Brochure sized Kindle in the works

<p>A brochure sized Kindle is apparently in the works, designed as an alternative/replacement to newsprint. However this is certainly a nail in the print medium coffin so to speak. We talk about the slow demise of film and already I personally, as a corporate media developer am seeing prints go away. We rarely run wide format prints anymore, and have now migrated to "digital posters". Including increased use of PDFs online vs. aging pallets of expensive materials going to waste due to changes and obsolesce.<br>

Certainly these devices are worthy of a discussion as to how it may affect prints, and it would interesting to read everyone's take on this:<br>

http://www.pcworld.com/article/164277/possible_jumbo_kindle_coming_wednesday_print_media_savior.html</p>

<p>Peter, thanks for posting. That is truly interesting, and certainly could change what is happening with newspapers (if it's not too late). Can you imagine the affect and influence Amazon could have on media if it takes off? I am a breath away from buying a Kindle 2, but I keep thinking I should wait a few months to see if something better will come along. Afterall, the technology is very new. I saw the Sony the other day and it was pretty nice as well (and a little less money). But the Kindle can connect to any 3G network apparently to download content. I'm not sure that a brochure size wouldn't be too big though. Do you own a Kindle?</p>

<p>Hey Michael, no I don't own a kindle as I'm not into small screen sizes. But this one when it comes out is certainly worth a look. Newspapers embracing this would be the thing to do as it caters to both crowds whom want big and portable.<br /> I just know that the competition will be ramping things up and we'll hopefully see color soon. What I totally get is not having to print brochures. Imagine attending a convention, and instead walking away with a stack of brochures from visited booths, one merely has to plug in or, wirelessly 'pick up' a copy of material. The laptop bag would certainly be lighter for it, as I'm sure sales reps would take delight not having to turn their trunks into personal stock libraries. Updates are an email away, rather than a scrap heap.<br /> Another issue: As less material requires the need to meet print specs (mags, etc), how will someone justify an expensive MF digital back, when even a digital rebel will be overkill. Ok, maybe not a rebel, (lens, IQ, etc). You get the point: less pixels to get the same job done. This device may affect us more than we know it.</p>

<p>I am facinated by these. I had poo-poo'd the Kindle until I actually saw one a few months back. It (and the other e-readers coming out now) are much nicer to read on than I had thought possible. I love the newspaper and read 2-3 papers every day (depending on if I'm feeling flush enough to subscribe to the WSJ). Despite being "digital" in almost every other way, I really like reading the newspaper itself. Reading the news online just doesn't cut it for me in the same way. Oh sure, I use online news sources for various things regularly, but they don't replace the newspaper for me.</p>

<p>If this is done well, and can actually display images well (and the bar is low here when compared to newsprint), I might be tempted to switch. Though I would have to try it out and see exactly how they set it up. If the interface feels like a web browser, I'm not going to bother. I have web browsers on my computers and iphone. If it is to newspapers what the kindle was to books (a middle ground between print and browsers) then I'm <strong>very</strong> interested.</p>

<p>The problem with the larger size is POWER. Biggger screen needs bigger batteries. Or an AC outlet.</p>

<p>How long do the batteries last on this new Kindel?</p>

<blockquote>

<p>How long do the batteries last on this new Kindel?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You mean the one that is just a rumor and hasn't been released yet? Nobody knows.</p>

<p>The E-Ink display draws very little power - it only requies power to draw the screen once and then it can shutdown. It doesn't need to refresh like a CRT or LCD. I'm not sure how they could make it colour though, once you understand how it works you'll see the issue.</p>

<p>Check out the info on wiki: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Ink">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Ink</a></p>

<p>I don't need color, as long as they could make images look decent in b/w.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>However this is certainly a nail in the print medium coffin so to speak.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I don't know if I would call the Kindle the nail in the coffin for newspapers. <br /> <br /> People who use electronics to read the news have already found out about this thing called the "Internet"; where you can get your news for free. If I want news on the go I can just use my cell phone/PDA. I don't need to purchase or carry around another device for this. And as far as people who don't own cell phones or computers go, I highly doubt they represent a large opportunity for Kindle sales.<br /> <br /> Don't get me wrong, the Kindle looks like a great product. Man, I would have loved to have all of my college text books on one instead of packing around a heavy backpack for classes.<br /> <br /> I just don't see the Kindle having that large of an effect on newspapers. The damage has already been done. This is just marketing at work.</p>

<p>I'm not sure that is true Kieth. I think for a lot of people, the newspaper was a process thing as much as a result thing. I like to enjoy my breakfast or lunch and read the paper. I do not find sitting at my computer reading the internet to be the same thing (though obviously I enjoy the internet for other tasks). If the kindle 3.0 (or whatever) could replicate some of that "reading the newspaper" experience, I think they might be onto something.</p>

<p>Then again, it might be one of those ideas that just appeals to a specific group of people of a specific age. People before us won't care about electronic gadgets for news at all and people after us will just be so used to the internet that they won't see the need.</p>

<p>Still, if they do it right, I'd buy one.</p>

<p>I'm sure they will sell quite a few of these, it looks like a great product. I just disagree with the "nail in the coffin" statement. I am predicting that the number of Kindle's sold for the purpose of getting the news will be very small in comparison to the scope of newspaper subscriptions or web-based news readership.<br /> <br /> But say if newer technologies (including Kindle) were to put newspapers out of business, where would our local news (in text form) come from?</p>

<p>Just a thought.</p>

<p>The giant Kindle was just released. Its on Amazon's front page right now.<br>

I have a first generation Kindle. Love it. Its like an iPod for books. Surprisingly, newspaper subscriptions have consistently ranked among the Kindle best-sellers.</p>

<p>I thnk reading off a cellphone screen is difficult as is navigation on my Sony-Ericson phone. If a news reader could provide a similar experience to the newspaper including its light weight and portablility and rapid and relatively random access to articles (can you read it in the bathroom?) Then I thnk it would be great, especially if you could fold it up and put it in your pocket. A laptop doesn't afford this convenience and while I do read the morning new on my desktop, that is very un newspaper like. Spill and grease resistance would be another plus so you could read at the kitchen table with toast and coffee.</p>

<p>I have used a "Palm Device" (Sony Clie) for my recreational reading since about 2003. I like reading from my Clie much more than reading from a book and I have accumulated a large library of novels, short stories and magazines over the years. Although I purchased most of my library from one retailer, I read material from many sources.</p>

<p>I haven't seen a Kindle, but I'm quite sure the screen would be even nicer to read from than my Clie...in a well lit space. One of the many benefits I enjoy when reading with the Clie is that I do not need a light to read in a dark space (my spouse appreciates that as well).</p>

<p>I also like the fact that my Organizer (and a few other apps that I use daily or many times per week) runs from my Clie. However, the Kindle is a single purpose device and (last time I looked) all the Kindle reading material must be purchased from Amazon (I couldn't use it to read anything from my existing ebook library).</p>

<p>That is enough to keep me from buying one. I would have to carry my palm device and the Kindle...and...If the Kindle hardware is required to read Amazon materials, the price of the hardware should reflect that (it sure doesn't seem like that right now).</p>

<p>I might be wrong, but, I think ebook-publisher-overhead must be much lower than paperbook-publisher-overhead (since I would be surprised if "paper" format didn't begin life as digital these days). So, why are they hosing their customers on the cost of the required reading hardware?</p>

<p>Why are they moving to proprietary software/hardware? Didn't they learn from the Apple experience?</p>

<p>It seems that the newspapers might be buying-in to this proprietary madness. Geez! no wonder they are going under...who thinks that is a good idea! Newsprint was a "universal medium"...you didn't need special glasses for each newspaper.</p>

<p>Cheers! Jay</p>