A glimpse of Kindle 2.0
By Marjorie Kehe | 10.06.08
When I posted a blog about Sony’s new e-reader this weekend, I had no idea that a day or two later I’d be getting a glimpse of Amazon’s next-generation Kindle. (Or at any rate, that’s what they tell me I’m looking at.)
Website Boy Genius Report has posted pictures of what they say are prototypes of the next edition of Amazon’s Kindle. This new model seems a bit longer, a bit wider, has page forward/page back navigational flippers, and will work with a USB charger. (The current Kindle requires a separate charger.)
It’s certainly not as pleasing to the eye as the Sony. (As Publishers Marketplace snarkily noted, it seems that Amazon is staying with the “my-brother-in-law designed it template.”)
Unless Amazon has a surprise up its sleeve, however, you can’t expect to see one under your Christmas tree this year. A BusinessWeek report this summer that the new Kindle would launch in October (with a $249 price tag) was quickly denied by Amazon.
It seems we’ll be waiting at least until 2009 to see how this new Kindle stacks up against the other e-readers already out there.
Comments
2. editorial | 10.06.08
You’re right, you can’t take notes on a Kindle. And so I can’t use it for books I’m going to review. (And anyway, at least as of yet, you can’t get galleys on a Kindle – although I’m sure that’ll happen some day.) But for pleasure and/or background/edification reading it’s great.
And as for leaving it somewhere, my advantage as a woman is that I am always carrying a large shoulder bag or backpack. My Kindle rides in there and stays pretty safe.
On the price, yes, an obstacle. But either you need to have an impetuous spouse who buys it for you as soon as he hears about it (as happened to me) or you just have to bite the bullet and remind yourself how sweet it’ll be to ride Amtrak without four books in your overnight bag.
3. Michael Riney | 10.09.08
Actually, you can take notes on a kindle. You can add notes to any line in your book and it will show a little note icon next to that line. You can always select that line again to look at the note and your notes are compiled into a My clippings document on the home page.
The clippings show all your notes with a reference to the book and location. It is missing the ability to link back to that location quickly. But you can still navigate to that location using the Go To Location feature when reading a book.
I admit it is not a perfect system. Possibly only useful for average, non-profession, use.
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1. Ron Charles | 10.06.08
But Marjorie, people like us are always having to take notes in our books. How do do you manage that with the Kindle? And what about the cost? When I leave a book on the subway or in a hotel room, it’s annoying, but not a disaster. At $400, I’m not sure I’d let my Kindle leave the house.