Amazon Kindle 2 launching on Monday -- we'll be there live!
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted February 6th 2009 11:03PM
posted February 6th 2009 11:03PM
posted February 6th 2009 11:03PM
powered by gdgt
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Whilst the technology is quite interesting, the issue surely is the same one that has bedevilled discussions about electronic books for the last 30 years to my knowledge. That is copyright.
Many books, many good and relevant books, are out of copyright and in the public domain. Gutenburg has tens of thousands of them and, God known, American publishers have done their best to drive them off the air, even to trying to get the laws of copyright changed so that they can get lots of profit on books they merely transcribed into their particular electronic fancy.
Beware, this isn't a nice way of bringing reading into a new world, it's a way of making sure people have to pay through the nose for any reading material of any age. As somebody above said, if the thing had a chip and an open standard, that might be different but then, I should be keeping an wary eye out for 777 Squadron, Flying Pig command.
http://www.feedbooks.com/help/kindle
The kindle is a lot more open of a device than most people are giving credit for here. Seems like the *IAA campaigns are certainly having the desired effect on peoples thinking.
Actually, the Kindle makes those copyright free books MORE accessible and useful. You don't have to print them out to read them or fry your eyes on a backlit LCD screen. So many people think that the Kindle can only use books bought from Amazon. Not true.
This isn't the one.
I really don't get why the Kindle is so damn expensive, my PSP, NDS, Nokia N800, and any number of other devises read ebooks just fine, do other useful things and cost less.
Those other devices (Nintendo DS? Please) don't read ebooks 'just fine' - they do a shit job of it because they don't have an e-paper screen. That's the one thing you actually need for reading ebooks. They also have really tiny screens - another thing you need would be a screen that's a reasonable size compared to a book page.
I've got a DS, it's great for playing games. It's shit for reading ebooks (however many copies Nintendo manages to sell of their 'hundreds of out-of-copyright books' cart). Same applies to the other devices you mention.
As for this new device, it's great that they have managed to make it not ugly. (You'd think a company with Amazon's clout could have hired a designer first time around, but apparently not.) Unfortunately, that keyboard takes up way too much space.
Sony's PRS-505 is pretty much exactly how ebook readers should look - now that's got style. And it's all because there is no keyboard. Unfortunately, it's also lacking some pretty basic facilities - wi-fi for downloading books would be a key one (don't need the fancy mobile phone network stuff, I'm capable of buying books somewhere there's wifi thanks, but I don't want to have to use some crappy application that you haven't even made available for my computer). And if such a device did have integrated access to the online store, it would probably need a keyboard. Given that the touchscreen version apparently reduces all-important contrast due to the touchscreen layer on top of the display, that's not a good option either.
Maybe there is room to improve the touchscreen technology (something mounted around the frame that can sense position without an actual layer on top?). Otherwise, here's a thought: take a leaf out of the phone manufacturers' book (hah), how about a slider design? So when you're reading books, it doesn't take up extra space - but when you do need to search for one to buy, a little keyboard just slides out of the bottom.
Well...its basic economics. If you can sell it for that price and enough folks will buy it..why not? What interests me is why or when any competition will respond. Seems that Apple is going the direction of games and video entertainment instead of a similar product. Probably a larger audience/market.Also, Amazon really has a lock on content for this device.
Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.
Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Radio_Shack_TRS-80_Model_100.jpg
I'm really tempted to get one. I liked the idea of the original Kindle, but it's ugly as sin. I love having the physical keyboard...I don't know about you guys, but it would be a pain for me to type out my reading notes on a touchscreen.
I really like the idea of not having to move to turn pages. I feel like my reading speed is slowed down by the fact that I spend a lot of time moving around and readjusting myself to get comfortable.
Anyone know how this compares to Plastic Logic's device?
It costs too much. It doesn't matter how many extra features there are, I simply can't afford a $350 commodity. I can at least use my Nintendo DS on the lowest brightness and largest text for a bit more than $170.
College books are pretty damn expensive too. I'm not justifying Amazon's pricing for the Kindle 2, but if you do the math, at about $10 a book for the device, it more than pays off in the long run. Now, if you are more concerned with getting your gaming fix, than say reading or studying, then by all means let Nintendo cash-in!
Key design makes no sense from a usability perspective The big button on the right would have to be Previous page not Next page. This is the choice on the current model, and makes sense.
Oops make that big button on Left should be "Previous" on the right should be "Next", rather than both Left and Right button size emphasizing Next. (and improved usability here, if I could delete my other comment :-) ).
At least it's not insultingly ugly anymore! Still insultingly expensive, though.
And they still don't get the more screen/ less buttons thing.
I sure hope they add wifi. No sprint service here, so without wifi it's worthless to me. Seems like such a no-brainer anyway, since even when I lived somewhere with Sprint and used their service, it never worked inside my apartment.
In response to many comments... I have had the Kindle 1 for about a year and read on it every day. All of you people that talk about reading on LCD screens being fine... well good for you. The Kindle is just better to read on. There is no eye strain and this is so much like reading a book that you will find yourself reaching up to flip the page. I am an avid reader, and will sometimes read 2-3 books simultaneously. This cuts down on my load. There are many, many free books available out there. Feedbooks, project Gutenberg, and more than I care to bother with offer free content easily downloaded to the Kindle.
If all this is not enough for you.... then realize that Oprah has anointed it with her Oil of Oprah and you will all hear and obey!
I love my Kindle, and promised mine to my sissy when Kindle 2 came out. I will be ordering this forthwith!
More attractive, more importantly, more tempting to my actually purchasing one...
this is merely a test
This thing looks incredibly sleek...but it looks that it will we a pain to use just as the last one. The models in the shots can't really be comfortable holding it like that!
They need to work on that price. The price was a huge no go for kindle one, I doubt it's gonna change with kindle 2. This craziness that companies are doing with lower quantity to show increased demand didn't work for them round 1 and I bet they try that same gimic this time as well. Amazon needs to wake up lower the price and increase quantity this time around.
I've been reading eBooks for a few years now. normally on PDA's or phones and this one looks close to purchasable.
Size and Weight
- Is is small enough to fit in my pocket = No
- Is is small enough to fit in my bag = Looks thin and light enough to not worry about carrying it
Battery life
- Will it last long enough that I don't have to worry about charging it?
- Will it last a week long holiday with a few flights?
Screen
- Screen looks big enough to read easily
- Can I read it at night in bed?
Content
- Can I get content? (in the UK?)
- How does the price of content compare to paper?
Battery life on the original one I have is enough to get through a 400 page novel at least. As long as the wireless is turned off when you aren't using it.
The screen is just fine for reading books. Maybe when eInk gets cheaper they can have a bigger display but that would just add to the price.
You can read it in bed at night if you have a light on, just like a real book.
I think you are out of luck getting content in the UK, unless you convert your own files with something like MobiPocket. Or if you have a US amazon account you can download the titles and upload them via USB.
I have had my Kindle for a little over a year. I rarely buy a book for it over $9 and never any book that is more than $12. I do send PDFs (via email) to my Kindle. Amazon now has thousands of free books, all public domain stuff available for download. I admit, there is a lot of books that have been recently published I wish could be downloaded for a reasonable price, but, there is plenty to read in public domain, like Poe, Plato, Dickens, R. Graves, Shaw, Shakespeare, Wilde....
It is funny that I am using high tech to catch up on classics.
I have observed that most of the complaints regarding the Kindle seem to come from people who are gadget heads but not readers. The Gadget heads who also love reading and books seem to love the Kindle.