International version of Kindle out for Christmas
This article from the Times, is talking about how Kindle, a device that allows readers to download e-books into it to read. So instead of having to buy the physical book, the users can opt to buy the e-book from Amazon.com for a cheaper price.
The article also talks about how Amazon wants to lower the price of the Kindle in time for Christmas to up its sales, and because people nowadays prefer electronic goods more than normal goods.
It also talks about the history of Amazon.com and its power over online book selling.
An image of the kindle.
(source: tidbits.com)
However, there are some design issues for the kindle in the sense that it has limited organizing abilities because it does not allow its uses to organize the e-books into folders for easier reading (ireaderreview 2009).
Other than that, its limitations include web browser limitations because users cannot fully use the kindle as a web browser but can only use Amazon’s e-book store to purchase books, in other words, unless the user uses Kindle to purchase e-books, it is redundant to other functions (Sorrel 2009).
Finally, according to Nielson (1997), reading from computer screens tire eyes faster and causes a 25% slow down rate compared to reading from print.
Although the function of the Kindle can be very tempting to some users who are electronic savvy, however the Kindle would appeal to book readers, it would be redundant and useless for those who do not fancy reading or prefer doing other things like listening to music, watching movies and so on.
In my opinion however, the Kindle would be a very tempting option for people on the go without much time to really sit down and have a good read, but as for people in Malaysia, a study has confirmed that Malaysian in 1996 read two books a year and the same survey conducted in 2005, shows the same statistics (Read and Weep! 2009). So in other words, the Kindle device can never ever succeed in a country like Malaysia because Malaysian just doesn’t read!
(source: rcentre.utm.my)
References:
ireadreview 2009, Lack of Folders in Kindle, ireadreview, New York, online, retrieved 18th November 2009, from http://ireaderreview.com/2009/02/17/lack-of-folders-in-kindle-2/.
Nielson, J. 1997, Why Web users Scan Instead of Read, Useit, online, retrieved 18th November 2009, from http://www.useit.com/alertbox/whyscanning.html.
Read and Weep! 2009, online, retrieved 18th November 2009, from http://www.malaysiantoday.com.my/node/788.
Sorrel, C 2009, Crippleware Alert International Kindle Gets No Web Access Outside U.S., online, retrieved 18th November 2009, from http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/10/international-kindle-crippled-at-launch-no-web-access-outside-us/.
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