The original Kindle
Concerns raised about the Kindle and similar e-readers deal with impact on independent booksellers, eyestrain, the fate of books, and DRM-restriction. The new Kindle addresses many of these concerns with features such as e-paper which reduces backlighting and produces a more page-like reading experience as well as highlighting, notes, and comes with a dictionary feature. Due to the protected format, Amazon offers a service that will convert alternative format documents through an e-mail based service.
Currently, the Kindle offers basic web service and MP3 capability, both features to be developed further (or not) in future version. Battery life has been expanded compared to the previous version and wireless capabilities similar to that of 3G cell services mean there is no syncing to a computer for download or searching for internet hotspots. In addition to books, subscriptions of various media are available (NYT, WSJ) through automatic download.
As The New York Times pointed out in today’s review: Amazon attempt to dominate the electronic book market faces competition from Google and their DRM-restrictions are similar to that of iTunes:
Google, which has scanned in some seven million books, many of them out of print. Google has also struck deals with publishers and authors to split the proceeds from the online sales of those texts.
Google recently said it would soon begin selling these books for reading on mobile devices like the Apple iPhone and phones running Google’s Android operating system.
Amazon’s Kindle is more book like than a phone; time will tell which of the marketplace giants will win out.
Stacked is a big fan of traditional books but recent discussions on book blogs regarding e-readers and the new Kindle leave us curious. Many of our friends like their original Kindles (although many more swear they will never switch). We’ll be following-up with future articles comparing preferences of books to e-readers and e-readers vs. digital readin on computers and phones.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m keeping my fingers crossed on the new Kindle, which would be very handy for travel. That said, I still enjoy reading a book on the hammock!
The more I learn about e-readers, the more I’m warming up to them. A week a go I would have said they were awful things, but I’m curious to check one out now and give it a test run.
I think the other Matt who posts here from time to time has the original Kindle and really likes it.