Amazon's Kindle, at $399 USD, is the same price as Apple's iPhone, but this is strictly an eBook reader.  Use EVDO wirless connectivity to go online to browse and purchase books.  Using "electronic paper," which simulates type and paper in real books, plus a nice size display, this may very well be a hit.  There's already nearly 90,000 books, newspapers, magazines and more you can access to start reading!

FYI, the wireless is similar to that found in cell phones, so no wi-fi hotspots are needed.  Also,  Amazon says there aren't any service contracts for using it wirelessly, nor do you need a computer to purchase books, etc.  It's an all-in-one device.

By the way, it's not a fancy-looking device, which is intentional.  It's "Book 2.0," as Newsweek says in a cover story featuring the Kindle.

Newsweek interviews Amazon's head honcho Jeff Bezos, himself a big-time book reader, about why he would want to tackle something that has been said was doomed to failure.  You have to read the article, plus check out the video review by the article's author, Steven Levy.  He thinks it's a great device!

(How's this for irony?  I am about to link to the article online vs. joining everyone in a march to pick up the issue which features the device on its cover.)  Read the Newsweek article here.

Posted at 10:40PM Nov 21, 2007 by Heath McKnight in Astound  |  Comments[0]