Amazon unveils the new Kindle 2
Amazon's (AMZN) Kindle has a skinny sister — the Kindle 2.
At a press conference Monday morning in Manhattan, CEO Jeff Bezos introduced a thinner, lighter and faster version of the company's surprisingly popular handheld electronic book reader. The price is the same — $359 — and it goes on sale today for delivery in 15 days.
The new device looks very much like the old one, with these improvements:
- Thinner: 0.36 inches thick, 25% thinner than an iPhone
- Quicker: Turns pages 20% faster
- Longer lasting: 25% increase in battery life
- Better display: 16 shades of gray (was 4)
- Bigger memory: Stores up to 1,500 books
- Bigger vocabulary: Built-in 250,000 dictionary
- Better navigation: With a 5-way joystick
- More vocal: Able to read text aloud in a semi-robotic voice
- Less accident prone: The page-turn buttons are smaller and harder to hit by mistake
- More wired: New Whispersync technology (more below)
"We want the Kindle to disappear," said Bezos before a packed audience in the basement of Manhattan's Carnegie Library. "It's designed so nothing interferes with that incredibly pleasurable mental flow-state you get into when you are reading a good book."
Bestselling thriller author Stephen King read from new a short story — "Ur" — that is available, for now, exclusively on the Kindle. "I'm the entertainment," he quipped.
The original Kindle allowed users to download books (standard price: $9.99) wirelessly from the Internet using a built-in 3G cellular modem.
The Kindle 2 goes one step further. The new Whispersync technology allows users to pause in their reading on, say, a Kindle 1, and pick up where they left off on a Kindle 2 and, eventually, on future wireless devices — a phrase Bezos left tantalizingly vague. Earlier reports suggested that the company's electronic library of 230,000 books would be available on various cell phones including Google's (GOOG) Android phones and Apple's (AAPL) iPhone.
Ian Freed, VP for Kindle, said the company was working "as quickly as possible" to bring Whispersync to a variety of existing smartphones, starting with the ones that offer the best reading experience. He declined to give a timeframe.
Amazon has never released Kindle sales figures, nor would its spokespeople confirm analyst estimates that it has sold as many as 500,000 units of the original model. The company had trouble keeping up with demand through much of 2008, especially after Oprah Winfrey endorsed the device on national television, calling it "my new favorite thing in the world."
Click here for the press release.
Thanks, James, for offering your work on the the Kindle.
And just like THAT, I found your book, read a sample and then purchased and downloaded the full book from Amazon.
Looking forward to reading the entire thing!!
I think that this is an awesome advance in ebook reading technology. I think the Kindle may be the catalyst that will launch ebooks into a bright and rich new future. I look forward to the forthcoming years as more advances are made. This is an exciting time for me as an ebook author, and one who's book is a part of the Kindle.
My mother and I are both avid readers. She was gifted with a Kindle last May, and I received one for Christmas.
The devices are truly wonderful.
I wake up every morning and have the NY Times delivered right to my nightstand (and Newsweek once a week). I walk through the airport and see a new release hardcover selling for nearly $30, whip out my Kindle and have it downloaded out of thin air in 30 seconds (and for $9.99). I can email my own documents directly to the Kindle in seconds (business docs, recipes, maps or directions, etc.) I can also browse the internet.
The $359 price definitely qualifies this product as a luxury item. But the price also subsidizes the Whispernet services provided through Sprint, specifically for the Kindle device. You don't pay a dime, EVER, for using the service to download books, or browse the net.
I recommend them highly.
Am I missing something here? What unique benefit does this product provide? Call me old fashion, but I like books, flipping the pages, and going to bookstores to pick them out. I guess not all people do- thus the fact there is a market for this product…
ex ped: I've never owned one, but I think one benefit of a product like Kindle is that it can lighten your book bag without diminishing the quality of your reading experience.
this is going to be a real sell out for those who are awaiting to buy, my advice…. pre buy before they sell out again!
The device has "Oprah Glow". It has been exposed to countless women and men through the media. This seems comparable to what the Good Housekeeping Seal implied back in the day.
Does the Kindle 2 have the ability to upload text documents? I love the thin profile and I perform on the piano and need thousands of lyrics at my disposal. If the Kindle 2 can do double duty I could read a book on a break and use it during work and that would make it a great purchase!
My Complaints: Costs 1000 times as much as something that costs 36 cents. It doesn't make toast. It doesn't include every book in the library of congress. If I drop it from an airplane it might break. It's bigger than my phone number. I can't read it in the dark with my eyes closed (oops, I can!). And finally, mine won't get here for 3 weeks.
a. $359!!!
b. You realise that is double the price of an iPod Touch or iPhone.
c. You realise buying worthwhile content will cost 33% more that is you were just to buy the book (because they already know you are a sucker because you bought the Kindle)
d. You know if Apple doesn't do an outdoor readable, ultra low power colour OLED book reader SONY will. And for less than the Kindle.
e. Throw it in the fire. Kindle the hope of reasonable and intelligent people everywhere.
Unfortunately you can forget about Color on a Kindle or any other e-book reader that is based upon eInk anytime soon. eInk technology is great for what it is: relatively low cost, low power consumption and easy on the eyes. But it is purely monochromatic (no colors).
The company that created eInk has been working on trying to adapt it to a color display, but there are fundamental hurdles that aren't likely to be resolved soon.
That said, I have been seriously thinking of getting a Kindle for quite a while. I have over 7,000 books already, and a device that would allow me to be able to easily take hundreds of books anywhere I want to go and switch between them with just a few clicks is a great improvement. I tend to switch between fiction novels and non-fiction books about history, science, computers or economics as my mood changes. A Kindle looks to be a great way to continue to read as I want, when I want, where I want.
If you don't recognize Steven King, or bother to google the name, you probably should think again before buying something related to reading. Jeez.
ex ped: I think he was responding to a typo in the original version of the post that had it spelled Steven instead of Stephen.
I am amazed by the number of people who criticize Kindle without owning it. Those who own one love them. I have one, as does my wife, sister and her two kids. Being able to wirelessly download books is a huge benefit at no additional cost. The keyboard is a real asset for those of us who like to mark or add notes to reference books. The simple browser allows one to check email which also necessitates a keyboard. And the $9.99 price only applies to some new books. Thousands of classics are free.
Finally for those who take shots at Amazon. When I had a display problem with my Kindle that I might have caused, they didn't argue with me but send me a new one which I put into use 36 hours after the trouble call.
I use mine for one to two hours every day. I take it everywhere including on my weekly commutes between LA and San Francisco. This plus my Iphone are all the technology I need.
Just a thought here for all the people that say the books are too expensive on the kindle …. show me where you can find a new book …. hardcover or paperback for under $10 or classic literature for free (through Project Gutenberg) My Kindle will be arriving on March 2nd and I have been waiting for one since before Christmas
Masses of environmentalists may not be running out to buy the Kindle 2 simply because it prevents eyestrain and saves trees, and Amazon is not pushing the product as an eco-friendly solution to saving the rain forest. People can read between the marketing lines. The correlation is worth investing in if the cause is grater than the individual product. – Joseph Sherman
Will Kindle 2 work in Canada? The price of books here is often $10 to $15 more than in the USA. If I can get books for $9.99 I could save big bucks and pay for a new Kindle in no time! Would someone let me know?
I would buy one of these if they would get a color screen and directly support pdf files. I am waiting to buy a reader until that happens.
For those comparing a Kindle to a Netbook, these are completely different devices that do different things. comparing them is like comparing Oranges and Grapefruit.
A netbook is a stripped down laptop computer that is designed for web surfing. It is heavier, and much harder to read ebooks on than a Kindle.
The difference is in the display. A netbook uses a traditional backlit LCD display that will cause eyestrain if used to read for over an hour.
A Kindle display uses electronic ink. This display is not backlit, has no glare, and is actually easier to read than a printed page.
Kindle and netbooks are both good devices, but if you are serious about reading books electronically, kindle is the much better choice.
I've had a Kindle 1 since August – download and read about 1 book/week, and love both the Kindle and Amazon's service. I got another Kindle for my son in college for Christmas – luckily ordered before the Oprah rush. Like those below have stated, I've yet to run into another Kindle user who doesn't like it. Every time I use it in an airport waiting area it gathers a crowd of interested people who are amazed by its features…
Peope whining about it's cost vs. netbooks, etc., or the lack of backlighting just don't get it. eInk is exactly like reading PAPER. No matter how good you think your backlit LCD is, it is not even close!
"Rarely does someone who has used a Kindle knock a Kindle."
My thoughts exactly. Obviously the negative comments here are from folks who have never actually used a Kindle. Don't knock it 'til you try it! It is by far the best gadget that I own, and I'm a big geek for all of them. Jeff B. is a genius.
Netbook for $99?? Where? Dell was supposed to have one that starts at $99 but now it appears to be $249.
Interesting there are so many buyers in love with Amazon's services. Just don't be a seller on Amazon. The "sweetness and light" company turns into a vicious bully. They forget that sellers buy things, too. Someplace else, if at all possible.
…and who cares. Popular? where On Mars? Too expensive for what it does. $100 perhaps would have been more realistic.
I have a Kindle 1 on backorder for Christmas…they were sold out. I got a note from Amazon that I will be receiving the Kindle 2 instead..automatically. I love Amazon's products and services, and that's what keeps bringing me back. Special delivery on Harry Potter books as promised; convenience and high quality. That's why I continue to be a customer.
This article, like so many others, states the kindle is "surprisingly popular." But no one has ever stated any sales figures. I have never met anyone who has a kindle or has used one, and I work in publishing. How many have they actually sold. I don't doubt that electronic books are the future, but for the moment, all the hype around kindle sounds suspiciously like the hype around the Segway scooter many years ago.
I agree with those practical folks that realize this thing is waaaay too expensive [both the unit and the books].
The only people that think otherwise either drank Oprah's Koolaid and/or are positioning [aka manipulating] on Amazon.com's behalf.
Not saying it's not a great product, just saying the price is ridiculous… when like others mention you can get netbooks for $99, and they do more.
Tired of hearing your child whine about all the textbooks needed for homework. A book bag heavier than a backpack. What we need is a colored screen reader with cost effective text books for students. Read a book and save a back.
mike dim:
Wah, wah, wah. Especially in this current economic climate, I need to get the most for my money. I will happily buy online if I get the best prices. While I still occasionally purchase at Best Buy and stores like that, I do most of my gift and tech shopping at Amazon.
The Kindle is amazing. I got the Kindle 1 last January. I've preordered my Kindle 2, and my wife is going to take my Kindle 1.
The $9.99 price for books is for new release books that are only available in hardcover. When a book is reduced, or is in softcover, the Kindle price is less than the real book.
I know it's not for everyone, especially at this price, but it is definitely for me.
Did you wonder why most of the shops which were once the coolest place to visit and buy gadgets has now become a history? I am not a business analyst, but I have a feeling that this is because the online shopping is getting popular in leaps and bounds. I am a nerd by myself and look online to buy things. But I always wanted to have a physical feel of the gadget before I bought it. Last Christmas, I was trying to buy some doll for my niece and I started browsing around shops like Wal-Mart, kohl’s and other shops in the nearby mall. Then I came back home and was looking at the prices of the same dolls at the online stores. They seemed to be lot cheaper, but again I noticed this strange thing, that none of them was able to compete Amazon. These guys were giving free shipping and there seemed to be no tax at all and above all the price of the stuff seemed to be at least 20$ less than the other online stores. I brought a couple of gift for my niece from Amazon and man they were at my doors in two days.
In one way this is a big boon, but think about the other stores like CompUSA, circuit-city, Macys and couple others which have been closed down in the recent past. These were once the shops where people used to flock around all the times and it generated lot of jobs to the people. The only shop which has been able to survive now is the Best-buy and people now visit it only to look at the gadgets and apparently even they end up buying online. If this scenario continues, lot of our brothers and sisters will end up in poverty. So the next time you shop online just think about these wicked people who are one of the main reasons for the job loss in United States
I agree with others that the price is a problem. For the same price you can buy a Netbook with 160GB, 1GB memory, XP, WIFI, and a 10" screen. Yes, it's heavier but you get a lot more for your money!
I got the 1st gen Kindle last March and the vast majority of books are less than half the price of the hardback and they drop when the book goes to paperback. Additionally, you can get any of the classics for free. I kept track mine was paid for in savings within 6 months. Granted, I'm a travel every week for work and a big reader. Rarely does someone who has used a Kindle knock a Kindle. The ability to download books while over the whispernet is the reason that I picked it over the eReader and size/weight/screen quality is the reason I picked it over the other readers that comments here mention.
Most telling is the fact that all three people I loaned it to ended up buying one.
I love my PC. I love reading on my PC. When I'm moving, I prefer to observe or read with paper. I appreciate that Kindle is allowing some to read more. I'm excited to see that reading is still competing for Tv time. Go Amazon !
The old RocketBook was a third the price and really quite useful. The Kindle will be a toy for fanbois until the price point comes down below a hundred bucks. For now, Amazon can go hose itself for gouging the public with this thing. Plus, $9.99 per book… I DON'T THINK SO.
I think this is a much smarter design. Not perfect, but much more interesting and solar powered too!
http://www.core77.com/competitions/greenergadgets/projects/4597/
How much does it weigh? How long do the batteries last? These are the essential questions for a backpacker.
ex ped: 10.2 ounces, four or five days with wireless on, two weeks with wireless off — or so they say
The new Kindle sounds great, but I'm very disppointed about the high price. It's almost that of a high-end iPhone. I'm tempted but the sweet spot would have been $250. Amazon does know we are in a recession, right?
What ever happened to the RCA eBook. I bought mine years ago for $250 it has color and bigger display, and the battery lasts for more than 12 hours. I have more than 150 books on it and only used half the memory which I can upgrade. I can also put PDF, Doc and HTML on it without to much work. Still love it only problem is I don't know if I can still get books for it.
An earlier post was correct that it's too expensive an item to carry around, too easily misplaced or stolen. First, it should carry a price for the masses if it wants to have a large market; books should be able to be downloaded for a relatively low cost and simply be non-transferable (it remains on your computer until you delete it if/when you need room for different books). I don't know that $100 is the right price, but it should be like Gilette did with razors and razor blades; the razor is cheap, the blades have to be bought regularly.
I'm not sure, as said earlier, why it needs to be wireless or it needs a keyboard (maybe there's a valid reason, but I don't think it's necessary).
And, if you have a previous model, you should be able to trade in the previous model and get a significant (read that again, significant) discount for turning in the old model and upgrading. It will encourage people to buy the product if they know it won't be obsolete or overtaken in a short time.
All your questions can be answered at Amazon.com, in the discussion forums or in the Kindle Support > Kindle 2 FAQs.
No it's not backlight, it's opaque ink and reading a backlight screen strains your eyes. You have to buy it with a US credit card and mailing address, and Whispernet doesn't work outside the US, but you can use it abroad if you download your books to your computer then transfer them manually.
If you like to read books, this is an amazing device. It allows you to read for extended periods of time with no eye strain, unlike iPods and computers. It's not meant to help you play games, communicate, or look at image-heavy websites.
I've had my Kindle 1 for a few months and love it. In addition to the ease of reading and carrying all my books with me, the Whispernet service allows me to download books and search the web from anywhere, and that's what makes me *love* it. I'm disappointed not to have the newest version, but the upgrades are not that substantial.
Apple does not give previous iPod and iPhone owners discounts or special information on their next generation releases, and neither do HP, Dell, Samsung, or any other technology manufacturer. Everyone knows technology gets smaller, more functional, and hopefully less expensive eventually.
Someone commented about using this device in school for books but that would never be allow. In my college right now, two out of my four classes use ebooks and another doesn't even have a hard copy available, only online. Best part is, the online copies still cost $70 and now the hard copies cost $140. Yep, future has ebooks, but they are still screwing people on the prices.
Shawn from York, PA.
Hmm, maybe they already had a Kindle 2 and they didn't tell us.
John Mianus Ct. learn some grammar.
I've heard that anyone with a backorder of the original Kindle will be receiving a Kindle 2 automatically instead(same price so no action needed). That's why your expected delivery date is March(Kindle 2 ships Feb 24.)
The last thing I need is another electronic device to carry around. Just release the eBooks in PDF format so that I can read them on my laptop. Wow, the illustrations could even be in color! What a novel idea!
anybody who doesn't know a thing about this amazing piece of equipment shouldn't bother to post in. or buy one and see for yourself
I'm confused…I've had a Kindle on backorder since before Christmas…and I'm not supposed to receive it until March. So how are they coming out with a new one for release when they haven't even handled the backorders yet? I hope I get the updated one in the mail and not the old one…especially after making me wait 3 months!
Be a SUPER great asset if students can get textbooks downloaded – though publishers would never go for it. But just think how much students and thier families would save.
I've gone from Sony ereader (no mac support; required USB hookup) to Kindle 1, now to Kindle 2. Hope the picture resolution is as good as they say.
The problem with this device is that it is too expensive to want to carry around like you would a book. I don't want to blow $400 because the thing fell off the table at Starbucks. The right price range for this is well under $100. Get rid of the stupid features like wireless, I don't need a keyboard either.
Hmmmm… weren't there some "experts" that said this new product wasn't going to catch on? 1 year or so later, that doesn't seem to be the case at all.
I have been reading ebooks for years on PDAs. The Zire 72 that I have now cost me $80 and most of the e-books are free. I can't figure out why I would want a $359 grayscale reader.
I would love to have one, but the books are so expensive! Has anyone come up with a used book store for the Kindle??
My Kindle had a screen problem – I had a brand new one four days later…it was still under warranty. Customer service was great, and I love the thing…
I really like the Kindle, have one and use it as a complement to my bulky notebook.
Not all the time I need a powerful computer but I always want to read something, and the Kindle helps me with that.
Drat! I've been trying hard not to cave in and buy a Kindle just yet, and now they had to make it better for the same price. Darn Amazon for offering me just what I want!
A lot of people on Amazon complained that there was NO repair service and so any minor problems resulted in a total loss, which is why I didn't buy one. I wonder if this is still true.
As a heads up, the Kindle 2 price is $359 and not the $259 noted in the article.
ex ped: Got it. Fixed. Thanks.
I just do not understand why people are complaining about the price. I am current enrolled in a Masters program and the cost of my books in a traditional format would be 1500.00. With the Kindle my cost has been reduced to 700.00. How does anyone this option is a wast of money? To the persons who suggest the pricing of the iPod series as a better option, you have forgotten the screen size is way too small, and the netbook option will consume your time with spyware, popups, and virus issues. Perhaps some of you should get over the price and if you don't want it or can not afford it then just walk away. I never quite understood the venting and yelling of people who seem to be jealous about what other people can afford. Have we not realized not everyone can have what they want? Time to grow up people and stop crying over material things. Yes, this device is a need not a want for me, as I would rather carry 1500 books then five heavy books in a bag on my shoulder.