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.

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.

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?

International Kindle may not be available until October 19th, but it has generated quite a buzz around the world. Amazon has not only reduced its Kindle prices but has given the gift of Kindle to people who travel internationally or reside outside the U.S. The introduction of the new gadget has brought up a lot of questions among current Kindle owners. Many want to know how to upgrade their Kindle to Kindle international, while others are interested in knowing the possible release date of Kindle DX international. Here are a few Kindle International FAQs you need to know the answer to (don’t forget to send in or comment your question at the end of this post):

• Is my country covered by Amazon Whispernet? Amazon is using AT&T’s global wireless network to provide you access to the Internet around the world. Not all countries are covered. But you can always check Whispernet’s global coverage map to find out whether your country is covered.
• Can I hack my Kindle 2.0 and turn it into a Kindle international? there is no easy way to get this done at this point. The new Kindles use a different hardware, so you are better off picking a new one at this point.
• Can I read books in my native language on Kindle? unfortunately, that is not possible at this point unless you are talking about English. Amazon is planning to offer more support in the future.
• Can I share content between my Kindle 2.0 international and Kindle 2 U.S.? you can. However, you can only share your e-books on 6 Kindle readers. You can’t share periodicals and newspapers among your Kindles.
• I just ordered a Kindle. Can I upgrade it to Kindle International? yes and no. Amazon doesn’t have an official policy on this, but as long as you bought your Kindle within the past 30 days, you should be able to convince Amazon’s customer service to let you make the change. But don’t expect Amazon to magically turn your Kindle 2 (U.S.) to Kindle 2 international. You will have to return your old device. If you have owned your Kindle 2 U.S. for a while, you can always sell it for a bit less on eBay.
• I paid $299 for my Kindle just a few days ago. How do I take advantage of the latest Kindle price drop? Amazon doesn’t have any obligation to refund you the difference no matter when you bought your device. But you can always return your old Kindle and get a new one with the lower price. That’s why the company’s customer service may be ready to save you and itself some headache by giving you a partial refund. It never hurts to ask.
• I want a Kindle DX international. What do I do? if you can wait till early 2010, then you should be good to go. Kindle DX international is coming. It’s a matter of when at this point.
• Are they any additional fees associated with Kindle 2.0 international? yes. Take a look:
  • Kindle International Books: $1.99 per book from Amazon’s store or your archived books.
  • Kindle International Subscriptions: newspaper, magazine, and blog subscription content via Whispernet will cost you a weekly fee of $4.99.
  • Current Issue Service: Download issues of newspapers and magazines from the Kindle store via Whispernet for $1.99 per issue.
  • Personal Document Service: $.99 per megabyte
• Do I need a special adapter to charge my Kindle in a foreign country? if you are charging it with your USB cable, you should be good to go. Otherwise, look out.
• What constitutes a U.S. based customer (as far as fees are concerned)? a U.S. customer is one that has linked her Kindle with her U.S. address.
• Are there any wireless fees associated with using Amazon Kindle? no. But Amazon does reserve the right to give you warning or terminate your contract if you hack your Kindle.
• Can I pay for my Kindle in 3 or 4 installments? you can’t at this point. Amazon may offer the option in the future (with its store card). But that is not an option at this point.
• How long should I wait to get my Kindle? the sooner you order it, the better. The wait is not expected to be long this time around, but you never know.

There you have it: Answers to a few questions that people are asking about the Kindle international edition. Please share your questions if they are not answered above. You can also check Amazon Kindle’s frequently asked questions page for more information.

So much for Amazon making a headway among college and university students. Amazon was banking on Kindle DX being a hit among college students. Amazon even dropped prices to make Kindle 2.0 a more affordable alternative for those students who didn’t want to pay close to $500 for Kindle DX. However, the feedback from students has been a mixed bag. Princeton University was one of the few that started their own Kindle pilot program to find out whether using Kindle DX in colleges is a viable option. Students in select classes were each given a Kindle DX with all their books and everything they needed to complete their coursework. The feedback was not what Amazon was hoping for:

…It’s clunky, slow and a real pain to operate

One student said. Here is a more detailed explanation:

Much of my learning comes from a physical interaction with the text: bookmarks, highlights, page-tearing, sticky notes… All these things have been lost, and if not lost they’re too slow to keep up with my thinking.

These comments are not by any means an indication that Kindle doesn’t work. A part of the problem seems to be that people are not used to using e-book readers to go through their coursework. That was always going to be an issue, and there will be some who will resist new technologies. I do agree that Amazon Kindle and other e-book readers are not where they need to me when it comes to emulating physical interaction for students. That’s why Apple iPad and Microsoft Carrier seem to be better equipped to become a hit with students.

Amazon did drop the ball with Kindle DX. The company did not properly target students with that device, which could be the reason why some students are not too open to the idea of using Amazon’s e-book reader in their schools. It would have been much better had Amazon introduced a “Kindle – Student Edition” with features tailored towards the needs of students only. Amazon is not yet ready to take on that risk, and Kindle DX’s hardware is not too superior to Kindle 2.0. While I do expect Amazon to improve its hardware and software in the near future, it does seem Apple and Microsoft are better equipped to capture the student market in this industry. But Amazon can always surprise us and improve Kindle’s hardware/software dramatically with the next update.

Your take: is Amazon going for too much too early in the game?

So how green is Amazon Kindle? We have heard Amazon’s pitch on Amazon Kindle can save trees and help the earth, and that’s not all or is it? According to a report by CleanTech Group, Amazon Kindle as green as most of us believed it to be. It’s interesting to note that Amazon Kindle is not a 100% green device. In fact, there aren’t too many devices that are even close to that. But as more people start to adopt Kindle and ditch paper books, the CO2 emissions will be reduced dramatically. Let’s not forget that this study doesn’t take into account other e-book readers on the market. And it does assume certain adoption rate by 2012, but the forecast looks reasonable for what it is.

The one big assumption here is that people who own Kindles won’t buy paper books. I don’t know about you, but I still buy paper books even though I own a couple of Kindles. In reality, not all books are available for Kindle platform at this point, and some books are much easier to read in paper format than on a Kindle. Amazon will try to bring even more books to the Kindle platform in the upcoming months. Let’s not forget that Sony Reader, Asus, Plastic Logic, and other e-book readers will help reduce CO2 emissions as well. e-book readers won’t save the earth all by themselves, but they do give us a good start. I am just not sure people are buying them for their “eco-friendlyness.”