Amazon Kindle News Qtr 2010: seven articles on this page
Is the Kindle 3 a color touchscreen?
Kindle in color?
From TG Daily, February 9 2010 Amazon's recent acquisition of multitouch screen company Touchco hints that the Seattle-based corporation has big plans for its next-generation Kindle. According to Nick Bilton of the New York Times, the move "sends one clear" message: "Amazon is refusing to back down from challenging Apple and its iPad tablet".
Indeed, Robert Brunner, who worked with Barnes & Noble to create the Nook e-reader, told the Times that Amazon may eventually split the Kindle into two separate and distinct lines. "They can't abandon E Ink screens, but they will need to create a color device too," opined Brunner.
"Where it gets interesting is, do they just do a device that's a color Kindle or is it a full computer?" Amazon is looking to hire LCD display managers and additional Wi-Fi specialists, which indicate the next generation Kindle might be more like a computer than an e-ink reader.
Bilton notes that the display ad indicates Amazon may be "possibly exploring" color options for the device. "The applications division could signal a move to create more apps for the Kindle, or someone who will manage the latest app store developments after Amazon announced a new software development kit," speculated Bilton.
Indeed, Robert Brunner, who worked with Barnes & Noble to create the Nook e-reader, told the Times that Amazon may eventually split the Kindle into two separate and distinct lines. "They can't abandon E Ink screens, but they will need to create a color device too," opined Brunner.
"Where it gets interesting is, do they just do a device that's a color Kindle or is it a full computer?" Amazon is looking to hire LCD display managers and additional Wi-Fi specialists, which indicate the next generation Kindle might be more like a computer than an e-ink reader.
Bilton notes that the display ad indicates Amazon may be "possibly exploring" color options for the device. "The applications division could signal a move to create more apps for the Kindle, or someone who will manage the latest app store developments after Amazon announced a new software development kit," speculated Bilton.
Macmillian ends dispute with Amazon
From USA Today, February 8, 2010 After a week-long absence, new copies of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and other books published by Macmillan are available for purchase on Amazon.com. Since February 1st, Amazon had limited the availability of Macmillan releases in a dispute over Amazon's e-book $9.99 pricing strategy. Macmillan and other publishers believe $9.99 is too low and threatens the value of books overall.
Amazon, where new copies of Macmillan books were returning Friday night, had announced last week it expected to "capitulate and accept Macmillan's terms because Macmillan has a monopoly over their own titles, and we will want to offer them to you even at prices we believe are needlessly high for e-books."
Under Macmillan's model, e-books will be priced from $12.99 to $14.99 when first released, with prices changing over time. Macmillan and other publishers are widely believed to have agreed to a similar structure for Apple's iPad device, coming in March and expected to strongly challenge Amazon's dominance of the growing digital market.
Amazon, where new copies of Macmillan books were returning Friday night, had announced last week it expected to "capitulate and accept Macmillan's terms because Macmillan has a monopoly over their own titles, and we will want to offer them to you even at prices we believe are needlessly high for e-books."
Under Macmillan's model, e-books will be priced from $12.99 to $14.99 when first released, with prices changing over time. Macmillan and other publishers are widely believed to have agreed to a similar structure for Apple's iPad device, coming in March and expected to strongly challenge Amazon's dominance of the growing digital market.
Free e-Books from the British Library
From cio.co.uk, February 8, 2010 The British Library has joined forces with Microsoft to offer Amazon Kindle owners access to 65,000 free eBooks. The eBooks, which are all works from the 19th century, will include titles by Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy and will be available for download this spring
Microsoft and the British Library, just like Google, have been digitising the books for the past three years and have been concentrating on 19th century works because they are out of copyright and can legitimately be offered free.
The British Library also revealed that around 35 to 40 per cent of its 19th century books, all of which have now been digitized, can not be found in other public libraries and are unlikely to be found for sale in second hand bookshops or online.
"Freeing historic books from the shelves has the potential to revolutionise access to the world's greatest library resources," said Lynne Brindley, chief executive of the British Library.
The library also revealed it hopes to digitize books from the 20th century as well, but funding for this portion of the project has yet to be found.
Microsoft and the British Library, just like Google, have been digitising the books for the past three years and have been concentrating on 19th century works because they are out of copyright and can legitimately be offered free.
The British Library also revealed that around 35 to 40 per cent of its 19th century books, all of which have now been digitized, can not be found in other public libraries and are unlikely to be found for sale in second hand bookshops or online.
"Freeing historic books from the shelves has the potential to revolutionise access to the world's greatest library resources," said Lynne Brindley, chief executive of the British Library.
The library also revealed it hopes to digitize books from the 20th century as well, but funding for this portion of the project has yet to be found.
Amazon copying Apple's iPod application strategy
From The London Telegraph, January 21, 2010 Amazon said that it was releasing a software development kit for the Kindle range of e-book reader, which would allow developers to build applications, software and tools, and sell them to Kindle users.
We've heard from lots of developers like Electronic Arts over the past two years who are excited to build on top of Kindle," said Ian Freed, vice president of the Kindle division at Amazon. "The Kindle Development Kit opens many possibilities, and we look forward to being surprised by what developers invent." The announcement comes less than a week before the expected launch of Apple's iPad.
But some industry experts have been scathing about Amazon's attempt to expand the Kindle's capabilities. "If you are going to try to steal Apple's thunder just before its big Tablet announcement, you are going to have to do a little bit better than eInk Sudoku," wrote Erick Schonfeld at TechCrunch.com.
"Amazon is obviously concerned that the forthcoming Apple Tablet, which will be able to function as a lush, full-colour electronic reader for newspapers, books, and magazines might overshadow the black-and-white Kindle with its dot-matrix feel. But given the choice between developing beautiful, touch-screen, GPS-enabled, gyroscopic apps for an Apple Tablet and e-Ink apps for the Kindle, developers are going to go with the Tablet first, is my bet."
We've heard from lots of developers like Electronic Arts over the past two years who are excited to build on top of Kindle," said Ian Freed, vice president of the Kindle division at Amazon. "The Kindle Development Kit opens many possibilities, and we look forward to being surprised by what developers invent." The announcement comes less than a week before the expected launch of Apple's iPad.
But some industry experts have been scathing about Amazon's attempt to expand the Kindle's capabilities. "If you are going to try to steal Apple's thunder just before its big Tablet announcement, you are going to have to do a little bit better than eInk Sudoku," wrote Erick Schonfeld at TechCrunch.com.
"Amazon is obviously concerned that the forthcoming Apple Tablet, which will be able to function as a lush, full-colour electronic reader for newspapers, books, and magazines might overshadow the black-and-white Kindle with its dot-matrix feel. But given the choice between developing beautiful, touch-screen, GPS-enabled, gyroscopic apps for an Apple Tablet and e-Ink apps for the Kindle, developers are going to go with the Tablet first, is my bet."
Kindle beats iPad for the reading experience
From Los Angeles Times, Jan 29th, 2010 At first glance, the multimedia iPad -- with its fast, colorful touch screen and built-in Web browser and video player -- would seem to outshine the slower Amazon device. But many think the iPad can't beat the Kindle for reading.
The Kindle "is optimized to do one thing and do it very well, and that is reading," said Jagdish Rebello, an analyst with market research firm iSuppli. "If the user is interested in buying a device for books, the Kindle is a no-brainer."
Amazon's blockbuster product didn't become the world's most popular e-reader for nothing, analysts said. It boasts a relatively long battery life, a free wireless connection to Amazon's extensive online bookstore, a screen that's supposedly easy on the eyes -- and a relatively palatable price. The Kindle costs $259, while the entry-level iPad will retail for $499.
Although Apple wouldn't comment on the price of books in its new store, some screen shots the company displayed at its introductory news conference showed prices ranging upward of $14.99, a detail Amazon pounced on. "Kindle editions of New York Times bestsellers and most new releases are only $9.99," said Drew Herdener, spokesman for the Seattle online retailer.
It also remains to be seen whether Apple will be able to offer the range of titles its more established competitors now do. Amazon's bookstore features more than 400,000 Kindle-ready books.
To compete, Apple announced its online iBookstore, with titles supplied by Penguin Group, Simon & Schuster Inc., Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers and Macmillan. But other major names such as Random House Inc., publisher of Dan Brown's bestsellers are missing.
Since the Kindle was launched in late 2007 its advocates, including Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, have said that to reproduce the quiet, solitary experience of reading a book, e-readers should not tempt users with a panoply of digital distractions.
The Kindle "is optimized to do one thing and do it very well, and that is reading," said Jagdish Rebello, an analyst with market research firm iSuppli. "If the user is interested in buying a device for books, the Kindle is a no-brainer."
Amazon's blockbuster product didn't become the world's most popular e-reader for nothing, analysts said. It boasts a relatively long battery life, a free wireless connection to Amazon's extensive online bookstore, a screen that's supposedly easy on the eyes -- and a relatively palatable price. The Kindle costs $259, while the entry-level iPad will retail for $499.
Although Apple wouldn't comment on the price of books in its new store, some screen shots the company displayed at its introductory news conference showed prices ranging upward of $14.99, a detail Amazon pounced on. "Kindle editions of New York Times bestsellers and most new releases are only $9.99," said Drew Herdener, spokesman for the Seattle online retailer.
It also remains to be seen whether Apple will be able to offer the range of titles its more established competitors now do. Amazon's bookstore features more than 400,000 Kindle-ready books.
To compete, Apple announced its online iBookstore, with titles supplied by Penguin Group, Simon & Schuster Inc., Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers and Macmillan. But other major names such as Random House Inc., publisher of Dan Brown's bestsellers are missing.
Since the Kindle was launched in late 2007 its advocates, including Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, have said that to reproduce the quiet, solitary experience of reading a book, e-readers should not tempt users with a panoply of digital distractions.
Free Kindles for Amazon's best customers?
From Tech Crunch, Feb 12, 2010 - In January Amazon offered select customers the ultimate Kindle guarantee, they had to pay for their Kindle, but if they didn’t like it they could get a full refund and keep the device.
A reliable source tells us Amazon wants to give a free Kindle to every Amazon Prime subscriber, which is a subscription service that gives customers free two day shipping on everything they buy from Amazon. At a current fee of $79 per year, these are Amazon's best and loyal customers, who purchase the most items each month.
Amazon is testing different ways to increase the number of Kindle users to earn more revenue from eBooks and other Kindle related products. If they can give away Kindles but still make a profit, this project may become a reality.
A reliable source tells us Amazon wants to give a free Kindle to every Amazon Prime subscriber, which is a subscription service that gives customers free two day shipping on everything they buy from Amazon. At a current fee of $79 per year, these are Amazon's best and loyal customers, who purchase the most items each month.
Amazon is testing different ways to increase the number of Kindle users to earn more revenue from eBooks and other Kindle related products. If they can give away Kindles but still make a profit, this project may become a reality.
Three million Kindles sold since October 2007
The Washington Post, Jan 28th, 2010 Over three million people now own a Kindles, said Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com yesterday. That surprised analysts, who thought that Amazon would sell 2.5 million or so of the devices by the end of 2010, nearly a year from now. The total number of all types of Kindles out there in users hands hit 3 million sometime in December, says a source close to Amazon.
Industry analysts confirmed Amazon's surprising claims with their own studies, which is unusual because Amazon is slow to release their sales data. The Kindle now has real competition from the Barnes & Noble Nook and, more so, from the Apple iPad. But so far at least Amazon has had amazing success with their device. Which is even more extraordinary since the only place you can buy the Kindle is Amazon.
Industry analysts confirmed Amazon's surprising claims with their own studies, which is unusual because Amazon is slow to release their sales data. The Kindle now has real competition from the Barnes & Noble Nook and, more so, from the Apple iPad. But so far at least Amazon has had amazing success with their device. Which is even more extraordinary since the only place you can buy the Kindle is Amazon.
