e-Book Prices To Rise, Wireless Fee Next?

Posted by P.Rad on Feb 8, 2010 in News | 0 comments

Amazon marketed Kindle as a revolutionary device that not only allows you to take many books with you on the go, but one that could save you money as well. After all, most e-books in Kindle store were expected to be sold for $9.99. The recent developments regarding some of the top publisher companies has forced Amazon to cave in and allow them to set their own prices. So it’s not a surprise that many expect e-book prices to go up in the near future. Publishers have been struggling to make a decent amount of money from their works in the past couple of years or so. With more e-book readers released to the market, these publishers now have more bargaining power, and they are using it to its fullest.

Many of us can probably deal with price hikes as far as e-books are concerned. But could Amazon and other e-book reader makers do the unthinkable and charge for the wireless service as well. AT&T is struggling to keep up with all the load that devices such as iPhone are putting on its network. The iPad is expected to make it worse. So Amazon and B&N could technically start charging for the wireless service that we all currently get for free with our e-book readers. Amazon certainly has left the door open in its Kindle terms and conditions:

e-Book Price Hikes Are Coming?

Posted by P.Rad on Feb 5, 2010 in News | 6 comments

Credit: ba1969

Remember the good old days when most Kindle e-books were available for $9.99. Even in those days, many of us were complaining about Amazon not making all e-books available for $9.99. Some of us were even asking for lower e-book prices. One thing that consumers forget is that publishers are for-profit companies. So they are not going to be happy with just a little bit profit when they can charge more for their e-books. We already know that Amazon has already caved in to MacMillan’s demands and allowed the publisher to set its own e-book prices. Are we surprised that other publishers are using that as a precedent to demand the same things from Amazon?

Touchscreen Kindle? Count On It!

Posted by P.Rad on Feb 4, 2010 in News | 0 comments

Touchscreen devices are on top nowadays. Apple iPhone breathed new life to this category of handheld devices, but other companies have picked the ball up and are running with it. Apple itself is not planning to move away from touchscreen devices anytime soon. In fact, the company has been looking for ways to improve its touch-sensitive devices. Now you can consider Amazon among those companies interested in adding touchscreen technology to their products. Amazon has recently acquired Touchco to build its own super Kindle. Considering the pressure Amazon is facing to compete with iPad who can blame the company.

Amazon’s move is certainly interesting as Touchco’s touch-technology is very flexible and can detect an unlimited number of touch-points. So the accuracy will be much better on a device that uses the technology. It will be fairly cheaper as well (video courtesy of NY Times):

Is Apple iPad Too Distracting?

Posted by P.Rad on Feb 3, 2010 in Thoughts | 2 comments

The iPad has generated a lot of buzz among e-book fans in the past week or so. Apple was always expected to introduce a device that could make the company competitive in multiple markets. Apple iPad does that and more. The device is expected to have monstrous sales numbers, and the fact that we all have to wait up to 60 days to get our hands on one can only build anticipation. Many e-book reader company may jump to discount the effect that the iPad will have on this industry. But let’s face it. Apple can sell its products, and it can do it well. So it’s no wonder that e-book reader manufacturers are worried. With its recent slide in shares prices, Amazon may have to up its game as well.

Many argue that the iPad is not really an e-book reader, and it doesn’t offer features important to e-b00k junkies. Some mention that the device does not take advantage of E-ink technology and does not have a long battery life in comparison to Kindle or Nook. But those arguments don’t cut it for me. For me, it all comes down to one thing: Apple iPad will be too distracting. If you don’t believe me, just imagine how your life has changed after purchasing an iPhone. That’s often the problem with devices that are capable of doing thousands of things.

Macmillan Strong Arms Amazon?

Posted by P.Rad on Feb 2, 2010 in News | 3 comments

Remember how Amazon Kindle was supposed to give us all a more affordable way to buy and read books? After all, Amazon was supposed to set its own e-book prices so low to make it possible for Kindle owners to save money in the long run. We always knew that large publishers would not give up their profits easily. That’s exactly what has happened with Macmillan. The publisher has reached an agreement with Amazon to set its own e-book prices. It will also keep 70% of its sales for itself.

What does that mean for us consumers? It means e-book prices could be on the rise, essentially making the cost of owning a Kindle much higher than before. Of course, Macmillan is not the only publisher capable of standing up to Amazon. More large publishers will follow suit, and we could technically see higher e-book prices across the board. Authors Guild executive, Paul Aiken, put it best:

Meet Kandle LED Book Light for eReaders

Posted by P.Rad on Feb 2, 2010 in Kindle Accessories | 2 comments

In case you haven’t noticed, your e-ink based e-reader doesn’t come with a back-light, so you are not going to be able to read it properly without a decent light. Amazon Kindle already has a bunch of reading lights that you can use to read more effectively. But sometimes, you just need a light that is more portable and is compatible with most e-book readers. Kandle is that e-reader light. It combines functionality and portability and gives you the best of both worlds.

Kandle has a WideLip grip that sits on the top of your e-book reader and lets you read better in dark areas. The grip doesn’t block your screen, and the light is bright enough to get the job done. Kandle comes with 2 lifetime LEDs that helps you get more bang for your buck.

Will We Ever See a Free Kindle?

Posted by P.Rad on Feb 1, 2010 in Kindled | 0 comments

I remember the very first day that Amazon announced what it had in store for us with Kindle. The device wasn’t a barn burner from the start, but it did improve significantly on what other e-book readers had to offer. While many e-book fans were excited about the device, there were people who complained about the device being too expensive. Since then, Amazon has dropped Kindle’s price significantly, making it much more affordable to more people. But one has to wonder when these price drops stop.

The emergence of Apple iPad will most likely result in yet another Kindle price drop. Of course, this time it’s Kindle DX that’s more likely to get a discount. I am sure we all want to pay less for our hardware and spend more on e-books. That’s perhaps why Amazon needs to think of new ways to bring more people on board. Amazon Kindle books are cheaper and by switching to Kindle you can save money in the long run. At the same time, there are many books that are selling for more than $9.99, often defeating the purpose of getting a Kindle. Once has to wonder whether e-books selling for $9.99 is actually a good deal for consumers in the first place. After all, you can’t sell an e-book or share it (Nook’s lend me feature doesn’t count as it’s clunky and far from perfect). Besides, current e-book readers are not exactly great in handling complex layouts, and there is still work to be done in this area.