By Richard Adhikari TechNewsWorld
05/06/09 11:32 AM PT
Amazon is targeting the textbook and newspaper markets with a new, big-screen version of the Kindle e-reader, the Kindle DX. Players in both industries joined Amazon in announcing test programs designed to distribute content through the new device. Questions remain, however, about the reader's nearly $500 price tag and the digital rights tangle that could thwart distribution plans.
Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) on Wednesday unveiled the new
Kindle DX, a larger version of its Kindle e-reader, during a press conference at
Pace University.
Amazon heads were accompanied at the event by executives from the device's two major target markets -- the newspaper and publishing industries.
[Click Image to Enlarge]
Newspapers and at least one university will be testing the distribution of content through the Kindle DX this fall.
Priced at US$489, the Kindle DX will be released this summer; Amazon is taking preorders now.
Basic Details
The Kindle DX's screen measures 9.7 inches diagonally, compared with the 6-inch screen of its immediate predecessor, the Kindle 2.
In addition to being physically larger, the Kindle DX can store about 3,500 books, compared with the Kindle 2's 1,500.
The Kindle DX also has a native PDF reader, whereas the Kindle 2 offers PDF support through a file conversion process.
At $489, the DX costs $130 more than the Kindle 2, which is offered at $359.
The DX's other capabilities are very similar to those of the Kindle 2, according to Amazon.
The Technical Stuff
The Kindle DX weighs almost 19 ounces and has 4 GB of storage, about 3.3 GB of which are available to store book content.
Its battery lasts up to four days with the wireless capability turned on, Amazon claims. It recharges fully in about four hours, and can be charged through a computer's USB 2.0 port.
Mobi, or "dotMobi," is a domain for mobile device use that is sponsored by several vendors including Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD).
The Kindle DX comes with a power adapter, a USB 2.0 cable and a battery. A Quick Start guide is included in the box, and the Kindle DX User's Guide comes preinstalled as a PDF file. The device comes with a one-year limited warranty and service. A two-year extended warranty is sold separately for $109.
Textbooks or Newspapers?
As they flail about seeking ways to stay afloat, newspaper publishers are looking to e-readers like the Kindle as a possible key to sustained buoyancy. However, the Kindle DX will likely be marketed first to schools and universities, according to Gartner (NYSE: IT) analyst Andrew Frank.
"The textbook announcements came first at the press conference and seemed less speculative in terms of having to imagine how people would interact with this technology in the future," he told TechNewsWorld.
"Even though the potential value of e-readers to newspaper publishers is compelling, it's still an unproven story, and there are lots of usability questions that pop up," he said.
For the Student
Amazon has reached agreements with three textbook publishers --
Pearson,
Cengage Learning and
Wiley -- said Amazon Chairman Jeff Bezos. Together, they represent 60 percent of the market.
The Kindle DX might just catch on in schools and universities, Yankee Group analyst Josh Martin said. "If they can convince schools this is a good investment over five to 10 years, it may make a difference," he told TechNewsWorld. "Textbooks are a static technology that needs to change."
Scholarly Caveats
However, economic factors may hinder the adoption of the Kindle DX among students. The pricing of the content will make a difference.
"If you're talking about a $200 textbook being available on the Kindle at $180, the value proposition isn't there," Martin said. "Also, right now, students can resell their old textbooks. Can they do that with downloaded textbooks in PDF format?"
Martin also thinks that at nearly $500, the Kindle DX is too expensive. "With budgets being what they are, this is an interesting time to release the device," he said.
Other Possible Problems in School
If the Kindle DX is used in education, licensing and other issues may also crop up.
"Does the school license the right to a book? If so, for how long?" Martin asked. "What happens if a student transfers to another school? There are a lot of cogs that need to be aligned."
Other issues include screen resolution quality, the problem of a Kindle's battery dying while its owner is in class, and whether or not color is important.
Kindles are gray-scale devices, but many textbooks have color charts, graphics and photographs.
The Newspaper Industry
Three newspapers will offer the Kindle DX at a reduced price in exchange for long-term subscriptions -- The New York Times, the Boston Globe and the Washington Post.
All three are facing financial problems, and there was speculation last month that The New York Times, which owns the Boston Globe, could declare the Boston paper bankrupt. The Times itself reportedly has to come up with $400 million for payments to lenders this month.
However, trials with the Kindle DX would have to be carefully managed. "The New York Times said these trials would be offered to readers outside the zones where delivery was available, so clearly there are issues with cannibalization of sales," Gartner's Frank said.
"That could delay adoption of the technology by newspaper publishers," he added.
That’s awesome that a larger-display version is coming out. It is kind of odd that it costs as ...
Next Article in Handheld Devices
Buyouts, Hires and Designs: What's Going On Behind Cupertino's Curtain? May 06, 2009
In about a month, Apple will take the stage at its Worldwide Developers Conference, where company reps could show the world the next step of the iPhone's evolution. Until then, it's all a guessing game. Reports about new engineering hires and system on a chip designs have been making the rounds, as has a rumor concerning the purported buyout of a certain hot microblogging concern.
Related Stories
Amazon Invitation Stokes Big Kindle Rumors May 04, 2009
Amazon may announce a new Kindle e-reader device with a larger screen this week, if rumors are to be believed. A big-screen Kindle may prove a hit among newspaper readers, not to mention newspaper publishers. If the e-commerce giant indeed plans on showing off a new Kindle design, it will compete with other e-readers that are already available in a larger form factor.
Google Gives Sony Reader a Leg Up on Library Size March 19, 2009
Sony's Reader just became a bit more attractive to e-book fans. Through a deal with Google, Sony will make 500,000 public domain books that have been digitized by the search giant available on the device. While that may be a draw for people who want to catch up on the classics, Amazon's Kindle still has major advantage: wireless functionality.
Related News Alerts
More by Richard Adhikari
New Pogoplug Brings Mobile Devices Into the Cloud November 20, 2009
The Pogoplug allows a user to run a personal cloud server from a home network. The data resides on hard drives and thumb drives that plug directly into the Pogoplug device; from there, the data can be accessed from anywhere via the Internet. Keep in mind that some ISPs forbid customers from hooking servers up to residential connections, though those rules are rarely enforced.
Google Spills Chrome OS' Guts November 19, 2009
Google has made public the source code for its upcoming Chrome operating system. The OS will begin appearing on consumer-targeted netbooks next year. Chrome is built to live completely on the Web -- very little data is stored directly on the user's hard drive. This could make for much faster boot times and enhance security.
Cyberfraud Arrests Unlikely to Stem ZeuS Rampage November 18, 2009
Two alleged cybercrooks have been nabbed in the UK on suspicion of using a well-know Trojan to commit banking fraud. The malware in question in known as "ZeuS" or "Zbot," and althought it's quite common, it's also sometimes difficult for antivirus applications to nail. Simple software kits exist online for relatively inexperienced hackers to create unique malware for the purpose of fraud.