Archive for July, 2008
Kindle vs. iPhone: The Battle for Eyeballs
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under News
There was an interesting article today on Washington Post about how iPhone and Kindle are revolutionalizing how people consume content these days. The New York times CTO was quoted as saying that he was excited about the potential for iPhone platform and Kindle is gaining traction among NY Times readers. But which one is actually more popular? If I had to guess, I would say iPhone is probably beating the Kindle badly (that’s mainly due to the fact that there are no numbers available on Kindle).
iPhone also has the SDK which allows companies to get creative and provide content in different ways to iPhone users. Having said that, I think Kindle has a very bright longterm future as far as challenging the iPhone for people who actually read. iPhone is a mobile device but Kindle is portable as well. I would assume that if you are planning to read something for more than 10 minutes, Kindle beats iPhone hands down. So for people who spend hours reading articles and books throughout the day, Kindle is the clear winner.
The challenge is for Amazon to get Kindle in as many people’s hands as possible. Maybe they should give it away for free?
If Kindle had an SDK, What would you do with it?
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under Polls
Here is the million dollar question. Knowing the success that Apple is having with the iPhone SDK, what program would you write for the Kindle, if Amazon developed an advanced API for the Kindle platform. Let’s assume that you know programming inside and out or have access to someone who does. What app(s) would you write for the Kindle?
Kindle to Kill Paper Newspapers
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under Thoughts
Unless you haven’t been paying attention, many major paper newspapers are struggling to meet the ends with advertising money declining and people using other channels to get the news. But if these guys had any chance of surviving, it is all but gone with the emergence of the Kindle.
Think about it. Would you rather get your newspaper and have to carry it on a subway or use your Kindle and get it on the go. You can read it in a starbuck or anywhere for that matter, and it is way more convenient. And best of all, your newspaper never gets lost. I can’t tell you how many times I have not received my Wall Street Journal due to the fact that it was delivered to my neighbors. With the Kindle, Wall Street Journal comes everyday and there are no excuses.
One good thing about this whole Kindle thing is the fact that you can sample books and newspapers. I find that to be very convenient as you don’t have to go to a bookstore just to flip a few papes. And you don’t have to wait in line or do anything to get the book/newspaper delivered to you instantly. There are downsides to the Kindle as well, but you get so many positives out of it that you almost forget about the shortcomings.
Amazon Kindle taking Business Away from Amazon Prime?
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under Thoughts
I am an Amazon fanatic. Every service and feature that they add to their site, I try. Amazon Prime was one of the best services that I have ever tried with any company. They really sold me on the whole idea of 2 day shipping. I was reluctant to pay $79 to get shipping for free for a year. I thought I would end up losing money on the whole deal. But after a year of being with Prime, I have probably saved 10 times as much as I paid to Amazon.
But all good things have to come to an end. I am canceling my subscription to Amazon Prime. Why? Simply because of the Kindle. I am a serial book reader. I read 2, 3 books a week, and my book bills are more than other people’s gas and electric bills combined. So Amazon Prime gave me the opportunity to get books faster and with free shipping. But with the Kindle around these days, I simply don’t need Prime anymore. For orders over $25 you get free shipping on Amazon anyway. So if I need a book but it’s not urgent, I’ll use Amazon’s free shipping offer. But if the book is available on Kindle, then it’s a no brainer. Simple as that.
So here is my question for you. Do you believe Amazon Kindle is actually taking business away from Amazon Prime? If so, what do you think Amazon should do to make both the Kindle and Prime programs work.
Why Kindle Will Not Die a Fast Death
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under Thoughts
A year ago when Kindle was being released, analysts from around the globe called Jeff Bezos out on his so called “terrible” idea. Many wrote off the eBook industry, and called Kindle a device with no “real use.” About 8 months later and we know that Kindle will have a sequel. Doesn’t mean that Kindle will be around forever. However, there is a good chance that the second generation Kindle will have more success than the first.
But regardless of how Kindle does, I believe Kindle will stay around longer than people think. Here is why:
- Resources: Amazon has plenty of books and resources to supply to Kindle users. Amazon has already pledged that they will try to bring about 90% books in the market to the Kindle platform in the next couple of years. If they do achieve that, then there is a good chance we will see a Kindle 3.0 and 4.0.
- Access: Amazon.com is one of the most visited sites in the world. All it means that Amazon has access to many pairs of eyes. Rest assured Amazon will use all in their power to push Kindle as hard as they can to put it in front of as many eyes possible.
- Risk: Amazon has taken a gamble on the Kindle and they know it too. If Kindle is deemed as a failure in the end, you can expect Amazon to suffer as they will have failed in the very exact thing that Apple succeeded.
- Reputation: History shows that as long as you succeed to create a cult around your product, you can lengthen your stay in the market. Amazon is doing the very same thing right now, and it would be hard to believe that Amazon will risk its reputation by discontinuing Kindle prematurely.
- The Boss: Kindle is Jeff’s baby. There is no question in that. If you see the video clip of him on Amazon talking about Kindle’s potential, then you realize that the guy loves the idea and the product. In my experience, when someone at the very top likes an idea a lot, no matter who stupid the idea, it will be pushed as hard as possible. I am not suggesting that Jeff will keep Kindle around if it’s a total failure, but he will give it enough time to succeed.
Which camp are you in? Do you believe Kindle 2.0 pretty much closes the chapter on Amazon Kindle? Or do you believe there will be a sequel? Please share your thoughts.
Cool Shortcuts for Amazon Kindle - Basic
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under Tips
The Kindle nation has been really active about finding hidden shortcuts for the Kindle. There are simple shortcuts to start the minesweeper game or go directly to Wikipedia. There are just so many of them, but here are my favorite ones:
1. ALT + #: If you have 100 books on your Kindle, and want to see the books on your Nth page, then use ALT+N to go to that page. But you can do the same by just pressing the number!
2. Search @Wiki: Say you want to search Wikipedia for something fast and you are in the middle of reading a book, the best way to go is to use the search button and then type @Wiki. The other shortcuts available are @Web and @store.
3. ALT + SHIFT + M: Mine Sweeper Game. Enough said.
4. ALT + SHIFT + A: Sort your documents based on when you received them on your Kindle.
5. ALT + SHIFT + R: Reset your Kindle if you are having major problems with it.
6. ALT + T: Time. Shows time on the left bottom side of your screen. Very handy!
Now there are a bunch of other short cuts that you can use to get more productive on Kindle. To be perfectly honest, the keys are too small to maneuver so short cuts can sometimes be a hassle. Having said that, I’ll put together a set of advanced shortcuts that are more than about just putting time on your screen.
Kindle 2.0: How much are you willing to Pay?
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under Thoughts
With Amazon Kindle 2.0 rumored to be release sometime in October, I am interested to know how much you are willing to pay for the new updated Kindle? I know a lot of people complained about the high price of Kindle 1.0, but will you pay possibly more for the new Kindle? (of course for more features).
What To Look For in Kindle 2.0 and 3.0?
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under Thoughts
With the new Kindle expected to ship out on October, here are the features that I believe Amazon will be adding to Kindle 2.0 or 3.0 to make it more compelling to more people:
- Kindle API: We have talked about the Kindle API in the past, but it would absolutely not surprise me if the Kindle programming platform was released sometime early in 2009. Call me ambitious but Amazon can do it.
- Kindle Apps: It’s not tough to borrow from Apple when they do everything right. Look for Amazon to sell Apps in their Kindle store as well.
- Internal HDD/Flash: Look for Amazon to expand on the current memory available on the first generation Kindle, especially if the new Kindle is as big as its rumored.
- Color Screen: We already know that the new Kindle will come in different colors. But what we don’t know is if it will have color screen as well. Well. It should!
- Subscription: Book subscription is the natural evolution for the old business model in the publishing industry. Don’t be surprised if Amazon allowed you to read all you can read for a monthly fee.
- Kindle-2-Kindle: Now this could be a stretch for Kindle 2.0, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Amazon finally added the K2K sharing system so you should share articles and passages with your friends and family members.
- Kindle Affiliate Program: Amazon already has an affiliate program, but with Kindle Amazon can allow you to send a chapter of a book to your friend. If they like the chapter and pick up the book, you get paid a percentage or maybe a free book. Word of mouth marketing is extremely powerful!
- Starter Kit: If you remember the old days, the most annoying thing about buying a new gaming system was having to buy new games for it. That’s why bundling new products with a starter kit leads to a better customer experience. I expect Kindle to give away a couple of books for free with Kindle to help people test drive the device and come back for more.
In your opinion, what other features Amazon will be adding to the Kindle 2.0 and 3.0?
2 New Kindles To Come Out?
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under News
The rumors have always been there. In fact, we reported a while back that Kindle 2.0 was definitely go. But CrunchGear is now reporting that Amazon is planning to release two new Kindles for the holiday season. One will be much bigger (close to size of a real book) while the other will be an upgrade to the existing Kindle. I personally am interested to see how these items will be priced.
Also, the Kindles will come in colors to add more variety to the product line. We are still not sure whether the Black Kindle will be released as well, but it seems logical to have that option. I would expect Amazon to have color screens available for the new fancy Kindles too. Oh and don’t forget the price cut. Don’t be surprised if Amazon dropped another $200 off of the old Kindles in order to make it affordable to more people.
This is certainly great news for Kindle owners. The platform has gotten thumps up from the Amazon management, and the device will be alive for at least a couple more years. Now people just need to step up and support this amazing platform.
Can Amazon’s Kindle Save You Money? Duh!
Posted by P. Rad | Filed under News
We have probably gone over this very issue a million times here, but I guess the more the merrier. The good folks at Wall Street Journal have come up with an excellent piece on Kindle and why it can save you money:
Can Amazon’s Kindle Save You Money?
I don’t think this article will change the minds of those who have already made up their minds. Either you understand what Kindle is about and you don’t. If you don’t even want to give Kindle a try, then you are never going to find out how good it is.
Suggestion: Buy the Kindle. Use it for a week or two. If you don’t like it, just return it. It’s not like you are buying from Buy.com which will give you store credit. Amazon will give you your money back. But I promise you won’t be returning it, if you read books regularly.
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