Comments on: Amazon To Rekindle Interest In Ebook Readers Monday

By: website linking strategies

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By: jay

jay — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:55:45 +0000

I think I’m going to increase my position in Lenscrafters.

By: Ugly American

Ugly American — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:44:22 +0000

I won’t buy DRM crippleware.

Not for $1 and certainly not for $10.

I can buy real books for less.

WTF are they thinking?

FAILURE.

PS - it’s ugly as sin

By: Bubba

Bubba — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:27:25 +0000

I am on my second palm, and own somewhere around 800 ebooks, and pickup around 5 a month directly from the publisher.

No DRM, and the one’s I really like, I buy in hardcopy for the library.

I’ve been on a mostly ebook diet since about 1999.

-Bubba

By: Julian Nicholls

Julian Nicholls — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:10:27 +0000

I can buy an awful lot of books for $399, that probably equates to 20 hardbacks, or even 50 paperbacks.

After buying the reader, I still then have to pay for my e-books, which are DRMed so I can’t even sell them on once I’m done with them.

I don’t see why anyone would do it.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 04:37:29 +0000

More products, more manufacturing, more pollution, more junk in the landfill…

climate change - a yes! we are eco friendly…

my ass!

By: Joe Wikert

Joe Wikert — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 01:42:19 +0000

I agree with the pricing and other issues raised here and elsewhere but I think another another important issue is often ignored in this debate: There’s little, if any, value in simply porting the paper product to an e-device. Where e-content can shine is when it truly takes advantage of being digital. A printed book is a static, albeit effective, product. An e-device opens things up to a much more dynamic experience. Let’s tap into that and create some really exciting products!

Btw, sure, you *can* read on an iPhone, but would you really *want* to, especially for hours and hours at a time?! If so you can bet optometrists everywhere will cheer all the extra business, new glasses, contacts, etc., they’ll sell as we straining our eyes like never before!

Joe Wikert
Publishing 2020 Blog
http://www.joewikert.com

By: Matt M

Matt M — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 13:26:46 +0000

I have a large quantity of existing PDFs bought from places like Pragmatic Programmers and APress. So, I guess I need the iPod of e-book readers. Something that can display my current books (like playing MP3 on an iPod) and can sell me new books (iTunes).

I can’t really buy this since it ignores my existing collection. The Sony reader handles PDFs so poorly (Sony - mostly great hardware - pathetic software) that I can’t read them. I don’t want to use a PDA or even the iPhone because of battery and eye fatigue issues. Price isn’t even the issue, these things seem to be in my iPod’s range. I am fine with that. I just want the iPod of eBook readers. Is it really that hard?

By: Hammer

Hammer — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:50:58 +0000

Failure!

I won’t be carrying two devices for the same purpose!
My laptop is enough!

When Apple delivers the next laptop without HD, thin as paper and start selling books for 99cts in iTunes then the world will understand how to do business that appeal to consumers. Again.

Meanwhile, keep trying…

By: NickeyD

NickeyD — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 09:17:24 +0000

Woo, the haunted world of Madison Avenue. Google Book Search is on the verge of collapse and now Amazon enters this world with no clue at all. Sad day.

By: www.CARversation.com

www.CARversation.com — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:47:08 +0000

thats hot

By: David Mackey

David Mackey — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:45:11 +0000

One of my friends has a Sony and it is amazing. It is so much better than reading on the computer because of how friendly the display is on the eyes. These devices are all about mobility and not having to tote around a full computer when all you want to do is read a book/magazine.

By: travis2

travis2 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:33:57 +0000

Since Amazon is going to all the trouble to make its device wireless, it’s too bad they couldn’t make it more standards compliant and open. The first ebook hardware device that builds around ebook standards and allows readers to interface with web-based content will rise to the top.

By: Kev

Kev — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:22:52 +0000

What does everyone think about the razor and blades business model being applied to ebooks? A company with Amazon’s cash-flow could afford to hand out the hardware at a loss. Amortized packaging and distribution costs for the “blades” could plausibly hover about the pennies. Combining this with a cutthroat revenue agreement heavily favoring publishers, it could offer up a compelling discount to buyers (upwards of 25%, if this ends up resembling MP3 album downloads).

For a nominal amount of money upfront (Amazon Prime is pretty popular for something that costs $79 a year), end-users would get the convenience of wireless on-demand access to a vast library of books. The provider would get a unique product with a locked-in user-base. It’s a risky investment but a very interesting and game-changing one.

As an aside, Amazon has recently been angling toward the essential middleman position with things like S3, EC2, Fullfillment by Amazon, and their Marketplace. It wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility for them to pull off something like this…but I doubt it. Their shareholders would kill them.

By: scratchiti

scratchiti — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:05:54 +0000

Linda, I think you’re 100% correct. And also because sometimes it’s just nice to have good works of fiction on your bookshelf. But I don’t need the world to know I’m reading “7 habits of highly effective people.”

By: Alaska Miller

Alaska Miller — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:07:06 +0000

Been using my Sony Reader for going on 2 years now. I’ve gone through about a book a week. You people have no clue what you’re missing.

By: Linda VandeVrede

Linda VandeVrede — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:51:22 +0000

I wrote my master’s thesis at Boston University in 1984 on ebooks, which at that time were available on videotex only and were called “electronic novels.” The very first one was written at a trade show in 1983 and available for download for a fee to videotex subscribers. Although the interface has improved a thousandfold since then, my contention in 1984 holds true 23 years later - people prefer non-fiction information electronically, and want to settle down with an old-fashioned book format for fiction.

By: EH

EH — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:38:46 +0000

I think I’m going to increase my position in Lenscrafters.

By: David

David — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:51:04 +0000

I was in the Sony store in NYC recently and saw the ebook reader and was pretty impressed. It’s amazingly clear to read. I thought it could use a few more viewing options, but still thought highly of it. I don’t read enough to get one, but if I did, I don’t think I’d flinch at it. It’s much easier to read than something like an iPhone. It looks like text on paper in comparison, just softer on the eyes.

I hope this comes to stores as I’d like to check it out in person.

I agree with others though, it’s probably too high of a price point to be successful.

By: douche

douche — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:39:24 +0000

nice engadget rip off
http://www.engadget.com/2007/1.....on-monday/

at least u changed the title.

By: Steve Ballmer

Steve Ballmer — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:29:10 +0000

“Why don’t you get iPhone/iPod touch and go to textonphone.com?”
Bad idea, iPhones are major poluters and have been causing global warming for the past 8 years!

Why don’t you get iPhone/iPod touch and go to textonphone.com?
Because I love my kids!

By: david8

david8 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:07:20 +0000

$399 is too high and I refuse to buy DRM stuff anymore. If they can lower the price (maybe $199) and ditch the DRM, I’ll take one. Maybe two.

By: Norman

Norman — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:02:51 +0000

Again, don’t know amazon ’s business directions, they are a lot of stuff, no focus!

By: Norman

Norman — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:01:58 +0000

Not see this as a great business

By: Duke

Duke — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:59:00 +0000

Why don’t you get iPhone/iPod touch and go to textonphone.com? It is free with large selection of free books and novels. iPhone makes for a perfect book reader with its large screen and textonphone.com caches pages in the background as you read so it works ofline quite well.