Sep 29, 2011

Exciting Times for e-books!


I woke today to some exciting posts in Google + - Amazon have announced their new Kindle!

I am a huge Kindle lover, I have hundreds of titles on my beloved Kindle and I take it everywhere with me. I've even gotten used to the robot voice for listening to books on the writing craft while driving (I prefer the woman robot to the man robot).

Our house is a little torn with our devices. Hubby and Matilda (10) love their iPads and read on those, whereas Emily (13) and I are Kindle all the way. I love the e-ink reader for reading long passages without straining my eyes, plus the tablet won't read to me. So if I love e-ink, why am I excited about Amazon producing a tablet device that is smaller and less sexy than the already iPad (which I already don't want).

At first I wasn't at all impressed. I couldn't understand why Amazon would produce a device in an already overcrowded market when they are already winners with their Kindles and the fact that the non-Kindle devices still host the Kindle app (so even if it's not their device they sell books through it). While out shopping I looked at some iPads and figured if Kindles were going this way then I might as well buy the real thing. I didn't. I realised if I had an iPad I would hardly ever get any reading done because of the lure of Facebook and internet and, and, and. Never mind trying to get my manuscripts written.

But.

Then I saw the big news today - lots of Kindles!

There will be the Kindle Fire selling US$199, an e-ink touch screen kindle from US$99 (that's the one I want) and an introductory Kindle at only US$79. At these prices Kindles will become more accessible to the public and will probably fill quite a few kids' stockings this Christmas.



Add this exciting news to the fact that Kindles are now available from Woolies, BigW, Dick Smith (and probably more places) in Australia - I believe ebooks are about to experience a whole new BOOM! 

Authors who are prepared to handle their writing as a professional business and produce QUALITY ebooks have a real opportunity opening up to them. Exciting times. I have shivers - how about you?

Here's a great article by Andrew Wilson, on why ebooks are the way for authors to control their future:

10 comments:

  1. ShellySeptember 29, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    Oooo....Wow!

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  2. UnknownSeptember 29, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    As soon as I saw the fire, I wanted it but then I realized it doesn't come with 3G it only comes with WI-FI. I love having the 3G on my Kindle, it has saved me many times here in Mexico. I'm still debating.

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  3. Karen Jones GowenSeptember 29, 2011 at 10:05 PM

    Your post says it all, time to get writing! Now I'm going to watch the info on the new Kindles. Thanks for sharing all this great information!

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  4. Sarah TokeleySeptember 29, 2011 at 11:37 PM

    This only makes me want one even more :-)

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  5. Glynis Peters September 29, 2011 at 11:46 PM

    I have feeling DH has already purchased a Kindle for my birthday or Christmas. Whatever one he has chosen I will be happy with. :D

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  6. SuzeSeptember 30, 2011 at 12:22 AM

    Kindle all the way.

    Sounds like a digiholiday hit.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Catherine StineSeptember 30, 2011 at 1:34 AM

    Hi Charmaine
    First of all, I want to thank your daughter for the great review of a GBF. I am sooo flattered! And what a great site. Secondly, I'm with you on the underwhelmed feeling about the iPad, and the sudden excitement regarding the Kindle Fire. I never wanted an iPad, and I already own a kindle. But I love the idea of COLOR, and I really do think that amazon is a visionary company in so many ways. And very helpful to authors. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'll be getting that Kindle Fire. BTW, you Aussies have some funny-sounding names for stores--Woolies?

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  8. Myrna R.October 1, 2011 at 5:51 AM

    I love my kindle too. I think I'd love to own the touch screen kindle. Maybe, I'll ask for that for Christmas.

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  9. Melissa SugarOctober 1, 2011 at 10:11 PM

    I am a huge fan of the kindle; I bought one early on. My family is also split with my husband and kids all swearing by the Ipad and they have now upgraded to the Ipad 2.

    I am not knocking the Ipad, but I agree with you that the distractions would keep me from using it for the intended purpose of reading.

    I thought about the Fire, but without 3G, wouldn't I be very limited in where I could use it?

    I will stick with my iPhone which does everything I would need to do with an Ipad and I will continue to read e-books from my kindle and look into purchasing the newer version.

    Thank you for the very informative post.

    Melissa Sugar

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  10. DimbutNiceOctober 3, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    Mind boggling stuff Charmaine. I still own a quiver of book marks so have yet to delve into readers.Yet...

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