From sceptic to convert. I am getting the new Kindle!
A few weeks ago, I opened the amazon.co.uk home page to find a splashy ad for the all-new Kindle. A few buzz words caught my eye – free 3G, slim as a pencil, 3500 books, read in sunlight, UK-Kindle store…having so far resisted buying one of these devices (see my earlier post) but with both a professional and a personal interest in them, I read on. Call it great marketing or just the product finally hitting my sweet spot, but I was hooked and ordered one on the spot. Seems I was not the only one: the product is already sold out pre-shipping (launch was announced for August 27) and current orders can expect delivery in the second half of September.
As I see it, the Kindle does not try to be too many things at once: in fact, it’s a good old-fashioned, mono-activity device (think early Palm Pilots, as they were called in the late 90s). A Kindle is for reading books, perhaps a daily newspaper, and that is it. And for this purpose, it does seem to fit the bill perfectly. It is small enough, light enough, has a great battery life, is easy on the eyes with its e-Ink display, with the non-glare screen so you can read it outside in full sunlight, it boasts instant access to millions of titles through the online bookstore – which thanks to free 3G AND Wi-fi is accessible pretty much anywhere anytime. It also happens to be a no-brainer price-wise compared to the iPad, which comes at a much higher price tag and carries the burden of a carrier price plan for 3G access.
No, the Kindle does not do web browsing or email: but in these days of smartphones, do I really want (or need) to browse online or answer email on a crowded Tube or bus during my daily commute? If I were commuting on a train, perhaps, or if I were a frequent traveller, granted the iPad might be a better option. But for reading books, whether on a commute or on holiday (ever cursed the weight of those three paperbacks inside your suitcase?)…Give me the Kindle!
I am now impatiently waiting for Amazon to deliver – probably sometime in the next week…stay tuned for my “out-of-the-box” report!