Kindle is most gifted Amazon item, ever

[TomCADem]

Source: CNET

Amazon.com on Saturday released its annual post-Christmas statement on holiday sales, and made one thing clear: the Kindle was king, perhaps fueled by continued shifts in plans for shipments of Barnes & Noble's competing Nook e-reader.

"We are grateful to our customers for making Kindle the most gifted item ever in our history," said Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos.

In another milestone for the e-reader, the company noted that on Christmas Day, for the first time ever, Amazon customers bought more Kindle books than physical books. The company didn't offer specific numbers for either category.

The peak shopping day for the online retailer was December 14, when customers ordered more than 9.5 million items worldwide, "a record-breaking 110 items per second."

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10422032-1.html

---

I just can't bring myself to buy a Kindle although it is cheaper over the long run than my multiple newspaper subscriptions. Call me old school, but I just like cracking open a book and newspaper.

[dflprincess]

1. I'm with you

My friend has a Kindle and it's cool - but I like browsing in bookstores and having the actual book in my hands. Though, said friend, also found out that she can't use her Kindle on an airplane until they announce it's safe to use electronics. When I fly, I usually stick my nose in a book as soon as I get into my seat and I don't look up until the plane lands.

[jonnyblitz]

2. I got a Sony Pocket Edition Digital Reader for christmas. I never

would have bought one of these for myself. I have books stacked to the ceiling that I own plus library books to read. I guess now that i have it i better use it.

[onehandle]

3. Apple's tablet (heavily rumored to be called 'iSlate'), will bury it.

Apple is making deals with publishers of Books, Magazines, Newspapers and more.

My wife has a Kindle (a present from me on the day of Kindle's launch). She loves it, but I am certain that she will get the Tablet. (hmm. Her birthday is in March, when it is said to launch. I guess I'll be getting it.)

I know her. The Kindle will be collecting dust pretty quickly.

Next year expect the 'iSlate' and a web based version of iTunes, both of which will change the publishing industry forever.

[Lorien]

6. Will the iSlate have a color display and a larger screen?

[WeDidIt]

7. Too bad, Amazon already has 60% market share

and negotiated contracts with publishers preclude any other ebook provider getting a better deal.

Apple will be unable to cut the price of Amazon ebooks as publishers are contractually obligated not to do so with Amazon. Failing to uphold their contractual agreements with Amazon will cost them millions upon millions.

Apple is getting into this market way too late. amazon already has it sewn up.

Barnes and Noble will probably go belly up because the Nook will never allow them to catch up and their bricks and mortar operations are far too costly.

[onehandle]

8. Betting against Apple?

Mistake.

They predicted that the iPod would fail. It's now the definition of portable music and video.

They predicted that the iTunes Store would fail. It's now the top retailer of music.

They predicted that the iMac would fail. It was the top selling computer last quarter.

The predicted that the Apple Stores would fail. They are the top retailer based on dollars per square foot.


Amazon released a Kindle App for the iPhone and they will for the 'iSlate.'


Apple is making these deals and will win.

[WeDidIt]

9. Apple cannot beat the deals Amazon already has in place

amazon jacked this market almost as early in the game as Apple jacked the emusic market.

Apple is way too late to the game. Apple is also moving outside their realm of expertise. Amazon is the 800 pound gorilla.

[onehandle]

10. LOL!

Whatever you say, John Dvorak.

[WeDidIt]

13. I will definitely bet against Apple on this one.

The contractual agreements are already in place and are tied explicitly to the deals for hard copy books.

That's why Sony can't beat the Amazon deals because Sony doesn't do hard copy books.

That's why Barnes and Noble can't beat Amazon because Barnes and Noble supports an outdated and obsolete bricks and mortar operations, thus cannot cut the same deals as Amazon.

And for Apple to be even remotely capable of beating Amazon, they would nave to go into the warehoused hard copy book distribution business. That just ain't happening.

Apple simply CANNOT beat Amazon in this market place. Their reader will have whizbang effects, but overall cost of the product ongoing will be exorbitant when compared to Amazon. When every book you buy from Apple will cost you twice as much as if you had a Kindle, it takes only a few books before Apple has priced itself out of the market and falls somehwere in that ~7% of the marketplace that gets very little mention in the trades.

Apple is good at technology, but technology where eReaders is concerned is secondary to the cost of each book you place on that eReader.

This is one time and one market where the smart money will bet against Apple.

[Abq_Sarah]

22. I'll bet against apple as well

Amazon will be 15 years old this year and they have a very large customer base. It is highly unlikely that enough people will trot over to the apple bookstore to put a sizable dent in their sales.

[Stargazer09]

26. I don't think that the iSlate will be just a book reader

From what I've read about the Kindle (I don't have one personally), it just does books and other reading material.

I heard that Apple's new tablet is going to be more of a computer than just an electronic book reader. It will basically be a larger version of the iPhone, with applications far beyond those available for the Kindle.

I buy Kindle books and read them with my iPhone Kindle app. So why would they cost me more through Apple? If early reports about the iSlate are correct, I will probably be able to read Kindle-brand electronic books on that, just as I read them on my iPhone.

[onehandle]

29. Yep. nt

[WeDidIt]

37. Then it will be backlit and NOBODY will use the eReading capabilities

Backlit screens nearly destroyed the eReader market in the early days.

ePaper made all the difference. The Kindle screen is just like a piece of paper and you must have light to read it.

[Stargazer09]

55. Huh?

I've been using a backlit screen for reading since my Palm Pilot days. Love how it allows me to read at night without screwing around with a book light.

I get that you love your Kindle. I will never buy one.

[phasma ex machina]

58. +1

[WeDidIt]

59. I don't own an eReader

I've done extensive research towards making a decision on where to invest.

Backlighting damages the eyes. It makes the eyes tired and incapable of reading for extended periods of time.

This is why Sony, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and all other eReader producers went to ePaper technology.

[seaglass]

34. Have you done price comparisons on the Kindle vs. Nook?

B&N has come down substantially in their pricing on ebooks - from the books I've looked at - matching Amazon's price. This was not the case when the Nook was first announced.

I do not think this industry has in any way shaken out yet and believe that your pronouncements are premature.

[WeDidIt]

38. Yes, I have

The Nook prices were anywhere from 10% to 120% higher than Amazon.

[Book Lover]

56. "I do not think this industry has in any way shaken out yet" - this is *exactly* correct

Set aside Mr/Ms Knowitall's predictions: s/he clearly doesn't work in the publishing industry. First of all, trade is hardly the entirety of the industry. Technical, reference and textbook sales are the bread and butter of the overall industry, because they are dependable lists. You don't necessarily need to make a new entry in some damn book series, but the Physician's Desk Reference/Gray's Anatomy/any flavor of any dictionary will always need updating. *That* is where ereaders will come into play, industry-wise.

And for free, my expert opinion on the question: the market will eventually decide that there are too many devices to carry around, and what we all will land on at some future point is your incredibly multi-functional device. It will be your cell phone, web browser, ebook reader, console player, media player, and a whole bunch of things no one can yet predict (set aside that my Palm Centro can do all this - sadly, Palm will go under before they can develop this device). The dedicated ebook reader will go away and the print market will find the balance between hard copy, audio, electronic, and accessible (i.e., braille) versions.

[seaglass]

64. Do you work in the publishing industry? I don't have an ereader

yet - my husband got me a Nook for Christmas, coming sometime in Feb. :-) but I have been researching ereaders since the Nook was launched and had decided on the Nook because of the device itself - once they came down on ebook prices and I decided not to renew my B&N membership.

Since then there has been much in the news ebook related, publishers deciding to have a formal release schedule incorporating ebooks between hardcover and paperback release and authors and author's estates challenging who has the rights to ebooks. Also wondering why publishers wouldn't just bypass 3rd parties and release ebooks direct to consumers.

Ereaders have such a small market share in comparison to the numbers of people who buy paper books that it seems like there is a lot of room for change.

[trotsky]

66. The axiom here isn't "don't bet against Apple"...

it's "Don't bother arguing with a Steve Jobs fanboi."

;-)

[bettyellen]

71. prices will be the same through the Kindle app, silly! and the mac version will have tunes games etc

making it the best option for planes trains etc. i use kindle on my iphone and am prolly holdong out for ver2 for the tablet. but the regular kindle..yuk boring wouldn;t bother.

[jberryhill]

52. It doesn't matter

Kindle is already an iPhone app.

As is the Barnes & Noble app.

As long as kindle is tied to Amazon, and the iSlate runs kindle plus "more stuff" the result is iSlate > Kindle.

Apple doesn't need Amazons publisher deal. If Islate does one more thing than Kindle it wins.

[MyNameGoesHere]

41. I am sure they will

do well. I am guessing a price of 600 dollars. Yeah I would definitely buy a 600 dollar slate over a 259.00 reader. Makes sense to me. Hey how's it going on killing the Window's PC market by the way? Wasn't that supposed to happen 20 years ago or so?

[onehandle]

43. They're not trying.

However, for a long time Apple has had more cash on hand than Microsoft. Apple has doubled their market share in the last five years to 10% and are projected to approach 15% within a couple of years. They are also projected to be worth more than Microsoft by the end of 2010 and one major stock analyst removed Microsoft from their buy status.

And nobody knows how much the tablet will be. Apple will likely have a web version of iTunes offering full color, multimedia publications that you can view on your computer, tablet, and iPhone.

Never bet against Apple.

[MyNameGoesHere]

48. Yes their 20 year quest

to provide affordable.. wait..high priced... wait... cult status devices. yeah that's the one is very successful. They are going to have 15% of the world market share. But your other statements are some where out there

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/18/global-09_The-Global-2000_Rank.html


I don't even see the fruit maker in the top 100

[onehandle]

49. Here's a Forbes list:

Apple is 14th fastest-growing tech company
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0216/048b.html

And on your list, if you sort by market value (which is what I was talking about) Apple is in the top 100.

Analysts expect Apple to double this number in the next 12 to 18 months, while Microsoft's is expected to stagnate or drop.

I own some Microsoft products. Some are pretty good. One of my best friends works for Microsoft in Europe.

We have a Kindle. It's very nice.

But never, ever bet against Apple.

Anyway, I'm done with you. Your strawmen and bias bores me.

Here the lesson ends.

[Lorien]

4. The page is too dark for me to read on a Kindle

plus I like being able to pass a book I've just read along to a friend. I can see why they might be handy for Newspapers or magazines, but the rest?

[WeDidIt]

5. As far as eReader's go, the Kindle is the best bang for the buck

Amazon is the 800 pound gorilla in the ebook marketplace because they hold 60% market share.

Because of their market share, they can negotiate far better deals with publishers and undercut everybody else. All other eBook providers sell their versions of ebooks at anywhere from 10% to 220% higher cost than can be had on Amazon, so long term, the Kindle is markedly cheaper for the consumer.

[Warren Stupidity]

11. While I understand the nostalgia for paper books

we are moving on. The kindle and the rest of the e-readers are the future of books magazines and newspapers, the economics will put an end to other formats.

The kindle is pretty nice, and even if it isn't paper it is a pleasure to read.

[WeDidIt]

16. Amazon's ebooks are cheaper than anybody else's, too

The Kindle may not have all the whizbang features, but the cost per book is dramatically cheaper through Amazon.

And the format of all of them is proprietary, so you have to buy your ebooks from the same place you bought your ereader.

Here's another one, of all the eReaders currently in existence, only Amazon allows standard gift certificates to be redeemed for eBooks.

[TomCADem]

18. I'm Not A Total Luddite - I post on DU after all.

The apple tablet sounds intriguing, because I do have an ipod, and I really am not crazy about having a proliferation of over lapping electronic devices. My dream computer would be a kindle sized device that I can read from, listen to my itune music collection, and sync with my Outlook calendar, read my favorite newspapers, and do some minor web browsing.

[customerserviceguy]

19. Agreed

The only things holding up e-books are 1) The initial cost of the devices, 2) Lack of interchangability between formats 3) Book sellers who are freaky about copying, lending, etc. when the don't have any qualms about libraries, the lending of purchased books, etc.

Once they realize that the digital book age is finally here, and get with it, the dead tree book is going to be a quaint relic of the past, relegated to the same shelf that the slide rule has occupied since calculators became cheap.

[Guilded Lilly]

12. Enjoy both :)

Why limit yourself to one or the other.

Read an *in your hands book* curled up in a chair and relish in the turning of pages.
Delight in the ease of a Kindle and all it can offer at the touch of a button.

We don't have to choose one over the other.
We can have it all :)

[Terra Alta]

14. e-readers like the Kindle will render paper books obsolete.

within the next 20 years or so. I enjoy paper books myself, but one day I will break down and buy an e-reader. It's the wave of the future.

[Guilded Lilly]

17. I'll buy one...

and still take great joy in owning a paper book. Especially what I call coffee table books. Big lucious books with glossy pages of pictures. Or anything I can actually hold in my hand.

Lots of people said CD's would make LP's obsolete. but I see more and more turntables making a comeback :) And I am not likely to get rid of my old LP's for love or money. Things change, but hands on books are forever.

Unless passionate, sensual people are obsolete in twenty years we will still enjoy tactile pleasures!

[PJPhreak]

24. There is something about the sound of my old analog Lp's

That digital recordings can't capture,A richness that seems to be lacking in most modern recordings.

try this...play Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" on a turntable (LP) with the EQ set at "Flat" Then thru the same set of Speakers do the same with a CD Player...the difference will amaze you!

[Guilded Lilly]

27. and, oh those memories, too! lol n/t

[NoUsername]

61. Oh hell yes. Digital is trying but they just can't match analog.

Analog has a warmth, a certain natural sound that digital just can't match. The latest generation of digital products has closed the gap a bit but they still can't match the openness and inherent warmth that only comes with analog.

LP sales have seen a resurgence in recent years and LPs have continued to outsell the high-res formats that were supposed to be their digital successors (SACD and DVD-A) by large margins. I buy LPs when I can and CDs only when I absolutely have to. An example of the latter would be Naxos CDs which are only released in digital format. That's a shame because some of the performances released by Naxos are truly outstanding and while I would LOVE to have them on LP, I can't slag the Naxos label as their CDs are generally in the $8-9 range which is rather astounding for the quality of recordings they put out. (Their "Historical Recordings" are, of course, an exception as they often suffer from tape hiss and other recording limitations of the day but that's why they label them very plainly as "Historical Recordings." When you buy them, you know what you're getting. You buy them for the performance, not the sound quality.) There's a reason the Naxos label is know a THE label for the budget audiophile to go to. They only do classical so if that's not your bag, I guess vinyl is your best bet. ;)

I listen to anything from hardcore punk (which has never wavered and has ALWAYS had vinyl as it's preferred medium) to rock to jazz to blues to classical. They all sound better on vinyl. Hands down. The main types of music I listen to are punk and classical, in that order. Figure that out. I sure can't. ;)

BTW, PJPhreak, what is this "EQ" thing you speak of? ;) My stereo doesn't have even have any tone controls but then again, I'm kind of a purist. But in the end, it's all good. ;)

[PJPhreak]

62. EQ...LOL! I do a LOT of "Boots",an EQ is a godsend with some of these.

I do download a LOT of FLAC from Bt tree.org (Being a "Garciahead")...If one really wants to see what is possible with Digital Recordings may I suggest this one.

06-10-73 Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, D.C. (Sun)
"Charlie Miller" Matrix---60% soundboard/40% audience Mix


1: Morning Dew, BIODTL, Ramble On, Jack Straw, Wave That Flag, L. L. Rain, Box Of Rain, TLEO, Race Is On, Row Jimmy, El Paso, Bird Song, Playin
2: Eyes> Stella Blue, Big River, H. C. Sunshine, Around, Dark Star> He's Gone> Wharf Rat> Truckin, Sugar Magnolia
3: Train To Cry*, That's Alright Mama*, Promised*, NFA*> GDTRFB*> Drums*> NFA*, Johnny B. Goode*
*with Allman Brothers Band and Merl SaundersWet Willie, then Allman Brothers Band opened - first "That's Alright Mama" - first "Train To Cry" - final "Wave That Flag"

The Quality of this "Bootleg" will astound you!

It is a "MUST" listen on a 5.1 that is set up correctly.

This Dude is the Master of quality!

[Blasphemer]

23. Definitely... my school is part of the Kindle Textbook pilot program

If I could get every textbook I need on Kindle, I would have gotten one already. I get as many e-textbooks as I can and I'm always thrilled when teachers go out of their way to make an e-textbook the required text (or at least an option).

[StarfarerBill]

15. Ditto. I'm glad people are reading, but they'd enjoy a good *paper* book so much more!

:shrug:

[eilen]

20. I love my new Kindle

It arrived 2 days after I ordered it. I charged it up. Read Snow Crash. I'm bummed that Cory Doctorow's latest isn't available for Kindle so I will likely buy the hard copy. The Kindle is very light. It enables me to read Ralph Nader's latest 400 pager without any cramping. I love books, I just don't have infinite space to store books in. This gives me an edge and allows me to purchase new releases for $10, and hard to find volumes instantly. I am excited about the potential of this interface-- color, illustration, interactivity, it could carry textbooks on it for college, decrease the backpack weight. It could use a solar power generator to plug in to in case the power goes out. A very easy, low overhead manner in which to publish and distribute written work. I do still love my paper books but Kindle is wonderful and does not hurt my eyes==I can increase the size of text when they are getting tired. Plus I downloaded 2 novels for free-- Sherlock Holmes and a more contemporary mystery.

I'll be interested to see what Apple has planned though. They always come up with something that is just a bit different. I'm not counting them out.

[PADemD]

21. I would rather read a book, but I can see where this could

help alleviate backaches in school children whose backpacks are filled with heavy books. Are the textbook publishers signing onto this?

[Abq_Sarah]

25. I found the concept interesting but didn't want to buy a kindle

So my husband bought one for me for Christmas.

I really do like it. There are some books I will continue to order in hardcover but for my "junk" reading, the Kindle really can't be beat. And since I already have every wall of my office lined with filled bookcases, it will cut down on the book accumulation as well. I've already read 3 books on it and adapted quite a bit faster than I thought I would.

[Guilded Lilly]

28. A slightly different angle on E-books

Is there a possibility of *non-famous* writers and authors offering their works through some Kindle program? As a former writer and very small time publisher of specialized e-books, this would interest me.

[crispini]

31. Yep

Create Space has a partnership with Amazon and you can self-pub through them and then make it available on Amazon as an ebook.

[Guilded Lilly]

47. Wonderful!

Thank-you for the information :)

[pnorman]

30. I had considered a Kindle a while back,

but i had already invested mucho $$$$$ in e-text books from ereader.com (which will also work with my cell-phone). But Amazon has recently released a free "Kindle for PC", which should please many here. It works perfecto on my netbook, which is compact enough for most "outside of the house" situations, I also have a program that will "tether" it to my cellphone when I'm out of WiFi reach

[Cid_B]

32. I am also a bibliophile...

but I do love my Kindle. Helps cut down on books that i need to haul around on deployment and if I have internet i can get what I like. I would guess that by the time the new hotness comes out there will be a means to combine. We'll see.

[Retired AF Dem]

33. Think of all the trees that could be saved

Thinking green. I bought my wife the 9" Kindle for Christmas. She stated that it's about time I bought her something useful. :)

[Book Lover]

57. Paper companies own their forests and grow their own trees

If you want to slam the paper industry, go after how they pollute water. Besides, print books and magazines are a small percentage of what paper eventually gets used for. Packaging is where the action's at, paperwise.

[Mudoria]

35. Love my Kindle!

As far as the i(wahtever they call it) while it may do one thing I need, ebooks, it does a whole host of other things I have no interest in. I wanted something to get and read books with. That's all. I don't need or want all the other stuff Apple has for it's product and I certainly won't be interested in paying the usual price Apple charges for it's stuff. Besides, I despise Steve Jobs and my household is Apple free.

[Adelante]

36. My Kindle DX is fabulous, I just love it

It's so much easier on my aging eyes and wrists. I love being able to go to Amazon and getting a new book to read in minutes. I have several stacks of real books I haven't read, because buying books has been my largest expenditure for my entire life, and I always liked having fresh ones at the ready. I thought I would probably read both on Kindle and off Kindle, but it hasn't turned out that way. I haven't read a physical book since I bought the damned thing six months ago. Nothing in my life has ever surprised me more, as devoted to books as I've always been, than how at ease I was reading with the device from the first minute I used it.

[TomCADem]

54. I Do Think A Kindle Would Be Great For College Textbooks

I remember being crushed by textbooks back in college both literally and figuratively. Worse, I would end up selling them back at a substantial loss, and more likely than not, the books were then replaced with the the "old" edition going to a landfill. I do think there is an entirely different dynamic with textbooks, then there is with normal books, which are meant to be kept and enjoyed permanently, rather than for the class of the moment.

[newportdadde]

39. I don't buy books I get them via the library.

I know that there are some ebooks available through libraries but until I can check out basically anything I want for 'free' then I'm not interested.

[SidDithers]

40. A reminder about Kindle...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6089733

Amazon unilaterally deleted a book from users' Kindles. A book they had purchased legally from Amazon.

Yes, they later replaced it, but if you think you "own" the content on your Kindle, you're wrong.

Sid

[walldude]

44. ? How?

Wouldn't every kindle have to be on a wireless network for that to happen?

[onehandle]

45. It is. It's on the 3G network. nt

[SidDithers]

69. I think it's "always connected"...

more like a 3G smart phone, than a wifi device.

Sid

[Arkansas Granny]

42. I've debated buying Kindle for myself, but I don't know ayone who owns one

and haven't had any hands-on experience with one. Many of the replies here convince me that I need to go ahead and get one. I love to read, but I'm running out of room to keep books I've enjoyed and am just not willing to part with. It appears from the comments that the pros outweigh the cons.

[Mudoria]

68. Take the plunge, you'll love it

I bought one for the same reason, space is getting tight with all the books I have. The Kindle may have been the best thing I've bought in many years.

[azmouse]

46. I have no desire to own one.

As long as books are printed that is what I'll buy. I always have room for one more book somewhere in my home.

[CTyankee]

51. I like to circulate books. That's the great thing about books made from actual

paper and fabric. If we go to electronic books I hope we also go to ways to circulate them for free or reduced costs to those who can't afford them. The last thing we need is something that promotes and supports the oligarchy in this country or the world for that matter...

[Crabby Appleton]

50. I like paper books.

[Sisaruus]

53. I have a Kindle AND 3700 hard copy books.

http://www.librarything.com/profile/sisaruus

One does not have to preclude the other. My sister gave me the Kindle as a birthday present in August. She is a low-tech person but she has a Kindle which she loves. I still buy physical books; I estimate only 10% of my purchases since August have been e-books. The Kindle was quite convenient during a 2-week vacation in Europe this past October. I downloaded at least 10 books to take along with me. (But I always buy books when traveling - in fact, bookstores are always part of my travel itinerary.) This morning I ordered 3 hard copies but downloaded one (Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna) onto my Kindle because I wanted to start reading it right away.

I just gave my son a Kindle for Christmas because he is a voracious reader who has to travel almost every week for business. Not only did he download a recently-published novel but he also downloaded (free) some favorite Shakespeare. Nevertheless, I fully expect him to frequently visit and buy from bookstores.

[jmm]

60. I download and read a couple books a week on my iphone while walking.

If I'm sitting I still prefer paper books and news papers but I usually walk to work and reading on my phone while walking is easier.

[SidDithers]

70. I've gone to audiobooks...

torrent the mp3 files, and listen to them on my iPhone while driving to and from work, washing the dishes, cutting the lawn etc.

It's actually one of my favourite ways to fall asleep at night. Though, I have to remember to set the my iPod to sleep after 15 minutes or so, or else I have scroll back though hours of audio to find the last place I remember hearing :)

Sid

[Hannah Bell]

63. sure, everyone wants a book that will spy on them page by page & rescind content at will.

it's the latest thing!

[Vinca]

65. I have zero interest in ebooks. I love the feel of an actual book in my hands . . .

or newspaper . . . or magazine. (Currently reading Michael Crichton's "Next.")

[TornadoTN]

67. My wife bought me one for XMas - I'm loving it

I was hesitant at first, thinking that I was going to be a book purist (even though I love gadgets). My wife saw some report and review on it and knowing how much I love to read, she ordered me one.

I'm absoloutely in love with it. The price for books is nice and the selection is amazing, with most of the books I've ever wanted to read are available for download on demand.