Monday 2 August 2010

The Amazon “New Generation Kindle”

For some time now I have been looking longingly at several “very useful items that will make life so much easier”

You may remember the Raclett grill. Nope, well I have not bought one (yet).


Last week there was a yoghurt maker on special offer at Foire Fouille. A snip at 9.95 euros. Okay, so I don’t eat yoghurt, but at that price, one made its way into the boot of my car and now sits in its box on a shelf in the spare room, waiting for the day when I do feel like making my own yoghurt.


For a while I have coveted an e-book reader. I have watched over the last 10 years as numerous vain attempts were made to “replace the book”.


Last year my sister in Canada bought a Sony e-book version, but finds that few of the titles that she wants to read are available to download to a Sony machine.


I have been watching Amazon’s “Kindle” and after reading many customer reviews, have come very close to ordering one.


The selection of titles available to the Kindle, via Amazon’s own web site is vast at over 400,000 titles and is growing fast.


The black and white text is supposed to be very clear and can be read easily in direct sunlight. You can annotate, search, consult the inbuilt dictionary, download books from Amazon in 60 seconds, store up to 3,500 books on your Kindle without them taking up room in your home, or in your holiday suitcase. The machine will even turn the text into speech, so that basically it will read the book to you.


You can even upload and read pdf documents.


I’m glad I didn’t put my hand in my pocket, because Amazon have just announced the “ New Generation Kindle”. It still has the six inch screen, but is thinner and lighter than its previous incarnation. Best news of all is that the price has come down and is now affordable.


This essential piece of loveliness in available now on pre-order from Amazon. It will be available late August.


There are 2 versions. The £109 version requires wi-fi access to download books, the £149 version, like its current incarnations, also has 3G internet (almost anywhere) access, with no monthly charge for the service. As far as I can tell, this enables limited web browsing too. I would like the 3G version @ £149 please.


I believe that this Kindle will be the real start of the death of the mass-produced physical book. All that remains is for it to be possible to lend an electronic titles to friends, just like you can a physical book.


So, what are you waiting for? Click on the link on the right and order one now. If you do order using my link, it will also (in theory) put a few pennies in my pocket.


Go on, why not order two???? Live a little! Read a lot!

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