Charlie Rose Science Series
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11/19/2007
Jeff Bezos
A conversation with Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos
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A conversation with Jeff Bezos, chairman and CEO of Amazon.com about The Kindle, a wireless, portable reading device.
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Transcripts available through Voxant.
Exciting idea to have any book at any minute with you. Now I am only waiting till this will be sold outside US. I hope that it will be soon and without the ugly keyboard (I would prefer touchscreen instead). I think now the barrier which prevented mass spreading of e-books fell and the electronic e-book will outnumber printed ones in few years. (not that I would'n miss paper books but as it was said at least we can do something for environment by saving up some trees)
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com. SUCKS! This is fine.... most of what Amazon.Com does is fine BUT! They need to stop selling Things that are of Animal Cruelty! I'm a hug supporter of the Humane Society and agree with their lawsuit against you [and other places\. When I hear the name Amazon - I think of the Amazon Rainforest. I think of Helping the Rainforest, animals, humans, the environment etc... Maybe you guys need to change your name to "Promote Animal Cruelty . com"? This is an out rage - many people are upset at Amazon for this.... I know your compay doesn't need the money you get from selling and promoting Animal Cruelty! Get real Amazon - show the world you actually care!
Bemused by antipathy and outright vitriole that the Kindle reading machine seems to kindle. Amongst flesh-and-blood, it's usually the less than avid readers. Amongst ethernet, it's unknown what their status is. Often libraries are cited as a better alternative and cheaper. Perhaps. But the satisfaction of having all those 'companions' along is comforting. Maybe my self-esteem is suspect somehow. And $400 as a legitimate obstacle is disingenuous. A real book addict would go through that in short order. Plus most Kindle books are $10.00 and less. Saving say $15 per book will pay-off the Kindle in less than 30 books. I hope it's merely a accumulated revulsion to electronics and technology generally. Had some of this as well. But no longer. I really like its features: auto dictionary, hi-liting, note making - yadda, yadda. Puts gaming out of it. (Well I wish.)
It seems the farther down the comments page you go, the more "Amazonians" are defending the Kindle. First: the book, for some, does not "disappear," in fact there is a very specific quality to books that lend themselves to better reading experiences- font, margin, paper quality. Second: Bezos speaks as if this is a necessary "evolution" in books. It's practicality, which has been discussed plenty above, is not, NOT, outmoded. Their unchanged longevity asserts the fact that this product will utterly fail as time goes on because it does nothing to improve upon any element of reading. Amazon, as an internet powerhouse, has most likely seen an increase of e-reader sales because of all the media-provided-free advertising, but seriously, in five years the Kindle will be a relic of the past, but an original folio edition of Romeo and Juliet will be preserved on a shelf in a collection. Oh, and the environmental impact of books is not so much an issue as the two aren't directly related. Since when does the mass manufacturing of plastics become the green argument?
M - You make some interesting points. But they aren't universal. I too am an avid reader and agree sharing books is highly satisfying. My two sons as inevitable recipients - sans time for reading - receive all my read books. I now share through buying them Kindles with caveat to keep them registered in my name. Thus all three can share the same books. Loaded with children's books for grandkids. Have bought a fourth so eight year-old granson can have his own. Side note: Constitution $0.99, children's books under $5.00, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn for peanuts. Reading Shock Doctrine, and Arsenals of Folly as trade-off relief. Couldn't conveniently carry both around like Kindle. Or about 50 others. Don't leave home without it. Fits nicely in coat pocket. Need a Kindle holster for summer though. I'm smitten with it.
A book may become invisible as it is read, but as a physical entity it possesses much more than this virtual book. We are taking virtual life to extremes here. Will we eventually have no reason to physically interact? This is disturbing consumerism. To invest $400 for the privilege of paying $10 for a book that could be sampled at the library for free. Absurd! What ever happened to the adage of "this'll do for now"? Technology should serve humankind not create another "thing" at add to our already overwhelming credit card debt. This won't fly big time. This is a yuppie toy. If it survives, it will be eventually given away for free and the royalties received through download purchases. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
I am a graphic designer, and no luddite, I have all the necessary digital accoutrement for someone in my profession - the ipod, a digital camera, a fancy computer, an HD tv, etc. With that said, I am also a book geek, Iâ??ve read thousands of books and care about them both as works of art and as vessels of information. After both reading the Newsweek article and watching this interview, both of which had an obvious and disturbing sycophantic bent, I wanted to throw out some food for thought. In regards to the dead tree issue, which is something I care about a great deal and have done my best to push clients towards being more responsible about, Iâ??d like to point out that there is both sustainable paper harvesting methods, as well as infinitely recyclable synthetic papers available on the market (see William McDonoughâ??s book Cradle to Cradle which both speaks about this point and is printed on synthetic paper). My love of trees brings me to my next point. Part of why I love trees is because being around them is a way to unplug, much the way a bound book is. I look at some sort of screen or monitor for most of my day, and when I tuck into bed, I donâ??t want to have to be concerned about if my the batteries on my book are charged or if there is a glare on the screen or if it stays on if I fall asleep with it in hand wasting the batteries, and then canâ??t use it the next morning. Reading is one aspect of my life I will guard from being dependent on charging a device for. I fail to understand how this gizmo will get people who donâ??t read, to read. In the Newsweek article they threw out the number that only 56% of Americans read one book or more a year. My guess is that the reason for there being so few has nothing to do with the portability of the device or the ease of use, which seem to be the principal advantages discussed about this project, because physical books are both portable and easy to use and people donâ??t bother with those, and they donâ??t require a $400 investment. Regarding the horrors of moving a book collection, Iâ??ve done it several times, and have lived to tell the tale (even those giant art books we design nerds love so well, which are an impossibility with this device as it is now). Also about book collections, I love being able to go into a home and be able to see what books are on the shelves and I would miss it profusely if that went away to be buried in an object with a little screen. I know Iâ??m proud of the books Iâ??ve read and am happy to think of them as badges of honor on display in my apartment. Another point they donâ??t mention in this interview is that you canâ??t share your books with this device. Iâ??ve loaned and/or given away many, many books and it is one of the greatest things I feel I can do, to be able to share something I feel so strongly about. Books can have lives after you read them, they can be loaned out or sold, and the flip side of that, is that they can be purchased used which you canâ??t do with a bit of information set up in a proprietary way. As far as calling an item the ipod for books, am I the only one who thinks that comparison is ludicrous? An ipod plays songs, which makes sense to have a portable library for, because songs are easily digestible rather small segments of information. Who would want or need to schlep around an entire library of books with them? I read avidly and I donâ??t have the amount of time or energy it would take to devote myself to five books at a time, much less 200. Comparing the book to cars and to ipods or even the proverbial better mouse-trap is setting up a straw opponent. I would argue a book is something much more fundamental and much more perfected than any of those devices, since that thing they refer to as recorded history, was mostly recorded in books. I think a more apt comparison would be that it is like trying to create a better object than the wheel, something so basic and fundamental to human existence that while it can be improved in its basic function (a car wheel works better than a wagon wheel), it cannot be improved beyond what it is (there is no other shape besides a circle that can be a wheel). I think there is a place for this sort of device, particularly with the connectivity to on-line content, but donâ??t call it an improvement on, much less a replacement of, a printed, bound book. PS. Iâ??m fairly certain that reading does improve your intelligence and makes you a better person.
OMG! The Kindle is awesome! Bezeos is not out to get us or our money (just cause your paranoid doesn't mean your not crazy.) I'm so tired of searching for books to read. One goes to the bookstore and is confronted with thousands of books. Which one to buy? Well, look for your favorite author. Damn. You've read everything by him. Will he write another? Check his website or keep checking the bookstore are the only options. And what other criteria are there for finding books at a bookstore.. genre of course. Then the pictures on the covers. Artwork, mostly cheesy, that has little to do with the content. Then there flap notes and reviews... all crap really. And as for for the Public Library, I've read just about everything they have to offer that I'm interested in. That's for all of the libraries in Oklahoma City. So spend your money on something unkown. Discover a gem, or not. It's a crap shoot at best. And while I wouldn't want to read the 1st chapter of a book I was considering buying, I am sure some would. If I read the first chapter, I invariably read the book. As I age, I find myself rereading more than purchasing new just because it's easier not to mention cheaper. The kindle really does offer some alternative to a system that is dictated by publishers and bookstores. Reading for pleasure is a pastime. It does not make you a better person, nor does it make you smarter. And as a side note... books made out of trees suck. Paper made from wood pulp have a high acid content and don't survive. Paper made from cotton rocks. Save the cotton plants.
Nice product, bad product name: "Kindle" -- as in Fahrenheit 451....
Henry Ford is a fool if he believes the Model-T or any "auto-mobile" will fly with the majority or even a large minority of people...
. . since Bezos has enough money to develop a better suborbital vehicle, I don't understand his choice of a DC-X-like VTVL vehicle for tourists the DC-X-like New Shepard can't take advantage of wings, so, it will need large amounts of propellents to fly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-X . .
What an amazing Christmas gift for families! For many years, people have wanted to make books more accessible and more affordable for their family or relatives. Not all working families have the time to regularly use the library. Not all families have the funds for lots of books. A Kindle arrived Thursday night with a Friday morning airline flight looming. In less than 20 minutes, seven books, a newspaper, and several blogs were on the Kindle. The carry-on bag was so much lighter and easier to manage! The prices of books are amazing. The Bible was $2. Plutarch was $0.99. Keats was $1.99. The Book of Mormon was $2. Every book was more affordable than the paper versions by 25-50% or more. At this rate of savings, in personal time and money, the Kindle will pay for itself in a few years. Few potential Christmas gifts come along that can make learning so endlessly accessible and affordable. Knowing the difference that a single book can make in a life, if our nieces, nephews, or cousins are able to find just one book they passionately adore for a lifetime (that they never would have otherwise found) - the investment we are making for them this Christmas will feel worthwhile. Personally, kudos to Bezos and his team for taking the financial and strategic risk to make books less expensive and more immediately accessible to the world! -a thrilled uncle
Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos is a fool if he believes Kindle or any e-book will fly with the majority or even a large minority of people. Genius? Hardly. Greed is the driving force behing Amazon & it's executives. Hard copy books, magazines & newspapers are timeless and kept and passed down for generations. E-books and anything in todays tecnological world are only just barely fine for today but lost forever to our children and future generations just as soon as new chips and storage devices are developed. A few will certainly buy into this expensive reading device and wish a couple of years down the road that they had thrown their money into a wishig well. Intelligent people will save their money for something with longevity.
At 23 I had been reading my own books for 18 years. My delight in them has not changed and is not based on age or time but the experience itself. If you arent into it then that is fine - but try to leave your age out - it limits you unnecessarily. Happy reading!
I am a 23 yr old who is not a life long reader. This device is exciting. Any attention paid toward encouraging reading (within reason) is valuable. This interview is not an infomercial; it is edification. From my point of view, this interview is inspiring. Charlieâ??s enthusiasm toward this product can only be seen as overwhelmingly beneficial to anyone my age that happens upon this episode.
Nice infomercial. Is there really much new here? I mean to suggest this is the replacement for the book is a bit high falutin'. It's just a small computer. Two immediate flaws with Kindle:inability to support .pdfs, and no color. I've also heard there are access issues in various parts of the country. I'd use it as kindle, that's about it.
A breakthrough technology, but this particular device / business model doesn't seem anything like the end of the road. Bezos description of the future of libraries as a "cabinet of curiosities" is a bit chilling, and the economic incentive to digitize out-of-print books (or anyone's willingness to buy them at $10 ea) seems lacking. This could be a boon to supermarket best-sellers and publications. â??I'd like to point out three overlooked factors. 1.) The big educational publishers make a tremendous amount of money on printing, they're supported by reliable public money and have little pressure to develop innovative content. No Child Left Behind has allowed them to downsize or outsource "original" content development and oversee / mark-up printing of many new state-specific textbooks. There is no model for making money in digital educational content, and serious disincentives for diving in. 2) When you remove the need for huge capital investment (in books â?? printing / distribution, etc. â?? analagous to the recording industry in the era of low-cost recording, iPod, etc.) â?? the pool gets wider and shallower. A publishing company can now afford to release any number of books because the risk of doing so is minimized. Good for "democracy" but (IMO) detrimental to quality art in the long term. 3) The idea of "saving trees" should be looked at more critically. What are the costs of forestry, paper making and printing â?? in carbon emissions, land use and jobs / economic factors; vs. the equivalent costs of running servers, a zillion handheld devices and the deletion of important sectors of the industrial economy? Is it theoretically possible to make industry (using sustainable forestry, new technologies, etc.) a more sustainable (net) proposition than the persistent hum of digital content?
I have to agree with some users that this interview came off as something of an informercial for Kindle. While the product does hold some interest, I now understand that Bezos' underlying motivation is the "customer experience". If he can make it easier for me to buy more books with the Kindle, he's gonna make a lot of money. He's a smart guy. I wonder if such an underlying motivation really makes a good product?
What are the long term issues with the mass digitization information? some questions i have include... what if, 100 years from now, the plug gets pulled? what if the electricity/energy supplied to run our various electronic devices were to be monopolized? I read, or heard once, that the magnetic poles on earth could reverse, and all electronic devices could be rendered useless. is this true? on a macro-historic time scale all this digitization seems to be something for concern. how many of us have lost the entire contents of their hard drive? remember how much that hurt? Is there, in existence, any truly reliable long term backup for the digitization of information? who will ultimately control access to that information? just taking a orwellian tact for arguments sake. feeling skeptical about the so called "technological revolutions" so often promoted by the elite CEO club members. maybe i just don't know better. maybe i'm not supposed to.
It is a nice idea and I wish him luck - anything that gets new people to read becuase it is easy to carry - there are plenty of easily digestible quick read books I read that I dont want to own - I can see using something like this. Like DaVinci Code - a dumb book but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I got it from the ibrary but I may have paid 9.95. But the device is overpriced - should be 49.95 and marketed as a ease of use for travel. No, a reader like me with a life long love affair with books is not giving up paper based books and he is nuts to target us. It is the whole individual experience both mental AND tactile that make the act of book reading unique and addictive. The wonderful Bennett book about the Queen learning to love to read is a small, slim novel with delightful typeface that enhances the enjoyment - you cant replace that with a machine. Not for me anyway.
What a delightful young man. This 70 y/o lady kept telling her husband:"His parents are very lucky to have a son like him." He gives us hope in the younger generation. We love to read, & we will get the "Kindl". In a German dialect it means "little(or cute)child" -- that would fit too - right? Can I get German books on it too ??? Thank's for a great show !
informercial!!! nothing more. charlie beware of whoring your show. it's a precious thing, don't exploit it. lots of love s.
Bright sunlight? Who reads anything in bright sunlight. Can't read underwater either. The confidentiality concern may have some legitimacy. Could personally care less if my reading fare is known, but I'm not building a home made bomb, and too old for porn. In fact I like to recommend Naomi Wolf's, "The End of America," and "Ismael," by Daniel Quinn.
Sunlight? Books or anything in sunlight? Who does that? And bright at that. Like saying you can't read under water. Confidentiality concern might have some legitimacy. Don't care who knows my reading fare, but I'm not making a bomb nor in to porn. I like to share however, e.g., try Naomi Wolf's, "The End of America," and "Ishmael," by Daniel Quinn.
> You can't read it in bright sunlight. I regularly used my Irex Iliad to read in bright sunlight, so I wouldn't know why with the Kindle one would not be able to do the same.
Jake Taylor says:"Why, at this price, doesn't it let me check my email, surf the web, play some tunes or make a phone call?" If you want all that, buy a laptop. "And what happens if you drop it in the pool? I doubt that it is waterproof." Neither are books.
Im sorry if I am repeating a comment, but I am worried about giving one company that much power over information. A possitve example would be, an author wants to correct something in his text, and he can do that and have Amazon update each E-Book with the correct information, but what if that information is changed for another purpose that the consumer does not approve of. If Times Magazine says something controversial, it is important that we as a public can retrieve that information 5/10 years later without worring that information has been changed, or lost. You can not argue a printed text, but digital information can be ultered without ones knowledge or consent.
My only problem with the kindle is privacy. I use amazon.com to research potential purchases and to read customer reviews, but that's it. I've only made two purchases (books) on Amazon: one was in 1998 and the other was in 2001. You know how I know? I looked in my order purchase history on Amazon.com Personally, I don't want anyone to have a record of what books I purchase and it seems that the Kindle would store an amazing amount of personal information on any user. I'm not a Luddite by any means -- I use computers and technology as a part of my daily routine (I'm a systems programmer at a large University). I just find it a bit strange to be able to go back and look up what I purchased in 1998 with only a few key strokes. The Kindle would make invading ones privacy easier by storing not only the books you purchase, but also the papers, magazines,you read by keeping electronic bookmarks every time you stop reading one publication. Just last month Donald Kerr, the second in command at the Director of National Intelligence office, gave a speech saying that: "Anonymity results from a lack of identifying features. Nowadays, when so much correlated data is collected and available â?? and I'm just talking about profiles on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube here â?? the set of identifiable features has grown beyond where most of us can comprehend. We need to move beyond the construct that equates anonymity with privacy and focus more on how we can protect essential privacy in this interconnected environment. Protecting anonymity isn't a fight that can be won. Anyone that's typed in their name on Google understands that. Instead, privacy, I would offer, is a system of laws, rules, and customs with an infrastructure of Inspectors General, oversight committees, and privacy boards on which our intelligence community commitment is based and measured." Anyone who uses the Kindle should be aware of this new take on anonymity and privacy.
People forget, the first iPod was $399 and it wasn't perfect. Yes, this is the first version but, like all electronic devices, it will get better AND cheaper as time goes on. In response to other comments: 1) If you break/lose the device you simply buy a new one and register it to your account. You can then re-download all of the books you previously bought from Amazon. 2) You can play music with it. It allows for listening to MP3s in the background while reading. 3) Why would you ever want to make a phone call with it? People want small, compact phones but they want large screens for reading. The result? Two different devices. 4) If you drop your cellphone or a book in the pool, they're rendered fairly worthless as well. 5) "Publishing industry's tepid support"??? Go to Amazon.com and check the selection. Looks like nearly all the publishers are on board to me.
Speaking as someone from Seattle, I very much would like to see Amazon do well - I like the company and I like Jeff Bezos. Unfortunately, I suspect they have made a mistake with this business decision unless a few other pieces are put into place. There are several reasons for thinking this: (1) digital books readers do not allow readers easily to write notes in the margins of their books - this "conversation" that a reader can have with a book is an essential reading experience. I recently bought Alan Greenspan's book - a book that I could have gotten for the Amazon device for less. But I have already make lots and lots of comments in the margins of the books and I can find those comments easily. It is worth paying a premium to do that. That I don't suspect I could have done with Amazon's reader (2) There is a great deal of information communicated from books by the way in which the pages are layed out in a book. It looks like the Amazon book reader does not reproduce exactly the text of a book (unlike the google approach). (3) (and this is the big one) information technology faces a more general problem, which this device faces too. People are uncomfortable letting companies store the information they care about unless they trust the company a great deal with the information (as an example of trust think of how people trust banks with information about their money. The history of technology adoption is full of stories about companies who suceeded because they provided the assurances people need to adopt the technology which other companies did not - the singer sewing machine and the McCormick reaper company are two such examples). I would not trust Amazon with my library - will my library be around in 5 years if Amazon stored it for me? Can I give my library to my children? If Amazon every builds that sort of trust they will have a very valuable business. But they are a very long way from that. Without that trust how can I be sure that I should invest in the Amazon book reader? It might be fun toy for a year or so, but is it more than that? I know they want it to be more, but I am not sure they can give me the guarantees I would need to make it more important in my life. If I was to give Amazon any business advice it would be the following: build the very very best brand you can. Fix your call center, which is terrible (alas). And fix your return policy, which again is poor. Make the consumer absolutely the first. Build trust at every step. If you do that, then you might have what technology companies are still missing, namely: if they are going to move away from the PC - as the new Amazon reader does - and be the place where people store information they care about - health, books, finacial information, etc - realize that being a "cool" company is less important than being trusted the way banks are, "button down rock rib your money is safe with us." If you can communicate that to customers and give them those guarantees, then you would have a very value and sucessfull company indeed! Good luck, Jeff! Patrick from Seattle
Great Show Charlie! I have always found Amazon to be a great company and this is a fantastic invention. Who says the American Creative Spirit is dead?
I was shocked at how both Charlie Rose and NPR allowed Bezos to pimp this thing without answering any questions that would have really acknowledged problems/complications with this device, the concept, and the publishing industry's tepid support. I personally like the idea behind the device (though I'm not willing to pay iPod prices for it), and I look forward to a day when I can ditch the 1500 pounds of books in my living room and make room for a bigger TV. However, I am really disheartened that Charlie Rose, my favorite interviewer, hosted what was essentially an infomercial. Who's on tomorrow night? Kevin Trudeau and Ron Popeil?
Reference to earlier commment: you can view it in sunlight, it's an E-Ink screen that replicates the experience of paper. There's no backlighting at all.
I was disappointed that the Sony e-reader is never mentioned (or the Iliad). Makes me feel that this is pure Amazon infomercial. That said, I think the Kindle seems like an evolutionary improvement over Sony's efforts and a very nice device. The $400 price tag is hopefully an early adopter price, and if they are selling out then the price must be working for them for now. It is hard to see it gaining mass appeal until it gets to a lower price. In that regard, I am surprised Amazon's pricing strategy is not more of the cheap razor, expensive razor-blade model. Instead the device is expensive and the content is cheaper. I would be an early adopter on this if only the Kindle's wireless network worked in Canada.
only some books are 9.99, many are much less, including some for as low as 25 cents (mostly kids books). I won't be buying this version, but I look forward to future improvements. I agree Charlie was a bit off the mark with this though, a little too starstruck...with the device, not the interviewee.
Anyone concerned about the cost should take this into consideration. Close to all of the books that are offered or will be oferred through this device will cost $9.99, vs. paperback and high hardback prices. So you spend $400 up front. BIG DEAL. After you get through 20 books, it's already paid for itself, because you end up spending less money in the long run on your reading material.
You can't read it in bright sunlight.
I am an avid reader for many years and I like the sound of this new technology. It is too pricy for me but maybe some day it will be more affordable. Also happy that you do not need to hook it up to a computer Hooray. It also sounds good for vision impaired. Of course nothing is perfect to those who gave negative responses.
After watching the interview with Jeff Bezos last night, I was so excited that I could not go to sleep. So I watched it AGAIN. Here's why: 1. I love the idea of not using "dead trees" to print so many books. 2. I can't wait for school books to be available this way. Our kids won't have to walk around with 40 lb backpacks throwing their bone structures out of whack anymore, and we parents won't have to figure out what to do with used, out-of-date textbooks. 3. I can see Amazon (or some other company) starting a digital lending library, much like netflix. For a fee each month, you can "rent" a book and send it back when you're done -- not even needing to waste the "space" to archive it. 4. I see the potential to cut and paste book material and quotes from authors that I want to keep in special files. 5. Most importantly, I write books. They are spiritual and self-help in nature. Each of my books suggests formulas for the reader to figure out what his or her spiritual weave is -- ones life purpose. How great would it be for the reader to be able to cut and paste the parts of the book that apply directly to him or her? One could create personal chapters from the text. This is the answer to publishing books that are designed to work for the reader. Can you tell I'm excited?
Unwatchable. Jeff Bezos is such a media whore. Does he really think we want to see his wanly smiling face on the cover? In a photo spread? On our television screens? I certainly don't find him attractive or entertaining. And the device itself is clearly just an attempt to cash in. Expensive to buy, yet it looks cheap with that icky grey plastic case and brittle screen. I'll bet my two-year old would destroy it within minutes, if I didn't accidentally crush it in my beach backpack first or sit on it as it lay hidden under a magazine on my sofa. Why couldn't they give it a glossy black housing or a jewel toned cover like the latest cell phones? Which brings me to my next point: Why, at this price, doesn't it let me check my email, surf the web, play some tunes or make a phone call? And what happens if you drop it in the pool? I doubt that it is waterproof. The argument that it will save trees is specious. Paper is one of the easiest things to recycle. Batteries are considerably more damaging to the environment when left in landfills to leach into the groundwater. And a whole hour to wax monotonic? I guess Charlie needs his sponsors, but I would rather see them advertise in coherent time spots, than as boring guests.
I don't like spending on books, laying waste to forests of trees for something that will probably just sit there and I'll never open it again, something you book sniffers/feelers should think about. I get nearly all my books at the library and I read a lot. Now that I'm old, I can read better on the computer. I'm not going to miss regular books at all. Buy this device? No way. Too expensive. I'll get it in the next incarnation (mine or the device's). Computer Luddites should consider they were the same people rhapsodizing about typewriters or the pen. This is the future whether you think it is, or not.
This is an excellent idea for perishables like newspapers and magazines, but not a good $400 idea. Mr. Bezos deflected answering what happens if it breaks by referring to a drop test video at Amazon. But if I drop it from from say, 36 inchs and it cracks? Or the battery fries? Or the standard, integrated and prone to failure audio, usb and power connectors break? What if my $400 device dies trapping $2000 (200@$9.99) of DRM locked books? How do I get my books back? I think the book publishers, like MLB and the record companies and their distributors will suddenly forget how to speak English. (or let the overseas "help" lines do it for them. More empowered consumers? Rubbish. I had subscribed to and used consumer reports , etc., for a long time. The uninformed, heedless and impulsive then are still with us now. Only the speed of the information gathering process and decision time has changed. I still catch manufacturers and retailers obviouly leaving out relevant and useful decision information in products' technical and features descriptions. The internet equally enables information and disinformation. The discussion was sprinkled with lots of thoughts on the web, technology and progress. I think an earlier comment had it right. This was a sales pitch for a gadget and the inevitability of a gadget run future working without a (safety)net. The $25 paper book->library shelf->library sales self(out of circulation)->rural library/bookmobile/prison The $9.99 Amazon book->one Drm device,one time until deleted or the device/user dies Mr. Bezos' plan has nothing to do with saving trees.
Great interview. The device would soar if it were $100 with $5 book downloads. Books over 100 years old = $1. They'd sell a billion. Some friends won't go for it as their walls are lined with books, for show, and they also like physical books. When they move, it is over half their move weight in the moving truck. I don't like physical books. They get dusty, the paper falls apart, and they are difficult to handle in certain situations. I don't like manipulating it to read at the fold. So, I think this, or something like it, will be the future. Bezos needs to digitize his laugh, then delete it. It scares me.
There was a well-known quote by I don't know whom, who said something the effect that if after all digital technologies, someone invented paper, it would be the greatest invention. Paper books are here to stay, thank god.
Ideas are easy, implementation is hard. Is he a great thinker? probably not... but his ability to implement makes him a truly remarkable person. Great interview.
Mr Bezos is the man who said the "Human Transporter Device" would revolutionize the world of transportation...yea that happen. The new version of the e-book may have some legs in the text book market, I am doubtful that it will be embraced in the broader book market. He's not talking about the downside, equipment failure, ease of damage or loss, replacement costs, ownership rights and some of the same issues of the earlier version. This is a repacked upgrade using new technology but the same old. A good salesman but this is still a guy trying to sell snake oil.
The range of comments is what makes them worthwhile. Cristobals to mine a good example. Exemplifies the "The Black Swan," by Nassim Nicholas taleb. At my age reading trumps sex. This 'reading machine' sounds fantastic to me. And I'm not a shill for Amazon. It's got a 'better mouse-trap' feel to me. Hope they have childrens books. Grandkids would qualify if so. Finally some worthwhile technology.
This was a very painful show to watch. Apart from the unpleasant monotonic voice of Mr Bezos the whole program was nothing but a very long winded sales pitch for Amazon's digital books. Mr Bezos is not an innovator of any kind. He is just a good bazar salesman pitching new wares for sale. Nothing else. Too bad Mr Rose fell for it. A waste of time.
$399 is a bit steep for most people. Those skeptics, those that have a love affair with the book, will have a hard time throwing down this much money to experiment with a new lover. If you can sell this idea to the libraries... and the librarians, this will be successful. Mark my words.
I'll wait and see if it's as good as it sounds, but I'm really excited to see books ordered at the touch of your fingers. Have to admit it'll be the Ipod of books and this time it's something that'll simulate the mind (unlike how Ipods and Iphones are just for entertainment).
Don't care if we're the beta testers. The concept alone's a gut grabber. Bought three and counting. Makes me wish I weren't so old. A bright spot in a gloomy future. Thanks Jeff.
While I enjoy the feel and smell of paper as I flip through the pages of a book, I am ecstatic about the possibility of having access to my current read on the go without having to worry about how I am going to fit that 900 page book in my already brimming carry-on and let's not forget about the trees. Amazon is on to something here. I can just imagine the educational possibilities.