The Kindle problem
theatlantic.com
The Kindle problem
1–10 of 37 posts
Re: The Kindle problem
#2I would LOVE to get a Kindle. I enjoy the user experience and the convenience of having all your books on a single small device would be amazing. That said, I am never going to pay even $100 for a device that locks me into buying books that I cannot loan to a friend or pass on to my kids. Not to mention that roughly 75% of the books I read I'll never read again. This usage pattern perfectly matches the free (excluding taxes) library system but is absolutely terrible for a device like the Kindle.
Until the Kindle adds the ability to get a temporary copy of book from a library (or other free service) and make it easy to transfer ownership of books (either for free or for payment) I won't even consider buying one.
Re: The Kindle problem
#3I don't think the opening premise is entirely accurate. Isn't one reason for the iPhone's popularity (and most of Apple's devices/computers) that they provide both a great experience and they're convenient (iTunes/App store, reliability, "it just works" etc.)?
Later the author states that he believes price to be a factor of convenience (which I would agree with), but that needs to be stated in the intro because I was put off before even getting to the meat of the story.
Re: The Kindle problem
#4"For example, the Kindle lets readers down with respect to one subtle but powerful element of the traditional book’s appeal: its role as an identity marker. Pulling out a particular book on an airline flight or in a doctor’s office can mean staking a claim to being a particular kind of person."
--
That is easily resovalbe. Having a second smaller outside screen (like flip phones do), showing what you are reading :P
But honeslty, if you are judging a person by what they are reading, then you are are bit superficial (you can have smart people, splurging on silly books once and a while). I think having a kindle right now means a lot more: You either:
1. Are an avid book reader, so a Kindle is a huge convenience for you (worth the price)
2. Have good money, (or generous parents).
I think the Kindle is expensive, b/c the technology itself is expensive, and it will get cheaper by time. Remember, the first hard drive based MP3 players were even more expensive at the beginning. And the Kindle is a wireless device. (works everywhere). Most people it are used to get 99$ or free cellphones, but they forget they are buying a heavy subsidized device which will cost a lot more money down the road with their $60-$90/month service rates.
Re: The Kindle problem
#5I would LOVE to get a Kindle. I enjoy the user experience and the convenience of having all your books on a single small device would be amazing. That said, I am never going to pay even $100 for a device that locks me into buying books that I cannot loan to a friend or pass on to my kids. Not to mention that roughly 75% of the books I read I'll never read again. This usage pattern perfectly matches the free (excludin…
If you have multiple device, (in the same account), and when you buy a book, all those devices will receive it. So you are your kids can read them at the same time.
Get a family account and login with the kindles on that, so your kids will enjoy your books too. As for more advanced features, it is still a very early market, and features are coming one by one. Give it time.
Re: The Kindle problem
#6To beat the book, to be better than the book, Amazon...
This is a classic case of a solution looking for a problem. I imagine that a Kindle would be a great companion on a plane, a train, or in a backpack, but other than that...
I can't imagine using one of these things at work or at home, where I do 90% of my reading. I love books. I have shevles full of them in my home and office. I love the feel and smell and the little notes I have written in them over the years. I love to see all of them on my shelves or just a few spread out on the bed or table. I love the manual process of leafing through them to scan, to retrieve, or for no reason at all. They are my friends, old and new.
If the purpose of the Kindle was to augment personal reading for travel, then great. But to be "better" than books, never.
Re: The Kindle problem
#7I would LOVE to get a Kindle. I enjoy the user experience and the convenience of having all your books on a single small device would be amazing. That said, I am never going to pay even $100 for a device that locks me into buying books that I cannot loan to a friend or pass on to my kids. Not to mention that roughly 75% of the books I read I'll never read again. This usage pattern perfectly matches the free (excludin…
"... or pass on to my kids." and "... roughly 75% of the books I read I'll never read again." are mutually exclusive, no?
I read a lot of objections to the Kindle stating that you don't own the books. Personally I read a book once and I'm done with it (unless its a programming/reference book). I assume most people are the same way. So why hoard books if you're not going to read them?
The other thing is that "buying" a book for the Kindle is more akin to "renting" the book. You don't own it, Amazon does. You don't own a DVD you're renting from Blockbuster, or Netflix, but I don't hear people complaining about wasting that money.
I also think that if I'm going to read a book more than once, I'm going to buy a hardback version of it and keep it on my bookshelf. If not, then I'll buy/check-out a paperback book and donate/return it when I'm done reading it.
I think there are really two distinct kinds of books, and critics often confuse the two.
(I don't own a Kindle, but have given some thought to it and read up on people's objections)
Re: The Kindle problem
#8"For example, the Kindle lets readers down with respect to one subtle but powerful element of the traditional book’s appeal: its role as an identity marker. Pulling out a particular book on an airline flight or in a doctor’s office can mean staking a claim to being a particular kind of person." -- That is easily resovalbe. Having a second smaller outside screen (like flip phones do), showing what you are reading :P B…
"But honeslty, if you are judging a person by what they are reading, then you are are bit superficial"
It's easy to be dismissive of these kinds of social indicators, but they have power and influence, and taking them seriously can help you to understand how to improve the product in question.
Re: The Kindle problem
#9I've got a DX and I love it, but I feel extremely silly paying for books on it. Especially when the Kindle book is $9.99 and the paperback is $12.99.
Re: The Kindle problem
#10To beat the book, to be better than the book, Amazon... This is a classic case of a solution looking for a problem. I imagine that a Kindle would be a great companion on a plane, a train, or in a backpack, but other than that... I can't imagine using one of these things at work or at home, where I do 90% of my reading. I love books. I have shevles full of them in my home and office. I love the feel and smell and the…
I'm sure you can make a better book if you try. The Kindle isn't, though. It's just very, very good.
Today I'm buying the new Dan Brown book because it's so convenient to purchase via Kindle. I'd never buy Dan Brown books physically. They're not worth that. But they're incredible thrillers.