In the last few days we’ve seen two developments that threaten the Kindle and greatly increase the importance of Kindle 3 -
- Plastic Logic’s metamorphosis from the business/vaporware eReader to a ‘B&N ebooks and AT&T network fuelled’ comprehensive eReader.
- Apple’s 10″ iTouch moving from early 2010 to October, being on Verizon (a better network than AT&T) and looming over the holiday season.
Its worth looking back at the ‘killer features’ of the Kindle 1 and Kindle 2 to see what helped Kindles succeed.
Kindle 1 Killer Features
- Focused on Reading.
- eInk Screen.
- Simplicity i.e. extreme ease of use.
- Unitasking.
- Whispernet.
- Price of Books.
A good way of gauging just how game-changing these features were is that fact that WhisperNet and low priced eBooks are still unmatched, nearly 1.75 years after the original Kindle.
There were also some ‘hidden, high-potential’ features like Google Maps, and for publishers the non-Internet context i.e. users did not have preconceived notions that everything should be free.
Kindle 2 Killer Features
The Kindle 2′s biggest achievement is actually keeping the Focus on Reading and on Unitasking. In addition to these and other Kindle 1 killer features, Kindle 2 added –
- WhisperSync including addition of the Kindle for iPhone app.
- Read To Me (which publishers are limiting, unfortunately).
- Lower Price. A drop from the Nov 17th, 2007 $399 to the current $299 is important.
Kindle 2 also took a few steps backward by removing Google Maps and the SD card slot.
Kindle 3 needs new killer features desperately
Kindle 3 needs to evolve quickly as several of the Kindle’s killer features will be matched -
Both Plastic Logic eReader and Apple’s eReader/Netbook will have the equivalent of WhisperNet.
B&N eBookstore will match (or come close to) Kindle store in price and range of ebooks.
Additionally, PL and Apple will add new killer features of their own –
PL eReader has an unbreakable screen. That’s a pretty big bonus.
Apple will have a color screen whose color, larger size, multi-touch etc. will whittle away the lead Kindle’s larger, eInk screen has.
Apple will have a much better web browsing experience (a plus and a minus for readers).
Possible Kindle 3 Killer Features
First, here are a few vital features Kindle 3 should have (foundation features) –
- Continued Focus on Reading and Unitasking.
- $250 price point.
- Folders and Smart Organization.
- SD Card or MicroSD card slot.
Next, we need killer features that would make Kindle 3 special -
- Speech To Text and Journalling.
- TouchScreen and Game Changing usability changes (think Swype for really good text input).
- ePub support and PDF Support.
- 3rd party Kindle App Store, with some solid Apps at launch (calendar, address book, calculator, to-do lists).
- A drastic jump in page turning speeds and screen resolution. This is actually rather unlikely.
There are also a few long-shot features that under perfect conditions might end up being game-changing.
Kindle 3 Long Shot Killer Features
- Pixel Qi technology for color screens. This is more likely to be part of Kindle 4, and it might not even work for eReaders.
- Alternate eBook Models: Subscription Model or Advertising Supported Model.
- Foldable Screens.
- Turn on the Social switch on Kindles.
- GPS and Google Maps.
The bar is much higher for Kindle 3 – it needs to introduce as many killer features as Kindle 1 did to win the next round.
We’re talking 4 or more killer features added in Kindle 3 (in addition to Folders) - Will it happen? Perhaps.
Filed under: evolution, kindle 3 Tagged: | kindle 3, kindle vs apple
Good summary of what we need in Kindle 3.
I have a series of reports on Plastic Logic statements that say strongly they won’t be using whispernet for general Net access nor have a web browser nor email in the first edition of the PL device.
PL insists (probably defending its lack of these features) this lack of browser/email is to keep the business user with “no interruptions.” I felt B&N partnership would change their focus but their latest statements keep up the old chant of business, business, business.
The WiFi and cellular wireless they do use are intended, by their own statements, for upload and download of documents needed for work.
On tv broadcasts, as late as the other day, their execs still say they are not going after Amazon’s leisure consumer book-oriented market. Last month they said that the books purchased are more likely to be business books. Their president has even said that it’s not about books at all, which floored me.
I and others think they keep emphasizing business needs to keep their main clients assured (newspapers already signed up with, and magazines and advertisers who are promised ads and user-tracking of use of the PL).
An article came out two days ago, frustrated over PL not targeting the Kindle in its latest statements and lament that they are squandering time and the big opporunity there is now.
But I sure agree with you that their emphasis on so many file formats accessible to those who need to work at offices and trade documents easily (MS suite, ePub, PDFs) will be pushing (I hope) Amazon to get cracking on the “other file formats” that Bezos promised at Wired conference June 15.
The Apple: that’ll be interesting.
Also of interest to people like me, and moreso actually, is the Crunchpad which will only do the Net but in color and at a $300 price, due for announcement late July or early August.
WiFi will keep it attractively priced for home/office WiFi use while wireless would need to have monthly charges added on.
Apple’s will start at $800 in October and that’ll require monthly wireless if people want the Net outside the home, at something like $60/mo. That will be able to run apps and also double as a somewhat eye-fatiguing e-reader but it’ll be a nicely large screen reader and in color.
The Crunchpad will do only the Net, with storage only on a separate card. But I am drawn to the latter.
1. Better, more ergonomic interface that doesn’t kill my hands to use.
2. Much better interface for SKIMMING books.
Then I’ll buy one!
Also, GPS?? Doesn’t this negate your point about being focused on reading?
The font size is not large enough for my low vision daughter. How large is the font size in the Kindle DX and will the Kindle 3 have larger font sizes for the visually impaired? Will the Kindle 3 be released soon?
Chris,
The Font Size on the DX (courtesy official Amazon Forums) –
At the largest font size, a capital letter is 3/16″ tall (just under 1/4″). Full character height–from the bottom of a “g” to the top of a “d”–is 1/4″.
No idea when Kindle 3 will be released. My intuition is in November this year but Amazon have said next year.
If you buy the Kindle 2 or DX after November 1st it falls under Amazon’s holiday returne period and i think you can return it until end Jan or end Dec so that might be a good option.
A color Kindle wouldn’t be a kindle at all, in my opinion. The purpose of the light gray matte display is to provide the “perfect” long-term reading environment. Certainly, there will be a lot of people who will clamor for multitasking the Kindle to include PIM, 3rd party app, and phone functions…but the truth is that all exists in current smartphones, including ereading capability.
What sets Kindle apart is it is a READING MACHINE. Borne and bred. As such, it’s fine. The Sony is pretty much there, too. The Nook, not so much, unless I missed the ability therein to highlight and bookmark texts (a reader’s function). But blowing up a smartphone large enough to be comfortable as a reader for long periods of time does no one any favors.
Kindle 3 should stick with what the author states set it apart: singletasking. It should merely improve its ability to provide a stable, intuitive reading environment and promote ever better and more cost effective means to access reading material.