Damn you Oprah....

[Brady]

... I just bought an Amazon Kindle...

Because the Kindle is Oprah's "new favorite thing" they gave out a code to use on Amazon to get $50 off. This puts it right around the $300 mark with my Amazon Prime, finally made it to the breaking point for me. My curiosity just won't let me not purchase it...

Anybody else have one? Happy with it? Hate it? I hope I don't regret it.

[digitalErich]

The Kindle needed to fail so they'd be forced to push out a new form factor.

[Goronmon]

The Kindle needed to fail so they'd be forced to push out a new form factor.Why would they need to push out a new form factor?

[Brady]

Yeah the overall physical design of the unit is horrible.... it is way too easy to push the next and back page keys...

There have already been shots of a probable new unit in the wild (http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/03/amazons-kindle-2-in-the-wild/), but my guess is it won't hit till sometime next year. If I get hooked on this device, then I'll make the upgrade.

If only I hadn't just made $60 purchase of books from Amazon just one day ago. I might see how much in shipping it would be to return them so I can just purchase them on the Kindle instead.

[digitalErich]

It's not horrible, but when i got my hands on one there were a lot of things about it I think could be improved upon. I'm not saying it's shit by any means, if I had more time to read I'd think about buying one. However, just like with any electronics product the second gen on is always much better than the first.

I wanted an iPhone from the first time I saw the announcement, but I knew the second gen iPhone would be everything the first was, but with improvements and additions and at a cheaper price. It will be the same with the second gen Kindle, mark my words.

"Fail" was probably a bad choice of words. What I was attempting to get at is Amazon is already too deep into the infrastructure around the Kindle and e-books (basically a copy of the iPod strategy) to give up on the business model. I wanted the first Kindle to slouch a bit so they'd be forced to bring out Kindle 2 quicker, kind of like what MS is being forced to do with Windows 7.

[digitalErich]

Those are the first shots I've been of the Kindle 2, thanks for the post. Most of what's there is good, but one aspect they seemed to have gone the opposite of improvement, namely the width of the border around the screen.

I'm sure the LCD screens are the same size and it's just an optical illusion, but more plastic on the sides and top is the exact opposite of what's needed. IMO they need to make the screen a higher percentage of the face real estate and it seems they went the other way.

Edit: Then again, maybe there's some magic "feel" to the size of the overall unit and it would be too expensive to increase the screen size. Still, it just seems that its a good inch wider than it needs to be...what's up with the wasted space on the sides of the keyboard?

[Brady]

To stay successful with all future versions of the Kindle they better keep the EVDO connection built into the device. I hope Sprint doesn't get greedy whenever their contract expires. To lose that feature would effectively kill the product. They really do have a lot going for them.

Imagine future versions that would be a little more text book friendly, instead of carrying like 4 HUGE books around, just carry your kindle. If this were possible I'd imagine many colleges would hand you a Kindle on day one of orientation.

[digitalErich]

I think they need to come up with a color version before it's worth it to start porting text books over, but I think more math and science when I hear text book.

[mightbe]

My mom really wants one.

[Brady]

I hope now that I finally caved and gave Amazon my money..... I hope that they will stop beating me over the head with Kindle ads on amazon.com

Its EVERYWHERE..... There is no escape, hopefully my $300 impulse buy will at least make that stop.

[Xerxes]

If I liked to read, I probably would have gotten one of these. I like the idea of setting down and reading books, so the device seems pretty nice. I wonder how many of these end up setting in a bathroom. ^_^

[PathMaster]

It would sell a lot more if it drop $100. $300 is just too much for me to spend on a device that is very one dimensional, intent wise.

[biosc1]

My mom really wants one.

Yah, my girlfriend's mother loves hers. She travels a lot and reads a lot, so it's much easier to carry all your books in digital format than it is to carry all the physical books.

[Goronmon]

My sister has one of these and I have to say that I enjoyed reading with it quite a bit. It's amazing how much easier it is to read without having to fight the binding on a book to keep the page opened. Maybe I'm just weird, but I never did have problems holding it and accidentally turning pages.

[LarsenNET]

To each his own. I wouldn't pay $50 for it.

[Xerxes]

It would sell a lot more if it drop $100. $300 is just too much for me to spend on a device that is very one dimensional, intent wise.

Here's on question? Does it even have color?

[digitalErich]

Here's on question? Does it even have color?
Not yet, and from the engadget link (if it's to be beleived) the second gen might not have color, either. The screen is not a typical LCD...there are reasons they haven't done color just yet.

[biosc1]

Not yet, and from the engadget link (if it's to be beleived) the second gen might not have color, either. The screen is not a typical LCD...there are reasons they haven't done color just yet.

Yah, isn't it something along the lines of a magnetic thingy or something? Where it changes state and stays like that (not needing to be powered) until another change state is required?

[Everyone vs Dinosaurs]

It would sell a lot more if it drop $100. $300 is just too much for me to spend on a device that is very one dimensional, intent wise.

I agree, but a 2/3 drop in price will be far, far off.

[Arphahat]

Meh... you can get books at the library for free. And, at that price, you can buy a handheld with an e-reader. Heck, my hacked DS with Moonshell provides me with an e-reader, plus music and video player, as well as the default capability of playing games. I guess I just don't see the point.

[Goronmon]

Yah, isn't it something along the lines of a magnetic thingy or something? Where it changes state and stays like that (not needing to be powered) until another change state is required?Yeah, basically, it doesn't use light to display the text. This has at least two advantages that I know of. First, little to know power is actually need to keep the screen displaying text, allowing the battery life to be much longer than if used a LCD screen. Second, it's easier on your eyes.

However, it also has the disadvantage in that I don't think you can use the technology to display color, since there is no light used.

[Hellbug]

What? Since when is a book too big to lug around when someone wants to read on the go? I might pay 30-40 dollars for something like this, but 300$ is complete asshat pricing for something so completely unnecessary.

Yet people see the want to buy one...

[Goronmon]

What? Since when is a book too big to lug around when someone wants to read on the go? I might pay 30-40 dollars for something like this, but 300$ is complete asshat pricing for something so completely unnecessary.One book isn't heavy. Multiple books, however, are quite heavy.

I'm sure if you only own one book at a time, this might not really be something you'd be interested in.

[Hellbug]

One book isn't heavy. Multiple books, however, are quite heavy.

I'm sure if you only own one book at a time, this might not really be something you'd be interested in.

Even on most trips out of town, where I might want to take a few books with me, I have never needed to bring more than one or two books at any given time. I am not saying this isn't useful for people who love to read (I do!), but that price does not seem worth what the Kindle accomplishes. Who carries all the books they own everywhere, anyways? I own dozens of books, but there are such things as shelves, and books can easily be stored, thanks to their clever design. ;)

[Schnoogs]

I thought this was going to be some informative thread about how she's this corporate monster who is about nothing more than cheap product placement and consumerism....oh and despite all that she's also this leftwing nutcase.

But carry on talking about one of her products! ;)

[Xerxes]

Yeah, basically, it doesn't use light to display the text. This has at least two advantages that I know of. First, little to know power is actually need to keep the screen displaying text, allowing the battery life to be much longer than if used a LCD screen. Second, it's easier on your eyes.

However, it also has the disadvantage in that I don't think you can use the technology to display color, since there is no light used.

I was thinking it would be a cool ass comic reader. Full size and all. Marvel and DC could probably even hook up like a subscription system to like your favorite books with a system like that. <shrug>

[Brady]

I was thinking it would be a cool ass comic reader. Full size and all. Marvel and DC could probably even hook up like a subscription system to like your favorite books with a system like that. <shrug>

Give it a few more years and this will happen. They've already got color epaper displays up and running, still a lot of work to be completed though. Also I'm sure the price tag has got to be up there.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/05/14/lg_philips_shows_bendy_colour_lcd/