Amazon Reader: Kindle

I never was interested in an eBook or electronic reader, but the new Amazon (AMZN) gadget looks quite intriguing: Amazon Kindle "Reader".

This thingie has some attractive features: The ability to wirelessly grab books from anywhere is way cool. But this is more than an eBook reader: It's a wireless device, pushing RSS feeds of blogs, newspaper and magazine. And, unlike Apple's (AAPL) iTunes, you own the books you buy, and if the device is lost or broken, you can re-download all of your Amazon purchases -- at no charge. Apple's failure to do that is an inexcusable failing, and why I hardly buy songs from ITMS.

Can Amazon generate the sort of frenzy reserved for Apple products? Maybe -- according to Amazon, the Kindle is already sold out.

Maybe they should tear a page from the Apple playbook and after Christmas, they should slash the price 30%. At $150, this becomes a much more compelling product. Amazon will tell you that since the retail price also includes the wireless connectivity, this is essentially a $150 machine including $10 per month service for 2 years. But who would really pay $5-10/mo for the right to purchase books wirelessly?

The doohickey has quite a a few endorsements -- Including Michael Lewis and Guy Kawasaki (below), and the NYT's David Pogue.

Criticisms: A few good observations (and one lousy one) via Scoble:

1. No ability to buy paper goods from Amazon through Kindle.
2. Usability sucks. They didn’t think about how people would hold this device.
3. UI sucks. Menus? Did they hire some out-of-work Microsoft (MSFT) employees?
4. No ability to send electronic goods to anyone else. I know Mike Arrington has one. I wanted to send him a gift through this of Alan Greenspan’s new book. I couldn’t. That’s lame.
5. No social network. Why don’t I have a list of all my friends who also have Kindles and let them see what I’m reading?
6. No touch screen. The iPhone has taught everyone that I’ve shown this to that screens are meant to be touched. Yet we’re stuck with a silly navigation system because the screen isn’t touchable.

I would think that after working at Microsoft, Scoble would (heh) know better than to buy 1.0 of anything.

The buying of regular Amazon products and sending ebooks or other gifts are good suggestions. Social networking ("What I am reading") can easily be adapted to a widget.

Typically by version 2.0, the UI gets improved; perhaps the build quality/materials may also get upgraded, depending upon demand. Very few devices start out perfect, and even TiVo (TIVO) and the iPod got better over time.

All wrong on touchscreen: You don't want to smudge the screen you are reading (Besides, I don't believe electronic ink works with touchscreen -- yet).

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Let me help Amazon out:

Wanna make the Amazon Kindle "Reader" a breakout iPod-like product? Get the price under $200, charge $5-10 per month for the service, and include 2 free books at that price. Home run!

If I was a road warrior, I would definitely have one of these . . .

Michael Lewis

Guy Kawasaki

Scoble Criticism:

General Overview: