Sleeker design. More storage. Longer battery life. And now Kindle can read
to you. Learn
more. If you have previously placed an order for Kindle 1, and have not
yet received it, your order will automatically be upgraded to Kindle 2.
For those familiar with the Amazon Kindle, you already know that this device has
revolutionized book reading. A natural evolution of the paperback is a clear and
crisp readable hand held electronic device that can store an entire library.
The Kindle 2 takes this concept further, strengthening what readers like most
about the original Kindle while making the device even thinner and lighter. Part
of me has a strong sense of nostalgia for all the books and magazines I have
laying around my house. But there come's a time to embrace the fruits of new
technology (and hopefully save a few trees in the process). Decide to make the
change now by getting your own Kindle
2
"This
is the future of book reading. It will be everywhere." Michael Lewis,
author of Moneyball and Liar's Poker.
With a media line that stretched nearly to Madison Avenue and such publishing
heavyweights in attendance as Random House’s Markus Dohle and
HarperCollins’s Brian Murray, Amazon unveiled the Kindle2 in an elaborate, and
crowded, presentation this morning at New York’s Morgan Library. The new
device is significantly slimmer than the original--about as thin as a
pencil--has a text-to-speech function that can read the book out loud, and
easier and improved navigation. The device also includes improved graphics and
more storage--it will hold 1,500 books, Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos said, and its
battery will hold a charge for two weeks.
Kindle2 will debut on February 24 and will still be priced at $359. For
customers who have a Kindle on backorder, Amazon will automatically upgrade the
purchase to the new e-reader. Bezos said for existing Kindle owners, anyone who
orders a new one within 24 hours “will be put at the top of the queue.” It
was unclear if current Kindle owners will receive a discount for upgrading.
In his remarks, Bezos said Amazon had been selling e-books “for years”
and “it wasn’t working until 14 months ago” when the Kindle was launched.
He displayed a graph which showed flat e-book sales from 2003 through 2008 when
business spiked, but there were no numbers attached. Bezos did say e-book sales
now account for 10% of sales (and didn’t mention the usual caveat that that
figure is for books available in both print and e-book formats). Ian Freed v-p
for Kindle said he hoped the company would be able to keep Kindle2
in stock, something that has sometimes been a problem with the current
version. He said Amazon has increased capacity to meet expected demand. A new
Whispersync feature syncs the new Kindle with the old and Bezos said Amazon is
working on ways to sync the Kindle to other mobile devices.
The presentation included an appearance by Stephen King, a self-described fan
of the Kindle and who was persuaded by Amazon to writer a short story to be
offered exclusively on the device. In the novella Ur, King includes a
scene which is a long product placement for Amazon and the Kindle, and noted
that in the piece the main character’s Kindle gives him super powers.
Stephen King pens Kindle2 exclusive
The horror
By Stewart Meagher Monday, 9 February 2009, found at theinquirer.net/
AMAZON IS EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE
the arrival of the new version of its Kindle electronic book reader today,
and the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the
internet trader has added a bit of clout to the launch by persuading pulp
horror author Stephen King to write a new book which will (for the time
being at least) be available exclusively on the Kindle 2.
Quite
why Amazon would go to all the trouble of securing what will certainly be a
massivley lucrative deal for the New England author, when it is selling as
many of the $359 electronic libraries as it can make, is beyond us.
But the company is hoping to seriously ramp up production
of the paperback-sized device which has been plagued by limited production
based on overly-conservative estimates of demand and sales.
Details about new version of the device, which has a
specially-produced screen which emulates the look of paper, are being kept
secret, but we suspect it will have a larger viewing area, faster screen
refresh rates and higher storage capacity.
We can but hope that the price will also drop to
something rather less wallet worrying.
In reply to an earlier post on Oct 4, 2008 3:06 AM PDT
S. Banks says:
Wow - what a great scoop! Yes thats a new Kindle all right. But, well, other
than a new form factor - its looks pretty much the same? Buttons in different
places, a little sleeker looking, etc.. have to see what's new with it really.
Discover the Kindle Amazon forum discussions: kindle2
MovieShame.
There have always been lots of movies that show or exploit sex, but far fewer
that try to explore it seriously, as a rich, meaningful subject, whether
psychological or social...
A Christmas Carol Seymour Hicks plays
the title role of Scrooge in the first
sound version of the Dickens classic about ..
Quite
why Amazon would go to all the trouble of securing what will certainly be a
massivley lucrative deal for the New England author, when it is selling as
many of the $359 electronic libraries as it can make, is beyond us.
