Dave Simpson asked:


 

In 2001 Apple launched the iPod. Why bother, everyone said, there were already hundreds of different digital music players at the time and most people dismissed the idea out of hand. Three hundred and ninety-nine dollars for a music player? Too expensive. No FM radio or a microphone. It will never catch on. Well, as we know now, it turns out they were wrong on all counts – and how. Apple shares were $9.51 the day before the launch – today they are around $160. But enough of the history lesson. Here are five reasons why the Kindle is the next must-have gadget akin to the iPod or PSP.

1. It actually addresses a real problem

Who needs to carry 80 books around with them? Well, I don’t, and I’m sure most of you don’t either. What about a thousand – now you’re just being silly! Sony’s failed e-book reader boasted enough memory to carry around a small, or even medium sized library. Great if you’re a professor who needs to reference his life work while on the move, but just a bit over the top for most of us. Me, well I just want to read one book at a time. Still, that doesn’t mean to say that when I finish my book I always go to sleep – sometimes I want to read another. Sometimes I’m in the mood for something different to the book I just finished. Sometimes it was even so good that I want to read something else by the same author. Well, Kindle is the first ebook reader with its own cellular wireless connection that lets you get new books anytime, almost anywhere whenever you like. It’s not wifi so you don’t need to find hot spots — it’s like a cell phone. Magazines and newspapers – no problem, your digital paperboy will deliver them fresh to your (digital) doorstep in an instant.

2. It has a ready made library of good quality cheap material

Any new gadget will ultimately fail or succeed on the fuel that drives it – content! Well, with Amazon throwing its weight firmly behind the Kindle, you needn’t worry about the availablility of material. Until now, some ebook readers have failed miserably in this vital aspect with narrow choices of material, and downloads often costing more than their traditional paperback equivalents. Kindle scores on price – most of its material costs around 10 bucks and many are less – this is cheaper than a normal book. Wait, I hear you cry, but the cellular wireless connection must cost a fortune. Nope – its included in the price of the device and the downloads. Sp, what about periodicals? Big savings are to be had here as well as publishers throw themselves onto the digital bandwagon. A year of the Wall Street Journal in print is $249 versus $9.99 a month ($120 a year) via Kindle – and you can still read it in the loo!

Getting your own documents onto the Kindle can be done via email but this does, admittedly incur an extra charge, although it is just 10 cents a go. The email service supports several formats of open-source books as well as Microsoft Word and text-based, the only real omission that I would like to have seen included is PDF support. No doubt this will be forthcoming, and there are workarounds available in any case

3. Jeff Bezos is a proven visionary

Ok, its not a rock solid guarantee of success bit just look at the guys track record. First he built his online superstore beating out thousands of more established competitors – anyone not heard of Amazon here – I thought so. Amazon.com got so many things right, including the important focus on reader reviews, cheap shipping and giant selection. I’d put my money on him to make this to a success.

4. Its smart and well designed

As I’ve pointed out its packed with gadgets like free wireless cell connection a real keyboard to let you search in a book or document, page turning buttons on both sides of the screen – Ned Flanders will definitely be stocking these in the Leftorium. But another major decision will also help Kindle take off. It’s not hanging off your computer. You don’t need to sync it with a computer. Purchases are backed up online by Amazon so you can delete and recover any book you bought. Basically, it does everything it was designed to do in a simple elegant manner – remind anyone of a certain MP3 player?

5. It’s cool

There are potentially millions of consumers who will buy Kindle for this very reason. Just like PSP’s, IPods and IPhones before it – the take up of the next cool gadget is normally a huge success if the distributors get it right, and when it come to product distribution Amazon rarely fail. If you still don’t believe me, go and watch the video on this website. This is a nifty gizmo that elegantly solves real problems for consumers.