UPDATE: The New, Kindle DX Available for Preorder - More Details Here
We’ve seen rumors of a new, large-screen version of Amazon’s Kindle eBook reader for months now and this past week those rumors have become very likely. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times have both had stories leading us to believe that tomorrows Amazon “Event” announcement will be for the new, bigger Kindle that I’d like to name the “Kindle Extra!”
Pay attention to tomorrows event and we’ll see if I’m on the money for the name, Kindle Extra! It’s way better than the rumored “Kindle DX” name.
Questions abound about this new version of the Kindle including:
- Will it be in color? This would undoubtedly help in the adoption rate of the Kindle for newspaper and periodical readers. Illustrations must be well implemented and color is a part of that let alone everyone's beloved cartoons you find in both newspapers and magazines.
- How much bigger will the screen be? Navigation of a newspaper is inherently different than it is with a book. A somewhat larger screen will assist in the adoption of a eBook readers use for newspapers and magazines.
- Will it be cheaper than the current Kindle? By far, the biggest stumbler to Kindle adoption is the current steep cost of the Kindle 2. Bring it down to the $150 range and you’ll see it “kindle” a firestorm (pardon the pun) of adoption.
- Will they announce new newspaper and periodical support for the Kindle with this new version? I currently can’t get my Kansas City Star (a McClatchy company) on the Kindle. While the NYTimes is nice and the Wall Street Journal is essential, I really need to have my local newspaper the Kansas City Star arrive on the Kindle to make it a true, newspaper reader. Rumors of cheaper subscriptions exclusive to this device abound.
- How many textbook publishers will support the Kindle? If you want a school or student to foot the cost of a Kindle for textbooks, it really will need to support most or all textbooks. I can’t see purchasing one for half or fewer of a students textbooks – it has to be more than that.
- Will the new Kindle allow new annotations within text – especially useful with textbooks
- Will the new Kindle include a PDF reader? I’m going to guess it will.
- Is Amazon serious about making money from the Kindle, the content or both?
Amazon’s time to fend of the oncoming tidal wave of new, competing eBook readers is coming very and soon. They have to be on their game and evolve extremely quickly or they’ll quickly become a dinosaur despite their current success in the small, but expanding eBook reader world.
