Comments on: Better pay attention to the Kindle http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/ A raucous public discussion of the publishing revolution. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:57:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Jim Lichtenberg http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-33 Jim Lichtenberg Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:46:42 +0000 http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-33 Given Mike's charm, he could probably sell 10 Kindles in a weekend, as well as 10 of anything else he might be selling. The trick with technology is often to wait out the initial buzz and see if in fact things settle out as, in this case, Mike thinks they will. Given the trajectory of the original Amazon.com -- from book site to anything you might want to buy site -- Kindle could well prove to be the leading edge of universal wireless commerce.... which may make it both more important than, and less useful as, an e-book. Given Mike’s charm, he could probably sell 10 Kindles in a weekend, as well as 10 of anything else he might be selling. The trick with technology is often to wait out the initial buzz and see if in fact things settle out as, in this case, Mike thinks they will.

Given the trajectory of the original Amazon.com — from book site to anything you might want to buy site — Kindle could well prove to be the leading edge of universal wireless commerce…. which may make it both more important than, and less useful as, an e-book.

]]> By: Carolyn Pittis http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-32 Carolyn Pittis Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:59:55 +0000 http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-32 There's been a lot of good product reviews and existential commentary on the Kindle, this included. Most miss one of Amazon's more important contributions to the popularization of ebook reading: marketing heft. Thanks to the ubiquity of Amazon's onsite promotion, tens of millions of frequent book buyers now enter 2008 knowing that a viable device exists. One they can picture, with all its quirky flaws. One they can either want now, or want at $100 less. Or decide, from reading product reviews, that they want a competitor's product. You can't buy what you don't know exists. That alone is a change. Those of us slogging through the digital vineyards in publishing can sometimes forget that the drugstore shopper buying ten romances or mysteries a month may not know what we are talking about. Thanks to both the Amazon's marketing push, and the consequent press coverage, that may be changing. There’s been a lot of good product reviews and existential commentary on the Kindle, this included. Most miss one of Amazon’s more important contributions to the popularization of ebook reading: marketing heft. Thanks to the ubiquity of Amazon’s onsite promotion, tens of millions of frequent book buyers now enter 2008 knowing that a viable device exists. One they can picture, with all its quirky flaws. One they can either want now, or want at $100 less. Or decide, from reading product reviews, that they want a competitor’s product. You can’t buy what you don’t know exists. That alone is a change.

Those of us slogging through the digital vineyards in publishing can sometimes forget that the drugstore shopper buying ten romances or mysteries a month may not know what we are talking about. Thanks to both the Amazon’s marketing push, and the consequent press coverage, that may be changing.

]]> By: Tracy Young http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-30 Tracy Young Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:55:43 +0000 http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-30 Having tried a couple of ebook readers in the past, and being a huge fan of the "Take Control..." series and other digital publications, I have always hoped that someone would develop the hardware that would be the tipping point for ebooks. I always thought that someone would have to be Steve Jobs. I still think that. But it's probably just wishful thinking. Having tried a couple of ebook readers in the past, and being a huge fan of the “Take Control…” series and other digital publications, I have always hoped that someone would develop the hardware that would be the tipping point for ebooks. I always thought that someone would have to be Steve Jobs. I still think that. But it’s probably just wishful thinking.

]]> By: Mike Shatzkin http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-29 Mike Shatzkin Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:01:55 +0000 http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-29 David Houle's response anticipates something I had been thinking about for a future post: what would I like to see Amazon do next? One thing I would like is if they gave "charter" Kindle owners a sharp reduction in price on an upgrade. Because, otherwise, he's right. This device is going to get much better; it's inevitable. David Houle’s response anticipates something I had been thinking about for a future post: what would I like to see Amazon do next? One thing I would like is if they gave “charter” Kindle owners a sharp reduction in price on an upgrade. Because, otherwise, he’s right. This device is going to get much better; it’s inevitable.

]]> By: David Houle http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-27 David Houle Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:49:26 +0000 http://pubfrontier.com/2008/01/01/better-pay-attention-to-the-kindle/#comment-27 It sounds like the Kindle to buy is the 2.0 model when they have responded to all the user input about the device and the interface with the customer. I believe in the reality of e-books and that they will gain 10% or more of market share within the next 10 years. Sounds like the Kindle is the first step. What will it do to Amazon's share of the national retail marketplace? David Houle It sounds like the Kindle to buy is the 2.0 model when they have responded to all the user input about the device and the interface with the customer. I believe in the reality of e-books and that they will gain 10% or more of market share within the next 10 years.
Sounds like the Kindle is the first step. What will it do to Amazon’s share of the national retail marketplace?
David Houle

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