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• shiwani - Nov 19 2007 | book, news

  I'm not sure how I feel about this - I've been on the fence about electronic readers from the start, particulary because of what it might mean in terms of accessibility. I wouldn't mind getting people's thoughts on this: If publishers primarily start producing e-books, will it widen the digital divide that we've been trying to close up?

  Quoted: Amazon's Jeff Bezos already built a better bookstore. Now he believes he can improve upon one of humankind's most divine creations: the book itself.

  • hbhanoo - Nov 19 2007
    

    don't initiatives like the $100 laptop start evening things out a bit?

  • mohit - Nov 19 2007
    

    potentially, it reduces the digital divide. distribution and variable pricing to remote villages arguably is arguably easier with e-books than it is with regular books.

  • shiwani - Nov 19 2007
    

    i think these initiatives are all necessary and it's good they're being developed. but right now it seems issues like re-charging batteries (if you don't have electricity) or just organization/funds to get wind-up laptops distributed will still take time to sort out and become feasible, particulary for more remote regions (i'm thinking about this book i read called 'three cups of tea' in which the author set up libraries in remote villages). but it's great these technologies exist and i think they're going to make a huge impact in the future!

  • mohit - Nov 19 2007
    

    good points. the sony e-book reader has very low power consumption. maybe they will mate this with a solar panel soon.

  • shiwani - Nov 19 2007
    

    oh that's a good idea!

  • hbhanoo - Nov 19 2007
    

    check out a review from a beta tester - he apparently suggested just that (a solar cover) to amzn:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3CTI2ARGG2T7X/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort%5Fby=MostRecentReview
• mike - Nov 18 2007 | books, amazon, kindle, ebook, reader

  Quoted: This week Bezos is releasing the Amazon Kindle, an electronic device that he hopes will leapfrog over previous attempts at e-readers and become the turning point in a transformation toward Book 2.0.

  • jacoxnet - Nov 19 2007
    

    Just read this story. The story wonders if the Kindle can be the iPod of ebooks. I think the thing is just too, well, ugly.

  • mike - Nov 19 2007
    

    Pictures I've seen look like a cheap plastic device. I think you're astute to point out that much of the iPod's success is about Style and not Function.

  • royleban - Nov 21 2007
    

    Style is definitely part of it. The Kindle looks clunky. The Sony Reader got style right but hasn't been very successful yet (the only style elements of the Kindle I like better are the side buttons and the angle and the buttons, but I think the angle is a bit overdone).

    I think success is a combination of factors and the easy download to the iPod made a difference. Amazon's store will help, but apparently getting non-purchased books to the device isn't as easy. If Sony could get books from Amazon and make it easier to get non-purchased books to it as well, they could win.
• eric - Nov 18 2007 | technology, internet, books, Amazon.com, Kindle

  Quoted: Amazon's Jeff Bezos already built a better bookstore. Now he believes he can improve upon one of humankind's most divine creations: the book itself.

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