Portable eBook Readers

Posts Tagged ‘e-book’

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The recent surge in the popularity of both e-books and e-book readers has been heavily influenced by Amazon. The Amazon Kindle reader first appeared on the market in November of 2006 and further updates followed with the release of the Kindle 2.0 in February of 2009 and the launch of the third generation Kindle in August 2010. The large display Kindle DX was released in the summer of 2009 and also had an upgrade in August 2010.

Many business analysts forecast that, regardless of Amazon’s influential role in the development of the e-book and e-book reader market, the release of Apple’s iPad would effectively kill off the Kindle. However, after the launch of the third generation Kindle – accompanied by a reduction in the retail price – Amazon has sold out of their readers again. Demand seems to be holding up, and then some, for what is now Amazon’s best selling item.

Some people have accepted e-books quite readily. Others seem to remain attached to traditional physical books. However, for the majority of people the convenience of being able to carry large quantities of reading material around with them, coupled with the ease of operation offered by e-book readers, has turned out to be an attractive proposition. Recent e-book reader price cuts, prompted or at least hastened by the launch of the iPad, have made e-book readers more attractive to many consumers.

Amazon recently confirmed that they are now selling more Kindle books than traditional hardback editions. The low selling priced e-books – they use no paper or ink and have no delivery fees to speak of after all – certainly helps. It can’t be very much longer before e-books begin to outsell paperbacks.

As well as the price, the ease with which e-books can be bought is another influencing factor. Readers can download a book to their Kindle in under a minute, whatever the time of day, just as long as they can connect to the Amazon Kindle store.

One possible stumbling block for many readers was a reticence to be “tied” to any particular e-book reader. This issue has been very effectively addressed by Amazon who have released a large number of free “apps” to allow Kindle books to be read on a wide range of different devices. Currently, Kindle books can be read on the Mac, the PC, the iPhone, the iPad, the Blackberry smart phone and any device which uses the Android operating system. It’s a clever move on Amazon’s part. Not only does it address customer’s concerns about being tied to one particular brand of hardware but every new app acts as a separate retail outlet for Amazon’s massive selection of Kindle books. At the moment, around about 20% of all Kindle book sales are estimated to be aimed at non-Kindle hardware.

It looks as if portable ebook readers are here for the long term and that they will gradually begin to account for a higher and higher proportion of book sales. It also seems probable that Amazon will continue to be a driving influence in the world of digital publishing in future.

Learn more about the Amazon Kindle for yourself and view the wide range of Kindle accessories available to help you personalise and protect your reader.

Related Amazon Kindle article

• New Amazon Kindle searches spike to challenge iPad mini (weblogs.hitwise.com)

Right now, Amazon is having a busy time of it. They have just announced the upgrade of their massively successful Kindle 2.0 and Kindle DX readers and pre-order rates are very high at the moment. Stock levels of the third generation 6″ Kindle are depleted and consumers are now pre-ordering to get their Kindle shipped, on a first-come-first-served basis, within four to five weeks.

This latest upgrade includes a higher contrast display, more memory, quicker page turns and color choice of graphite or white . The 6″ display version has had its overall dimensions reduced by 21% and is 15% lighter, at 8.7 oz. Amazon has also released an entry level Wi-Fi only model of the 6″ display Kindle for customers who do not foresee the need for a 3G connection.

All of this is accompanied by a price drop. The 6″ Kindle version Wi-Fi only model retails at $ 139, with the 3G plus Wi-Fi model on sale for $ 189. The large format Kindle DX model is now available for $ 379. These represent significant price reductions over the Kindle 2.0 launch $ 359 price and the recent DX model price of $ 489.

A great deal has been made of the impact of the Apple iPad on Kindle reader sales. It seems likely that the launch of the Apple iPad has prompted, or at least hastened, the latest round of e-book reader price reductions. However, the above prices are considerably lower than the entry level iPad price and, for a lot of customers, the fact that 3G is available with no monthly fee will be seen as a very positive aspect of the Kindle price plan.

As well as the upgrades to the hardware and the price reductions, a dedicated UK Kindle store will be launched for the first time. Consumers in the UK will no longer require to have their Kindles shipped across the Atlantic. The UK Kindle store launches in August 2010 and will, in the first instance, have around 400,000 Kindle books available. It seems probable that other Amazon websites could have their own Kindle stores soon and that customers will be able to purchase their Kindles locally.

The recent price drop in the e-book reader market may be an indication that the market, although still relatively young, is maturing. Lower hardware prices will shift the emphasis from hardware sales towards the sale of the e-books themselves. Amazon, who have an interest in the sales of both hardware and books may be better placed than companies who are primarily concerned with hardware manufacture and sales. Whatever the future brings, and it seems likely that the future of reading will have a strong digital element, Amazon seem likely to remain a very influential player in the development of the market.

Check out the Amazon Kindle for yourself and view the wide range of Kindle accessories available to help you personalise your reader.

Related Amazon Kindle 3 article

• Interesting Kindle 3, eReader updates and news (ireaderreview.com)

ebookreaderbuy.com Looking for an ebook reader and not sure which to buy? We will show you the best ereaders on the market. Up-to-date info, ebook reader reviews and more.
Video Rating: 1 / 5

www.TheBest1ForYou.com/ebook-reader

Related ebook reader articles

• Ebooks: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ” Tennant: Digital Libraries (libraryjournal.com)
• Noticed: E-Books Make Readers Less Isolated (nytimes.com)

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Eucalyptus

www.drj0k3r.com I was going to do a full written review, but I think the video touches all bases. It’s a app that gives you a library of free books. According to the developers, there are many more books to come. Simple, clean, and great UI. If you read and have a touch device, you need this app.

iPad, Nook, Sony, Kindle, and more! What’s the best e-book reader? Count on Kim to cut through the clutter.

The Sony PRS-600SC Touch Edition E-Book Reader allows readers to access up to 350 of their favorite books from anywhere. The intuitive touch screen display makes navigation a breeze, and lets readers turn pages with the swipe of a finger. An included stylus offers freehand highlighting and annotation. The Sony PRS-600SC Touch Edition E-Book Reader also supports multiple file formats including ePub and PDF, giving owners access to more books from more places, including The eBook Store from Sony including more than one million free public domain titles from Google Books. The Sony PRS-600SC Touch Edition E-Book Reader should appeal to avid readers who want to carry their favorite books with them, as well as those looking for more options in where they purchase, check out, and download eBooks!

www.Amazon.com Got a book lover on your holiday gift list? We have the latest info on the Kindle, the Nook and other eReaders. Click the link above to learn more. kindle wireless, kindle 2, nook, sony reader, e-book, best e-book, amazon kindle

An explanation of Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader and some of its features. Includes footage of the device.

David Pogue wonders if a product with the word “cool” in its name can be cool. To find out, he reviews the Cool-er e-book reader.

NY1 report on the Sony e-book Reader