Kindle Review – Kindle 3 Review, iPad Review

We’re 5 days away from the JesusTablet and a much needed respite from the endless speculation – let’s look at all that’s happening in the world of eReaders.

Amazon is in overdrive

Not since the announcement of the Nook have we seen Amazon improve the Kindle and the Kindle Store so much -

1. Kindle gets a Kindle App Store.
2. Authors get 70% of royalties.
3. The craziest move is to offer some customers a ‘Try it, and if you don’t like it keep it for free’ offer on the Kindle. It seems to be targeted at frequent Amazon customers – those who buy regularly, buy a lot and hardly ever return things.
4. Amazon also made it easier for Publishers to hand out their eBooks for pirating for convenience (without DRM). Nieman Journalism Lab talks about people who are excited to offer up their books sans DRM.
5. Kindle DX has started reaching international owners.
6. Amazon also sent out an email warning Kindle owners that the ‘easy to get wrong’ Kindle case with its locking-unlocking hook might be dangerous to the health of their Kindle.

Meanwhile Amazon’s 4th quarter earnings are expected to arrive a day after the JesusTablet and expectations are just as high.

Apple iSlate is getting even more buzz

1. Apple is apparently now talking with Textbook Publishers (McGraw Hill) and Trade Book Publishers (Hachette) - the transformation from ‘books aren’t read any more’ to ‘books are where it’s at’ seems complete. 
2. Mike Abramsky at RBC Capital Markets projects $2.8 billion in revenue from the JesusTablet if it retails at $600 before subsidies. Apple Insider has all the figures and charts
3. Channel Insider talks about analysts expecting good things from Apple’s earnings call on Monday. It also quotes a rival analyst who thinks predictions of 5 to 10 million iSlate sales are unrealistic.
4. Gizmodo has an article on the iSlate interface that is a masterpiece and overkill at the same time.

Katy Whitehead of Fifth Estate uses Google Insights to contrast Kindle and iSlate interest – do take a look. 

eReader News

1. Someone called Asus UK has lots of photos of the forthcoming 9″ Asus eReader. It’s slated to be out in the UK in April.
2. David Pogue seems to have a personal venedetta against the Nook - Now he’s found that its weight is about an ounce more than claimed. It would make sense since it seems noticeably heavier.
3. A Professor claims that audio eReader technology has the potential to negatively affect blind literacy - eReaders just can’t catch a break.  
4. Kobo says they are developing eReader Apps for tablets and slates that will release in February – how interesting. 
5. The BeBook Neo has been launched. Preorders are $299 and the Neo comes with Wacom technology and supports much easier text entry than current eReaders.
6. Apple filed a patent for iPods powered by solar cells.
7. The iRex DR800 S eReader is now shipping. MGMueller at MobileRead has an ongoing unboxing and photo-taking and using and commenting live-stream.

Closing Thought – In 5 days we can put all this drama behind us

The advent of the JesusTablet is a little tiring – Instead of good, solid facts and analysis we have wild-eyed speculation and wishful thinking run awry.

Apple Tablet devotees feel compelled to forget that the Tablet PC concept has never taken off before. They claim that the JesusTablet will kill -

1. All eReaders, especially the Kindle as it has committed the twin cardinal sins of not having color and not being sexy.
2. Netbooks – How dare something that’s so cheap be successful.
3. Laptop PCs.
4. The Macbook – just to show that the Tablet doesn’t discriminate.
5. Paper.
6. Half the Trees of the Amazon – just to send a message.

In less than a week we get to finally see it - no more of all the strange, beautiful visions people are dreaming up.