Bezos Botches Book (reader)

I admit it. I live under a rock sometimes. I had not heard that Amazon was coming out with an eBook reader until I saw the article today at Newsweeks website. As I read the article I found myself building up to a feverish frenzy as each feature was revealed and explained. New Releases for $9.99! Unobtrusive: Yes! WiFi: Yes! 30 Hour Battery: Yes! Its like an iPod for books: Yes!

First, it must project an aura of bookishness; it should be less of a whizzy gizmo than an austere vessel of culture. …the Kindle… has the dimensions of a paperback…. It weighs but 10.3 ounces, and unlike a laptop computer it does not run hot or make intrusive beeps.

I am so in.

I have long wanted a simple solution for reading electronically. Something small enough to take anywhere that will boot up in 10 seconds or less. I have many a pdf waiting to be read because if I am at a computer, I am doing stuff. I am not reading (book) pdfs.

After the article, I am totally invigorated and already going thru my finances in my head trying to justify a $400 pdf reader when I google “Kindle” and up pops this UGLY picture.

Noooo! That can’t be my new Kindle. 1978 called - they want their calculator back. Can’t you just feel that rough beige finish that your first 3 computers had? And how exactly is this beast an “austere vessel of culture”?

And why a keyboard? What happened to “Bookish”? I will check again, but none of my recently purchased books have a keyboard taking up a full 1/3 of the total real estate.

Sure, I know you need a keyboard, but make it on screen like the iPod touch. Or make it a separate piece that you plug in when needed. You will use the keyboard so little that having it take up this much space is criminal.

Design matters. Apple has proven that over and over and even Microsoft has gotten the message now with their latest Zune. Make it look just like an iPod only bigger. Its OK to rip off heavily borrow from a design that works so amazingly well.

Looks aside, I bet it works great and I really hope they sell a ton so we can get the price down to $150 in 3 years, but I just don’t think people will buy it. Consumers emote the brands they love but this device does not look “emote-able”.

I hope Jeff will take Kindle 2.0 and outsource it to Apple.