The Amazon Kindle has consistently been, since it was originally released back in November of 2007, the best e-book reader available on the market. That is the secret behind its considerable success to date. Back in the third quarter of 2009, when every electronics manufacturer was trying to get a piece of the emerging e-book reader market, any new reader was instantly hailed as the Kindle killer. This is due to the fact that the Kindle was, and still is, the industry benchmark.
The recent release of the improved third generation Kindle reader has increased the gap between Amazon’s reader and the trailing pack even more. It’s worth noting that the latest, and quite possibly most credible, Kindle killer isn’t another e-book reader but the Apple iPad. This is a totally different type of device, which sells for considerably more than the Kindle and – looked at as a pure e-book reader (an unfair comparison) – doesn’t measure up to the Kindle in certain areas.
The improvements in the third generation Kindle include a higher contrast screen, extended battery life, twice as much memory, faster page turns and an enhanced PDF reader. The device is also smaller and lighter – and it now comes in a choice of two colors – white and graphite. Amazon has also launched an entry level reader with Wi-Fi only for those who don’t envisage the need for a 3G connection. This is on sale at just $ 139 – very close to the $ 99 value commonly held to be impulse buy territory for personal electronics. The 3G plus Wi-Fi model is priced at $ 189.
Over and above all these good improvements, which only serve to confirm the Kindle’s position as the best of the bunch in the e-book reader market, Amazon launched an independent UK Kindle store. UK customers can now buy their Kindles locally as opposed to getting the international version shipped across the Atlantic. To be fair, this only took a few days – but for some customers the simple act of dealing in a foreign currency may have been off putting. Amazon has just launched a major TV advertising campaign in the UK and it may be that this, together with the “local” UK Kindle store could lead to a lot of sales for them. If the venture proves to be successful, further local stores could open for France, Germany and the other countries with local Amazon websites.
Following the release of the Kindle 3, Amazon has sold out of Kindles yet again. Customers are pre-ordering Kindles for delivery in three to four weeks time, with the readers being shipped on a first come first served basis. Based on the current level of sales, there is little evidence that demand for the Kindle is diminishing – hardly surprising considering the quality of the device.
Reports of the Kindle’s demise have proven to be premature in the past, and that is still the case. There’s no point comparing the Kindle with the iPad, they are very different devices. The Kindle is by far the best e-book reader on the market right now. That’s why it will survive and continue to sell well – and also why Amazon will remain a dominant force in the digital publishing market in future. Some people will prefer to continue to read conventional printed books – whether in hardback or paperback format. Some people will switch to an e-book reader, in which case the Amazon Kindle will be the number one choice (as will Kindle books). Others will be more interested in surfing the net on the go, maybe reading the occasional e-book – and they will probably go for an iPad. You will be able to get your reading material from Amazon, whatever your personal preference is.
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