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Amazon's Kindle doesn't hold a candle to the iPhone/iPodMon, 11/19/2007 - 09:27 — Seth Weintraub
Amazon announced their highly- anticipated Ebook reader dubbed "Kindle" today. Coming in at $399, it has some really good functionality, including:
Even with all of that it looks to us like it is going to be a really hard to justify this thing. Why? Because most of this functionality already exists in a product already out in the marketplace called the iPod touch. The iPhone featues add even more to this. The books metaphors aren't enough to switch us. The E-ink technology is the only redeeming technology and it looks to be something exciting for people outdoors or with little access to power. Overall though, we aren't looking for another device to add to the man-purse. When you campare the hardware, its not even close. The iPod is thinner and about 1/3 the area but with more than 2/3rds of the screen - and more importantly it is something you can put in your pocket. The screen is really easy to read (although the Kindle has a low voltage high contrast screen that will stay legible longer). The Kindle's ability to resize fonts won't impress anyone who has pinched and panned on an iPod. More importantly, the iPhone allows you to do many other functions - without carrying ten devices around with you. While the Kindle is going to have an underpowered browser, the iPhone has a full Webkit Safari. When you start getting into Youtube and Photos and Email it isn't even fair. Its like putting together the best high schoolers from around the nation and playing them against the New England Patriots. Those who have hacked their iPods and iPhones know there is a REALLY good Ebook reader aptly called "Books". In hacked form it offers most of the features that Amazon's Kindle offers. The iPod comes in at less than the Kindle with much more RAM at $299, the iPhone and 16gb iPod match the Kindle's $399 pricetag. What still could be a winner for Amazon is the software and backend system they use to distribute the millions of books they have in their library (88,000) at launch. While music and video content markets are quickly being cornered, the Ebook sales industry is still in its infancy. Hopefully, Kindle turns into a service and hits all of the other hundreds of devices out there. We love Amazon and wish them the best, but its hard to justify this type of device when a better one already exists and does much much more. Jeff Bezos sums it up best: "This isn't a device, it's a service."
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"In hacked form it offers
"In hacked form it offers most of the features that Amazon's Kindle offers."
Except that you must hack it first, and even then most of the books you're looking at are either ancient free texts or illegal...
you can actually buy Ebooks
you can actually buy Ebooks onlinenow from a number of sources including Amazon that will work on the iPhone. Also when you say ancient, other people are saying "classic" which is some of the best stuff out there.
Who the hell wants to read
Who the hell wants to read books on a small ipod touch screen? The purpose of this kindle is the replace books, so the argument that people already have enough gadgets to carry doesn't work. Instead of carrying 1 or more books on you, you can simply have the kindle or sony reader and have access to all your books. Simple fact is that Apple is not a player in the ebook market, so there is no need to get your fanboy panties in a twist over the kindle.
We love it! We are
We love it! We are fanboys! hear that everyone? We are fanboys - so stop saying that we are trying to diss Apple.
seriously though. The Kindle's screen in about 28% bigger than the iPods. not going to make that much of a difference to us.
No kidding. Only a 15-year
No kidding. Only a 15-year old, or someone who has never tried to read any text on an iPhone screen would think you can read an eBook on one. Using an iPhone to map directions, read email, surf something on the web, or even watch a movie is not terribly uncomfortable, but staring at fixed fonts on the screen for an hour or two on end? Uh, I don't think so. Oh, and how much battery life do you expect to get out of your iPhone with the backlight on constantly?
But hey, you'll undoubtedly look extremely cool ruining your eyes staring at the screen on your uberchic convergence device. That ought to be excuse enough to get some designer glasses worthy of your fashion-centric lifestyle.
There's no overlap between the Kindle and the iPhone, guys.
I've always hated reading
I've always hated reading ebooks because i find reading from any backlit screen for long periods of time gives me headaches.... I think an epaper display would be awesome on the eyes in comparison...
Amazon is not trying to make a device that competes with an ipod. They're sticking to what they do best, books....
I'm sure jr. high. and highschool students lugging around a backpack of textbooks find progress in the epaper realm interesting, as do schools who have to buy whole new sets of physical textbooks every time a new edition is released.....
>> as do schools who have to
>> as do schools who have to buy whole new sets of physical textbooks every time a new edition is released.....
That's a pretty small set of schools. :) There are a lot of schools out there with history books that know nothing of the Falklands War for example. I remember my highschool history books stopped at the Korean War....and I'm not THAT old. Getting into other subjects it tends to be even more pronounced how long text books are kept in use, mostly because it isn't as noticable.
how about: 1. E Ink. much
how about:
1. E Ink. much rather read that then flick through my ipod touch's glowing and smaller screen
2. Wikipedia. for free. From anywhere. No cell phone contract.
3. 30 hours of battery.
Those three things differentiate the device in quite amazing ways. ebooks seem much closer to viability if not ready to go. You cannot say that about the iTouch/Phone.
Price sucks though.
The thing that grabs me
The thing that grabs me about it is that it looks like a clunky squared off throwback to the 70s. It's a really really badly designed thing, kind of a bit like the zune, it looks horrid!
I'm sure it's good at what it does but I'd rather settle down with a real paper book myself!
And it's very expensive.
It's a fact that the epaper
It's a fact that the epaper screen is much easier to read for long periods than a backlit screen. I've used both extensively and have a Sony Reader 505. Still, the technology for epaper is a bit rudimentary -- it takes too long to refresh, the background is not white enough, and it doesn't do color. And it's too expensive. But from what I've read, the technology is progressing rapidly. Kindle, ugly as it is, shows what is possible. In another 5-10 years, I think it will be used by almost everyone.
The comparison between the
The comparison between the Kinde and the iPod touch doesn't really makes sense. One is primarily a music player and the other is an ebook reader. It seems to me that everyone these days is looking for the perfect convergence device, instead of trying to see (and appreciate) devices for what they actually are. Some devices actually advertise themselves as convergence devices, such as the iPhone, and therefore should be criticized for lacking key functionality. But anyone who expects the Kindle to replace their cellphone, mp3 player, pda, laptop, digital camera, etc. obviously didn't read the product description very well. It's a device that was designed to deliver and store written content on the go in a durable, easy-to-use package.
That being said, I like the device, but I think it has some major shortcomings. First, it doesn't read PDFs. Second, I think it's unreasonable to charge customers to transfer their own files to the device; this should be built into the cost of the device. And speaking of cost, I think everyone agrees that $399 is pretty steep, and maybe that's why it's being compared to convergence devices. Maybe the costs could be offset by some minor targeted advertising, in the home screen, not in the books themselves. Finally, someone should really work on the aesthetics of the device. If there's anything the iPod has shown us it's that if you want millions of people to carry something around every day, it's got to look cool.
In my opinion, this device
In my opinion, this device is pretty useless. Who is going to spend $400 on a e-book reader. It is ridiculous. I am speechless, $400, I mean that is outragous.
The best thing about the
The best thing about the majority of anti-Kindle comments is that they're obviously posted by gadget whores who likely devote 10-20 hours per week to their 3rd generation video game consoles, and read perhaps one or two books a year.
This is a device for people who actually enjoy reading. Dolts. :)
Do you remember the holy
Do you remember the holy grail known as the DynaBook?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook
It has the potential of
It has the potential of becoming a great product. But I fear that the business model will turn out to be crippling. Who wants another - great, but very limited and not unexpensive - electronic device in addition to his laptop, cell phone, PDA and iPod? If I had 399$ and could choose between a 16GB iPod Touch, a 8GB iPhone and the Kindle I would probably keep the money and invest it in something else (such as a future Apple Laptop). Well, I may as well pick the iPhone and unsimlock it...
>"I am speechless, $400, I
>"I am speechless, $400, I mean that is outragous."
The $400 includes:
- Hardware
- EV-DO Broadband Fees (Normally upwards of $69/mo)
- Daily access to a variety of newspapers and magazines
(ex: NYT home delivery is about $330/year vs $179/year on Kindle)
-Literature and publications at anywhere between 40%-60% savings
-Carrying around in a lightweight device more books than most of you will buy in your lifetimes.
Bottom line: this is a boon for those of us who still know how to read and do so often. A deaf man doesn't buy an iPod. A silly dolt who reads only 9to5mac.com and alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.teens doesn't buy a Kindle.
Note to Fanboys: I love Apple as much as you, but you do yourself a disfavor when you reject objectism for the Aqua-colored filters of Apple idolatry, i.e. "the iPhone/iPod touch does all of this." It does not.
I don't really get it... Who
I don't really get it...
Who needs to carry 200 books around with them? Personally, I only read when I'm at home, or maybe on a train but my bag isn't that small that I can't fit a book in it.
I don't think this should be compared to the iPod or iPhone which are music players and communication devices respectively but instead laptops. I could maybe see the point in it for students with volumes of textbooks to carry around but won't they already have laptops that can store their ebooks and more?
All in all there might be small a market for this but the people who may have considered buying it for it's functionality will no doubt be put off by the hideousness of it's design.
Then don't get it, but
Then don't get it, but plenty of people want something like this.
I have been waiting for the market to mature a bit before getting one, the business model for this is awesome and very attractive for me.
I love reading, I also download lots of pdf's, from user manuals, instruction guides, full magazines as well as books. i would love to have a good sized screen that allows me to read for hours on end, but allow me to take anything I want in my bag.
Shame its so ugly, maybe v2 will improve on that.
Yes, iPod touch DOES do all
Yes, iPod touch DOES do all of this!
Have owned one for two weeks now. Read various ebooks
on it comfortably, as well as PDFs, white papers,
online manuals, tech docs etc. at same time
as listening to music. Was sceptical about whole
ebook idea but do this each day now.
---
sent from my iPod Touch.
.....also have switched from
.....also have switched from using a
Palm OS PDA for last 11 years to a Touch as it replaces 90% of what my PDA can do. (and is 1/3 the size.
Many commenters on Amazon
Many commenters on Amazon seem to like the rekindling of interest in reading, but regret they can not afford to buy the device. The invention of the printing press liberated us from the divide between those who were could afford to read and those who could not ? I'm reminded of Leapfrog Inc. (http://www.leapfrog.com) - who have been selling *affordable* electronic books and readers for children for some time now. A Leapfrog "net enabled" reader with the appropriate pricing structure would be an interesting contrast to the Kindle.
I understand your skepticism
I understand your skepticism regarding the Kindle. However, you are certainly wrong about the iPod touch serving the same capacity. No serious reader will ever use the the iPod to read a work such as, say, The Brothers Karamazov...or do research over a few books. Eventually, there will be an ebook device...Apple may have an answer in the pipleline, but the iPod touch 'ain't it'. Frankly, the iPod touch is not even sufficient for reading the Times or a comprehensive journal such as The Economist.
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