Earlier this week, here on GadgetAddiction.com, you may have noticed a post about Amazon deciding to redo their online video service, transforming it from a mostly download-based service to a streaming service. Well, it seems like “do-over fever” has hit Amazon because CrunchGear has reported that the big “A” is rumored to be releasing two new versions of their e-book reader, the Kindle.
According to the CrunchGear article, sometime after October 1st, 2008, the Kindle will be available as a smaller device (think Nintendo DS Lite replacing the original DS) and a larger device. The latter will come in at around the dimensions of a letter-sized piece of paper (8.5 x 11 inches) while there is no word on the size of the former (or any new or different features of either). Both will come in multiple colors, in an apparent attempt to woo the kids.
The Kindle, if you’re not aware, was released last year as both a competitor to other e-book readers and as a harbinger of the doom of print. Amazon’s founder went so far as to put a video of himself, Toni Morrison and plenty of other “important” people on the official product page for the Kindle. So, smart, successful, rich folks like the Kindle, but how practical is it for us regular folks?
This is a good question.
When it was released, the Kindle came in at a somewhat whopping $400. For that price it did include some bells and whistles that other (cheaper) e-books lacked, like the ability to use a cellular broadband connection to access Amazon’s own e-book store, but has it made a difference in sales? Sadly, Amazon hasn’t released any specific sales figures. However, in the face of this apparent plan to let loose two more versions of the Kindle, Amazon must be pretty confident that their little digital-book-reading-gadget will continue to sell.
Then again, they did feel the need to drop the price from $400 down to $359 back in June. This seems like an odd move to make in the face of hot-cake-like sales.
