Amazon's Kindle e-book reader and wireless service launching October 15?

Amazon's little secret that could -- the Kindle -- looks to have a solid launch date. October 15th is the day thanks to Les Echos' press release issued at the launch of their "e-paper" digital newspaper. Of course, it's all just a rumor at the moment but it certainly matches the timeline reported by the New York Times just last month. Now please, Amazon, put some pretty lipstick on that beige pig and push her out the door already -- a year is long enough.

[Via MobileRead]

[Jagannath A @ Sep 13th 2007 7:55AM]

why so many keys ??? its after all an ebook reader...

has the charm of the first computer in which I learnt LOGO as a kid

[David MUnch @ Sep 13th 2007 8:02AM]

Man, that is just BUTT-ugly..

[ja$on @ Sep 13th 2007 8:09AM]

Hey Amazon, the 1980's called, they want their e-book reader back...

[Balzac2m @ Sep 13th 2007 8:10AM]

It's actually a ebook-writer, not a reader! And the fineprint says that all content written on it belongs to amazon.

[Wwhat @ Sep 13th 2007 8:47AM]

If you remove the white corner with the number, then run it through a correction you get this
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1143/amazonkindle230pxlpx0.png

Makes you wonder why they so often have those lousy pics released without correction.

[Emre Aydinceren @ Sep 13th 2007 9:13AM]

I refuse to believe that thing is the device.
This is probably disinformation. Best way to hide a secret is to make the people believe they already know it.

[PJK @ Sep 13th 2007 9:46AM]

Delighted amazon are doing this finally, if they don't release it here I'm going to kill something....

[Rick @ Sep 13th 2007 10:25AM]

Amazon must have their head planted firmly in the sand! Until I can read a book on my iPod Touch I'll stick with the paper versions.

And besides, who would get caught hauling that piece of 80's tech around with them?

[thedude @ Sep 13th 2007 11:42AM]

I agree ! I can not see any tech savy company releasing something this fugly ! I would like to see them provide a free e-book with each book ordered. That's so I can have my hard paper copy for ny library and an e-library to keep on the boat

[Ian H. @ Sep 13th 2007 11:45AM]

Why the keyboard on a reading device?

[johnzilla @ Sep 13th 2007 1:09PM]

I don't get it...e-book readers were tried already, many years back. Stone cold flops, all of them.

I'm already carrying around a Blackberry, an iPod, a multi-tool, keys, headphones (for the iPod), etc. Why on earth would I want to carry around another device when either my Blackberry (or other mobile device) or iPod are perfectly capable of displaying e-books?

[Wwhat @ Sep 13th 2007 3:16PM]

ARe you joking? reading an ebook on a 320x240 lcd? I doubt you ever tried it, and even so that must normally be in plain asci txt.

The reason old ebook readers failed is the high cost of them, but the concept of having a non-flickering steady easy to read sharp electronic ink device with a large screen is sound, for frankly I don't even consider a fullscreen 19"+ LCD doable for reading actual books, it's just too damn straining and not relaxed and cumbersome.

[johnzilla @ Sep 13th 2007 3:50PM]

You don't consider a 19" screen doable for reading? Strange, because for decades people have somehow had no problem reading paperbacks that are 5 inches wide by 8 inches tall, with even smaller usable space on each page for words. Or are you saying a 19" LCD screen is too big??

You're welcome to your opinion. In my opinion, there are is a far larger number of people who would rather read an actual book than there are people who will spend a couple hundred dollars to own an e-book reader. Or aren't you familiar with the term "convergence"? What's next for e-book readers? Adding the ability to play music? Video clips and movies? Make phone calls? WiFi? See where this is going? How long before that e-book reader tries to be a laptop and fails because it isn't really a laptop? How long before that e-book reader tries to be a phone or DAP and fails because it really isn't either?

[Wwhat @ Sep 13th 2007 11:25PM]

The ebook reader concept revolves around its display, which is using 'eletronic ink', which is suppose to be very pleasant for the eyes to read and use no power when it's not changing the content of the screen and has a sufficient size to be comfortable (unlike phones/mp3players and things like that)
And there is a reason why some things do NOT converge, because we (people) don't like some convergence that is technically possible.

And I don't think I need to explain the average person why they prefer paper books above ebooks, and the proof that they do is in the pudding, look at sales figures.
That's obviously also why amazon would be interested in getting a doable ebook reader on the market, so it becomes finally possible to read a book on an electronic device comfortably and so create a market for ebooks.
Perhaps they can make them cheap and rely on profits from ebook sales to finance it, like phonecompanies do with free cellphones.

[Nathaniel @ Sep 13th 2007 7:17PM]

One can only stare at a lit up screen for so long before their eyes feel like they are going to turn inside out from the strain no matter how big the screen. Also, the reason why standard screens, whether computer screens or even small portable device screens, are not suitable for long reading is because of the constant flow of yucky light coming from them that kinda isn't too enjoyable after say a couple of hours of reading. There's a big difference between reading standard stuff on a computer screen, and actually reading a book on a computer screen for hours. Huge difference. The beauty of e-ink technology is it pretty much give you zero eye strain because it uses ambient light. It's exactly like reading a book as far as that's concerned. So many people complain that ebook readers aren't that great because they have no back-light, but what they don't realize is that they're not supposed to have one. Everytime someone mentions back-light for an ebook reader I cringe. I've put ebooks on my PSP, which has a comparably nice screen when put up next to the iPod Touch or any smartphone out there and it is just not enjoyable after a couple of hours. My Sony Reader, however, is great to read on for hours. Yeah, it still needs some improvement, but for a first generation device I think it's great. It's not supposed to be a multi-function device. I don't want to be able to make phone calls on it, watch movies, browse the internet, make coffee, bake brownies, traverse space-time with it. I just want to read books comfortably on it, and it serves that purpose.

[Wwhat @ Sep 13th 2007 11:26PM]

Well said, thank you for explaining it from a users viewpoint.

[Nathaniel @ Sep 14th 2007 12:52AM]

One of us users had to do it. If as many people that put forth their comments about ebook readers actually owned one then the ebook business would be booming for sure. Seriously.

[Steve O B Have @ Oct 4th 2007 10:52AM]

As above, I own a Sony Reader and it is just brilliant - well said Nathaniel.

Amazon if that is the actual reader, someone needs a slap.

[Xombie @ Oct 5th 2007 2:42AM]

Damn, thats ugly!