We apologize for the confusion. Our new Kindle Touch 3G enables you to connect to the Kindle Store, download books and periodicals, and access Wikipedia – all over 3G or Wi-Fi. Experimental web browsing (outside of Wikipedia) on Kindle Touch 3G is only available over Wi-Fi.

Our Kindle Keyboard 3G will continue to offer experimental web browsing over 3G or Wi-Fi.

Older Kindles will continue to work the way they have in the past. New Kindle models will limit their users on what they can access over 3G. While this move is not surprising, it will disappoint some Kindle fans. Will this be a deal breaker for you?

Amazon Kindle 3 may get all the coverage in the news these days. But Amazon does have big plans for Kindle DX. In fact, Kindle DX got the “graphite look” a bit earlier than regular Kindle. Amazon had high hopes for Kindle DX. The device has a large enough screen to be useful for students, teachers, and researchers. Unfortunately, it is too expensive for a lot of people at this point. Since it’s still priced somewhat close to Apple iPad, it could be losing some market to that device, especially among college students. With Nook 2 coming out soon, now is the time for Amazon to be more aggressive with Kindle DX. Amazon won’t be introducing its Android tablet to the market this year, but it can surely offer a different flavor of Kindle DX — Kindle DX WiFi.

Kindle DX WiFi could be priced aggressively to go after Nook 2 and Apple iPad. Amazon has had a lot of success with its $139 Kindle, so there is no reason it shouldn’t bring a WiFi-only version of Kindle DX to the market. Here are just 5 reasons why it should do it now:

• Kindle DX is too expensive: while having the ability to download books on the road without having to look for a WiFi network is nice, there is no question Kindle DX is still out most people’s price range. Amazon could potentially offer this device for just under $300. That would give the device a better chance to succeed.
• Compete with Nook and other devices: B&N may be quite excited about its Nook 2. But the fact remains that Nook 2 does not take advantage of E-ink technology. A cheaper Kindle DX could put even more pressure on Amazon’s competitors in this field. 
• Not everyone needs 3G: Kindle is not exactly an internet tablet. 3G functionality is nice if you are traveling around the globe and want to have a way to download content anywhere. But many of us can do without it.
• Increase adoption rate: during Kindle DX trials, many students complained about Kindle DX being too expensive and not offering a good bang for buck. That could all change if Amazon prices Kindle DX WiFi aggressively.
• Larger screens are underrated: Jeff Bezos has claimed 6 inch screens to be the perfect display size for e-readers. Considering that Apple has had a lot of success with the iPad, there is no reason Amazon can’t with Kindle DX.

Kindle DX has been in the shadow of its tiny family member since the very start. It’s about time Amazon got serious about the future of Kindle DX. An aggressive pricing strategy would be a good start.

Any thoughts?

Those of you who have had the opportunity to use your e-reader for some time are familiar with the advantages of using those devices to consume content. Platforms such as Kindle let readers get more out of their reading experience and share content and highlights with others too. Richard MacManus @rrw summarizes these positive points beautifully. But not all is rosy when it comes to e-books. The industry is yet to hit maturity, and there are major issues e-reader manufacturers, publishers, and authors need to deal with.

eBook Prices Are Too High

This goes without saying. Asking folks to pay $9.99 (or $14.99) for e-books just seems too much. It’s not as if Amazon Kindle or Apple iPad are free e-book readers. Besides, you do not really own your e-book when you can’t sell it or share it with others easily. I would not be complaining if all e-books were priced in an affordable fashion. Unfortunately, some e-books are selling for almost as high as their paperback version. Is that fair?

You Can’t Sell Your E-books

Going back to the previous point, e-book buyers simply can not sell their e-books. That means you are stuck with what you have bought forever. That is going to be a huge turn off especially for college students.

Can Your E-Reader Last

Kindle, iPad, and Nook are all great devices. But they all have a limited life-time. Your device may last you 1 year or 5 years. But you will have to keep buying e-readers to continue enjoying your e-books (unless you do not mind reading your e-books on your computer).

Lack of a Unified E-Book Format

Most top e-readers support PDF and other types of files. But if you decide to buy your e-books from Amazon, B&N, or Borders, you are going to get files in very different formats. A lot of content that you can pick up from these sites is not portable. That’s something we never had to face with paper books. There are open formats out there. Not all the above companies are willing to widely adopt them though.

e-Book Piracy Is a Big Issue

Let’s face it. People pirate e-books just like they do music and PPVs. There is just something about digital products that gives people the indication that it is fine to steal them. After all, you are only getting your hands on a file, right? It is not clear how Amazon and other companies can fight piracy. But DRM is not the answer. Putting unnecessary restrictions on e-books can be frustrating to e-book buyers and does not solve the problem.

I am not suggesting that people should dump their e-readers and go back to paper books. Still, there are numerous outstanding issues that the top players in the e-book industry need to work out (I didn’t even include the whole “exclusive deal” debacle). Book 2.0 is the future but we still have ways to go to get there.

There was a time when Amazon had big plans for Kindle DX. The device was expected to be a hit among college students and in professional schools. Unfortunately for Amazon, those plans have not panned out. When Kindle DX was announced, there was no device like an iPad to put competitive pressure on it. In a few months, there are going to be a few more iPad-like tablets available to consumers. That means Amazon probably had no choice but to stop the bleeding and reduce Kindle DX’s price to keep it competitive for now.

Amazon seems to be stuck with Kindle DX at this point. The device is still too expensive for the average reader. At the same time, it does not offer the features people have come to love on devices such as iPad. The next generation E-ink screen is nice to have, but it does not justify the price.

The e-reader competition is going to become even more intense for Amazon. While Kindle DX can have a bright future in the education business, the company needs to figure out how to connect better with students. So far, Kindle DX trials have bombed.

It may be hard for die-hard Kindle fans to accept, but Amazon has made a major shift in strategy when it comes to Kindle. Amazon’s Kindle strategy is more tied to software than hardware at this point. Dedicated e-readers will be around for a while. But it would not be surprising if Amazon killed Kindle hardware a couple of years from now.

Your turn: is Kindle in trouble?

I am a Kindle case junkie. Even though I have tried almost any case one can find on the market, I do not hesitate to pick up new cases for my e-reader. Moleskine® Kindle Cover is a new protective case worth looking at. It not only aims to protect Kindle, it also includes a reporter-style notebook for those who intend to take notes on the road (e.g. reporters, bloggers, …). It’s a very interesting concept. Moleskine realizes that while some people may be ready to read their books in digital format, there is still a need for paper notebooks. Or is there?

Our team has not reviewed Moleskine’s case, but it is not too hard to figure out what Amazon Kindle is missing just by looking at this case. If a company wants its customers to go digital, it should provide them with the tools to make the transition much easier. People can read e-books on a Kindle. However, since Kindle is not a touch-screen device, one can’t take hand-written notes on it (something that is very much possible using an iPad).

Adding a multi-touch screen to Kindle is not going to solve all its problems. Amazon seems to be encouraging unitasking with Amazon Kindle. That’s not where the industry is headed if we take a look at devices such as iPad. Without multi-tasking, you won’t be able to take notes and read your books conveniently. Then there is the issue of Kindle apps. We still do not know what Amazon is planning to do with Kindle API. Without the appropriate apps, taking notes and storing them on a Kindle can be a hassle.

Moleskine® Kindle Cover looks like a very solid case. But one has to wonder where Amazon could have been with Kindle had it played its card rights. All is not lost for Amazon, but time is the enemy. Unless Amazon is not serious about hardware anymore. That’s a whole other story for another day.

Father’s day is almost upon us. That means there is no better time to look for those deals and discounts. Many companies are offering huge discounts and free shipping to make life easier for shoppers. That is the case with Amazon and B&N too. Amazon is offering 2 day expedited shipping to those who order Amazon Kindle for Father’s day. B&N’s offer is much more tempting as it includes free shipping and a $50 gift certificate with each nook ordered for this occasion.

It is no secret that Amazon and B&N have “dads” and the older generation in their target audience. In fact, these companies have had more success with older (wiser) people than with the young generati0n. These offers also indicate where both companies are at this point. Amazon does not need to discount Kindle or offer gift certificates to get people to pick up Kindle. While nook is a very decent alternative to Amazon Kindle, it is not as well known.

It will be interesting to see how much business iPhone 4 will take away from Amazon and B&N. The device will not ship before June 24th. But it is one of those devices that makes a decent gift. Kindle and nook are much more affordable options though.

In your opinion, which e-reader makes the best gift for dads?

Internet sales tax and more Internet regulation are on the horizon. As much as experts want to believe that the Internet could stay as it is today, the financial struggles of the U.S. government and the states could force the lawmakers’ hands and make them open to regulating the Internet. Amazon.com is one of the best e-tailers around due to its large selection of items and its low prices. Most Amazon customers do not pay sales tax to Amazon. That means they have a better chance of finding lower prices on Amazon than on websites that do collect sales tax. There is no question that Amazon has some of the lowest prices around when it comes to e-books. That is going to change with the agreements that Amazon struck with a few top publishers (the agency model debacle):

Several publishers have recently changed the nature of their relationship with Amazon, moving to a business model whereby the publisher, not Amazon, is the seller of record for their books. Kindle books sold under this model are subject to sales tax based on the publisher’s state tax reporting obligations and the taxability of digital books in those states. Books where the publisher is the seller of record say “This price was set by the publisher.” Nothing has changed with respect to sales taxes on Kindle books where Amazon is the seller of record.

We are no tax experts, but in many states buyers are supposed to pay sales taxes for their online purchases even if the e-tailers do not charge it. So this announcement does not change anything in that regard. What it does is increase e-book prices a bit more for some customers. That’s another reason why some Kindle customers are not happy with the agency model adopted by a few top publishers on Amazon.

Paying taxes on things we buy is not anything new. We have all done it in the past, and there is no reason to believe we won’t have to do it in the future. But the addition of sales tax for Kindle books is not going to make the already disgruntled Kindle customers happy:

I will not be purchasing books that have this restriction. Thanks for the heads up.

Says G. K. Thompson. Not the only customer complaining about this development. Amazon is the easy target here. The company could be forced to collect sales tax on all items in the near future. Will Kindle owners boycott Amazon over this? Some probably will. But, what will they do when the Congress takes up the Internet tax legislation?

Have you been charged sales tax for e-books on Amazon?

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.

There is no question that the majority of people don’t read as often as they should. Reading is one of the best ways to keep your brain sharp and of course learn from time to time. It’d certainly be sad if our reading time was replaced with app time. The fact that Apple iPad will take advantage of thousands of iTunes apps should not be a knock on the device. But the device will give its users way too many options. Going by how long people spend on their iPhone doing everything but reading, it wouldn’t surprise me if the iPad has the same effect.

The iPad is a wonderful device and can certainly be used to read books. In fact, I am sure many of those people who make the switch from Kindle or Nook to iPad will continue reading as often as before. The device may be cheaper than many experts thought it’d be, but it’s just too distracting to act as my e-book reader. That’s not to say that I won’t be buying one. It just won’t be replacing my Kindle. Not anytime soon anyway.

Your turn: what are your thoughts on the iPad as an e-book reader?

So we didn’t get the Kindle upgrade most of us where hoping for this year. Sure. International Kindle and Kindle DX are both very decent e-readers to own but the rumors of color screen Kindles didn’t come true this year. Considering that Nook and other e-book readers are taking the game to Amazon, Amazon won’t be getting away with a minor upgrade as far as Kindle 3.0 is concerned. So expect big things from Amazon in 2010. Of course, we did expect big things this year and while we got some good things, Amazon did not completely wow us. It’s now time for our Kindle 3.0 predictions yet again. Let’s see whether Amazon steps up:

1. Product Design: Kindle 3.0 will finally get a major design upgrade. Kindle 2.0 was well designed but it still has some issues. Besides, it’s time for Amazon to refresh things up.
2. Color Screen: it’s about time. If Amazon doesn’t do it soon, someone else will.
3. Book Lending Feature: Nook already has this feature. It’s not perfect but a good start. Expect Amazon to at least make an effort to offer something similar.
4. Navigation: I am sure Amazon has been taking a look at what Nook offers when it comes to content navigation. I don’t expect Amazon to copy it completely, but Kindle has room for improvement in that department.
5. Kindle 2 Kindle: Amazon has not pursued this idea in the past. But the idea still has some merit.
6. Kindle In Physical Stores: B&N will be selling Nook in its physical stores. We have been hearing about Amazon planning physical stores. Will we finally see Amazon Kindles in stores? 2010 would be a good time to start.
7. Platform Expansion: expect Amazon to expand its reach to more platforms. Kindle is already on iPhone, and you can read your books on your PC as well. More platforms will be supported by the time Kindle 3 is released.
8. Content Distribution: I expect Amazon to work hard on adding titles to its content bank and form partnerships with content providers to bring more content to Kindle owners. Not hard to predict.
9. App Platform: I still believe this is going to be the strategy that pushes Kindle to the next level. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that there is a market for 3rd party Kindle apps. Amazon has waited a long time, and its time is running out considering that Android e-book readers may gain more traction in 2010.
10. Subscription Service: it’s about time Amazon developed a book subscription service for Kindle (e.g. read 30 books for $30 a month). Amazon may be confident about selling a lot of e-books, but that doesn’t mean it should ignore other ways to make content available to Kindle owners.
11. Premium Service: there are a lot of people who wouldn’t want to pay a monthly fee to use their Kindle. Amazon can offer a premium plan for Kindle owners who do want to get premium services on their Kindle (premium content and more). The same concept could be used to target business users as well.
12. Dynamic Content: we have been hearing about publishers who are not happy with the way their content is being displayed on Amazon Kindle and other e-book readers. It’s about time Amazon supported more dynamic content on Amazon Kindle.
13. Video-Books: why video books (training videos) don’t get too much respect is beyond me. But if Kindle provides supports for audio-books, shouldn’t it also support video-books?
14. Content Management: when I posted my predictions for Kindle DX, many have got back to me and suggested the idea of “folders.” I suspect Amazon will make managing your documents much more easier.
15. WiFi: Amazon should have had this feature from the get go. But it’s never too late.
16. Voice Recorder: wouldn’t it be nice if you could record audio-notes on your Kindle?
17. Social Media Integration: have you heard of Twitter, Facebook, and niche social media services for book junkies? Amazon should introduce Kindle apps for these services. Will it? That’s another story.
18. Kindle GPS: I still remember playing with my Kindle 1 and its hidden features. But it’d be nice if Amazon really worked on offering location-based services on Kindle.
19. Fashion: I don’t expect Amazon to focus too much on this issue, but it’s not hard to imagine Amazon selling black Kindles in the future.
20. Payment plan: I have seen Nintendo Wii, PS3, and digital cameras being sold with a flexible payment plan on Amazon. Will Amazon let more people get their hands on Kindle 3 by offering flexible financing on the device?

Please add your ideas below.

Amazon is heavily touting the new member of the Kindle family. It’s a great step forward for Amazon to offer international downloads to Kindle owners. While the process is not exactly without any issues, it’s nice to have the opportunity to download more content to read while you are traveling outside the U.S. Amazon has decided to keep offering the U.S. version of Kindle even though the International version offers U.S downloads as well International ones. Since the price is not different, the move could lead to customer confusion.

It’s true that not everyone of Amazon Kindle owners get to travel around the world, so they may not need  a Kindle (International). At the same time, the difference in price is not that much to make people want to invest in the U.S. version. Kindle 2.0 International does give you the best bang for you buck, and it comes with the same hardware features (almost) as the U.S. exclusive edition of Kindle. So why is Amazon keeping Kindle 2.0 (US) around?

It could be that Amazon can’t get out of its contract with Sprint. Even though Amazon will continue offering Kindle DX with Sprint, it may not be a smart move to upset Sprint at this point. The more likely scenario could be that Amazon’s working on a new pricing plan, and it will need Kindle (US) for future price drops (maybe to $199). We need to keep in mind that Amazon Kindle International is still a work in progress, and there are a few issues that need to be resolved. The books do cost you more if you live outside the U.S. as there are additional fees associated with Kindle – International ed.

I do believe that an International Kindle needs  to come with more language features for International users. It does seem that Amazon wanted to hurry up and get a foothold in other countries before adding the necessary features to help foreign Kindle owners consume content more effectively. At this point, Amazon is causing confusion for its customers by offering products that are very similar in features and price points. Let’s hope the next Amazon Kindle comes with the design upgrade we are all looking for.