Video: The sort of obligatory “Amazon releases Kindle 2″ clip
posted at 4:20 pm on February 9, 2009 by Allahpundit
Thinner than an iPhone, seven times the memory of the original Kindle, and a display crisp enough to show photos on: No wonder PopSci says it rocks. Undeterred by our vanishing revenue stream and The One’s warnings of imminent economic collapse, I’m weighing the pros and cons. Con: It costs upwards of 400 bucks. Pro: I’m overdue for a new gadget to gather dust on the shelf next to the Xbox and Wii that I never have time to play. Con: Most of my reading is periodicals, not books. Pro: Picture me at a Starbucks in Manhattan, nursing a mocha frap and looking thoughtful while I use the text-to-speech function to listen to “The Audacity of Hope.” Beta male no more.
Click the image and scroll down to watch the video. Exit question: Any commenters care to make a recommendation either way? Anecdotally, I’ve found that people who own these things love them with an ardor surpassed only by the iPhone itself. Is there any compelling reason to get it, though, except for the amount of space it saves? (Yeah, Kindle books are cheaper than paperbacks, but that’s offset — and then some — by the device’s purchase price.) Also, how are they for reading newspapers? The iPhone’s screen is unpleasantly small, but I can read the Times for free. Which, on the Kindle, I can’t.
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It’s just too pricey for what it delivers.
bj1126 on February 9, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Beta Male no less!
upinak on February 9, 2009 at 4:22 PM
Real books don’t require charging, and are easier on the eyes.
Vashta.Nerada on February 9, 2009 at 4:22 PM
What is this, 1982? This is bound to become an internet meme. “Now boasts 16 shades of gray!”
amerpundit on February 9, 2009 at 4:24 PM
Access to blogs? HotAir?
Disturb the Universe on February 9, 2009 at 4:24 PM
Slublog on February 9, 2009 at 4:24 PM
Whoops.
That should read:
Beta male no more?
Slublog on February 9, 2009 at 4:25 PM
can you not just use a laptop to download books from amazon?
jp on February 9, 2009 at 4:26 PM
$400+! I’ll wait until it’s $59.
Ordinary1 on February 9, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Yes, because you can buy my book on Kindle!
Sorry for the plug, but I’ve heard people actually catch themselves reaching up to turn the page like they’re reading a paperback, forgetting there are no pages to turn . . .
If you read a lot you can save up to 75% per book purchase and that can pay for it over time. And you can get guilty pleasure from it as well :)
PastorJon on February 9, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Not sure, but you can pay $1.99 to access Michelle’s blog. Or .99 for DKos.
amerpundit on February 9, 2009 at 4:27 PM
I will never own one. This is yet another product involved with the dumbing down of the Western world. Paper please.
Dr. Manhattan on February 9, 2009 at 4:27 PM
OK, it’s $359. Only -$300 to go!
Ordinary1 on February 9, 2009 at 4:28 PM
bj1126 (4:21)
+1
Not only is there a charge for the device itself, you also pay for the book, and the wireless bandwidth to download the book.
It would be an outstanding device for reading/referring to documentation of a complex project. (Does have a search function?)
Skandia Recluse on February 9, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Racist!
kirkill on February 9, 2009 at 4:29 PM
I think Dear Leader should buy one for every single child in America.
kirkill on February 9, 2009 at 4:30 PM
No technology can replace the magnificent feel and comfort of a bound book.
pugwriter on February 9, 2009 at 4:30 PM
You can get Hot Air and MM’s websites on it, can’t be too bad.
sls3000 on February 9, 2009 at 4:30 PM
This would look great next to my beta VCR.
LevStrauss on February 9, 2009 at 4:32 PM
amerpundit on February 9, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Cool.
Disturb the Universe on February 9, 2009 at 4:33 PM
You pay for the wireless bandwidth to download the book? Is this true of the new one? Because I own the first generation Kindle and I pay for no such thing. Also, the books are deeply discounted for the Kindle version.
And yes, you can search. And shop. And I read HotAir on mine.
capitalist piglet on February 9, 2009 at 4:35 PM
The problem with that is it would be harder to brainwash them. Better to stick with the approved lefty textbooks.
Disturb the Universe on February 9, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Yeah, but will they consent to menage-a-bot?
Kid from Brooklyn on February 9, 2009 at 4:36 PM
I will always prefer a printed book. Easier on the eyes and I like the aesthetics of having books on a shelf.
Besides, if we go all electronic, a few well places EMPs or cyber attack and we’re back in the dark ages. Not to mention that digital media has a much shorter shelf life than ink on paper.
SPCOlympics on February 9, 2009 at 4:36 PM
I just don’t think something electronic could ever replace a real book for me. Maybe if it were made to resemble a magazine with a few pages that were led screens (and yet bendable), but until then, I’ll stick to the real thing.
They may be cheaper than paperbacks, but they’re not cheaper than Half Price Books.
Esthier on February 9, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Ok, the PDF thing interests me.
- The Cat
MirCat on February 9, 2009 at 4:37 PM
I’d just like to see one in person because I’m guessing how different the screen looks from a computer screen can’t be conveyed on a computer screen. Also, the cellphone internet connection with no service fees is pretty nice. And being able to send PDFs to it would be great for engineers like me who have to work with a lot of specs downloaded off the internet.
Still, I’d rather get an XBOX and a bunch of games at that price.
frankj on February 9, 2009 at 4:38 PM
I was thinking more along the lines of the laser disc…the medium that was going to change viewing movies forever…it will never be obsolete…
right2bright on February 9, 2009 at 4:39 PM
We really need to take a closer look not at Kindle 2.0. but the woman’s cleavage in the Intro video.
Sorry, but it still looks clunky and 90′s era tech.
Neo on February 9, 2009 at 4:40 PM
The biggest issue with the whole ebook movement is compatibility. I want to ensure that the book I am buying on iPhone now will work on Kindle tomorrow and vice versa, and will also work when I want to read it on my laptop. All the companies want their own standard because of obvious profit gains, but what everyone ultimately ends up realizing is that customers buy most when there is no doubt about standards. That’s why mp3 and DVD has survived, and that’s why Blu-Ray took such a long time to be adopted.
Personally, I agree with what a lot of people have said already – I am *not* going to pay $400+ for an ebook reader with a proprietary format. I am happy reading books on my iPhone. I am a voracious reader, and I will have to agree that I really,really missed having a book in my hands and hated the small screen, but I have grudgingly gotten used to it because of portability reasons.
peter_griffin on February 9, 2009 at 4:40 PM
I don’t know, the thought of the little liberal gestapo’s trying to burn a Kindle just doesn’t fit.
What do these little liberal gestapo’s do? Erase the hard drive, there just isn’t any drama for them…it will never catch on.
right2bright on February 9, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Alternatively, wait until tablet PCs really start getting widespread and go with one of those. The tech isn’t that far off, especially with the recent innovations in solid state hard drives.
This is a fad object. If you’re going to carry around an expensive electronic device, get one with numerous capabilities. Hell, you can get a netbook for that price (about $100 less, actually). And that has a 160gig hard drive.
TheUnrepentantGeek on February 9, 2009 at 4:42 PM
if they start adding more college and school text books this would save a ton on tuition costs
offroadaz on February 9, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Did you see this..Heh.
MM
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,289 in Kindle Store
Dkos
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,909 in Kindle Store
ChrisM on February 9, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Surely, Amazon will(or is?) atleast giving AP one of these(and Apple the Iphone) for hawking it on Hotair…
jp on February 9, 2009 at 4:44 PM
See a urologist…they may help….oops didn’t catch the “r” in the next to last word. well still you should check the Dr. out.
You vill enjoy the inspection…now vend ofer…
right2bright on February 9, 2009 at 4:44 PM
Why do I not like the Kindle?
Samuel T. Cogley, bitches!
Mike D. on February 9, 2009 at 4:44 PM
Terrific device. I’ve ordered 2. My wife and I are voracious readers, these are perfect.
Onager on February 9, 2009 at 4:44 PM
I’m not sure how encouraging people to read is “dumbing down America,” and my Kindle is no harder on my eyes than reading off paper.
I’ve had one for a year, and my favorite thing about it is the instant gratification. If I find an author I like, as soon as I finish one book, I can pick up the next one literally within 60 seconds. Even if it’s 4 in the morning. Without needing to put on pants. That last one especially.
If you don’t do much book-readin’, though, I’m not sure it’s for you. I haven’t been especially impressed with the newspapers and magazines available for it, but then, lately I haven’t been especially impressed with newspapers and magazines period.
Jim Treacher on February 9, 2009 at 4:45 PM
I could be wrong, but somebody is paying for the wireless service/wifi/cell service.
Skandia Recluse on February 9, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Sony’s PRS Reader is much better.
Check it out at Border’s Books or SAM’s Club.
Note that you have to hook it to your computer to load content, but it reads the new Adobe DRM-filled format, regular PDFs, the Sony eBook Store DRM’d format, PDF files, Rich Text files, and plain text files.
Very simple and clean interface. I had the original Model 500 and upgraded to the 505 for better software and compatiblity with a LightWedge cover. Got 100 free classics as part of the deal. Every week the eBook Store has a few books for free so I accumulate those too. Currently I have something like 225 books on mine.
KCSteve on February 9, 2009 at 4:45 PM
I doubt that will happen, that is the way prof make there money…a little revisions every few years, and between you must by the updated note book…it is a scam.
right2bright on February 9, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Can one download different accents for this feature? Rev. Wright reading Shakespeare would be interesting. :)
But count me out. I have shelves of books – fiction, non-fiction, reference, texts, etc… I have college texts from 20 years ago that I didn’t even read when I was taking the class, but I can’t bring myself to get rid of any of them. Books have an almost magical quality to them. Not gonna trade them for another gizmo whose batteries crap out at the wrong time.
innominatus on February 9, 2009 at 4:46 PM
I read a lot, and i got this thing that didn’t cost me much, and it is so small it fits in my wallet: Its called a library card.
MDWNJ on February 9, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Lame. I’m a gadget guy (ask anyone who knows me) but this is really stupid. I knew that Sony had a personal reader and I think it’s lame as well.
I’d rather get the books on CD or in MP3 format and put it on an MP3 player.
I’m usually an early adopter when it comes new technology and I usually end up paying more money than the average person (since I am an early adopter) but I wouldn’t even pay $150 for something like this.
MobileVideoEngineer on February 9, 2009 at 4:47 PM
No, you don’t pay a wireless fee. And most new books are cheaper than the hardback edition.
Jim Treacher on February 9, 2009 at 4:47 PM
It’s E-Ink. You cannot get a similar experience from an LCD screen…it’s not comparable. It looks like paper and doesn’t require charging but every few days. It’s not colour because nobody will pay 800 dollars for a colour Kindle that probably has half the battery life.
It’s as easy on the eyes as paper.
You still have to buy the books, but if you can get a signal with your cell phone, you can get access to Amazon. And there are no monthly fees to connect. And you have all your books in your hand.
No it’s not for everyone, but it’s not comparable to reading something a PDF on your laptop or IPhone.
Asher on February 9, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Stop…too much information…
right2bright on February 9, 2009 at 4:47 PM
anyone ever figured up what the Break Even point for one of these gadgets is?
Spend $400, plus the cost of the downloads(omit Internet service, assume you have it anyway).
to cost of the books you would order hard copy through Amazon and read old fashioned way?
wonder how many books it would take to get to break Even point?
jp on February 9, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Male no more.
That combination would morph you into an insane single post-grad liberal woman in her late 30′s.
Spirit of 1776 on February 9, 2009 at 4:48 PM
mocha frap (no whip) – woot!
Midas on February 9, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Who’s making you?
Jim Treacher on February 9, 2009 at 4:48 PM
$400 for an iPod that only displays books?
This idea is dead on arrival.
faraway on February 9, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Thanks for the visual, Jim.
amerpundit on February 9, 2009 at 4:50 PM
I’ve books that have been dropped, dropped in water, kicked, set on fire, and even impaled on the tip of a sword and all of them remain perfectly readable. Let me know when there’s a Kindle that can make the same claim for durability.
Rip Ford on February 9, 2009 at 4:50 PM
I can’t remember, is that a pro or a con?
Well, if you need another pro…and it sounds like you do…buying one of these will stimulate the economy, which seems to be all the rage these days.
AUINSC on February 9, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Plus I have heard you can only read liberal books. Coulter’s books appear as wavy lines.
faraway on February 9, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Which is why it’s been sold out for months, and they just came out with a new version. And it’s $360.
Jim Treacher on February 9, 2009 at 4:51 PM
I’ve dropped mine several times and it’s fine, but I confess that I haven’t tried the sword thing.
Jim Treacher on February 9, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Did you read the fine print on the box? Each of these babies comes equipped with one of these already loaded!
BobMbx on February 9, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Dude … I mean … seriously? It’s just a computer with a crappy OS and lots of software imposed limitations. Netbook or a tablet PC will serve you better, says I.
TheUnrepentantGeek on February 9, 2009 at 4:53 PM
I am an avid reader and my dad is getting me one for my birthday. I’m pretty excited about it! Beats the heck out of boxes of hardback books that I’ve only read once.
pullingmyhairout on February 9, 2009 at 4:53 PM
For what it’s worth, AP, I’d recommend sticking with physical books. There’s just something about a page, the printed word, quires and such. But more than what form your literary adventures take, first and foremost the quality of what you read must be considered. That said…the Audacity of Hope is out. Stick with the frap, however.
Weight of Glory on February 9, 2009 at 4:54 PM
+10
peter_griffin on February 9, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Reminds me of the first Macintosh.
This would be a great way to store technical docs, and a ruggedized version would be good for factory-floor work, but I still like real books. Wait until the price gets below $100, then watch the book industry wither away.
ZenDraken on February 9, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Why not add it to the stimulus package??? It’s techie…satisfies the youth and geeky vote. It’s green…satisfies the unintelligent vote. It’s hip and cool and popular…satisfies the celebrity vote.
350 million people in U.S.A. (that’s including illegals, can’t leave them out of gov’t funding afterall)
$300 per Kindle (there’s got to be some savings for buying large quantity)
That’s like $105 billion.
Hmm…am I doing my math wrong? That actually doesn’t sound like a bad deal given the other things in the bill..
Scranton on February 9, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Yep. Congratulations, you’ve now devolved down to an omega male.
Darth Executor on February 9, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Comrades, we will not have time to read so many books. We will be working in communes soon.
faraway on February 9, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Netbook doesn’t have e-Ink.
I can’t read books online. Whether it’s the glare or what, I don’t know, but I can’t get lost in the same reading state as I can with a book. But I’ve read something like 30 books on my Kindle in the last year. It works as advertised.
Jim Treacher on February 9, 2009 at 4:58 PM
If you have a prefix, you are not a male.
faraway on February 9, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Nobody. I guess it’s just the nostalgic part of me lamenting the decline of the printed word. Ink on paper has had more impact on our world than any other thing I can think of.
innominatus on February 9, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Thanks for the feed back. I treasure the learning experience.
Skandia Recluse on February 9, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Hmmm…
I’m sure future versions of this will be in color, but as it is, it seems pretty frapping cool to me.
Why not just use your laptop? Because if you want a reading device for downloadable books, why lug around a laptop?
Why not just carry the book? Because this is smaller and can house bunches of books (carry bunches around with you and see how enthusiastic you are).
It’s a bit pricey, yeah, but I suspect that’ll change. Seems like an awesome thing, to me, hehe. Oh and yes, it does look like you buy the book, but I don’t see anything about having to pay for bandwidth… ?
Midas on February 9, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Interesting question – which has had the most impact?
1.Words on paper
2.Words on computer screens/ Internet
Likely, the answer is 2.
faraway on February 9, 2009 at 5:02 PM
I keep my library card right next to my spear I use for hunting woolly mammoths.
frankj on February 9, 2009 at 5:03 PM
And this is just another way to do the same thing. It’s not replacing print, any more than DVDs have replaced movie theaters. It’s not either/or.
Jim Treacher on February 9, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Most books are filled with leftist drivel anyways. Just say no.
faraway on February 9, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Michelle Caruso-Cabrera said today in an aside – to a CNBC co-anchor – “you watch, this will save the newspapers.”.
I like Michelle, she’s a right-thinking babe, any comments on her observation?
aquaviva on February 9, 2009 at 5:08 PM
All my books are actually written on vellum with a quill pen by a monk I employ out of pocket. Movable type be damned! Plus, I like all my chapters beginning with large highly stylized letters.
Weight of Glory on February 9, 2009 at 5:10 PM
No thank you. I’m content with building my library with real books that can one day be handed down to my kids. Paper, please.
pmanley on February 9, 2009 at 5:10 PM
True, but while it is portable, there’s a huge difference between it and the Kindle.
I take my laptop as many places as I can, but I wouldn’t put it in my purse (assuming I carried purses) and take it everywhere the way it seems you can with the Kindle.
Treacher, your recommendations are nice, but I still don’t see the point. While putting on pants is a hassle, I enjoy going to book stores, and there’s something of a sense of accomplishment like looking down from a mountain, in charting your progress through a real book. Also, I like to write in and highlight good books.
Esthier on February 9, 2009 at 5:11 PM
I’ve gotta admit, it looks pretty awesome for what it is. But I do love flipping through real books and being able to write notes in them. Especially old books with the old owner’s name inside the cover. (Sometimes I put my nose to the pages and can say “Mr. So-and-So from Such-and-Such-Place in the 1920′s was a smoker.”)
Tzetzes on February 9, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Who doesn’t?
Esthier on February 9, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Waaa!! Not available in Canada. Rats.
ProfessorMiao on February 9, 2009 at 5:13 PM
I love my stacks too, but unless my kids become Hellenists, most of my books will go to a university library!
Tzetzes on February 9, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Me too. I do both. Everybody acts so scared. “But are all the books going away?” No, the books aren’t going away.
You can highlight text and add notes.
Jim Treacher on February 9, 2009 at 5:15 PM
According to the One, unless we pass the stimulus, the Dark Ages are just around the corner anyway…
juanito on February 9, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Bad News. This is how Amazon labels the preview link to purchasing HotAir for the Kindle:
Roger’s got his fingers in everything!
juanito on February 9, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Sure google speeds things up, but versus the Bible or the Declaration of Independence? (Granted the DOI is fading as the stimulus bill approaches cloture.)
pedestrian on February 9, 2009 at 5:19 PM
I’m a gadget guy so I am by no means “scared”, I just personally think it’s lame to pay over $300 for something like this.
MobileVideoEngineer on February 9, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Either you missed the ‘/sarc’ tag, or this is the single most brain dead comment I saw on this site.
peter_griffin on February 9, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Currently stocking up on as many conservative books as possible. Who knows, by the time I (only 23) have kids and they grow to be in their 20s, any book that has the slightest hint of conservatism in it will probably be banned in the U.S.
Heil Hopenchange.
pmanley on February 9, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Ha ha. Well i still dont have a cell phone yet, so i guess i am a little behind the times.
MDWNJ on February 9, 2009 at 5:28 PM
I don’t mean it in that sense. This device is a good thing, because it does encourage people to read.
I’m just listing reasons why I’d probably never buy one.
Esthier on February 9, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Im close to auction closed on Ebay and getting one for 265.
hawkdriver on February 9, 2009 at 5:39 PM
So superficial. By the way, forget about it: Man Hands.
juanito on February 9, 2009 at 5:42 PM
When the first Kindle came out, I figured it to be a loser for Amazon. I’ve never been happy trying to read a book on my PDA, and prefer the printed page even to my hi-res monitor.
But… when I actually saw one and gave it a look– I was impressed. It was very easy on the eyes and the size is great. You can carry a decent size library loaded in it, and the price of the downloads from Amazon are reasonable.
What’s not reasonable to me is the price. Nearly $400 for a reader is way too steep. I was hoping the Kindle 2 would come down in price, because I’d really like to have one, but until the price drops by about half they can keep it.
dinobalz on February 9, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Got it. 271.13 after shipping.
hawkdriver on February 9, 2009 at 5:44 PM
You can read periodicals with the Kindle too. And blogs. Kind of like the internet, if you think about it.
Anyway, I still don’t know anyone who owns one of these things.
universalagent on February 9, 2009 at 5:51 PM
I love my Kindle! It has SOME limitations (PDF conversion for mathematical papers is bad, it’s hard to share a book I like with someone without letting them borrow the whole thing, if you drop it you can lose a few pixels, etc.), etc. But it’s easy to read, more like print on paper than a computer screen, yet with the advantages of a computer screen (primarily searching, also I can change the type size); I can take a zillion books on a long trip in my carry-on bag, I can hold th ebook and turn the page with one finger while donating blood (ok that doesn’t come up so often, but it still was nice) — nobody in the liberal coffeeshop can see the cover of the Ann Coulter book I’m reading, and on and on. And the free wireless browser is useful, though the web interface is clunky enough to keep me from using it much.
It was a little indulgent, but I definitely like it a lot.
TMA on February 9, 2009 at 5:51 PM
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