Kindle 2

Kindle 2 Will Woo You, Despite its Price
By Josh Quittner

If only the Kindle 2 were cheaper! Despite its other shortcomings, Amazon's new and improved digital-book reading device does enough right that it could become the Model T of e-readers, capturing the imagination--and discretionary spending--of the masses. But in this wretched economy, in which most of us will purchase only nonessentials that save us money or make us money, I doubt folks will pony up $359 . And thanks to Amazon's mysterious pricing policies, the old argument--that digital books are so much cheaper than their hide-bound ancestors--no longer holds.


THAT'S THEIR CHOICE. IF YOU TAKE ALL THE BAGGAGE, HAULING PRODUCTION AND JUST PAY THE AUTHOR, IT WOULD BE VERY LOW PRICED. BUT THERE IS NO MYSTERY TO THEIR PRICING POLLICY. IT'S WHAT THE BUYER WILL BEAR.

I purchased The Kindly Ones, by Jonathan Littell, a 992-page given the nearly 3-lb. weight of the new English translation, makes for an ideal Kindle selection. But when I got ready to buy it on Amazon, I blanched at the $16.19 price. Every Kindle text I've purchased since Amazon started selling the device in November 2007 has been $9.99. Indeed, that was one of the Kindle's main draws: you could buy books wirelessly, on demand and at a fraction of the cost of their printed peers. Case in point: Littell's book was listed in Amazon's Kindle store with a hardcover price of $29.99, making the digital version seem like a real bargain. But later I discovered that Amazon's bookstore was selling the new hardcover for $17.99. So the Kindle saved me all of $1.80.

THIS IS AN EXCEPTION SO HE CAN SOUND AHEAD OF THE CURVE. WHY NOT MENTION THESE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR FIFTEEN YEARS, BUT UNPROMOTED BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT ON THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY. SOME CURVE. JUST BORING.

So what's with the price hike? An Amazon spokesman says that Kindle store "prices change from time to time" and most books are still $9.99 or less, including New York Times best sellers and "most new releases." Why was the Kindle Kindly Ones $16.19? Because Amazon decided to price it that way. That worries me because as bookstores die out, Amazon is strengthening its lock on the publishing business.ALSO,IT IS A VERY LONG BOOK. 900 PAGES. THIS IS A FLUKE NOT A TELLING EXCEPTION. JUST BULLSHIT.

From that perspective, it's unfortunate that everything about the Kindle 2 is better than the original.


WHAYT DOES THAT MEAN. FROM WHAT PERSPECTIVE, THAT A 900 PAGE BOOK NEARLY DOUBLED THE TEN DOLLAR PRICE. WHAT AN IDIOT. BUT HE'S DOING WHAT HE'S TOLD. NOT TO TOUT THIS THING THAT WILL CLOSE BOOK STORES.

It's sleeker, more pleasant to touch and easier to read (though the screen is the same size), and the battery lasts forever--more than two weeks if you keep the wireless connection off. It also adds a supercool feature called Whispersync, which automatically notes where you left off reading.


THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE. So if you use more than one Kindle or download the free Kindle reading software to your Apple iPhone, you can move from one device to the other without losing your place.BUT WHY NOT MENTION YOU STILL CAN'T READ IT IN THE DARK,A BIG SELLING POINT THEY ARE HOLDING BACK FOR THGE NEXT GENERATION.

Who would read a 992-page book on their iPhone? It's not as bad as you'd think. With a 10-in. iPod Touch rumored to be in the works, perhaps someday there might be much needed pricing competition too.

COMPETITION? IN WHAT CENTURY? THIS GUY IS SLOW.



MENTION SAMSUNGS Q1, SHOWN ON CSI REGULARLY.. TELL THE TRUTH YOU JERK.