The “e-book” — replacing the paper book with something electronic — is not a new idea. Project Gutenberg started in 1971 and now has a collection of more than 25,000 books which have been digitized. Digital books can be read on a PC and there are various software offerings that can enable you to read books on your mobile phone or personal digital assistant. Over the years there have been various “e-book readers” introduced. The idea behind the e-book reader is to have a dedicated device that is optimized for reading. I had never met anyone, myself included, that found reading a book on a PC, a handheld device, or an e-book reader to be a good experience. For years I had believed that the day would come but that so far nothing had compared to a real book. That was before I became “Kindlized”.
I first saw the Amazon Kindle in early February 2008 when Steve Brotman, a fellow director of Knovel Corporation, showed me his at a board meeting. I was not convinced it would be different than the many predecessors I had tried over the years but I was intrigued enough to order one. After waiting a month for the backorder to be filled, I opened the box, turned on the Kindle and within a couple of minutes I was reading Ken Follet’s The Pillars of the Earth in a new and comfortable way. I had recently purchased the paperback version of “Pillars” for $14.97 and was about half-way through the gripping 1,000 page novel. With my new acquisition I visited the Kindle bookstore on the device and keyed in “pillars”. I selected the Follet novel and in less than a minute the Kindle version was ready to read. The $7.99 charge for the e-book was automatically placed on my credit card. There is no login, user id, password or network connection process. The “Amazon Whispernet” (from Sprint) is totally seamless. At the time there were 100,000 kindlized books — now there are more than 225,000. You can also choose from a dozen or so top newspapers and magazines plus a very large number of blogs. If you are an author, there is a streamlined process to Kindlize your books. It took me less than five minutes to add Net Attitude to the Kindle Bookstore. You can also add virtually any document of your own such as reports, long emails, user guides, or just about anything.
And now we have the Kindle 2, the next generation wireless reading device. At just over 1/3 inch and 10.2 ounces, Amazon claims an even more sleek and thin design that makes Kindle 2 as thin as a typical magazine and lighter than a paperback. The new Kindle has seven times more storage and now holds over 1,500 books. Not sure I need that much storage but I look forward to the longer battery life and especially the faster page turns. Today’s Kindle has a sharp image but the new one claims even crisper images by supporting sixteen shades of gray instead of the current four.
The most amazing thing about the Kindle is how easy it is to use. The “electronic paper” makes the screen as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper without the strain and glare of a computer screen. You have to see it to believe it, and the Kindle 2 will be even better. The device weighs ten ounces, never becomes hot, and is easy for both “lefties” and “righties” to read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time. I have arthritis in my neck and need to read without bending my head down. I use a reading stand which works very well except that with large books like “Pillars“, it is hard to keep the book open on the stand. No problem with the Kindle. It just sits there and when it is time to “turn the page” you just tap a button on the Kindle and the next (or previous) page appears. You can select from six font sizes to suit your taste and compensate for lighting conditions. If you encounter a word you are not familiar with, a couple of clicks the built-in New Oxford Dictionary displays the definition. You can add bookmarks, notes, and take “clippings” as you read. There are no logins and passwords. No monthly wireless bills, data plans, or commitments. It is a joy to use.
The Chinese invention of paper in 105 A.D. changed the way the world communicates. The invention of “e-ink” may change it again. The electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper. The screen displays the ink particles electronically. It reflects light like ordinary paper and uses no backlighting. There is no glare and you can read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room. With the addition of a $10 memory card, the Kindle can store more than 1,000 books. All you put in your briefcase is the paperback sized Kindle. The battery life is good and full recharge takes just 2 hours. Don’t forget to pack the charger when you go out of town. All things considered, I think Amazon has hit a major home run with the Kindle and I can’t wait to get the Kindle 2. I finished “Pillars” but now I have to wait until Tuesday to start another book.
