[LINK] The Amazon Kindle e-book

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Richard writes,

> .. e-books could bite the user in the backside - But.. toys are real
> and immediate, rights are intangible.

yes, but microsoft bites 90% of world computer users all the time though
most people want the 'toys' and, i think many will want an e-book reader.

maybe the Kindle will indeed be an oldies ipod ... there was enough mp3s
for the ipod to succed, but Amazon also has to popularize e-book reading
and e-book publishing with good technology. Open source ebook publishing
and readers will come later, but kindle toys are a liberating technology 

it's screen doesn't glow, like the one we're looking at now, & it doesn't
reflect light .. it's a nice screen to read. So, the very basic technical
concept for an ebook reader is right. As is the Eee PC but that's heavier,
the Kimble e-book is lighter than most paper books. And in ten seconds it
will download a nytimes best seller for ten dollars zero delivery charges,
while most hard-copy books on Amazon cost more, plus delivery, also world 
News feeds etc, wikipedia, and the first few chapters of many books free.

so for old dears anywhere, stuck mainly at home .. who wouldn't want one?

and as linkers say, a 200+ novel ebook is certainly ideal for travelling,
as Amazon say always receiving Kindles need 2hrs charging every other day

also important is the Amazon Kimble e-book publishing offer. Did the ipod
come with author publishing offers? So it's proprietry, ok, that does not
prevent it being a liberating technology for increasing older populations.

I would much rather read the news each day on a Kindle.. rather than this
new 21-lcd PC monitor, and especially the actual paper newspaper editions. 


Here's what gizmodo.au say about the Kindle e-book reader,

 http://www.gizmodo.com.au/tags/kindle


* Got a desire for the sold out Amazon Kindle? If you do your probably out 
of luck on actually getting one anytime soon. The next best thing might 
actually be an Eee PC in "Kindle" mode. By using FBReader in fullscreen 
and portrait mode, an Eeeph forum member turned his Eee into a Kindle 
imitator. Since FBReader is a free e-book reader for Unix and Windows 
computers this little Kindle tweak shouldn't be too hard to get you a 
multi-function e-reader out of the popular Eee PC. [Eeeph via EeeUser]


* It seems like a cozy fit: Amazon.com, the beloved mega bookseller, plans 
to by Audible.com, the biggest (only?) digital distributor of audiobooks. 
The news release itself .. doesn't really outline Amazon's ultimate plans. 
Amazon does, notably, take the opportunity to plug the Kindle, giving us 
an idea that any refresh to the Kindle's OS will involve a more full-
featured audio player. No word, however, on whether or not Amazon will 
insist its new subsidiary distribute files in DRM-free MP3. Wouldn't that 
be nice? 


* While one of the major quibbles with Kindle is its sure-to-darken-your-
wallet $400 pricetag, apparently knowledge is priceless, since the sold-
out snowspeeders have been going for up to $US1500 on eBay. The average is 
only around $US830, but that's still kinda gross. 

* Gadgets: Kindle DRM Hacked (That Was Easy) The Kindle only allows the 
reading of Amazon DRM-protected content. So how do you load other eBooks 
onto the Kindle? Just add Amazon DRM. That's one solution hacker Igor 
Skochinsky has used .. loading a series of scripts, he's able to convert 
eBook files to Amazon's AZW format and then add the necessary serial 
number DRM, specialised per an individual's particular Kindle. Oh, and now 
you can too since his scripts are available for download.
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/12/kindle-drm-hack.html
--

Cheers Richard
Stephen
Loosley

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