently still something of a conversation starter.)
• The wireless Whispernet network and the Amazon Kindle Store is uber-convenient. You can purchase and download books in around 60 seconds from just about anywhere.
• Speaking of purchasing, let’s talk about the economics of the Kindle. Amazon’s ebook prices, which of course are largely dependent on the publisher, seem to be all over the place. At $9.99 for the Kindle Edition, for example, Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol is substantially cheaper than its $16.17 hardcover price (and that’s Amazon discounted; airports usually charge full cover, which is $29.95). Some titles, you only save a couple of bucks. And I’ve stumbled on others that — get this — charge the same price for their hardcover and Kindle editions.
But let’s say you save an average of $5 per book via the Kindle. That means, at $280, after buying 56 books your Kindle’s paid for itself. Let’s fudge and massage that into something even simpler: If you buy and read a hardcover book a week, the Kindle makes sense financially.
Going the Kindle route, however, leaves you with absolutely nothing you can resell, share, giveaway like you can with regular books. On the other hand, there are quite a number of absolutely free full-length books you can get through the Amazon Kindle Store (notice the $0.00 prices on its list of bestsellers). Lots of free reading from other sources as well, like from ManyBooks.net, my favorite since it provides ebooks in the native Kindle format.
On the other other hand, the availability of Kindle editions is far from universal. If you’re looking for something from John Grisham for the Kindle, for instance, you’re out of luck. Amazon claims 350,000+ titles for the Kindle, which is all well and good and no doubt growing quickly, but check out the regular Amazon bestsellers lists and you’ll find that the availability of Kindle editions is somewhat hit-or-miss. The good news is that each time I check out the Amazon bestsellers, I see more Kindles.
That wraps up my Kindle first impressions and observations. Bottom line: The Kindle is here to stay for awhile. As an Amazon product, unless the competition underprices the Kindle majorly, I don’t see it going away as the top player in this market. And if you’re a mobile reader, the Kindle is a must-have.
— EES
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Normally, I enjoy your posts but this one about your finally buying a Kindle – makes you sound like a real yutz!
Shane´s last blog ..Clinton warns on Pakistan threat
a. What’s a yutz?
b. Why?
E-Man:
I don’t know if you’re a yutz or what one is, either.
But, I applaud your move into the dark-side to at least check out this reading tech for all of us afraid that our treasured print materials will become a thing of the past.
Keep us posted, please… HOWEVER, if I may make a prediction?
Within 90 days your new toy will be on the shelf and you’ll have become a reborn print book man.
Let the countdown begin.
Michael “Luddite Was Grandpappy’s Name” Werner
Michael Werner´s last blog ..Time (Once Again) to Help Out Your Local School (a Freebie for All)
I think we can ignore Mr. Anti-Yutz. Just trying to get a linkback, probably, but the approach I think was interesting enough to approve (attack instead of the usual fake praise). And done manually too. So maybe he really was serious.
As for your prediction, you’re better at this psychic stuff than you think! Haven’t given up on the paper stuff — didn’t say it was an either-or scenario. the Kindle isn’t on the shelf, but dead trees are still present and accounted for.
I live a block away from the largest public library in the city, the Arlington Central Library. My primary source of fiction. And they don’t do ebooks. Give that up for the Kindle… what am I, a yutz?