Yep same here - will stick with my MacBooks and give the iPad a miss. At this price point it's worth a punt on the Kindle - it does seem to have an ever increasing range of features and functions.
Ordered mine.
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Amazon Announces New Kindles: $139 Wi-Fi, $189 3G
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Yep same here - will stick with my MacBooks and give the iPad a miss. At this price point it's worth a punt on the Kindle - it does seem to have an ever increasing range of features and functions.
Ordered mine.
Try turning the screen brightness down to the proper level. You have to control light with a Kindle, too, it just seems that it doesn't bother you with that product. Although, Apple needs better options in iBooks to control contrast and brightness for reading. The readers I use on my iPod have many such options.
I'm not sure why people keep wanting to compare these devices as if the only purchase decision is the $500 iPad or the $140 Kindle. The iPad is far more than a reader, both in price and features. One feature crossover is not enough to make them direct feature competitors.
Poor Kindle. In another time....
Had it been released in say 2005, it would have had a bigger jump on the iphone and the Big Bad ipad. *(you know, the giant ipod touch that nobody wanted, needed OR was going to buy)*
Timing is everything.
Look for the $99 Kindle during the holidays.
Had it been released in say 2005, it would have had a bigger jump on the iphone and the Big Bad ipad. *(you know, the giant ipod touch that nobody wanted, needed OR was going to buy)*
Timing is everything.
Look for the $99 Kindle during the holidays.
The kindle app "brightness control" actually just changes the contrast, which doesn't help (much).
Go to system properties, deselect "automatic brightness" and turn the brightness all the way down. Set the kindle reader on inverse screen, and set the contrast at about 60%. Now it is a reasonable level of light that won't bother your wife.
I was hoping the next generation of kindle would have built in side lighting for night time reading. Palm managed to use side lighting on their original reflective lcd screens; why can't Amazon manage to duplicate that feat? Sony managed it on one of their eink screens (I think).
My sister-in-law bought an kindle reader last year. She was complaining the next morning that she thought it was broken, because she turned it on in the dark, thinking she was going to read in bed, and couldn't see anything.
Poor Kindle. In another time....
Had it been released in say 2005, it would have had a bigger jump on the iphone and the Big Bad ipad. *(you know, the giant ipod touch that nobody wanted, needed OR was going to buy)*
Timing is everything.
Look for the $99 Kindle during the holidays.
I don't think anybody questioned that some people would buy it. After all, when Apple Inc releases a battery charger that has slots only for two AAs, some people cheer and want to throw their $29 for it. Apple could release any electronic item and it would sell, provided that they put a logo on it.
The point was that the device is a large iPod Touch, it's overpriced or it has frustrating limitations. That didn't change.
Also, Amazon apparently sold millions of previous Kindles. Not in 2005, but in the last year or two. Most people don't need more than a colour e-ink screen for e-books, pdfs, emails and web browsing. Then they would get a Kindle and ignore the iPad.
Poor Kindle. In another time....
Had it been released in say 2005, it would have had a bigger jump on the iphone and the Big Bad ipad. *(you know, the giant ipod touch that nobody wanted, needed OR was going to buy)*
Timing is everything.
Look for the $99 Kindle during the holidays.
Agree with $99 by xmas.
I think Amazon has made Kindle a really affordable purchase for those who were debating on whether to get a Kindle or an iPad.
I'll be putting in my order for a Wi-Fi model soon. Scratch that previous sentence... JUST placed my order for the $139.99 Kindle!
The broader selection of books and better pricing that Amazon offers is still ways ahead of Apple's iBooks.
Way to go Amazon. Let's see AMZN skyrocket!
I'll be putting in my order for a Wi-Fi model soon. Scratch that previous sentence... JUST placed my order for the $139.99 Kindle!
The broader selection of books and better pricing that Amazon offers is still ways ahead of Apple's iBooks.
Way to go Amazon. Let's see AMZN skyrocket!
The new lower price of the Kindle is one reason why I might seriously consider getting one. I love to read books but the weight of hardback books and the room it takes is why I want to have an e-book reader in the long run.
I do think with the rapidly dropping price we may see many popular book series finally make it to the Kindle--especially the most-requested ones of all: the Harry Potter novels. I loved the Harry Potter novels but from Goblet of Fire on, the books were so big physically in hardback form it was really inconvenient to hold up and read.
I do think with the rapidly dropping price we may see many popular book series finally make it to the Kindle--especially the most-requested ones of all: the Harry Potter novels. I loved the Harry Potter novels but from Goblet of Fire on, the books were so big physically in hardback form it was really inconvenient to hold up and read.
Poor Kindle. In another time....
Had it been released in say 2005, it would have had a bigger jump on the iphone and the Big Bad ipad. *(you know, the giant ipod touch that nobody wanted, needed OR was going to buy)*
Timing is everything.
Look for the $99 Kindle during the holidays.
I think you're wrong.
This is a fantastic price for a device with a better book reading experience than the iPad. Unlike the iPad, you also don't need a computer to keep syncing it - making it viable for a lot more people.
The Kindle book model is a lot better than Apple's iBook model too - you can share with more devices (including reading your books on the computer), and you don't have to back up your purchases.
Not everyone wants to pay $500+ for mobile videos and gaming. This is now firmly in the impulse-buy cost bracket, and I think Amazon is going to sell a LOT.
Pre-ordered wifi only version. Thats enough for me. Im not going to suddenly have the urge to download a new book while im away from a hotspot.
As someone else pointed out, the GPS also adds up. Beyond that, I'm sure the 3g chip in the kindle isn't the worlds fastest, most amazing 3g chipset. It doesn't have to be, as it's only pulling down the occasional book or newspaper.
As for whispernet being included, I'm sure Amazon is essentially paying wholesale for bandwidth. It can't cost more than a few pennies (maybe 50c if they suck at negotiating) to transfer a book. This is more than offset by the lack of physical publishing costs.
My thoughts exactly. Barnes and Noble just released a new nook not too long ago, why wasn't that featured here too?
So you're saying that the Kindle doesn't need 3G because you can always find a hotspot to access the Internet, but at the same time you're also saying that the iPad only makes sense with 3G. Why? Because the iPad cannot use the same hotspots as the Kindle?
Honestly, that line of argument doesn't make any sense at all.
Actually, the iPad doesn't make much sense without a FAST Internet access, because it's a device targeted at heavy multimedia consumption, and that already rules out 3G due to its relative slowness in most places and countries. The Kindle, on the other side, is targeted at text consumption, where 3G speeds are usually sufficient. Also, the 3G capabilities of the Kindle were originally only intended for hassle-free eBook delivery - without the need to have an actual Internet connection and without the need to configure hot spot access or even pay for it.
I'm surprised at the number of people that think these devices compete.
Frankly they aren't even remotely competive. Kindle does one thing well that is serve up monochrome books. In that context it could be seen as a great device.
IPad on the otherhand is a tablet computer that happens to have a NUMBER of e-Book apps. You are not stuck with one reader nor one supplier with iPad. Even with all this E-Book capability it is a minor feature for the iPad.
Considering i own niether right now I can say with some certainty that i'd get an iPad before a Kindle. That simply because the iPad would be more useful to me for its wider range of capabilities. In fact i'm going on a trip for the long weekend and have to admit having an iPad to travel could be very useful.
With the Kindle I just don't see a big attraction in its monochrome screen. It is certainly good enough for novels and other monochrome publications but that is an extremely small portion of my reading. Magazines, Journals, Technical books and even historical books require color and high resolution rendering. Even a good number of programming books are resorting to the use of some color to support a wide range of type faces.
Oh one more thing the solid support of PDFs is important too. Even Apples iOS devices come up short here but iBooks support of PDFs is a step in the right direction.
Dave
Frankly they aren't even remotely competive. Kindle does one thing well that is serve up monochrome books. In that context it could be seen as a great device.
IPad on the otherhand is a tablet computer that happens to have a NUMBER of e-Book apps. You are not stuck with one reader nor one supplier with iPad. Even with all this E-Book capability it is a minor feature for the iPad.
Considering i own niether right now I can say with some certainty that i'd get an iPad before a Kindle. That simply because the iPad would be more useful to me for its wider range of capabilities. In fact i'm going on a trip for the long weekend and have to admit having an iPad to travel could be very useful.
With the Kindle I just don't see a big attraction in its monochrome screen. It is certainly good enough for novels and other monochrome publications but that is an extremely small portion of my reading. Magazines, Journals, Technical books and even historical books require color and high resolution rendering. Even a good number of programming books are resorting to the use of some color to support a wide range of type faces.
Oh one more thing the solid support of PDFs is important too. Even Apples iOS devices come up short here but iBooks support of PDFs is a step in the right direction.
Dave
I love iPad. and I think I would love Kindle for book reading. Could you tell me if the 6" is not too small for reading?
I actually just pre-ordered a new Kindle.
we have to thank iPad for almost 50% Kindle price reduce
so thank you, iPad
I think the iPad contributed to the price reduction of the new (graphite) Kindle DX. ($489 to $379)
But for the 6" screen e-readers, you can thank Barnes & Noble with their Nook for driving the prices down to current levels. They came out with a $149 WiFi only Nook, and $199 WiFi + 3G version which forced Amazon to do something with their Kindle.
I have a first generation Kindle, and there's enough improvement at a reasonable price with this third generation to consider an upgrade.
Perhaps Amazon sort of subsidizes the upfront cost, as most of the 3G data user consume will be content bought from Amazon, as opposed to free ranging wild flash free web as in the iPad.
The iPad is not a dedicated ebook reader, it is a multipurpose device that makes a great ebook reader, provided you don't have lcd-sensitive eyes. (In which case you're pretty unlucky these days).
Plus I can read from my iPad in the dark.
I like the e-ink readers too, but I think I'd prefer a nook, even at a $10 premium. It is more open, format wise.
Plus I can read from my iPad in the dark.
I like the e-ink readers too, but I think I'd prefer a nook, even at a $10 premium. It is more open, format wise.
I want to quote you because the
fanboys need to pay attention.Yes I own a slew of Apple products. I love my Kindle