The Kindle Reader – Finding A Solution For Customer Needs
Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader seems to be forever in the public eye. It certainly gets plenty of publicity and has enjoyed endorsements, in various forms, by celebrities such as Hilary Clinton, Stephen King and even Oprah Winfrey. The almost permanent media attention has transformed the Kindle into an almost iconic gadget – on a par with iPod – and it has very rapidly become a feature of the high tech gadget scene.
It’s easy to forget just how new the Kindle actually is and what a short lifespan it has had. The original Kindle was released in November of 2007. The updated Kindle 2.0 launched in February of 2009 and the large format Kindle DX followed in June of the same year.
It’s a compliment to Amazon, even if something of a back-handed one – that almost every new reader that is announced is instantly nominated to be the Kindle Killer. Something similar is even happening with other devices, like the new iPad from Apple for example. Despite the fact that the Kindle and the iPad are very different devices, many industry analysts are forecasting that the iPad will sound the death knell for the Kindle. In reality, were the Kindle to be put to rest now, it would be more a case of infanticide rather than killing.
It is very easy to forget that, not only is the Kindle a relatively recent innovation, but that Amazon was in fact a fairly late entrant into the e-book reader market. The first dedicated e-book reader was launched in 1999, over a decade ago. The Sony PRS first launched in 2006, quite a bit before the Kindle.
In what is, in fact, a very short period of time, the Amazon Kindle has become practically a by-word for e-book readers. It’s a testament to the commercial acumen and customer service of Amazon. They have taken the Kindle way past the point of “hot gadget” and provided their customers with a “Kindle experience”.
There’s no doubting the fact that the hardware is, in itself, exceptionally well designed and user friendly. One handed operation on a crowded bus, train or plane is simple and easy. The e-ink technology display works well in a variety of different ambient lighting conditions. All of that being said, it’s the simplicity of buying books, downloading them in less than sixty seconds, the added convenience of not needing to lug heavy paper books around, the fact that you can purchase new books anytime you want – without having to leave your house, and the huge library of Kindle books which you can choose from which has made the Kindle such a landmark device.
Wireless free connectivity with no monthly charges, and the Amazon trust and brand recognition have also played a part in the Kindle’s success. Having established itself as the market leader after a late entry to the market, Amazon is not going to let its best selling product be killed off. 2010 will almost certainly see further innovation from the Amazon – rumors of a new Kindle in the first half of the year are already rife.
Have a look at the Amazon Kindle for yourself – and don’t forget to pick up a Kindle cover – it’ll personalise and protect your device.
