The "Kindle" iPod of reading - Newsweek scoops

Nate the great · 11-18-2007, 08:12 AM

Newsweek apparently scored at least one interview about the Kindle. Here are the juicy parts:

Quote:

...the Kindle (named to evoke the crackling ignition of knowledge) has the dimensions of a paperback, with a tapering of its width that emulates the bulge toward a book's binding. It weighs but 10.3 ounces...

The design was deliberate.

Quote:

The Kindle gets as many as 30 hours of reading on a charge, and recharges in two hours.

If we can get an honest 20 hours out of it with the wireless, I'll be happy. But it's not good enough to get me to give up my PRS500.

Quote:

In addition, the Kindle can venture out on the Web itself--to look up things in Wikipedia, search via Google or follow links from blogs and other Web pages. You can jot down a gloss on the page of the book you're reading, or capture passages with an electronic version of a highlight pen. And if you or a friend sends a word document or PDF file to your private Kindle e-mail address, it appears in your Kindle library, just as a book does. Though Bezos is reluctant to make the comparison, Amazon believes it has created the iPod of reading.

Some more Kindle details from the article:

6-inch E Ink screen
Price: $399
weighs 10.3 ounces
30 hours of reading on a charge, and recharges in two hours
has a "sleep mode"
built-in memory holds 200 e-books
allows searches within e-books
wireless capability through "Whispernet" (based on EVDO) which extends the Amazon store
"buying a book with a Kindle is a one-touch process."
Over 88'000 e-book titles will be available on launch
NYTimes bestsellers priced at $9.99
First chapter of almost any e-book for free
Available newspaper subscriptions: the Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Le Monde
Available magazine subscriptions: The Atlantic
Subscriptions to blogs also cost you something!
Lookup features for Wikipedia, Google Search
Private Kindle e-mail addresses to communicate with other Kindle users
Development of the Kindle began in 2004

I added some more details from the interview -- Alex

Nate the great · 11-18-2007, 08:29 AM

Alexander Turcic · 11-18-2007, 08:50 AM

I am also curious how Whispernet connectivity will influence the "30 hours of reading on a charge" statement.

Jeff Duntemann · 11-18-2007, 09:29 AM

This could work, whether or not it is (as I think) ugly as sin. Much depends on what sort of DRM is built into the system, and who imposes the DRM: Amazon or the publishers. I've already made the promise to my readers: No DRM of any kind, ever.

On the other hand, it's still unclear what publishers will have to do (or more to the point, pay) to get titles into the store. That matters a great deal too.

$400 is a lot of money, so the public may not be as nuts about the damned thing as we gadget freaks are. Let's watch.

CommanderROR · 11-18-2007, 09:42 AM

Well, I'd be totally nuts about htis device, but EVDO is coming up again and again and that makes it useless outside the US and also makes it seem more and more unlikely that I will ever get one here in Germany and be able to use it...

I still have a tiny glimmer of hope because
1) some of the whispernet references were found on the .uk site of amazon and
2) mobipocket books are already sold internationally

I hope we'll finally get some definite information tomorrow...I have the day off tomorrow so I should be able to follow everything closely...^^

HarryT · 11-18-2007, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Duntemann

This could work, whether or not it is (as I think) ugly as sin. Much depends on what sort of DRM is built into the system, and who imposes the DRM: Amazon or the publishers.

Given that Amazon own MobiPocket, it would be sensible to assume that Amazon will use Mobi DRM, which really isn't too "onerous" on anyone.

CommanderROR · 11-18-2007, 09:45 AM

That little tidbit about it having "sleep mode" sounds good too...

Jeff Duntemann · 11-18-2007, 09:55 AM

So I guess the significant question for me is whether I (as a publisher) will be able to opt-out from Amazon's DRM technology and sell unencumbered books on the system.

TadW · 11-18-2007, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Given that Amazon own MobiPocket, it would be sensible to assume that Amazon will use Mobi DRM, which really isn't too "onerous" on anyone.

The question is will those Mobi e-books for the Kindle also work on other Mobipocket-capable devices? It's not difficult to imagine that Amazon added some kind of flag that would restrict an e-book to a specific device type.

Barcey · 11-18-2007, 10:02 AM

I have to admit when I saw the first pictures of the Kindle I thought that it was just a functional prototype and they were setting the bar really low so whatever they came out with would look better. I can't believe that they're actually releasing that design.

I keep reading comparisons between this and the iPod launch but can they not see how sexy the iPhone packaging is compared to this? People want functionality but they also want to impress when they pull out the device. The screen will impress but I don't think the average person can get past what they wrapped around it. The conspiracy voice in my head is saying that they are trying to make this fail so they can say they've thrown the whole power of Amazon behind it and people still don't want electronic books.

I really hope I'm wrong but I'm very disappointed if this is the final design. I had been so looking forward to this launch.

HarryT · 11-18-2007, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barcey

The conspiracy voice in my head is saying that they are trying to make this fail so they can say they've thrown the whole power of Amazon behind it and people still don't want electronic books.

They paid a LOT of money for MobiPocket; they must have had a good reason to spend all that money.

HarryT · 11-18-2007, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Duntemann

So I guess the significant question for me is whether I (as a publisher) will be able to opt-out from Amazon's DRM technology and sell unencumbered books on the system.

What formats are you currently selling your eBooks in?

JSWolf · 11-18-2007, 10:07 AM

What I am wondering is if it is standard mobi format, can others purchase the books who do not have the Kindle.

TadW · 11-18-2007, 10:18 AM

Jon, see my last questions four posts above

Bob Russell · 11-18-2007, 10:48 AM

Hmm. Lot's of potential ways they could stub their toe with the Kindle. They are trying to do a lot with it. And especially after seeing the pictures, I don't have a lot of confidence that it will have the comfortable feel of using a Sony Reader, and $399 is a lot to spend on something that might not work well. The first "real" reviews from tech sites will be very interesting.

Here are the features (beyond the basics) that sound really exciting to me:
# Over 88'000 e-book titles will be available on launch
# NYTimes bestsellers priced at $9.99
# First chapter of almost any e-book for free

Yay! First chapter free! Why didn't Sony Connect do this? All it does is increase sales and get people more familiar with the purchase process. And what could it possibly cost them, other than sales of books to a consumer that even want it after they see it? That can't be good at all, except for really bad authors.

TadW has a great point about the format. If they lock the MobiPocket format delivered over WhisperNet or WiFi to the Kindle only, that's a sad thing. Not as terrible if they can also read DRM'd mobipocket from other sources, but not great. I'd like to see how well it handles formats like txt, RTF, PDF, HTML (and ePub) also.

I have to ask... given the sort of things that the device does, is e-ink the best choice for display? I might have liked it with a nice backlighted LCD display, decent battery life, and zippy response.

Btw, my favorite quote from the article... "the e-book reader is coming of age".

But bottom line is always how it works when it is in your hands, so I'll certainly give it a chance in the meantime.

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11-18-2007, 08:29 AM	#2
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1

11-18-2007, 08:50 AM	#3
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	I am also curious how Whispernet connectivity will influence the "30 hours of reading on a charge" statement.

11-18-2007, 09:29 AM	#4
Jeff Duntemann Enthusiast Posts: 39 Karma: 2434999 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3; also Moto G Stylus phone	This could work, whether or not it is (as I think) ugly as sin. Much depends on what sort of DRM is built into the system, and who imposes the DRM: Amazon or the publishers. I've already made the promise to my readers: No DRM of any kind, ever. On the other hand, it's still unclear what publishers will have to do (or more to the point, pay) to get titles into the store. That matters a great deal too. $400 is a lot of money, so the public may not be as nuts about the damned thing as we gadget freaks are. Let's watch.

11-18-2007, 09:42 AM	#5
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Well, I'd be totally nuts about htis device, but EVDO is coming up again and again and that makes it useless outside the US and also makes it seem more and more unlikely that I will ever get one here in Germany and be able to use it... I still have a tiny glimmer of hope because 1) some of the whispernet references were found on the .uk site of amazon and 2) mobipocket books are already sold internationally I hope we'll finally get some definite information tomorrow...I have the day off tomorrow so I should be able to follow everything closely...^^

11-18-2007, 09:45 AM	#7
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	That little tidbit about it having "sleep mode" sounds good too...

11-18-2007, 09:55 AM	#8
Jeff Duntemann Enthusiast Posts: 39 Karma: 2434999 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3; also Moto G Stylus phone	So I guess the significant question for me is whether I (as a publisher) will be able to opt-out from Amazon's DRM technology and sell unencumbered books on the system.

11-18-2007, 10:02 AM	#10
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	I have to admit when I saw the first pictures of the Kindle I thought that it was just a functional prototype and they were setting the bar really low so whatever they came out with would look better. I can't believe that they're actually releasing that design. I keep reading comparisons between this and the iPod launch but can they not see how sexy the iPhone packaging is compared to this? People want functionality but they also want to impress when they pull out the device. The screen will impress but I don't think the average person can get past what they wrapped around it. The conspiracy voice in my head is saying that they are trying to make this fail so they can say they've thrown the whole power of Amazon behind it and people still don't want electronic books. I really hope I'm wrong but I'm very disappointed if this is the final design. I had been so looking forward to this launch.

11-18-2007, 10:07 AM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,402 Karma: 136466962 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	What I am wondering is if it is standard mobi format, can others purchase the books who do not have the Kindle.

11-18-2007, 10:18 AM	#14
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	Jon, see my last questions four posts above

11-18-2007, 10:48 AM	#15
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Hmm. Lot's of potential ways they could stub their toe with the Kindle. They are trying to do a lot with it. And especially after seeing the pictures, I don't have a lot of confidence that it will have the comfortable feel of using a Sony Reader, and $399 is a lot to spend on something that might not work well. The first "real" reviews from tech sites will be very interesting. Here are the features (beyond the basics) that sound really exciting to me: # Over 88'000 e-book titles will be available on launch # NYTimes bestsellers priced at $9.99 # First chapter of almost any e-book for free Yay! First chapter free! Why didn't Sony Connect do this? All it does is increase sales and get people more familiar with the purchase process. And what could it possibly cost them, other than sales of books to a consumer that even want it after they see it? That can't be good at all, except for really bad authors. TadW has a great point about the format. If they lock the MobiPocket format delivered over WhisperNet or WiFi to the Kindle only, that's a sad thing. Not as terrible if they can also read DRM'd mobipocket from other sources, but not great. I'd like to see how well it handles formats like txt, RTF, PDF, HTML (and ePub) also. I have to ask... given the sort of things that the device does, is e-ink the best choice for display? I might have liked it with a nice backlighted LCD display, decent battery life, and zippy response. Btw, my favorite quote from the article... "the e-book reader is coming of age". But bottom line is always how it works when it is in your hands, so I'll certainly give it a chance in the meantime.

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