As expected, Amazon revealed the Kindle DX, a larger, slimmer version of it's HIT e-reader the Kindle.
The new Kindle is squarely aimed at newspapers, a struggling industry that appears destined to move online. While the old Kindle came in with an impressive 6' display with amazing readability.
The DX comes in at an impressive 9.7" display with auto rotation, so it can easily resemble your comfortable newspaper or magazine. The larger display is aimed at better layouts and most importantly, advertising.
Many large newspapers are offering discounted online subscription prices aimed at recapturing declining markets, and it seems inevitable that escalating printing and delivery costs will move the vast majority of newspapers online. There are significant rumours of a Amazon deal pending with The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post. Serious contacts here.
Where things get even more interesting is the textbook market. It's expected (rumoured from reputable sources) that several large Universities and Colleges in the North-East US will offer textbooks via Kindle DX this fall, as an option for students. Faced with the choice of a back-breaking stack of texts at inflated costs, or an expensive Kindle DX with 4 years of use, the choice will be an interesting one, though it's anticipated this will be the first foray into electronic textbooks. It may be only a matter of time until textbooks for all ages are digital.
Read Fortune's article here.
Cnet's article here.
Wired article here.
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