Comments on: Kindle 2.0 WishList + Kindle 2.0 Most Wanted List

By: Isaac Fischer

Isaac Fischer — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:57:08 +0000

A writeable eInk screen on the Kindle 2.0 that lets people use Kindle 2 as a journal and/or notebook would be incredibly valuable. Of course, there’d have to be some sort of touch or pen reactive screen to implement that. I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

But what I really really want is .epub / OEB support. C’mon, all the cool kids are doing it!

By: radio_babylon

radio_babylon — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:29:15 +0000

@tashabear

we’re talking about the kindle 2.0… which, according to unconfirmed reports, does NOT have a user-servicable battery. OR an SD slot. both of which are dealbreakers for me.

By: switch11

switch11 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:47:55 +0000

2. and 7. are good points. i think there’s a little bit of leeway amazon can take whilst still keeping the kindle primarily an erader. so i think 2. is doable, and 7. might be too distracting.
5. yes – turn it into a platform that other people besides amazon can benefit from. this in turn will strengthen it more.

6. Book Clubs, Book Reviews, Finding like minded people. Lots of other social benefits + a sense of community.

8. yes – perhaps this is better done through a website – however the Kindle should have a link to it. Basically turn the Kindle and Kindle users into a means to find the best authors, and the best books. Something independent from traditional publishing.

By: Tashabear

Tashabear — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:17:45 +0000

The battery on a Kindle IS user serviceable. That’s why they’re sold on Amazon. Did you look inside the back cover? You just unplug it and plug in a new one.

By: Caion

Caion — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:47:50 +0000

1. A sub $300 price tag is indeed essential for true mass market penetration, but I wonder if production costs make such a price point feasible at the moment.

2. I am wary of the concept of a “better looking” Kindle. In its current incarnation, because of its own plainness, the device itself disappears as you are reading, much like the physical shell of a book seems to vanish as you get absorbed in the words. A “sleeker” Kindle that tries to call attention to itself with its looks may indeed prove a distraction from the material you are reading.

3. I can barely tolerate reading my Kindle with the smudge of my accidental fingerprints marring the screen. I don’t even want to think about having to tolerate the consequent scratches from touch screen stylus manipulation.

4. Wholeheartedly agreed.

5. In other words, make it more like the iPhone.

6. Interesting concept, but to what end? Please expand on this idea.

7. I can also see how this could diminish the Kindle’s identity as a book reader by having it attempt to be a “jack of all trades” device. This may result in consumer confusion and, consequently, consumer apathy. Perhaps the Kindle should remain focused on its task as a book reader rather than attempting to become an all-purpose Amazon.com gateway.

8. This will only appeal to a small subset of users, and would be better handled at the website than the Kindle device itself.

By: switch11

switch11 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:07:29 +0000

thats a good point – i’m having the same nightmare scenario trying to replace the fan on my laptop. apparently the easiest (and only) way to do it is mail it in. a week without a laptop – obviously they don’t understand that i can’t live without my laptop.

By: radio_babylon

radio_babylon — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:03:23 +0000

i think a user-servicable battery should be on the “must have” list also. batteries dont last forever, and if you use the kindle like i do, you have to charge every other day, not once a week. im already about to need a new battery, and if i have to send it back to the manufacturer to get one, or go through a complicated and warranty-voiding process to replace it myself, i simply *will not* buy it. thats exactly why ive never owned (and never will own) an ipod.