Customer Reviews:
 :( November 26, 2007
11 out of 84 found this review helpful
Tell me when I can use it here in Alaska. If it supported WiFi as well as EVDO I could.
 Kindle is a great ebook reader, not a laptop, not an iPod! November 25, 2007
67 out of 75 found this review helpful
I purchased my Kindle on release day, and received it the following day. The Kindle works exactly as advertised. The online store integration has been excellent and fast, even though I live in an area with sub-par Sprint coverage (Albuquerque, NM). The devise is easy to use, and after the past few days, I think I will definitely switch most of my disposable reading like newspapers and magazines over to it, simply because of the lower cost and portability.
The Kindle experimental features like web browsing and PDF reading are exactly that, experimental! I rarely found myself using either because they both are formats that the Kindle is simply not optimized for viewing.
Although I prefer DRM-free formats, in general, the lowered pricing of Kindle books (except in the tech book arena) outweighs the lack of usage flexibility. I feel that I am paying for exactly what I care about - personal use, and nothing more. I would like to see Amazon eventually offer Windows, Mac, and Flash readers to add additional value and flexibility of use for Kindle formatted offerings.
If you want the exact feature set the Kindle page claims, you will be immensely pleased with this product. If you want a device for email, web browsing, & MP3 playing, that runs on DRM-free formats and tightly integrates with your computer, keep looking.
How this idea would sell 1000 times better at that price: November 25, 2007
2 out of 54 found this review helpful
The kindle's idea is what they say it is - "the future of book reading" - however they're not there yet. The market won't begin to buy a reading device as a near necessity, like a cell phone or computer, until it's design and technology increase to the levels relative to cellphones and computers. Meaning, that the reading device would have to accommodate as well as perform for an owner as much as a computer or cellphone does. Offered in a variety of sizes and as minimalist as possible; i.e. touch screen control without any wide non-screen panels or external keyboards. A thin protective carrying case would be used, have covering panel, or be made of a scratch resistant screen.
Atleast send a thank you for the idea.
-fb
 Great idea!!! but..... November 25, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Nothing more then an idea to the market place. yes, the Kindle is a new product and it's eye candy! however, this Kindle isn't worth the price it's a little more then a basic PC if I wanted to read (for free or pay) I'd rather buy a cheap computer less then 100 and use it! to read! this would possibly solve global warming, but this product. isn't something people are going. to buy right away! this product needs to go down in price and I do in-fact like the idea of transferring what you read on the Kindle. and make it a PDF and send it to yourself VIA e-mail. still... a good idea needs a little more features and a different price. also the idea of making it look like your reading it. as if it's on paper is a good idea as well... but not going to buy it!
 Suggestions for Kindle 2.0 November 25, 2007
19 out of 78 found this review helpful
No, I don't own one, but I've read all the reviews so far, and I've done a lot of research on the other e-readers out there, so here's my 2 cents. This is a poor first effort, but the Kindle has a lot of promise. My suggestions:
1. A 170 dots/inch e-ink screen is NOT just like reading regular ink on paper. It's like reading a wet newspaper. You need about 300 dpi for truly crisp text, and the contrast needs to be better (i.e. the background should be white, not gray).
2. Find a better place the for "Next Page" and "Prev Page" buttons.
3. Ditch the keyboard and replace it with a touch-screen, like the Iliad. That gives you more screen space, and it lets you mark up your documents, just like a real book.
4. Whispernet is nice, but it's overkill for most people. A model that does everything by WiFi would suit most people, and it would save amazon money, too, since they're paying for the network costs.
5. All content needs to be viewable on a computer (PC or Mac) as well as the Kindle. If you're reading a book for school, and you're taking notes on it, you're going to want the book (along with your notes) available on your computer when it comes time to write your term paper.
6. No one likes DRM, but we understand that publishers demand it. Still, any non-copyrighted content should be DRM-free.
7. Along those lines, you should offer a deal for classic books like the one for the Sony Reader. Sony lets you download 100 free classic books when you buy the Reader. Amazon should be able to match a promotion like that. (It's okay to tell people they can't use Whispernet for free downloads.)
8. You should add appointment book and day planner applications. Kindle fanatics keep dismissing suggestions like this by saying it's an e-book, not a PDA. But keep in mind that the PDA was invented to replace things like appointment books and day planners.
9. The absolute best idea that amazon is offering with this product is that users can upload (and sell) their own content. This hasn't gotten much press, for the obvious reason that amazon doesn't have a critical mass of users yet. But I don't think it'll be long until this feature alone makes a Kindle worth owning.
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