By Stevie Smith Nov 26, 2007, 11:25 GMT
Although some doubted the consumer and market appeal of Kindle, Amazon’s new entrant to the niche e-book market, it would appear that the diminutive electronic book-reading device has met with quite some enthusiasm following its recent retail release in the U.S. market on November 19.
Amazon launches its Kindle e-book and quickly runs out of stock. Meanwhile critical and customer feedback is mixed. Credit: Amazon.
Specifically, the BBC News web site reports that online retail giant Amazon placed a "heavy customer demand" notice on the Kindle’s product page only a few hours after its release, and has subsequently said it will remain out of stock until at least December 03.
While initial consumer reaction would suggest a relatively warm welcome for Kindle, critical reaction has been somewhat mixed. For example, some tech reviews have commended the little device for its ease of use, while others have pointed accusatory fingers on the grounds that it forces people to pay for free content.
Customer feedback posted on the site presently reflects that split opinion, with some of those leaving comments praising the Kindle’s easy to read digital screen and build quality, while others are enjoying the wireless online access to Amazon.com via the device so that books, newspapers and magazines can be easily downloaded into it via the EVDO network (which belongs to U.S. carrier Sprint).
Other have criticised Kindle’s lofty $400 USD price tag, along with its current lack of PDF document support, and that it is unlikely to ever replace the act of physically reading a book. One notable criticism is attached to a surcharge that hits users when loading their own documents to the device.
One reviewer labelled the $400 USD price as inflated while also denouncing monthly subscription charges related to online blog access ($2 USD) and newspaper publications ($15 USD), which can, of course, be viewed completely free of charge through a regular Internet connection.
The new Kindle e-book reader enters a relatively unpopular market arena alongside the likes of Sony’s PRS 505 Reader, the Bookeen Cybook V3, and the iRex Iliad.
Amazon is yet to comment on Kindle’s availability beyond the United States.
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