"5 reasons I don't have a Kindle"

[Harvey]

Blogger Jonathan Henderson gives a contrarian view of Kindle:

LINK: http://www.jonathanhenderson.com/2007/12/5_reasons_i_dont_have_a_kindle.html

5. It's Too Expensive. A book reader is, or at least should be, a single function product: You use it to read books. It's not a computer, it's not a web browser, it's not an MP3 player. It's a device to read books. And using the time-honored analogy of the razor and razor blades, the reader itself simply should not cost very much money. My Rocket eBook was $199.00. My Palm Tungsten was $179.000. An iPod is $149.00. A Blu-Ray player is $299.00. An Nintendo Wii is $249.00. And Amazon wants to charge me $399.00 for a device to read books? I don't think so. An electronic book reader should cost no more than $150.00 maximum, and should preferably be under $100.00.

4. The Books are Copy-Protected. DRM (Digital Rights Management) rears its ugly head yet again. I am especially disappointed to see Amazon taking this tact, since they have done such a nice job with their MP3 store. I've spent over $100.00 at Amazon's MP3 store since they started, and I'm going to be spending a lot more over the coming year now that they have 3 of the 4 record labels supplying them with content.

Books for the Kindle are in a proprietary, copy-protected format. It's such a closed format, in fact, that there is no way to simply copy your own material to the device - you have to email a document to Amazon, pay a fee, and then have them send the converted document back to you. A collection of books, just like a collection of music, is something I like to keep forever. Purchasing a book in some transitory, proprietary format that I cannot even back up is of no interest to me. An electronic book reader should use an open format and should not use any form of DRM or copy protection. Ideally, it should also read multiple formats, with PDF at the top of the list.

3. The Screen is Too Small. The Kindle uses exactly the same screen as the Sony Reader. The good news here is that the screen quality is excellent: it actually looks as good as a printed page. The high contrast black and white screen with very high resolution print is just the breakthrough that has been needed in order to make an electronic book reader a viable product. But after playing with a Sony Reader for a while, and after comparing it to a paperback book, a trade paperback, and a normal-size hardcover, it was clear that the 6" screen is just plain too small.

Here's my simple rule of thumb: Get a physical paperback edition and an electronic edition of the same book. Turn to a page. They should be identical. With the 6" screen the Kindle uses, that is not the case: there is always less text on the Kindle's screen. This means that a 300 page printed book ends up as a 400 page Kindle book, for example (I'm approximating, since I do not have a Kindle to do the actual comparison with). And the small size just doesn't feel like a book. Pick up a trade paperback or a hardcover book; an electronic book reader should have the same screen size as the printed page on any of those, including page headers and footers. Assuming the same screen technology used by the Kindle and the Sony Reader, an electronic book reader should have a screen that is at least 8" tall and 5" wide (9.5" diagonal), and should be able to support page-for-page matching between the printed version and the electronic version of the same book.

2. The Books are Too Expensive. I place this one a lot higher than the device costs, because if all the other issues were dealt with, I'd probably be willing to pay more for the device itself. However, an electronic book must always be cheaper than the paperback version of a book. And right now this is not the case.

Amazon is trying to get away with comparing the hardcover price with the Kindle version price, in order to justify their price range of $9.95 to $7.95 for electronic books. Sorry, folks, but that's not the comparison. Let's take The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini as an example. The paperback version of this book is $8.99. The Kindle version of this book is $8.99 - the same price. But - I can give the paperback book to someone else. I can keep it forever. I can make copies of it if I need to. I can re-bind the book in 20 years. I can re-read it 10 years from now just by pulling it off the shelf. I can't do any of these things with the Kindle version - and yet it's exactly the same price. Why would I ever bother with the electronic version? Books for an electronic reader should be priced well below the price of the paperback version of the same book - at least $2.00 cheaper, in my opinion, since there are no physical costs associated with it. And that's assuming that all of my other points have been addressed. If the book is copy-protectecd, it should be at least $4.00 less than the paperback!

1. The Kindle is Butt Ugly. This is the 21st century. We expected our devices to look like it. Look at an Apple iPhone, a Toyota Prius, a Panasonic plasma TV, a Samsung laser printer, an iPod Nano, even a single cup coffee maker. I expect smooth lines, smart design. I expect gadgets that are as beautiful to look at and as pleasing to the touch as the best of these. Asking me to pay $400 for something that looks like it was designed by a Soviet planning committee is not going to cut it. I mean, look at this thing! It's all sharp edges and angles. It's the same bland off-white color as generic PC's from the 1990s. The keyboard (and why the hell does a book reader even need a keyboard, anyway?) looks like it belongs on a Fisher-Price toy.

The whole look of the device is just wrong. It looks cheap and flimsy - even though it is neither. In an age of shiny piano black surfaces, aluminum finishes, aerodynamic shapes and streamlined edges, the Amazon Kindle is an orphan. I get the impression someone designed the shape and layout about 20 years ago, and has just been waiting for the technology to finally allow it to be built. Amazon should have hired a high-end industrial designer and made this product a beauty, something to show off, instead of something to keep hidden under a cover so that no one could see it. An electronic book reader should be attractive, sleek, and well designed.

So, Amazon, no sale to me. I thought for sure the Kindle would flop big time, and yet when I checked Amazon for information while writing this entry, I see that they are currently sold out. Obviously, quite a lot of customers don't have the misgivings that I do. I'll just keep waiting. My guess is it will take another 5 years or so until an electronic book reader appears that follows all 5 of my suggestions. I look forward to writing a glowing review of that product at such time as I can get one.

Sadly, however, the Amazon Kindle is not that device.

[Celeste]

I have to say that I agree with most of the points made -however- I think that in this case, it is not to their extreme benefit to make a high tech looking gizmo gadget. They are already fighting against the nostalgia of an actual book, so keeping it is as simple as possible would be best. After all, people associate reading as something contrary to technology (at least I do), so I don't want to be reminded of my Zune / iPod / Mac / lap top.
I do agree that the screen should be bigger.
I also want to mention how inconvenient it is to have a Kindle in a family format. Unless each family member owns their own Kindle, only one member can ever be reading at one time. Families often read together and this can't happen with Kindle. Perhaps a solution will arise . . . .

[Stacy]

This points are all make sense, but for me the biggest reason I don't have a Kindle, (besides the price) is that it takes away the sentiment of having a book. Reading seems to be one of the only ways to escape from the technology driven society that we live in. It's quite sad that now even that is going to be taken away from us. Who would have thought that we would have to make sure something is charged, just so we can read a book?

[Carol]

And besides, if I get my kids a kindle, I'd like to know that there are really reading a book, not browsing the web!

[Caution]

As a Kindle owner I can agree with points 5,2, and 1, though point 2 very much depends on the book.

Point 4 is incorrect, you can absolutely put pretty much anything on the Kindle with very little effort.  Kindle supports the Mobipocket format and the Mobi editor is free.  There are literally hundreds if not thousands of titles out there that you can get for free (legally) on your Kindle.  I've got about 100 titles on my Kindle now and have only purchased a fraction of those.

Point 3 is simply incorrect.  the screen is pretty much identical to a paperback.  There are multiple font sizes available as well.

[admin]

^ That means a lot to me, to hear that from someone who owns one!! Thanks for the insights.

[pomlover2586]

WOW! # 1 Is the ONLY reason why I didn't jump on the bandwagon and buy A K1. K2 has a much better overall look, sleep and stylish in design and I can't wait to start using it!

[ak rain]

I like my kindle. My family likes it enough that we (I) am getting K2. there is more to a book then its cover.
he lost me at
(I'm approximating, since I do not have a Kindle to do the actual comparison with)

It is expensive but everyone most eat.
sylvia

[Gruntman]

He states that an E-reading device shouldn't cost more than $150 yet he paid $199 for his?

[cat616]

Mr. Henderson should have thoroughly researched this subject before writing about it.

[ScottBooks]

Just so everybody is absolutely clear on this...

The article was written in Dec. 07.  That's 14 months ago. This is a very old thread that has risen from a dusty server to remind us of the Amazon boards.

[Vegas_Asian]

5. It's Too Expensive. A book reader is, or at least should be, a single function product: You use it to read books. It's not a computer, it's not a web browser, it's not an MP3 player. It's a device to read books. And using the time-honored analogy of the razor and razor blades, the reader itself simply should not cost very much money. My Rocket eBook was $199.00. My Palm Tungsten was $179.000. An iPod is $149.00. A Blu-Ray player is $299.00. An Nintendo Wii is $249.00. And Amazon wants to charge me $399.00 for a device to read books? I don't think so. An electronic book reader should cost no more than $150.00 maximum, and should preferably be under $100.00.

Did the palm come at that price straight off the bat...or did you have to sign a two year contract for it?
299 for a blue ray.....but one movies cost about 10-ish bargain book and 3-4 newer/best-seller books?

[KindleKid]

He brings up a lot of good points that are hard to argue. when i bought my K1 i was very close to saying "no way" when i learned the price, i just couldn't justify spending that much for such seemingly simple device. Luckily i went ahead and bought one anyway and never looked back. I would do it all over again in a heart beat.

[ak rain]

ooohhh! i got a second star how did that happen
sylvia

[Benjamin]

ooohhh! i got a second star how did that happen
sylvia

Well that was quite random lol.

[Just Wondering]

I agree with everything he says....yet, I am getting a Kindle 2. I used to have a Palm Pilot, but wouldn't go back to it after using a Blackberry. I had an original IBM PC and I loved it. Wouldn't think of using it now. The author is doing what we should all be doing, assessing where we want the technology to go. Doesn't mean we can't use what is here now and enjoy it.

[Kind]

hmm, yeah he does have some good points.  I especially agree with the price but I don't know, it's still a nice device.

[Bacardi Jim]

Just so everybody is absolutely clear on this...

The article was written in Dec. 07.  That's 14 months ago. This is a very old thread that has risen from a dusty server to remind us of the Amazon boards.

I'm glad somebody else noticed this.

Additionally, I lost all interest in anything the author had to say after the line "I am especially disappointed to see Amazon taking this tact..." in #4.  I assume he meant "tack," meaning a course of action. *shrug*

[Kindgirl]

5 reasons I don't have a Kindle:

1.  It's not February 25th yet.

2.  It's not February 25th yet.

3.  It's not February 25th yet.

4.  It's not February 25th yet.

5.  It's not February 25th yet.

[frojazz]

5 reasons I don't have a Kindle:

1.  It's not February 25th yet.

2.  It's not February 25th yet.

3.  It's not February 25th yet.

4.  It's not February 25th yet.

5.  It's not February 25th yet.

LOL! Me, too!!!!

[Angela]

5 reasons I don't have a Kindle:

1.  It's not February 25th yet.

2.  It's not February 25th yet.

3.  It's not February 25th yet.

4.  It's not February 25th yet.

5.  It's not February 25th yet.

Now those are reasons I can understand!! 

[Neversleepsawink;)]

I'm excited for those who are getting the K2....can't wait to hear all the good things. 

[stevene9]

5 reasons I don't have a Kindle:

1.  It's not February 25th yet.

2.  It's not February 25th yet.

3.  It's not February 25th yet.

4.  It's not February 25th yet.

5.  It's not February 25th yet.

Best post I've seen in a long time. 

Steve

[Veronica]

If that was originally posted in Dec 07, I'd be curious if this person still has the same opinions?

How much was the iPod when it first came out?  I remember thinking it was ridiculously expensive and absolutely not necessary.  Now, however, I have an 80GB iPod classic...

[k_reader]

I agree with the point about pricing of books... amazon still needs to do some tweaking to its pricing structure.  There should NEVER be a kindle book that is more expensive than paperback, and the kindle to hardcover price should be at least a 25% discount (in my humble opinion).

I think this poster missed a very important reason why a kindle isn't right for SOME people: CONTENT.  There are many genres that are still lacking in kindle content (Software/Technical books being one of them).  This isn't an issue for me, but for some of my friends. Like many of the tech reviews I've read out on the web, I find that the article was written by someone who isn't a "reader", but is instead a "gadget guy (person)".  I especially love it when these gadget reviewers say that it they iphone is better for reading than the kindle    I think that is funny...