In keeping with the subject, just taking a slight detour, what do you think about the touch version of the Kindle? Do you think this is worth it for $100, especially with the drop in price of the basic Kindle to $80 when all you have to do is press a button to go forward and back? I know to me that is a great feature since it will make your mind feel like it is actually turning pages (yes I know, no smell, no paper texture... but it's getting closer).
Now, back to the color tablet, from a publishers perspective, this is opening up so many doors to new features across the entire market. When before we were only really able to see some shades of gray on an e-ink Kindle - not really being able to use new enhanced e-books - we can now (or soon anyway) use color to bring things to life in a whole new realm. Sure, it's new things to learn, but we can target our audience that much more to those looking for a whole new experience on their e-readers. And while this may be old hat to some of you who have been creating Vook's and enhanced ebooks, this is really making things more readily available to the mass market in what is the most-widely used platform for reading electronic titles.
Now more than ever, transmedia options are catching up, and they can be a great experience when done right. I look forward to getting involved with all the buzz and hope you come along for the ride as it happens.
Posts
7 comments:
I'll be honest...I want the Kindle Fire but was hoping that it would take pics. It's not going to be able to compete with the iPad, atleast I don't think it will. I can't afford an iPad and was pretty excited to hear about the Fire. I'm first generation Kindle user so I'm ready for some flashy fire.
I haven't read much on it yet, but will it have USB/Bluetooth? If so, I suppose you could always attach a peripheral device. Sure, it's not on-board, but still 1/2 the price.
I think this will appeal to a lot of people, and let me know if you end up getting one... I'll want a full report from a user =)>.
It's a tablet PC, plain and simple. I hope it's both. Even the no-name generic brands are overpriced, when it comes to also-rans to the iPad. I never buy release 1.0 of anything, but maybe Amazon learned enough from the Kindle to position and support it properly, right out of the starting gate.
You, as well as a few million others, are all in the same boat regarding the learning curve. Only time will tell if the Fire will go up in flames or rise up like the Phoenix. (Sorry, couldn't pass it up)
With all the talk of iPad iPad iPad, there was an interesting, yet little-publicized factoid released a few days ago: Target cannot keep up with demand for Android-based tablets. Apparently are flying off the shelves. And that's at a relatively hefty $300-$00 price tag.
So with a company like Amazon behind a brand like Kindle releaing a tablet at $199, this is going to be a game changer. Especially if Barnes and Noble announces their Nook Color 2 competitor in time for the holidays.
Apple is no longer the only game in town.
Can you really get the same experience from a Kindle compared to an old fashioned book?
I really just love the thought of having a library... If everybody switches to the kindle something important will die in our culture...
Jeff - that is an interesting tidbit. I would like to know what someplace like Verizon who sells both is seeing as well. But at $200, you are right, this is going to be a hot-seller.
Morten - I don't know as though a book could ever be replaced - the smell of the ink, the feel of the newsprint paper, the dust jacket. But as much as there are cons, there are pros, like the book is always in stock, the cost is much more reasonable...typically, and even the non-bestsellers get "shelf-space".
As for the library, I've already posted about how important that community-building center really is. How it's more than just books, but a place to get help on readying yourself for a job interview, a great place to have an art show for local artisans, or even for you to be a teacher and help those looking to become literate. Unfortunately, like everything else, libraries are probably going to have to mutate in some way to make sure they stay current with the community's needs, including e-book lending. Not only will they be saving themselves money in the long run from not having to buy expensive books, but they won't ever have late books since they can retrieve them on command.
Do I think that books will ever completely leave? No, I think there will always be printed and bound books. Do I think that ebooks stopping at the current 55% of the market is likely? No, with the ever increasing amount of devices that are coming down in price, and are even multi-taskers in many cases now, there will be more people with more devices who will try an ebook and end up liking it to continue the trend.
Post a Comment