November 20, 200718 yr Amazon launches electronic reader that's tipped to spell the end of books Last updated at 14:59pm on 20th November 2007 Comments (1) It might not look much, but this device unveiled yesterday by Amazon.com could sound the death toll for the humble book. The Kindle electronic reader takes away the hassle of thumbing through a heavy paperback and forgetting what page you just read. The device will be able to download an e-book in less than a minute and uses a high-speed mobile phone network, rather than wi-fi, so you could even store a novel while sunning in the park. Scroll down for more... Amazon's Jeff Bezos introduces the Kindle Read more... Read a review of Amazon's KindleIs the e-book the future of reading? Computer games that give brains a workout improve memory of the elderly The battery-powered gadget can hold up to 200 books and weighs just 283g (10oz) - the same weight as a standard paperback. The Kindle screen is not back-lit and uses electronic ink to mimic paper. Amazon claims it "looks and reads like real paper". In a note to customers on the company's website, chief executive Jeff Bezos wrote: "The book lover in me often has asked the nerd in me, "Is there a way to get the emotions and experiences I love from books but combined with the possibilities of advanced technology?"." Users will be charged about £5 to download new book releases while subscriptions to magazines, blogs and newspapers such as the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal will be available for a monthly fee. Amazon already allows consumers to download videos through its Unbox service, as well as music through its recentlylaunched MP3 store. Although the market for e-books is limited and competitors have yet to catch on, analysts predict the Kindle could eventually evolve into something that can access all of Amazon's products. The Kindle is currently only available in the US, at £195. Mr Bezos told the Independent: "The question is, can you improve upon something as higly evolved and well-suited to its task as the book? And if so, how?" Some experts say the Kindle could reverse a decline in book-reading as downloading a book will only take 30 seconds and the new technology may appeal to a broader audience. It will also be cheaper than many books, costing just £5. Its battery is strong enough to get through War and Peace before needing to recharge. Mr Bezos added: "Customers think that electronic books should be less expensive than physical books, and we've done that. "When people see it in person for the first time they do a double take."
November 21, 200718 yr Well no books>>less paper used>>less trees cut down>>better for the environment?
November 21, 200718 yr Electronic book readers have been around for ages, and a good old fashion book is better.
November 21, 200718 yr don't there are already other things to read books electronically (pda..)? well a paper book is better but... btw i think is the same for environment, yes you cut less trees but you need energy to get the machine works... so it still pollutes and damage the environment... so as a proverb says 'better the old known things that the new good ones to know'.
November 30, 200718 yr I think it looks awesome! I would love to have one of those once more books are available and the price of it comes down. $400 USD is just too much for me. I can't spend that much now. And as for any "environmental impact" neither a book nor an electronic book really makes a difference in the environment enough to care. Although i'm sure an electronic one would affect the world even less, because the battery lasts forever and you can have 200 books on it. It shouldn't matter though, because compare that to any type of heavy machinery and there really is no comparison. It's like trying to compare a leaf falling to a building collapsing.
November 30, 200718 yr I like the idea but there's nothing like to read a normal book... it's like cd's.. I love cd's and now there's lots of places to buy the music online... I wonder if in the future even the food will be electronic :bigcry:
November 30, 200718 yr I like the idea but there's nothing like to read a normal book... it's like cd's.. I love cd's and now there's lots of places to buy the music online... I wonder if in the future even the food will be electronic :bigcry: The future of food will be in "wonder-pills", eat one a day and it will give you all your required minerals and stuff.
November 30, 200718 yr The future of food will be in "wonder-pills", eat one a day and it will give you all your required minerals and stuff. noooooooooooooooooooooo ::bigcry: how boring :( what about family dinners and stuff?
November 30, 200718 yr Don't know, can't really see a family seating around a dinner with just a pill on their plate :lol:
November 30, 200718 yr :bigcry: I love technology but that'd be horrible... there's nothing like to read a good paper book... or a dinner with a good conversation... the conversations would be like... ohhh this pill is awesome... it tastes like chocolate
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