Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#1

Post by charlief » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 1:27 PM UTC

Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates
techcrunch.com

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#2

Post by petercooper » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 3:24 PM UTC

Amongst my group, I'm known for my near hatred of Amazon's Kindle (not the ecosystem or apps, just the devices) due to their shoddy typography, but even I've caved and ordered one of the new ones. They're cheap enough now that, I think, anyone involved in writing/publishing needs to keep a good eye on what Amazon's up to. For writers, the Kindle (ecosystem) is rapidly looking like it could become their equivalent of the App Store.

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#3

Post by tvon » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 3:55 PM UTC

Some records are easier to break than others.

Of course, if I read more I'd probably have one by now, at $190 for the free 3G model it's very tempting.

Relatedly, has anything come of the SDK?

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#4

Post by hyperbovine » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 4:00 PM UTC

petercooper wrote: post #2

Amongst my group, I'm known for my near hatred of Amazon's Kindle (not the ecosystem or apps, just the devices) due to their shoddy typography, but even I've caved and ordered one of the new ones. They're cheap enough now that, I think, anyone involved in writing/publishing needs to keep a good eye on what Amazon's up to. For writers, the Kindle (ecosystem) is rapidly looking like it could become their equivalent of…

I was pretty anti on the Kindle as well--I don't like the idea of my book running out of batteries--but the cheaper price (plus, for whatever reason, graphite) had me within one-click of buying one the other day. Right then I read a very convincing case that it will drop below $100 in time for xmas (http://www.slate.com/id/2263787/pagenum/all/). FYI.

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#5

Post by rbranson » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 4:03 PM UTC

Ah, the psychology of price points. Let us all take note of this when we decide how to price our products and/or services. People are now perceiving that the value that this device delivers is significantly higher than it's price.

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#6

Post by davidw » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 4:13 PM UTC

tvon wrote: post #3

Some records are easier to break than others. Of course, if I read more I'd probably have one by now, at $190 for the free 3G model it's very tempting. Relatedly, has anything come of the SDK?

> Relatedly, has anything come of the SDK?

No, still waiting on that - I applied something like 6 months ago and haven't heard a peep. Maybe Oracle is making a mess of things (it's based on Java ME).

I'm really curious to hear about these new kindles... I'm very tempted. No more paying to import books to Italy!

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#7

Post by brk » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 4:14 PM UTC

tvon wrote: post #3

Some records are easier to break than others. Of course, if I read more I'd probably have one by now, at $190 for the free 3G model it's very tempting. Relatedly, has anything come of the SDK?

Relatedly, has anything come of the SDK?

Two apps that I'm aware of, a hangman app and a "find the words you can make out of this random block of characters". Nothing too ground breaking, but it's gotten me thinking about some reader-centric style apps, including things that pull references or quotes from a users' Kindle library.

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#8

Post by brk » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 4:15 PM UTC

petercooper wrote: post #2

Amongst my group, I'm known for my near hatred of Amazon's Kindle (not the ecosystem or apps, just the devices) due to their shoddy typography, but even I've caved and ordered one of the new ones. They're cheap enough now that, I think, anyone involved in writing/publishing needs to keep a good eye on what Amazon's up to. For writers, the Kindle (ecosystem) is rapidly looking like it could become their equivalent of…

I love my Kindle.

Not because it's the best, prettist, most elegant way to consume books, but because it's the best, prettiest, most elegant way for ME to consume books, based on the currently available options.

I find myself reading more since I've gotten my Kindle, and for the price point, if I decide in a year that I DON'T like it, it's not a major loss (plus has some decent residual value).

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#9

Post by gaius » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 4:16 PM UTC

hyperbovine wrote: post #4

petercooper wrote: post #2

Amongst my group, I'm known for my near hatred of Amazon's Kindle (not the ecosystem or apps, just the devices) due to their shoddy typography, but even I've caved and ordered one of the new ones. They're cheap enough now that, I think, anyone involved in writing/publishing needs to keep a good eye on what Amazon's up to. For writers, the Kindle (ecosystem) is rapidly looking like it could become their equivalent of…

I was pretty anti on the Kindle as well--I don't like the idea of my book running out of batteries--but the cheaper price (plus, for whatever reason, graphite) had me within one-click of buying one the other day. Right then I read a very convincing case that it will drop below $100 in time for xmas ( http://www.slate.com/id/2263787/pagenum/all/ ). FYI.

The battery life on e-Ink devices is phenomenal. They only draw power when redrawing the page. You can literally go weeks between charges.

Re: Amazon: New Kindles Selling at Record Rates

#10

Post by robryan » Wed, Aug 25, 2010, 4:30 PM UTC

Would be interesting to know whether Amazon is outselling Apple for eBooks on the iPad.