EC Media recently unveiled the Wink e-book reader, the Wink XTS, at an event in Delhi. Notwithstanding all the brave talk and aggro in the press booklet (“So, if some Californian tries to sell you a pad that you can read on, just Wink at him” it says at one place) and the fact that it seems undoubtedly superior to the Infibeam Pi (better build quality, a linked bookstore and Wi-Fi connectivity), we think it is nowhere near toppling the Kindle from its roost, notwithstanding all the urging of our patriotic hearts. No, this is not just a random appraisal. We managed to spend some time with the device and spotted five clear reasons why India’s latest e-book reader will come a cropper against the might of Amazon’s gadget.
1. Price and costs: The Wink XTS comes with Wi-Fi connectivity and costs Rs 11, 490. The Kindle 3 Wi-Fi + 3G comes for around Rs 12,000 in all, with free lifetime Internet access and is delivered to your doorstep. Yes, a Wink with 3G connectivity is also expected to be available shortly, but you will have to go and find a 3G connection yourself and cough up the costs for the connection and using it. Quite simply, the Kindle 3G+Wi-Fi seems much better value for money as you can access a bookstore at any time and buy books as long as there is network connectivity, without paying a penny for being online.
Full report here Only Gizmos
Showing posts with label e-reader. Show all posts
Showing posts with label e-reader. Show all posts
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Wink to launch e-reader for Rs 6000
Wink, the e-reader promoted EC Media and the Kerala-based publishing house DC Books, will reach a wider audience once the promoters launch a cheaper version in a few months.
“We are customizing our product to match the need of Indian customers. The current models from Wink have display of 6 inch and are in the price range of Rs 11000. At Wink we have plans to launch ebook reader with 5 inch display which will be priced around Rs 6000. This product will enable us to reach more customers, ” said Pradeep Palazhi, chief operating officer, EC Media, in an interaction with CIOL, after the launch of Wink in Delhi on Sep 21.
This new model, to be launched in 3-4 months, will have five-inch display and other features that are almost similar to the existing models of Wink ebook reader. Wink is also planning to launch some new models with six-inch display in the price range Rs 8000. Wink allows users to read in 15 languages and makes available 200,000 titles to choose from.
“We are working on a business model to further reduce prices on both the devices and content for our users. At present we are offering 50 free ebooks on purchase of our product. Further we are working out on models that can subsidize price of ebooks in our offering,” said Palazhi.
Full report here CIOL
This new model, to be launched in 3-4 months, will have five-inch display and other features that are almost similar to the existing models of Wink ebook reader. Wink is also planning to launch some new models with six-inch display in the price range Rs 8000. Wink allows users to read in 15 languages and makes available 200,000 titles to choose from.
“We are working on a business model to further reduce prices on both the devices and content for our users. At present we are offering 50 free ebooks on purchase of our product. Further we are working out on models that can subsidize price of ebooks in our offering,” said Palazhi.
Full report here CIOL
Will e-readers improve the adoption of e-books in India?
Amazon pioneered the e-reader through Kindle, and Apple set the trend with its much-publicised iPad, launched in April this year. While iPad received a huge response with 50,000 units sold in the first hour and about 300,000 on the first day, the phenomenon may be repeated with Samsung’s Android-based tablet PC, the Galaxy Tab, which was unveiled this month. The question now we ask ourselves is, is now the time to replace our much-cherished books and newspapers in the big book shelf with a compact e-reader?
Though electronic publishing has existed since the advent of the web, it is the new generation of e-readers that are likely to improve the user experience and, hence, the adoption of e-content, especially e-books and e-newspapers. An e-reader is an electronic device, designed primarily for reading digital books and periodicals. A typical e-reader supports 6- to 9.7-inch display screen, weighs between 300 and 600 grams, uses either e-ink monochrome display, used in devices like Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, or color LCD screens like those used in Apple’s iPad.
Compared to the developed countries, where most people are exposed to the internet and computer-based reading, online reading habit in India is much less, thanks to poor PC and internet penetration. The PC penetration, even in urban households, is just about 30 per cent, while the internet user base stands at a poor 7 per cent of the population. The other barrier in e-readers’ adoption is the one-time cost of the device, considerably higher than the conventional books. The present price of e-readers in India ranges between Rs 10,000 and Rs 35,000. Colour screen e-readers like iProf costs about Rs 15,000, with iPad yet to be introduced in India.
Full report here Business Standard
Though electronic publishing has existed since the advent of the web, it is the new generation of e-readers that are likely to improve the user experience and, hence, the adoption of e-content, especially e-books and e-newspapers. An e-reader is an electronic device, designed primarily for reading digital books and periodicals. A typical e-reader supports 6- to 9.7-inch display screen, weighs between 300 and 600 grams, uses either e-ink monochrome display, used in devices like Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, or color LCD screens like those used in Apple’s iPad.
Compared to the developed countries, where most people are exposed to the internet and computer-based reading, online reading habit in India is much less, thanks to poor PC and internet penetration. The PC penetration, even in urban households, is just about 30 per cent, while the internet user base stands at a poor 7 per cent of the population. The other barrier in e-readers’ adoption is the one-time cost of the device, considerably higher than the conventional books. The present price of e-readers in India ranges between Rs 10,000 and Rs 35,000. Colour screen e-readers like iProf costs about Rs 15,000, with iPad yet to be introduced in India.
Full report here Business Standard
New Indian e-book reader offers 200,000 titles
Bangalore-based digital publisher EC Media International has unveiled its e-book reader Wink which allows users to read in 15 languages and makes available 200,000 titles to choose from.
The e-reader, launched at the India Habitat Centre here Monday, hawks its booty from its online store -- www.thewinkstore.com -- which also stockpiles newspapers, magazines and selected articles.
The titles in 20 categories range from children's books, religion to fiction.
Priced at Rs.11,490, the e-reader has a 400 Mhz processor, a six-inch screen, screen resolution of 600X800 inches, Wifi connectivity and weighs 260 gm.
Full report here Economic Times
The e-reader, launched at the India Habitat Centre here Monday, hawks its booty from its online store -- www.thewinkstore.com -- which also stockpiles newspapers, magazines and selected articles.
The titles in 20 categories range from children's books, religion to fiction.
Priced at Rs.11,490, the e-reader has a 400 Mhz processor, a six-inch screen, screen resolution of 600X800 inches, Wifi connectivity and weighs 260 gm.
Full report here Economic Times
Monday, September 20, 2010
Will e-readers improve the adoption of e-books in India?
Amazon pioneered the e-reader through Kindle, and Apple set the trend with its much-publicised iPad, launched in April this year. While iPad received a huge response with 50,000 units sold in the first hour and about 300,000 on the first day, the phenomenon may be repeated with Samsung’s Android-based tablet PC, the Galaxy Tab, which was unveiled this month. The question now we ask ourselves is, is now the time to replace our much-cherished books and newspapers in the big book shelf with a compact e-reader?
Though electronic publishing has existed since the advent of the web, it is the new generation of e-readers that are likely to improve the user experience and, hence, the adoption of e-content, especially e-books and e-newspapers. An e-reader is an electronic device, designed primarily for reading digital books and periodicals. A typical e-reader supports 6- to 9.7-inch display screen, weighs between 300 and 600 grams, uses either e-ink monochrome display, used in devices like Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, or color LCD screens like those used in Apple’s iPad.
Compared to the developed countries, where most people are exposed to the internet and computer-based reading, online reading habit in India is much less, thanks to poor PC and internet penetration. The PC penetration, even in urban households, is just about 30 per cent, while the internet user base stands at a poor 7 per cent of the population. The other barrier in e-readers’ adoption is the one-time cost of the device, considerably higher than the conventional books. The present price of e-readers in India ranges between Rs 10,000 and Rs 35,000. Colour screen e-readers like iProf costs about Rs 15,000, with iPad yet to be introduced in India.
Full report here Business Standard
Though electronic publishing has existed since the advent of the web, it is the new generation of e-readers that are likely to improve the user experience and, hence, the adoption of e-content, especially e-books and e-newspapers. An e-reader is an electronic device, designed primarily for reading digital books and periodicals. A typical e-reader supports 6- to 9.7-inch display screen, weighs between 300 and 600 grams, uses either e-ink monochrome display, used in devices like Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, or color LCD screens like those used in Apple’s iPad.
Compared to the developed countries, where most people are exposed to the internet and computer-based reading, online reading habit in India is much less, thanks to poor PC and internet penetration. The PC penetration, even in urban households, is just about 30 per cent, while the internet user base stands at a poor 7 per cent of the population. The other barrier in e-readers’ adoption is the one-time cost of the device, considerably higher than the conventional books. The present price of e-readers in India ranges between Rs 10,000 and Rs 35,000. Colour screen e-readers like iProf costs about Rs 15,000, with iPad yet to be introduced in India.
Full report here Business Standard
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Soft bound
Dog-eared paperbacks or sleek e-book readers — the debate seems so 20th century. Things have moved on quite a bit since November 2007 when Amazon took the ‘first’ giant step with Kindle. Since then, thanks to an expanding market, no e-reader manufacturer, including Amazon, has slept peacefully.
But while the rest of the world (read the West) was spoilt for choice, most desi readers continued to rely on their Amrikan aunts for the ‘Not made/Available-in-India’ e-book reader, which more or less meant Kindle minus shipping charges.
But come 2010, indigenous geniuses made it clear that though they may have entered the ‘war zone’ late, they have come fully loaded.
Full report here Hindustan Times
But while the rest of the world (read the West) was spoilt for choice, most desi readers continued to rely on their Amrikan aunts for the ‘Not made/Available-in-India’ e-book reader, which more or less meant Kindle minus shipping charges.
But come 2010, indigenous geniuses made it clear that though they may have entered the ‘war zone’ late, they have come fully loaded.
Full report here Hindustan Times
Friday, September 3, 2010
E-readers: Getting down to content
Home-grown manufacturers are luring consumers with an enviable content library to market the hardware
E-books are gaining momentum worldwide. But Indians are yet to join the wave — all things connected to this new world of authors and the Internet.
However, that has not come as a damper to home-grown manufacturers of e-readers. They are focusing on content to lure people to the world of digital reading. Sample this: Bangalore-based digital publisher EC Media gave access to an enviable content library when it launched its Wi-Fi (wireless connectivity) and 3G-enabled Wink e-reader models, competitively priced at Rs11,490 and Rs14,990.
“Selling hardware is not the only way of doing business for EC Media,” said Ravi Deecee, CEO of EC Media. Wink e-readers will provide users access to e-book content from publishers like Penguin, Roli, Oxford University Press, Harper Collins and Permanent Black.
Full report here Business Standard
However, that has not come as a damper to home-grown manufacturers of e-readers. They are focusing on content to lure people to the world of digital reading. Sample this: Bangalore-based digital publisher EC Media gave access to an enviable content library when it launched its Wi-Fi (wireless connectivity) and 3G-enabled Wink e-reader models, competitively priced at Rs11,490 and Rs14,990.
“Selling hardware is not the only way of doing business for EC Media,” said Ravi Deecee, CEO of EC Media. Wink e-readers will provide users access to e-book content from publishers like Penguin, Roli, Oxford University Press, Harper Collins and Permanent Black.
Full report here Business Standard
Friday, August 27, 2010
Apple iPhone, Android smartphones driving e-reading
Smartphones, not Kindles, are the most popular devices for e-reading in the United States, according to a study from Wattpad—which has found big readers in Apple iPhone and Android owners.
The increasing adoption of smartphones, particularly of the Apple iPhones and Android-running handsets, is helping to drive e-book consumption, according to an Aug. 26 report from e-book service Wattpad.
Analyzing a snapshot of user habits from 600 mobile operators across 160 countries, the e-book application company, which facilitates 1 million downloads per month, found that it is hardly just dedicated e-readers enabling the e-book trend. During the second quarter, e-book downloads by the Apple family of products—that would be iPhones, iPads and iPods—grew by 23 percent, compared to 9 percent during the first quarter.
A closer look at this group found that the iPad, since its April launch in the United States, has grown to account for 5 percent of Apple usage, while various iPhone models account for 46 percent and iPods for 49 percent. Taking a world view, Americans are by far Wattpad’s biggest user group, accounting for 54 percent of those using their iPhone for e-reading, followed by readers in Spain—who during the second quarter accounted for 10 percent of the pie, passing iPhone e-readers in the United Kingdom, who accounted for 8 percent.
Full report here e-week
Analyzing a snapshot of user habits from 600 mobile operators across 160 countries, the e-book application company, which facilitates 1 million downloads per month, found that it is hardly just dedicated e-readers enabling the e-book trend. During the second quarter, e-book downloads by the Apple family of products—that would be iPhones, iPads and iPods—grew by 23 percent, compared to 9 percent during the first quarter.
A closer look at this group found that the iPad, since its April launch in the United States, has grown to account for 5 percent of Apple usage, while various iPhone models account for 46 percent and iPods for 49 percent. Taking a world view, Americans are by far Wattpad’s biggest user group, accounting for 54 percent of those using their iPhone for e-reading, followed by readers in Spain—who during the second quarter accounted for 10 percent of the pie, passing iPhone e-readers in the United Kingdom, who accounted for 8 percent.
Full report here e-week
Is India ready for e-readers?
While a 2007 National Endowment for the Arts study reported that Americans were spending less time reading books, a Maryland-based market research firm recently found out that e-reader owners read more than they earlier did.
With last week’s release of “Wink,” Bangalore’s EC Media claims to have launched India’s first e-reader tailored to serve the local population. One can’t help but wonder, are e-books worth the money and will Indians take to them as eagerly as many have in the U.S.?
While techno geeks may like this new device, only 42% of the people that buy books in India are habitual readers, according to a survey in Tehelka Magazine early this year.
The survey, which asked 1,152 people across the country about their reading habits, found that while 20% of the respondents said they had read e-books, 92% of them were using PCs, not reading devices like Apple’s iPad, Amazon’s Kindle or Sony’s Daily Reader.
Full report here WSJ blogs
 |
| The Wink is expected to give owners access to more than 500,000 books, journals, newspapers and magazines |
While techno geeks may like this new device, only 42% of the people that buy books in India are habitual readers, according to a survey in Tehelka Magazine early this year.
The survey, which asked 1,152 people across the country about their reading habits, found that while 20% of the respondents said they had read e-books, 92% of them were using PCs, not reading devices like Apple’s iPad, Amazon’s Kindle or Sony’s Daily Reader.
Full report here WSJ blogs
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
India starts "winking"
According to Editor&Publisher, EC Media International released the Wink e-reader in India last week. The new e-reader is a multifunctional device that has the ability to download music and pictures.
The Wink supports content in over 15 different languages and the Wink library already comes with a large variety options with over 200,000 titles to chose from. EC Media International also supplies books that were not previously available in the country, thus giving the Wink a specific niche in the Indian market.
EC Media International partnered up with Indo-Asian News Service, India's largest independent news provider. Through this alliance the Wink provides a publication called Wink Wire, which downloads the latest news onto the e-reader. Potentially, international newspapers can expand their readership in India if they partner with the Wink Store.
Like other e-readers, the Wink has uses e-Ink technology, which imitates a paper-like look to make reading easier on the eyes. It has a 16-shade grayscale, so reading is not difficult in any sort of lighting. The battery life allows users to view up to 10,000 pages or listen to up to ten hours of music.
EC Media International partnered up with Indo-Asian News Service, India's largest independent news provider. Through this alliance the Wink provides a publication called Wink Wire, which downloads the latest news onto the e-reader. Potentially, international newspapers can expand their readership in India if they partner with the Wink Store.
Like other e-readers, the Wink has uses e-Ink technology, which imitates a paper-like look to make reading easier on the eyes. It has a 16-shade grayscale, so reading is not difficult in any sort of lighting. The battery life allows users to view up to 10,000 pages or listen to up to ten hours of music.
Full report here Editorsweblog
Monday, August 23, 2010
India’s first multi-language e-book reader unveiled
The Wink will support 15 languages but will also offer over 200,000 book titles on debut.
“Wink will offer consumers a one-stop e-store to access e-reading content of choice via www.thewinkstore.com that would enable access not just to e-books, but also journals, newspapers, magazines and selected articles”, EC Media said at the launch on Thursday.
Full report here RCR Wireless
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Wink e-book Reader on Croma Shelves by Sept. 1
At a press conference in Mumbai, Bangalore-based EC Media launched "Wink", which they proclaimed is "India's first e-book reader". Well, in the beginning of this year we'd heard of an Indian-origin e-book reader already, but oh well. Then, there's always the Amazon Kindle that supports delivery to a 100 countries (India included). But custom duties have to be bourne and books have to be purchased in dollars.
EC Media is trying to capture the Indian reader's grasp by selling a device that can be picked up from a local electronic store. They've partnered with Croma, a biggie Indian electronics chain, for this. They also have apparently solved another key piece of the puzzle -- the content. Their PR sheet claims to have more than 2,00,000 titles as well as newspapers, magazines and journals that you can buy in Indian rupees. Check their store to see if they have your favorites. Their repository will also have books written in Indian languages. To start with, they've populated it with Hindi, Marathi among a few other languages. They said soon they will get content from all Indian languages onto the Wink. Books will generally sell for 50 to 75 percent of the cost of a paperback. So for voracious readers, this device could spell a considerable saving in the long run.
Full report here techtree
Full report here techtree
Friday, August 20, 2010
India's first E-book Reader Wink at Rs. 11,490
Wink has become the first e-book reader to have ever happened to India. EC Media International, a Bangalore based digital publishing company launched the multi function e-book reader, with support for 15 languages.
Initially, there will be about 200,000 books offered. But, customers may purchase online content, not only e-books, but journals, newspapers, magazines and some select articles, all through the online store www.thewinkstore.com.
Wink has promised to bring in more books and other reading content from all over India, in a language of the users choice, opening up the possibilities of access to all those books that are never found in India. The publishers whose books will be available on Wink are Penguin, Roli, Oxford University, Harper Collins, etc.
Wink has also started off with the Wink Wire, which is the e-reader newspaper for news, the first ever initiative in India, jointly with IANS, the largest independent news service of India. But reading books and journals is not all one can do on Wink. One may also listen to music, surf the web, and play games. It is expected to be something more than Kindle, by Amazon, which is a similar device in principle.
Full report here Little About
Wink has promised to bring in more books and other reading content from all over India, in a language of the users choice, opening up the possibilities of access to all those books that are never found in India. The publishers whose books will be available on Wink are Penguin, Roli, Oxford University, Harper Collins, etc.
Wink has also started off with the Wink Wire, which is the e-reader newspaper for news, the first ever initiative in India, jointly with IANS, the largest independent news service of India. But reading books and journals is not all one can do on Wink. One may also listen to music, surf the web, and play games. It is expected to be something more than Kindle, by Amazon, which is a similar device in principle.
Full report here Little About
India's first e-reader Wink unveiled, supporting 15 languages
Bangalore-based digital publisher EC Media International on Thursday launched its multi-function e-book reader Wink that not only supports 15 languages but will also offer over 200,000 book titles on debut.
Wink will offer consumers a one-stop e-store to access e-reading content of choice via www.thewinkstore.com that would enable access not just to e-books, but also journals, newspapers, magazines and selected articles, EC Media said.
Many of the titles have been acquired from international aggregators, giving Indians access to a whole lot of books not available in the country. "With the launch of Wink, we aim to revolutionise the way people read," said Ravi DeeCee, founder and chief executive of DC Group, which has promoted EC Media and the Kerala-based publishing house DC Books. "Wink will allow readers to access their favourite content anytime, anywhere, that, too, in the language of their choice," he said.
Another offering will be Wink Wire for news, the first e-reader newspaper in India. EC Media has entered into a content alliance with IANS, India's largest independent news service, for Wink Wire.
Full report here Economic Times
Wink will offer consumers a one-stop e-store to access e-reading content of choice via www.thewinkstore.com that would enable access not just to e-books, but also journals, newspapers, magazines and selected articles, EC Media said.
Many of the titles have been acquired from international aggregators, giving Indians access to a whole lot of books not available in the country. "With the launch of Wink, we aim to revolutionise the way people read," said Ravi DeeCee, founder and chief executive of DC Group, which has promoted EC Media and the Kerala-based publishing house DC Books. "Wink will allow readers to access their favourite content anytime, anywhere, that, too, in the language of their choice," he said.
Another offering will be Wink Wire for news, the first e-reader newspaper in India. EC Media has entered into a content alliance with IANS, India's largest independent news service, for Wink Wire.
Full report here Economic Times
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Early take on India's $35 tablet: 'Fairly impressive'
Remember that $35 tablet out of India we told you about last month? If you want to see the much-talked-about prototype in moving color, a gadget show on Indian television just featured an exclusive hands-on that could help dissipate some of the skepticism about the device.
"Everybody actually said, 'It cannot happen, a $35 tablet,' and not only does it exist, it works and it works brilliantly," said Rajiv Makhni, co-host of the show "Gadget Guru," who took the computer through its paces with show cohort Vikram Chandra and then talked all aspects of the gadget with Kapil Sibal, the country's Minister for Human Resource Development and the same guy who officially unveiled the super-cheap touch-screen device. Aimed at the country's students, it's being called India's answer to Nicholas Negroponte's famed OLPC laptop.
While originally presented as a Linux device, the prototype on the show runs on Android (and handles the operating system "fairly smoothly," the surprised Gurus say). It has a virtual keyboard, camera, full video capability, Wi-Fi for browsing that the Gurus found to be "simple and quick," an e-reader, and 2GB RAM. They say the touch screen is a bit slow to respond. All in all, though, they call it a "fairly impressive little package," particularly for the price, and a game changer for India and possibly beyond.
"We really didn't think it would be as functional as we have found it be," Chandra said.
Full report here CNet
While originally presented as a Linux device, the prototype on the show runs on Android (and handles the operating system "fairly smoothly," the surprised Gurus say). It has a virtual keyboard, camera, full video capability, Wi-Fi for browsing that the Gurus found to be "simple and quick," an e-reader, and 2GB RAM. They say the touch screen is a bit slow to respond. All in all, though, they call it a "fairly impressive little package," particularly for the price, and a game changer for India and possibly beyond.
"We really didn't think it would be as functional as we have found it be," Chandra said.
Full report here CNet
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Wink to enter India’s e-reader market
India’s fledgling e-book reader business is set to gain a new player next month with the unveiling of Wink, about two weeks before Amazon.com’s latest iteration of its Kindle is launched.
EC Media (International) Pvt. Ltd, a Bangalore-based company that has been working on the product for the past year, plans to start selling the Wink on 15 August, according to Binoo K. John, vice-president, content. It will join the Pi e-reader, which was launched in February.
Vishal Mehta, founder and CEO of Ahmedabad-based Infibeam.com, which sells the Pi, priced at Rs9,999, expects the market to surge as its catalogue widens.
“From 1.5 lakh titles, we will add four lakh titles from all major publishers,”he said. “Having sold infibeam Pi in tens of thousands since February, we hope to double our sales by the end of the year.”
Wink’s basic model with a six-inch screen will be priced at Rs8,000, while the nine-inch advanced version will cost Rs22,000. While the six-inch screen has resolution of 800x600 pixels and weighs 260g with battery, the advanced model (1024x768-pixel resolution) weighs 430g. EC Media hopes to sell 25,000 units by the end of the year. The new six-inch Kindle starts at $139 (around Rs6,400).
Full report here Mint
EC Media (International) Pvt. Ltd, a Bangalore-based company that has been working on the product for the past year, plans to start selling the Wink on 15 August, according to Binoo K. John, vice-president, content. It will join the Pi e-reader, which was launched in February.
Vishal Mehta, founder and CEO of Ahmedabad-based Infibeam.com, which sells the Pi, priced at Rs9,999, expects the market to surge as its catalogue widens.
“From 1.5 lakh titles, we will add four lakh titles from all major publishers,”he said. “Having sold infibeam Pi in tens of thousands since February, we hope to double our sales by the end of the year.”
Wink’s basic model with a six-inch screen will be priced at Rs8,000, while the nine-inch advanced version will cost Rs22,000. While the six-inch screen has resolution of 800x600 pixels and weighs 260g with battery, the advanced model (1024x768-pixel resolution) weighs 430g. EC Media hopes to sell 25,000 units by the end of the year. The new six-inch Kindle starts at $139 (around Rs6,400).
Full report here Mint
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Amazon sells out of Kindle book reader
Amazon had sold out of its basic Kindle electronic book reader on Wednesday with no indication as to when deliveries would resume.Amazon.com listed the 189-dollar Kindle as "temporarily out of stock."
The Seattle, Washington-based online retail giant was still taking orders, however. "Order now and we'll deliver when available," it said. "We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information."
The larger-screen model of Amazon's popular e-reader, the Kindle DX, was available for purchase.
There was no immediate reply to an email to Amazon from AFP asking when deliveries of basic Kindles may be resumed. Facing competition from Apple's new iPad tablet computer, Amazon dropped the price of its basic Kindle last month to 189 dollars.
Amazon does not release sales figures for the Kindle, but says it has been the company's best-selling item for two years.
Full report here AFP
The Seattle, Washington-based online retail giant was still taking orders, however. "Order now and we'll deliver when available," it said. "We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information."
The larger-screen model of Amazon's popular e-reader, the Kindle DX, was available for purchase.
There was no immediate reply to an email to Amazon from AFP asking when deliveries of basic Kindles may be resumed. Facing competition from Apple's new iPad tablet computer, Amazon dropped the price of its basic Kindle last month to 189 dollars.
Amazon does not release sales figures for the Kindle, but says it has been the company's best-selling item for two years.
Full report here AFP
Monday, February 22, 2010
Turning a digital page
Bookworms warm up to the e-reader, but the device will take a few years to catch on in India. When Gaurav Mishra, CEO of Delhi-based media consultancy 2020 Social, took a holiday to Miami last year, he spent seven days at the beach reading six paperless books. This was made possible by the Amazon’s e-reader Kindle.
“I bought the Kindle last year. When I returned from the US, I was willing to leave behind my collection of 2,000 books, since the e-reader could hold over 300 e-books,” says Mishra. Mishra is just one among many consumers who are happy with their e-reader purchase. An e-reader is a handheld reading device that can store a large number of digital books. A recent survey conducted by market research agency NPD Group claims 93 per cent of e-reader owners are “somewhat” or “very” satisfied with the device.
“What I really like about my e-reader is the audio feature. I can just lie back, while a book is read out to me. The fact that the device is so light and easy to carry is also a great motivation. I didn’t mind the high cost,” confesses Mishra. According to the survey, 60 per cent users said they liked the wireless feature in e-readers, while 23 per cent liked the touchscreen feature.
Full report here Business Standard
“I bought the Kindle last year. When I returned from the US, I was willing to leave behind my collection of 2,000 books, since the e-reader could hold over 300 e-books,” says Mishra. Mishra is just one among many consumers who are happy with their e-reader purchase. An e-reader is a handheld reading device that can store a large number of digital books. A recent survey conducted by market research agency NPD Group claims 93 per cent of e-reader owners are “somewhat” or “very” satisfied with the device.
“What I really like about my e-reader is the audio feature. I can just lie back, while a book is read out to me. The fact that the device is so light and easy to carry is also a great motivation. I didn’t mind the high cost,” confesses Mishra. According to the survey, 60 per cent users said they liked the wireless feature in e-readers, while 23 per cent liked the touchscreen feature.
Full report here Business Standard
Friday, February 19, 2010
Hands On: Kindle for BlackBerry
I'm pleased that Amazon is rolling the Kindle ebook reader onto all available platforms, but I'm not sure all platforms are right for it. On the native platform, the Kindle 2 eReader, the marriage is a perfect one. The 6-inch e-ink screen is approximately the size of a paperback and you feel like you get enough text per page. I can't say the same about Kindle and my Blackberry Bold 9000.
The free app is still in beta, so you won't find it in BlackBerry's App World, but you can visit Amazon's site and have the site mail you a link. You open the e-mail on your Blackberry and commence the download and installation.
When you first open Amazon Kindle for BlackBerry beta, it gives you the option of signing up for an Amazon account or logging into your existing one. I have an account, so I signedin. Immediately I saw a list of all my Kindle books--tiny cover images and titles. To start reading any of them, I needed to download the book. My AT&T 3G network coverage isn't great in my area so it took a few minutes for my first book to download--your mileage may vary. Books you download immediately appear on your archive page.
Full report here PC Mag.com
The free app is still in beta, so you won't find it in BlackBerry's App World, but you can visit Amazon's site and have the site mail you a link. You open the e-mail on your Blackberry and commence the download and installation.
When you first open Amazon Kindle for BlackBerry beta, it gives you the option of signing up for an Amazon account or logging into your existing one. I have an account, so I signedin. Immediately I saw a list of all my Kindle books--tiny cover images and titles. To start reading any of them, I needed to download the book. My AT&T 3G network coverage isn't great in my area so it took a few minutes for my first book to download--your mileage may vary. Books you download immediately appear on your archive page.
Full report here PC Mag.com
Monday, February 15, 2010
E-books: Publishers poised for victory in latest battle
Publishers look set to win the latest round in the battle for supremacy on electronic books, with Google ready to offer major concessions as it prepares to enter the increasingly competitive e-book market.
Following the unveiling of Apple’s iPad, which will feature an electronic bookstore when it launches next month, and Amazon’s humiliation last week by a book publisher in a prices row, Google is thought to have given in to the book industry by offering it a higher share of the sale of e-books.
For the past year, Google has said that it wants to launch a service called Google Editions, where people can pay to download the latest books on to their electronic readers and computers, as many already do through the Amazon website.
Full report here Times
Related News:
Book publishers tackle digital challenges ABC Online
Kindle Armageddon: How the Publishing Industry Is Slitting Its Own Throat Huffington Post
Wolverton: E-books need a common language San Jose Mercury News
How Google Book Search Will Serve Users if Approved eWeek
Let's e-liminate digital books Indiana Daily Student
Following the unveiling of Apple’s iPad, which will feature an electronic bookstore when it launches next month, and Amazon’s humiliation last week by a book publisher in a prices row, Google is thought to have given in to the book industry by offering it a higher share of the sale of e-books.
For the past year, Google has said that it wants to launch a service called Google Editions, where people can pay to download the latest books on to their electronic readers and computers, as many already do through the Amazon website.
Full report here Times
Related News:
Book publishers tackle digital challenges ABC Online
Kindle Armageddon: How the Publishing Industry Is Slitting Its Own Throat Huffington Post
Wolverton: E-books need a common language San Jose Mercury News
How Google Book Search Will Serve Users if Approved eWeek
Let's e-liminate digital books Indiana Daily Student
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