So I was checking out the DEMO site to figure out what this whole BizEquity thing was about (a friend of mine told me about this site), and I see that the Plastic eBook reader is going to get some more coverage at that conference. I posted a note about the reader a few days ago, and I think it’s a great device. But I am not really sure if it can hold its own against Kindle without Wi-Fi.

I do like the fact that it shows Amazon what it can do with its Kindle device. There is no question that Kindle can be designed better, and I am sure Amazon knows that as well. Kindle right now looks like a device that was made in 2000. It’s OK looking, and it does what it needs to do, but Plastic looks like the device from the future, even though Kindle is actually the real thing. So one would hope that Amazon’s watching these guys and learning some pointers when it comes to design.

Well, here is their presentation. Enjoy!

Wired has a story on Kindle which is quite intriguing. It seems both Cindy Mccain and Michelle Obama have been working double shift on their biographies, and those will be released first to Kindle users. Now that is a brilliant idea if it was used for more serious books. Think about it. Let’s say you are a programmer, and you can get the latest book about Flex 4 on Kindle a month before it comes out. Doesn’t that give you a clear edge over those who don’t have Kindle?

When a company such as Amazon introduces a revolutionary device that can be a game changer in a market such as the e-book market, it is only logical to expect other companies to jump in and challenge them with their own devices. Well, the one from Plastic Logic is about to challenge Amazon Kindle for a piece of a pie in the ebook market. This device which was prototyped at DEMO is so thin and wide, that it puts Kindle to shame. It looks exactly like a page from a book. The only downside is that it does not come with wireless or wi-fi capability, but I am utterly encouraged by what it is possible with the ebook readers these days. One thing is for sure. If this device is priced in the range of $300-$400, you can’t expect a lot of people to get it if it doesn’t come with Wi-Fi capability.
Via Wired

The Kindle rumor machine seems to be on again, this time with claims that no new Kindle will be available this year. This time it seems to be a bit more legitimate as it is coming from Amazon officials. I personally can’t believe Amazon missing on the opportunity to cash in before the year’s end, when people are more likely to spend the kind of money Amazon will be asking for the new Kindle. But at the same time, it wouldn’t surprise me if Amazon holds off till the new year to get the launch process right this time around. Watch this space for more updates.

We reported a while back that Amazon was preparing the new Kindle for September release. It seems other news sources are catching up as Yahoo! reported this earlier today. There will be two new Kindles, one that comes with a better user interface, and the other that will be bigger in deminsions. I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely excited to see the new Kindles. I wish Amazon would offer their $100 off deal for the new Kindles just like Apple dropped prices on the 2nd genertion iPhone. Regardless, unless Amazon puts a ridiculous price on these two new Kindles, they are a no brainer for any book lover.

Good news folks. Amazon has finally dropped prices on Kindle by $100. Sort of… Amazon has just announced that if you get their Amazon Rewards Visa Card, you can get the Kindle for $259! In other words, you get $100 off the Kindle if you help out Amazon’s partner, Chase. I personally think it’s a decent deal as the credit card is not that bad at all. It also goes on to show that it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Amazon to offer these Kindles for much cheaper in the near future to boost sales. We shall see.

Well. It’s just a rumor at this point, but sources close to the Kindle inner circle are claiming that Amazon has sold 240,000 Kindle devices so far for a revenue of $86-94 million. Now that’s not bad at all. These number are obviously not official (well they are sort of it techcrunch claim it), but this should give Amazon plenty of reasons to continue on this path. Now let’s see the profit.

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?

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.

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.