The most important tech product is- the Kindle?
If you ask somebody what the most important recent consumer tech product is, the iPhone is the likely answer. However, Don Reisinger has a completely different (and surprising) take on this question. Over at Internetnews.com, he says it’s the Kindle. He did an informal poll and no one mentioned the Kindle but he says:
The answers that came my way ranged from the iPod to HDTVs to the Xbox 360. But it was the iPhone that garnered the most votes. And it was the Kindle that failed to receive a single mention.
I was shocked. It wasn’t surprising that the iPhone received all the accolades (it always does), but I did find it jarring that not a single person picked the Amazon Kindle as the most important product on the market today. It was my choice. And to me, it seemed like a pretty obvious one.
The Kindle is doing something that no one thought possible: it’s revolutionizing an industry that hasn’t changed since its inception. You can’t say that for the iPhone. The iPod might have started an industry, but it isn’t all that groundbreaking. And HDTVs and the Xbox 360? Come on.
I just don’t believe that the Kindle is as appreciated as it should be. That single device that allows users to read books electronically is putting the publishing industry on notice, it’s causing books to be offered at their cheapest prices in years, and it’s practically ensuring that going forward, people will have ready access to desired books without leaving the house. It’s taking on the library and the book store. And it’s taking no prisoners.
Of course, the Kindle is no longer unique. Barnes and Noble has just introduced its own reader, called Nook. And that may spell trouble for the Kindle according to this review of Nook.
What do you think? Have you ever used a Kindle or other e-reader?
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Comments
I have a friend who reads eBooks on her iPod Touch, which she bought for $150 (used) on the Apple website.
The B&N new eBook reader has a screen only a 1/2″ wider than the iPod Touch (when held side-ways). Of course its screen is 6″ long, while the iPod Touch is only 2″. This means that on the Nook one can view about 20 lines of text, while on the Touch one can only read about 3-4 lines of text. My friend must do a lot of scrolling – so easy on the Touch.
I have a small Asus Eee PC 900 Netbook, with a 7.6″ wide x 4.5″ deep screen, which is excellent for eBook reading. And it only cost $150 on Amazon. Plus, with it, I can surf the web, do email, etc.
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I think there’s two problems with the Kindle. (1) Price is just too high; (2) Doesn’t free you to do anything else at the same time. Technology should work to your advantage making you more productive with your time. The Kindle still ties you down. Yes, that suits many who want to curl up with a book, but for me, audio books or podcasts on an mp3 player allow you to listen while commuting, cleaning the house, walking, at the gym, etc.