The Kindle Won
techcrunch.com
techcrunch.com
All the ebooks I have purchased are in DRM-free formats and I won't buy books in DRM-encumbered formats. All the magazines I subscribe to are either delivered in PDF or as dead trees. If I ever buy a DRM-ed title, I'll crack it and transport them to whatever device I have that I want to use. I currently favor the Nook and intend to buy one as soon as it becomes available here (or I pass through some place where it's available), mostly because it's easy to hack and runs Android. I currently read with Stanza and GoodReader on my iPod, but will move over to the Nook as soon as possible.
But for books? I just really do not care. I used to save every book I bought, and for what purpose? Apart from a few reference works, I almost never re-read a book.
It's a $10 spend, I'll read it in a week/month, and quite frankly, I don't mind throwing it away after that. Topping it off, Amazon has the best customer support I've ever experienced. I bought a couple of Kindles, broke one, returned it - got a new Kindle overnight plus a refund from just one email to support. I actually had to call them to let them know they didn't owe me a refund!
I know this apathy towards DRM is harmful. It's the same apathy that leads to disgusting locked down and censored systems like the stuff from Apple (and WinPhone7). I don't put up with it on my phone (unlocked N1), I refuse to get any iPads, etc. -- but just acting as a consumer that wants to read eBooks, Kindle is nothing short of perfect.
That's the point. I do and I keep them stored in a way I can quickly search books and magazines. Right now it's broken, but I had my home media server with my book and magazine collection neatly searchable via web. The ADSL modem was not very fast, but it was more than good enough for that.
@showerst I have an iPad but just can't read books on it as long as I cam with e-ink (but with the addition of anti-glare/matte screen protector it is a bit better than before)
That's enough for me.
and thanks to nookDevs we now have a range of Android software on Nook both from community and B&N itself (including browser, which AFAIK Kindle still struggles with)
On the other hand one certainly wonders if the fight is irrelevant when considering the mighty iPad.
Supposed B&N are going to release a Nook app, but it might be too little, too late.
If Apple had stopped at the iPhone v.1 it would have been an interesting footnote in history.
As far as eBooks, we're in early days yet. I doubt we've seen anything even close to the "winner" for eBooks yet.
The device is going to struggle (I think Seth Godin's suggestion to reduce the price to cost is a good one) but the software is where they need to win in order to accomplish what Amazon really wants: a large market share in eBooks.
I don't think Amazon is going to drop the Kindle hardware anytime soon, purely because it's the only real way to get consumers locked in on the platform. Any other device has alternative reading applications, and switching is relatively easy.
Apple could have, in a sort of passive-aggressive manner, attacked Amazon by making the iBook application capable of plugging into arbitrary e-book marketplaces/readers. This provides consumers choice and convenience, while removing Amazon's control on the platform and leveling the playing field.
It may be unlikely, but all they have to do is to slow down the approval of them or create additional terms to the developer agreement.
Whatever, TechCrunch!