Amazon is almost as good at creating buzz as Apple. So what will happen on February 9 when Jeff Bezos hosts a news conference in New York? If it isn’t Kindle 2.0, lots of media watchers, e-book fans and gadget hounds will be disappointed.
As Brad Stone reports in the New York Times,
The device has been out of stock since November, after Oprah Winfrey touted it on her show. The announcement seems to confirm our suspicions that the original Kindle has been obsolete since that time and that everyone who purchased the device over the holidays from Amazon.com — or put their name on a waiting list — will receive the newer version.
Wait, watch and read. Shall we feel the buzz or feel bummed?
I was an early Kindle user. My first one died prematurely but Amazon replaced it with no hassle at all. I’ve purchased 2 others for family members and we share the same library which consists now of more than 50 titles.
I figure I’ve saved more than the cost of my own Kindles in buying Kindle versions over hard copy books. My daughter has tried to teach me about libraries but I like buying books. On the other hand it is awfully easy to buy Kindle books especially for one who enjoys buying books.
Since I usually read several books at the same time, the Kindle is great for me and is so convenient. I read more with the Kindle because it is always within reach and can be used in very brief encounters. I read my morning paper on it now.
There are shortcomings but I’ve pretty much come to the point where I don’t buy a book if it is not available on the Kindle. I admit this does perplex and concern me because I would hate to see hard copy books disappear. Still I think the Kindle is not for everyone so I think that possibility is relatively unlikely.
I do see others with Kindles now. Most recently there were two of us on the same airplane. We talked about them while boarding and both of us were really happy with our experience.
I think Steve Jobs is a really smart guy but I think he was wrong in his early assessment of the Kindle and I especially think he was wrong when he said “Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year. The whole conception is flawed at the top because people don’t read anymore.”
The other day I was in Starbucks and the barista who served me saw my Kindle. She told me she was using her income tax refund this year to buy one. I thought that was pretty significant.
I enjoy your blog entries very much.
Well, there is one satisfied customer. Jeff Bezos would be pleased. Steve Jobs is right, though, about how many people in the U.S. read books. But that still leaves 100+ million who do–which is no small market.
Andy