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The future of the book: How does Amazon's Kindle affect it?

November 19, 2007

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The future of the book conversation continues. . .

The future of the book conversation continues... I imagine most of you have heard about Amazon's new e-reader, Kindle. Steven Levy wrote it up in the latest Newsweek. Of course, it spurred conversations here. Some of us admittedly curious about the newfangled gadget that can hold 200 books; others, swearing off e-books altogether. At $399, it's the first e-reader with internet access (and free wireless, at that). Add books in a minute's notice. Download your Word documents and pictures; take it on the go. Blogs, newspapers, books and wikipedia, all available at your fingertips. It sounds just about perfect. As with everything, there's the other side. Seth points out, "The beauty of real books is that they don't require a reader, which means that millions of people are eligible members of the market. Even if you only have .0001% market share, you can still get your book read." I can't help but wonder when (if not already) the e-reader gains a following like the iPod. It will certainly happen; it's just a matter of time. Is Amazon's Kindle the answer to digital books? Maybe the question is, will you buy one?

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