http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/ Engadget Comments for How would you change Amazon's Kindle? http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
BTW, many posters, including Engadget, have criticized the color of the Kindle. I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but is it not supposed to be the color of paper, and sort of "disappear" like Bezos intended?]]>Feb 4th 2008 8:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.piratepalooza.com/rphone

Steam-driven technology is much more amusing and easier to use as a weapon when you find yourself in tight spots.

Yarr.]]>Feb 1st 2008 6:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 4th 2008 10:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 7th 2008 5:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
Nevermind the fact that Amazon has all these rules attached. They charge you to put your own data on the thing! Come on!]]>Feb 1st 2008 6:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 6th 2008 12:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
Reading goes hand and hand with writing. Why not have a nice little editor so the more verbose of us can get an idea down on Kindle-paper when it hits us? It'd probably suck up power to refresh the screen while typing, but darn it I'd use it!]]>Feb 1st 2008 6:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/ function is a reading screen -> make it fullscreen. Easy.]]>Feb 1st 2008 6:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 2nd 2008 1:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
No thanks...just develop cheap e-publishing via .PDF and text-to-speech technology so you can have those e-books read to you if you wish. NO reason to use anything other than a nice iPod touch or iPhone device, or your tablet/laptop PC to read books/magazines...and if you decide you'd rather listen on the train, voila!

The only way this will fly is if it gets VERY small and VERY cheap...think $49.99 reader hardware that is the size and weight of an average magazine (not Cosmo, but, say PC World, et al).]]>Feb 1st 2008 6:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 6:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 10:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
I would buy a kindle if it was in the $200 range. But, if they're selling out there's no reason for Amazon to drop the price yet.]]>Feb 1st 2008 8:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 7:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 7:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
The keyboard should be slide-out or else a separate attachment (like a console game's texting add-on). The page-forward buttons should be harder to hit accidentally (smaller or hit twice or ?).
It would be good to have more native e-book formats (less conversion required).

Some of you want it to be a phone too? Too small. Maybe with a roll-out e-ink screen but this is as small as I want an e-book to go.]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
Well I'd completely change that part.]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
Yeah, it's expensive, but I'd buy it again. Having the ability to read the newspaper and a book from the same device is better than carrying both. I don't own a car so I don't have the luxury of having a trunk/back seat that can hold a ton of books. With my iPhone and this, I pretty much can do everything on the road. Read, I use the kindle. Music, movies, TV, email, and internet: I use the iPhone.

]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
It's another set of batteries and charger to babysit, plus it's DRM'ed to the hilt. This isn't progress. You don't really own any of the content you're purchasing. You couldn't sell your Kindle to somebody else. All this is tied to your Amazon account, and if you misbehave, then can make it all vanish.

I don't see why you can't get by with a screen the size of the iPhone. I'm constantly reading books on my Treo. ]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
Then I'd buy one.]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Then partner with the Government and Schools/Colleges to offer nearly free text book content on the Kindle to those that have one; Govt subsidies and discounts for those than can't afford one.]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
AKBlade13]]>Feb 3rd 2008 5:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 7:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 7:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 7:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/2. Free RSS feeds would be cool. But....
3. Needs better battery life w/ 3G cellular on all the time.
3. Cheaper books / cheaper device. Best sellers should be dirt cheap, not 9.99, but 4.99, That will sell the device more, I mean there is no production cost for these books anymore. At least get textbook publishers to get onboard and sell them half priced, or even cheaper.
4. More native support for different file formats. Open it up, or offer some sort of converter.
5. Better handling of graphics. i should be able to zoom in to diagrams and stuff. Ok this is probably as hard as native PDF support, but hey, this is a wish list.]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 7:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
If Kindle wants to get in the game, they should give owners free access to Guttenberg.]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
We need a GPR ("general portable reader") that can be used for any sort of documents. Of course, easy docs exchange would be nice too. The killer app will contain my library, brochures, file cabinet, newspapers, contracts, notes, journal articles, etc.

Limited functionality is the problem, not the price.
]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
To be serious:
I admit I have not used a Kindle, or any other ebook reader of this sort (Sony's thing, that iRex iLiad iWhatever). But I can appreciate what Amazon is trying to do with this product. As for what I'd like the see in a "Kindle 2":
-Cheaper. Even only $100 less would be nice, $400 seems to be on the border between affordable gadget and luxury toy. An eBook reader should most definitely be affordable.
-Open up the software a bit more. The Kindle clearly has the hardware to do more complicated things, so why not add some more PDA type functions? Heck, let people develop apps for it! Of course, if this would hinder the Kindle's ability to display eBooks (its primary function), then forget about that.
-Tweak the overall design. If the Kindle was painted gray/silver, you'd have a hard time convincing me it wasn't from the 90s. Get some designers to make it more attractive! A lot of people seem to gripe about the button layout, so adjust its ergonomics. The ENORMOUS prev/next page buttons seem silly and annoying.
-Wifi. It would be quite useful in EVDO dead spots, and would make the Kindle a bit more useable outside of the US. I imagine there are lots of areas with poor cellular coverage, but numerous areas with wifi hotspots where one would be using the Kindle (libraries, coffee shops, hotels, etc).
-Perhaps add a premium connection option. A small monthly fee for unlimited usage of the online conversion feature, RSS feeds, maybe some other perks (members only content or something? Email?)]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 7:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 8:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
I read a lot of magazines, as does my wife. The screen should be the same size as a standard magazine page and should be able to more clearly display photos/graphics.

]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 8:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Also better PDF support, and CBR (Comic Book) Files.
Get rid of the $0.10 wireless transfer fee for sending your files to it.]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 1st 2008 7:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
WTF, I can't read these quarter-sized pixels!]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/Feb 2nd 2008 6:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
- Good support for PDF and images (with zoom in/out capability), so I could use it to read all of my work documents without printing them. By the way, I really don't care about color and the contrast is fine.

- Optional password protection so I could safely put confidential material on it

- More books. Amazon has a lot of titles, but I won't be happy until I can completely stop buying a paper books.
]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
http://www.chaosscenario.com/main/2007/11/amazons-kindle.html]]>Feb 1st 2008 9:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/how-would-you-change-amazons-kindle/
Heck, this may also spawn off the sale of quiz and puzzle books too.]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:58PM