When Will The Kindle Be Shipped Worldwide?
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For quite some time now there has been a good deal of conjecture as to when, precisely, Amazon might launch its Kindle reader in the world marketplace. The original Kindle debuted in November 2007 with the Kindle 2 and the large screen Kindle DX going on sale in February and June of 2009 respectively.
A year and a half and 2 hardware revisions later there seems to be no sign of an imminent global launch coming up. US sales of the reader are strong – demand frequently outstrips supply and the device is out of stock quite often. Kindle book sales are also excellent (making up 35% of total sales when there is a Kindle edition on offer alongside the conventional printed versions) and the market for Kindle accessories is growing daily.
However, as impressive as current sales figures are, it seems improbable that a company like Amazon would be content with dominating the North American market whilst ignoring the possibilities available in the global arena. The fact that the Kindle’s arch rival, (for the moment at least) the Sony PRS reader, is available worldwide and is capitalising upon the opportunity to establish brand loyalty in countries where the Kindle is unavailable must be a matter of some concern for Amazon.
Part of the problem would appear to be the type of connection to the Amazon store. In the US, Amazon furnish a fee free 3G download service – dubbed “Whispernet” and provided by Sprint. It’s an attractive option for customers who perceive themselves to be less committed – albeit the cost of this service is reflected in the initial price of the hardware, the reader itself.
Recent discussions between Amazon and European telecoms service providers – T-Mobile and Vodafone – came to a halt with Amazon suggesting that the service provider’s demands were “unreasonable”.
Considering that Sony have recently partnered with Google to make the search engine giant’s huge collection of public domain electronic books available free of charge to Sony PRS customers, and also bearing in mind that Apple will be launching a tablet based notebook (perfect for reading ebooks) – it does seem reasonable to ask how much longer Amazon can afford to drag its feet before entering the global arena with its Kindle ebook reader.
Conversely, it’s probably worth remembering that the Kindle was a pretty late edition to the ebook reader marketplace – the devices have been around since 1999 in a variety of formats. It doesn’t appear to have done Amazon any lasting thus far and they may feel that the time will be right when they say so and not before.
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This device has appealed to me for a long time — until a few days ago what I thought was a steep price kept me from taking the plunge. Now I’m so glad I did! I’ve had my Kindle almost a week, and have devoured three to four books. Here are my first impressions.
1) The size is perfect. I was seriously considering the Kindle DX, but then chose not to go that direction because it was just too big. I don’t need another 8″ x 11″ notepad to carry — I have enough of them as is. I want something small and streamlined that will hold a LOT of books.
2) The readability is very good. While there may be a bit of glare at times from a nearby light inside, or the sun outside, tilting the screen just a little will remove it. The adjustable font sizes are wonderful, and easy to change.
3) Downloading books is easy. I live in an area where the Whispernet coverage is spotty, but there is always the option of downloading to my computer hard drive then transferring to the Kindle. The download speed is also very fast — in less than a minute a full book is available for reading. The books can also be kept on archive at Amazon if the Kindle becomes too cluttered. I’d recommend keeping a copy of the book on one’s hard drive as well if space is needed on the Kindle.
4) The “feel” is right. I was wondering how I would react to having a Kindle in my hands compared to a regular book. Would I miss the turning of pages and the sensation of a bound volume at my fingertips? I actually don’t miss them — I enjoy the Kindle being so easy to use. I am glad the page turning buttons are on both sides, for they give my hands a bit more flexibility while reading.
5) It is worth the money for a heavy reader. When you read as many books as I do, what to do with the books already read becomes a huge problem. As a pastor who has been in the ministry almost 30 years, my library is very large. I’ve converted my reference titles to a digital format with Libronix Bible software (also reviewed here) but there is still the problem of what to do with everything else. Now I’m able to streamline my library even further by reading digital versions of books I purchase regularly. Once the book is read, I keep it on the Kindle, transfer it to my hard drive, or leave it on Amazon. The reduction in hassle of handling and storing paper books is WELL worth the small price paid for the device. If you don’t read much, then you’d probably be better off not having a Kindle and just sticking with the traditional paper versions.
6) The battery life is superb. The battery will last about four days with the download function enabled. If the download function is disabled, it will last much longer. Charging can be done via an AC outlet or through the USB connection.
The only shortcoming I see with this device is that the titles can’t be transferred from one Kindle to another. With my wife being a librarian, it is only a matter of time until she will have one as well. Under the present arrangement with Amazon, books must be purchased and downloaded for each individual account.
If you’re considering a Kindle and read fairly often, I’d recommend taking the plunge. You’ve always got the 30-day return period to try it. I do believe however, you’ll be very pleased!