Amazon has released a good conceptual product! The Kindle is an e-book reader, book downloader, and blog reader with integrated wireless EVDO/CDMA.
Amazon dubs the Kindle the “Wireless Reading Device”.
Reviews on this puppy are mixed. Robert Scoble of the wonderful scobleizer.com blog calls this device crap about 20 times, so it must be a dud; watch his review here.
Here is my quick review:
GOOD
1) Small portable device
2) Wireless anywhere - truly groundbreaking
3) E-paper is a good idea, let’s save some trees
BAD
1) $399 - way too much money for a simple device that is somewhat crippled
2) Not backlit - has a light dongle WTF?
3) Oddly shaped with no touch screen - The 90s called they want their PDA back.
4) First Gen - don’t be a beta tester
UGLY
Yes it is.
I love shopping on Amazon and I buy a lot of things there, but this device is an immature product. I think it is great conceptual and hopefully they will fix all the things that are just not kosher with it. So I think this is a WAIT WAIT WAIT product. I hope they don’t shelf it because I think it has potential, but this is a TURKEY, gobble gobble.
3 responses so far ↓
1 dcr // Nov 27, 2007 at 12:12 am
Except for the wireless capability and long battery life, it sounds like it’s less capable than my 14-year old Newton.
And, it can’t read PDFs?
There must be something in Guy Kawasaki’s water, ’cause I’d rather have an iPhone than a Kindle.
2 brent // Nov 27, 2007 at 11:07 am
If you get a chance listen to Scoble’s rant. It is hilarious.
I think there is a lot of potential in this market. I just hope this isn’t the apex. :\
3 Zak Nicola // Nov 28, 2007 at 11:15 am
I like to read a lot, so at when I had first heard about this, I did get pretty excited. That was until I saw/read about the $400 POS. Smart move by Amazon to have Authors review the new tech item.
As for Guy, I’d be willing to bet he has an affiliate set up for the overpriced and oversized Gameboy. (the ones with out the backlight)
Leave a Comment