For the last blog I have decided to write about Amazon Kindle. According to Wikipedia, the Kindle “is an e-book reader—an embedded system for reading electronic books… It uses an electronic paper display, reads the proprietary Kindle (AZW) format, and downloads content over Amazon Whispernet, which uses the Sprint EVDO network” (Wikipedia, 2008). The Kindle can hold up to 200 books or magazines or articles. No computer is needed to operate the Kindle which makes it fairly convenient. The Kindle is a good idea because if you want to read you don’t have to lung around books, newspapers, or magazines, the only catch is that it has to be on a wireless network. Also the text is bigger as well, and it is not exactly hand-held, but by looking at the picture above, it looks like the size of a thin paperback book. On Amazon.com under the Kindle page, a video is posted explaining the Kindle’s qualities. According to an article on cnn.com, the Kindle is currently sold out due to heavy demand and the article claims that the reason is got so popular is because of the marketing (Ponz, 2008).
“This is the future of book reading. It will be everywhere." Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball and Liar's Poker.
“Blockbuster writers such as J.K. Rowling, author of the "Harry Potter" series, have said they'll never allow their books to appear on the market in electronic form” and other writers such as James Patterson have embraced the Kindle (Ponz, 2008). Another set back to the Kindle is that the price is $359 (Amazon.com, 2008). Also many people will still find it more enjoyable to actually hold the book or article in their hand to read as stated in the cnn.com article (Ponz, 2008).
The Kindle brings up controversy in that fact that it may make print go even further out of our lifestyles by bringing books into the matter and not just magazine or news articles. Going back in the semester to look at copyright, how many authors do you think are going to let people download their books onto their Kindles? I’m guessing not a lot unless they are going to be compensated for their work, and some may just be totally against the idea even if compensation was offered. Currently 10% of Amazon’s books/articles are available for the Kindle, which is around 200,000 (Ponz, 2008). How well can we supervise the internet and make sure people are not downloading these books/ articles illegally in a few months or years time? What type of copyright laws will be made to deal with this?
This whole thing seems very logical to me as to why it would be popular. People have gotten used to reading text messages on their phones and their blackberry’s and of course surfing the net on their i-phones so people attaching themselves to the Kindle doesn’t seem all that strange to me. People like having technology shape their lives. However for me, I like to hold a book in my hand to read and having to lug around textbooks to my classes is not a problem for me either. If the information is in a book or in the Amazon Kindle both are just as accessible to me. The only difference would be on how you want to access the information.
“This is the future of book reading. It will be everywhere." Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball and Liar's Poker.
“Blockbuster writers such as J.K. Rowling, author of the "Harry Potter" series, have said they'll never allow their books to appear on the market in electronic form” and other writers such as James Patterson have embraced the Kindle (Ponz, 2008). Another set back to the Kindle is that the price is $359 (Amazon.com, 2008). Also many people will still find it more enjoyable to actually hold the book or article in their hand to read as stated in the cnn.com article (Ponz, 2008).
The Kindle brings up controversy in that fact that it may make print go even further out of our lifestyles by bringing books into the matter and not just magazine or news articles. Going back in the semester to look at copyright, how many authors do you think are going to let people download their books onto their Kindles? I’m guessing not a lot unless they are going to be compensated for their work, and some may just be totally against the idea even if compensation was offered. Currently 10% of Amazon’s books/articles are available for the Kindle, which is around 200,000 (Ponz, 2008). How well can we supervise the internet and make sure people are not downloading these books/ articles illegally in a few months or years time? What type of copyright laws will be made to deal with this?
This whole thing seems very logical to me as to why it would be popular. People have gotten used to reading text messages on their phones and their blackberry’s and of course surfing the net on their i-phones so people attaching themselves to the Kindle doesn’t seem all that strange to me. People like having technology shape their lives. However for me, I like to hold a book in my hand to read and having to lug around textbooks to my classes is not a problem for me either. If the information is in a book or in the Amazon Kindle both are just as accessible to me. The only difference would be on how you want to access the information.
References:
Amazon Kindle. Video. Retrieved from: http://www.amazon.com/Kindle%20Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Device/dp/B000FI73MA.
Ponz, Jason. A year later, Amazon’s Kindle finds a niche. 3 Dec. 2008. Retrieved from: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/12/03/kindle.electronic.reader/index.html.
Amazon Kindle. 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2008 from STS Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle.
4 comments:
kindles. that is a new concept for me because i am not the biggest book reader. though i find that idea interesting that you can download books to a handheld device. For once it would be more eco-friendly because you wouldnt have to create millions of books, and in the future teachers could even upload lectures or readings and plug it into a computer for a class. those who oppose the idea are selfish in my opinion.
the kindle looks cool. With the whole world going green and trying to conserve wildlife I see no problem with completely switching to digital form of book reading. It was only a matter of time before this product was perfected. Writers better find a way ro make money on this, because in the near future it will take over the book market, and make hardcovers and paper backs a thing of the past.
I think the concept of Kindles is pretty interesting and cool. But i wonder if, like the music industry, users will be able to upload illegaly downloaded books. However, since I will never be the author of any book I have no complains. GO GREEN!!
I agree that the Kindle has many implications for the publishing industry, but I can't imagine the authors of books would take a big hit from this. I think that book manufacturers will probably have problems in the future however, as the format of the book is changing, not the content. Also, did you see the Oprah show where Amazon's CEO came to talk about the Kindle? Oprah was so excited about it she did all the talking and didn't let him get a word in! And she of course gave everyone in the audience a free Kindle... I wish I had been there!
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