Posts Tagged amazon kindle
Is It Time For A New Amazon Kindle?
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on March 8th, 2010
There has been a lot of speculation as to when Amazon will release the next update of its hugely successful Kindle reader. The Kindle 2 reader launched in February 2009, a year and 3 months after the release, in November 2007, of the original Kindle. If we were to assume that gap between updates would stay pretty much the same, then the Kindle 2 – now just over a year old – is probably due for an upgrade sometime in the near future.
Since the Kindle launched in February 2009, a large number of new features by different manufacturers have hit the market, increasing the amount of user choice. Apart from other dedicated e-book readers like Sony’s Daily Edition and the Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple’s new iPad is also seen as a potential threat to the Kindle as it has, amongst its many functions, the capacity to be used to read e-books. In summary, looking at both the increased competition from new readers (many of which incorporate added features and functionality) and the age of the Kindle 2, it seems that an update may be due fairly soon.
Which begs the question – what new features might Amazon consider including in a new upgraded model? Amazon will almost certainly have a few surprises up their sleeve – but this acquisition gives a clear indication of at least one new feature that we may expect to see in future editions of the Kindle.
Amazon has bought the company by the name of Touchco, whose area of expertise is touch sensitive displays. The technology is somewhat different to other touch screen displays currently available. It uses interpolating force-sensitive resistance technology – which, unlike other touch screen technology, can be completely transparent. It can be used with e-ink displays and colour displays. It is also, according to the New York Times, considerably cheaper than the capacitive type of touch screen used in the iPod and the iPad
Touchco were a spin off from a project at New York University’s Media Research Lab. They are thought to have no more than 6 employees. Although the technology was well advanced, it was still very much a research project – at the time of Amazon’s takeover no commercial application had been developed.
The Touchco technology could possibly be used to produce Kindles with touch sensitive controls and colour screens. The possibility of a more versatile Amazon Kindle, with a variety of different uses – not unlike Apple’s iPad – very definitely exists. Of course, this may not be included with the next release of the Kindle – it may be an option for the future. Even so, this purchase by Amazon looks like a clear declaration of intent regarding the direction that the Kindle reader technology may take in future.
Why Everyone Needs A Handheld Ebook Reader
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on December 24th, 2009
Anybody who loves books should have a handheld eBook reader. Books are heavy, something everyone has learned if they have ever moved. A small box of books can weigh more than larger boxes. Readers have had to deal with this problem for a long time. Now, they have the chance to carry their whole library in a half-pound device.
The arrival of ebooks is changing the world of words. Ebooks do not need paper, perhaps their most significant attribute. People in recent years have been concerned about preserving Earth’s natural resources. With ebooks, trees can sigh in relief. There are numerous benefits for our environment if we stop using so much paper.
There are currently three heavyweight options in the public market. All three companies have been revolutionizing the book industry while pleasing customers. The market is new, but the harsh competition has been good news to those who want quality products.
One of the greatest breakthroughs is that of e-ink displays. These amazing displays simulate the look of ink on paper. There is no back-light, like what is used for portable phones. This means that a reader will need a lamp or other source of light, just like with a real book.
Since e-ink is so comfortable for your eyes, ebooks have become easy to read. E-ink is just like real paper, but has big advantages. For example, text size can be adjusted on e-ink displays. A reader can decide if they would like smaller text or larger text, and can change it whenever they prefer.
The current market champion is Amazon’s Kindle reading device. The Kindle is available with two screen sizes. The Kindle uses a free wireless connection to connect to the Amazon store, and new books can be downloaded in seconds.
The Sony Reader is one of the Amazon’s Kindle biggest competitors. The Kindle costs more than the Reader, giving the Reader a small advantage. On the other hand, Sony does not have as many books available for its device as Amazon does.
Recently, Barnes and Noble released their new ebook reader, the Nook. Tech and book enthusiasts think the Nook could become more popular than the Kindle. One of the reasons for the Nook’s popularity is the massive book selection. However, the biggest appeal of the Nook is probably its color touch screen. The Nook is a very attractive and very sensible purchase for people who love books.
People who love to read have cause to be happy. Gone are the days of carrying heavy books from house to house. A handheld ebook reader can keep thousands of books in a small, easy to carry device.
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Amazon Enjoys A Great Year -Thanks To The Kindle Reader
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on December 12th, 2009
When Amazon’s management team get together to review the company’s annual results this year, they will have plenty justification to feel content – but not smug. It’s been a very good year for the internet retail giant – and a lot of the credit must go to the Amazon Kindle ebook reader.
Amazon released the Kindle 2 in February of 2009. It was widely perceived as a step in the right direction. Amazon had obviously paid close attention to customer feedback on the original Kindle, released in 2007. Wireless connectivity and the huge choice of Kindle books remained and faster pages changes, longer battery life and increased storage capacity were among the improvements which were introduced.
Best selling author, Stephen King wrote a special novella to mark the launch and the Kindle 2 rapidly became the “must have” gadget amid a blaze of publicity.
In June of 2009, just a few months later, Amazon launched the Kindle DX. The DX featured a larger display and was developed dpecifically for readers of magazines, newspapers and academic textbooks. Somewhat surprisingly perhaps, it was the staid world of academic publishing that helped to gain the DX a lot of publicity.
The academic community was quick to realise the potential benefits the Kindle offered. Not only would it be very much easier to update textbooks but interactive eduction – pop quizzes and tests for example – would be possible. As well as saving money by using electronic textbooks, academic bodies would also be more environmentally friendly – a very important factor for these institutions which have both financial budgets and environmental targets to meet today.
As well as establishing partnerships with a number of colleges and universities, Amazon benefited from a lot of publicity generated by political bodies such as the New Democratic Leadership Council and Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger – both of whom waxed lyrical on the educational potential of e-book readers in general and the Amazon Kindle in particular.
Nevertheless, although things were looking bright for Amazon, there were some early signs that trouble was looming. Competing manufacturers, having watched Amazon develop the e-book reader market, were now becoming aware of the huge potential of this nascent sector. A long list of competitors, including such names as Microsoft, Apple, Sony and Barnes and Noble, wanted their share – and suddenly they all had readers of their own under development.
In a way, it’s a huge compliment to Amazon that almost every ebook reader under development which shows the slightest promise is immediately given the title of the “Kindle Killer”. Nevertheless, right now, in spite of all the development work by other manufacturers, the Kindle is still pretty much the only show in town. The Nook reader from Barnes and Noble and Sony’s Daily Edition reader have both had their releases dates shifted back. To tell the truth, it begins looks increasingly probable that the most likely source of the long awaited Kindle Killer is, in fact, Amazon itself. The Kindle 4 is the most probable contender. Will we see it in 2010?
When Will We See The Kindle 4?
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on December 9th, 2009
2009 has been an important year for e-book readers – substantially as a result of the efforts of Amazon. The Kindle 2 was launched by Amazon in February 2009, which was an improved version of the first Kindle, originally launched in November 2007.
Amazon followed up with the Kindle DX in June of 2009, which was a large format version of the Kindle 2. It was specifically targeted at readers of newspapers, magazines and academic textbooks – and it created a bit of a stir.
The possibilities in the academic world – from interactive textbooks to constantly updated texts, and not forgetting the opportunity afforded to academic bodies to save a good deal of money – attracted a good deal of attention. In addition to entering into partnership with various colleges and universities, Amazon received plenty of free publicity from the political scene – such as the New Democratic Leadership Council and Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his capacity as Governor of California.
Thanks to Amazon’s foresight and innovation – helped by all the free publicity – the Kindle reader has now become Amazon’s top selling product. The Kindle currently has an incredible 60% share of the U.S. e-book reader market and recently brought out an international version. The Kindle has, to all intents and purposes, become synonymous with e-book readers.
It’s probably worth pointing out that Amazon didn’t enter the e-book reader market until fairly late in the day. The first e-book reader, the Franklin eBookman, was launched in 1999 – a decade ago. The Sony PRS reader was launched in 2007, before the launch of the original Kindle.
Amazon may not have been first to launch – but by combining clever marketing with technical innovation and addressing customer needs, Amazon has secured its current number one position. The vast choice of books available for the Kindle on Amazon’s website (360,000 titles at the last count and growing daily) and the wireless connectivity (with no monthly fee) were every bit as critical to the success of the Kindle as were the technical aspects of the device.
However, now that Amazon has – practically single handed – established the market, it seems that there are a whole bunch of other manufacturers who all want their share. Sony, Microsoft, Apple, Barnes and Noble, iRex, Plastic Logic, Asus – the list goes on – all have their own readers ready for launch or in the final stages of development.
Amazon’s current unique selling point – wireless connectivity – will become the norm and Barnes and Noble will allow users of their new Nook reader the choice of over 1,000,000 titles. Sony’s new Daily Edition reader will allow users to download e-books on loan from participating lending libraries. 2010 will probably see some industry standard e-book format agreed upon, which will allow users to lend e-books to family and friends or move them over to other readers if they wish.
Currently, a lot of industry analysts are checking out the line up of new readers and trying to predict which of them is the Kindle Killer. Neverthelss, Amazon has been commercially aware up until now, so they won’t surrender their leadership position without a fierce struggle. It took them less than a year and a halft after the launch of the original Kindle to release the much improved Kindle 2. The DX was launched just a few months later. Amazon almost certainly has big plans for the further development of their e-book readers. Could it be that the Kindle killer will actually be the Kindle 4 and that could we see this sometime in 2010?
Amazon Cuts Price on Kindle and More
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on November 15th, 2009
It’s been an exciting month for those interested in wireless reading devices, and especially Kindles. Three announcements have readers all over the world talking about and reading on these remarkable wireless reader machines.
First, an International version of Kindle became available earlier this month. This is basically the same Kindle as the Kindle 2, except it’s designed for use in multiple countries. Books will be available for download in over a hundred countries and territories world-wide. However, since the International Kindle relies on AT&T SIM for download service, International downloads will carry a $1.99 fee. This is in contrast to the free downloads available to U.S. Kindle users.
The release of the International Kindle is exciting news, regardless of book download fees. Originally, the Internationally Kindle was set at a retail price of 9. Now it has been dropped to $259 – the same price as the U.S. Kindle 2. In effect, the U.S. only Kindle is being dropped and the U.S and International version is now retailing at the price the U.S. only Kindle 2 retailed for.
Credits for are being issued by Amazon who recently purchased the International Kindle at the higher 9 price. Credits are being issued automatically, so you don’t need to do anything to receive the refund except wait a bit.
Another exciting Kindle announcement relates to new software that will soon allow you to read Kindle books on your laptop or PC. The software hasn’t been released yet, but it will come out soon. The application will work with the new Windows 7 as well as XP and Vista, and it will be free to download. The software is slated to be released in November of 2009.
Reading books on a laptop or PC may not be very convenient, but the option may appeal to some wireless reader users. It also allows Amazon to promote how convenient it is to have books available anytime at your fingertips.
With so much happening in the world of Kindle, it’s a great time to think about adding a wireless reading device to your holiday shopping list. Kindle is sure to be a hit this season whether it’s given as a gift to someone special or yourself.
Will Amazon Adopt The ePub Format In Future?
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on September 23rd, 2009
After an extended period of domination by Amazon, it seems that the e-book marketplace is about to see genuine competition at last. We may even see even the replacement of the Amazon Kindle reader as the market leader.
In terms of the e-book reader devices themselves, a number of manufacturers are preparing to launch new hardware – some before the end of the year, some early in 2010. Sony have recently announced the launch of three new readers. Probably the most significant of these is the Sony Daily Edition reader, which will launch in December 2009, has touch screen functionality, wireless 3g connectivity and will allow users to download e-books “on loan” from their local lending library.
Other manufacturers, including Plastic Logic and Apple, will have new readers on offer in the near future.
However, as important as the technical specification of the various reader devices is likely to be, it may not be the deciding factor. Currently, the ability to select an e-book from Amazon’s vast library of titles (in excess of 300,000 and growing daily) is a big selling point for them. There are more than 300,000 e-books for the Kindle available on Amazon’s website. The drawback is that you need to purchase all your e-books from Amazon. Further, if you subsequently decide to change your reader to a different type, then you are currently unable to take your e-books with you. This might be available in future perhaps, but just at the moment it’s very much a case of Kindle reader, Kindle books. Put it another way – it’s a closed system.
Other manufacturers seem to be moving towards a common e-book format – called ePub, which is different to that used by Amazon. This would give users the ability to freely transfer e-books between different readers. It would also let them buy and download books from a wide selection of different retailers. It would give them more freedom to choose.
If this move goes ahead, and it seems likely that it will, then it’s not out of the question that what is currently a feather in Amazon’s cap, their huge collection of Kindle books, may become a liability. Of course, it would not be possible for Amazon to make their Kindle titles compatible with whatever format is eventually selected by the industry, either by means of a translation facility or simply by adopting whatever standard is defined.
Whether or not Amazon are able to retain their current dominant position, it looks very much as if the e-book market is going to have some strong competition in future and that industry standards will be put in place sooner rather than later. All of this is good news for consumers.
Invest in a Wireless Reader Today
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on August 24th, 2009
Today consumers have a couple of options when it comes to purchasing a wireless reading device, and the technology has advanced considerably. Newer versions of older products and brand new wireless reader options are attracting more and more attention to this technology. Anyone who’s serious about reading should stop putting off giving these devices a good hard consideration.
One reason to consider buying a wireless reader now is they’re better than ever. Improvements in technology mean wireless readers now look and function better than in the past. They’re easier to read and use, thinner, more portable and they’re higher in quality. There have been so many imrovements in technology, things are much better than they were in the past.
Convenience is another huge factor to consider when you’re evaluating the pros and cons of wireless readers. Imagine traveling or commuting without having to carry countless books to stay entertained. You can access whatever types of books you want and as many of them from practically anywhere with one of these readers.
Novels, reference books, newspapers, blogs and more are available instantly, regardless of your proximity to a “hot spot.” Best of all, ebooks and other reading materials are more affordable when delivered to a wireless reader. It’s easy to save both time and money by downloading what you want to read!
Newer wireless reading devices allow you to access an in-line dictionary as you read for fast word definitions. It’s also much simpler to bookmark and highlight parts of a book and add notes or visual feedback.
An incredible selection of ebooks are available for wireless readers (both free and for a fee), and undoubtedly these devices are the wave of the future when it comes to reading. Why wait to get in on the latest, greatest technology in reading available right now?
There are only a few minor drawbacks to consider regarding a wireless reading device. First, they’ve come down in price, but they’re still costly. However given what they’re now capable of and the increase in quality, the cost seems more justifiable than ever.
Despite new developments in greyscale shading, it’s still difficult to view and understand some illustrations on wireless readers. Electronic books and wireless reading devices will probably never really compete with actual books in this area. Yet it’s really only one small drawback for most people while there are many advantages. Unless you’re planning to rely on a reader for illustration guide-type books, you should be satisfied with the now common 16 greyscale shaded illustrations.
Given the advances in these reading gadgets and the drop in prices, now’s a great time to invest in your choice of wireless readers. There’s no need to wait to see if they’ll catch on as clearly, they’re already a big hit with readers everywhere. The number of available books and other reading sources continues to grow, and it’s likely to increase even more.
Kindle DX V Kindle 2 - Which Is Right For You?
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on July 9th, 2009
The latest in Amazon’s Kindle ebook reader family – the DX was announced in early May, just a few weeks after the launch of the Kindle 2 in February. Ever since then Kindle owners and potential owners have been speculating about just how big the changes and enhancements in the DX when compared with the Kindle 2 really were. If you’re an existing Kindle owner or if you’re an avid reader wondering which of the two devices would be the best for your needs, then check out the comparison below:
Display
The Kindle DX has a 9.7" display (measured from corner to corner, across the diagonal) - which is two and a half times larger than the Kindle 2's 6" screen. Apart from the obvious size advantage, the DX screen has an auto-rotate feature which lets you switch from the standard portrait mode to landscape mode simply by turning the reader on its side. This makes the DX better suited for reading newspapers, magazines and other publications which contains graphics.
Overall Device SizeThe DX has overall dimensions of 10.4″ X 7.2″ X 0.38" and weighs 18.9 ounces. The Kindle 2 has overall dimensions of 8" X 5.3″ X 0.36″ and a weight of 10.2 ounces. So, although the Kindle DX certainly isn't too cumbersome to carry around, the Kindle 2 is the more portable of the two readers.
On Board Memory Storage Capacity
The DX has 4 GB of internal memory – which equates to storage for approximately 3,500 books. The Kindle 2 has 2GB of onboard memory, good for about 1,500 books - pretty good really, and enough to keep most people supplied with reading material for a long while, but still less than the DX.
PDF Support
The Kindle 2 can read pdf files – but only after you e-mailed them to Amazon for conversion. There is a fee - albeit fairly nominal - for the conversion. All things considered, a bit of a hassle. The DX on the other hand has pdf support built in so you can just load up your pdf files and read them with no conversion, no fee and no fuss.
Price
The Kindle 2 is currently available for $359. When the DX ships on June 10th it will cost you $489. It's hardly surprising that the price is somewhat higher than the Kindle 2, the larger screen is one of the most expensive items in the device so a higher price point is to be expected. If you compare the DX's $489 ticket price with the $859 of the iRex Illiad - a similar 10" ebook reader - the DX doesn't look quite so expensive anymore.
Final Analysis
Although the Kindle 2 is relatively new, and was itself a big step forward in comparison with the original Kindle, the DX offers significant further enhancements. The bigger display and the ability to handle pdf files is enough to justify you spending a little extra - especially when you compare the prices of other similarly sized ebook readers on the market. Unless Amazon drop the price of the Kindle 2 following the launch of the DX, go for the DX option.
A Faster, Easier Way to Enjoy Reading
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in General on May 16th, 2009
Amazon’s new Kindle 2 reader is a great option for many people. This revolutionary wireless reading device offers you an entire library in the palm of your hand, hosting far more books than the previous generation of readers and allowing you to carry them anywhere. This reader also gives you great new options like reading the text aloud and reading all kinds of file formats. Let’s look at some of the reasons it’s a great idea to choose a Kindle 2.
The Kindle is great if you travel. Anyone who loves to read will appreciate being able to have reading material available at all times. It takes up much less space than a dozen paperbacks, and it’ll hold up better too. You can put almost anything you want on it, even converting files from text, document and PDF formats for just ten cents.
This next generation of wireless reading device is a big improvement over the original, too. More memory, a longer battery life and faster dowloads are three big advantages of the new Kindle. The Kindle is so thin, it’s no thicker than a pencil, and it’s easy to take with you anyplace you go.
You can find almost any book on the Kindle store, making it possible to read pretty much any book at any time. Ebooks are becoming more and more popular with publishers, so you’ll always have plenty of great options for reading material. It really does let you carry a while library. In addition, ebooks cost a lot less than hardcover or even most paperback books.
Bookmarking and notetaking abilities are much better than the previous version, and the Kindle 2 allows you to write in the margins of your ebook without worry about damage. A regular paper book can’t offer that.
Want a dictionary? Check out the online version that gives you the ability to find what a word means just by selecting it. Illustrations are available in 16 shades of gray, an improvement over the older 4 shade version. It’s still not full color, but it’s a real improvement for viewing, even illustrations that were originally in color.
If you love reading but want something a little easier and more portable, you owe it to yourself to check out the Amazon Kindle 2. It’s an amazing piece of wireless reading device technology that just made reading a whole lot easier.