Comments on: Why Amazon Must/Will Bring Kindle Content to Phones

By: Kevin C. Tofel

Kevin C. Tofel — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:46:44 +0000

That could be Mike. My thought process: Amazon owns MobiPocket and uses a slightly different version of Mobi’s DRM for the Kindle. MobiPocket has said some months ago that they’re working on iPhone client as well. We’ll see!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:30:48 +0000

The Stanza ebook reader for the iPhone already handles DRM-free Mobipocket files… I would think that would be the first option for Amazon’s extension to the iPhone, if the content protection can be set up.

http://www.lexcycle.com/faq

By: weatherman

weatherman — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:11:37 +0000

JK: I think you’re wrong about Apple getting in to the ebook market. I just don’t see that being a priority for them. Certainly their hardware isn’t really designed for it, though it’s certainly capable of it. They’re going to be happy with video and audio content, and they’ll leave the ebook for Amazon.

So I don’t see any impediment to Amazon releasing Kindle software for the iPhone/iPod Touch, and I fully expect that they will announce it, if not release it, tomorrow. I think it will be branded as Kindle for iPhone and Kindle for Blackberry or something like that, and you won’t see mention of mobipocket anywhere. Also, I expect that they will announce it as a supplemental program that primarily benefits Kindle owners, touting the software as a way to have your Kindle content with you everywhere, so you can catch up on that novel you downloaded, even if you don’t have your Kindle Reader with you. I’m guessing that the software will be linked to the Kindle account so content can be shared.

By: John

John — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:30:26 +0000

I use http://www.discount-hunt.com to search for discount items on amazon. Do a 0 – 75% off search on Kindle books and see what pops up.

By: Andy

Andy — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 02:05:56 +0000

I think there are three issues holding back Amazon:
1) Licensing: How will they make sure that each book is paid for and yet still let people to share books? Printed books have been shared from the beginning of time, how will this be done digitally?
2) Delivery: My guess is half of the Kindle cost is connectivity. Mobile phones have already solved this but somehow this is still a hurdle for Amazon
3) Publishing rights? I don’t know if Amazon has developed the publishing partnerships it needs to publish these books on different formats or devices. Logistically this is very easy but it might be that publishers aren’t confident that they will get the revenue they need. Look how long it took to get DRM free music on iTunes and then at a 30% premium? I don’t think the average digital consumer is willing to pay 30% more to get a digital book.

e-Books need to hit a price point of 60-70% of a printed book to really sell. We all know that the marginal cost of a digital book is negligible-just like software so pricing is more about how much money a publisher can make than covering costs.

Digital printing is the way of the future, we are just in that messy period of figuring out how it is going to work for everyone and not just special interest groups (read geeks). Either someone is going to find a way to make it work on mobile phones, or a new device. The Kindle has done a marvelous job of being a new device but it seems like multiple times more people have iPhones and other mobile devices. This is the larger pool and Amazon must find a way to reach this market.

Figure it out Amazon and you will have millions of loyal customers.

By: Andy

Andy — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 01:55:01 +0000

I agree completely that Amazon needs to open this up to multiple formats to stay ahead of Apple. eReader (now owned by Mobipocket)supports the iPhone and many other formats. Amazon bought Audible last year to get into the audio platform and I have been expecting them to buy Mobipocket but haven’t heard anything. If they do this they can be way ahead in e-books but they haven’t so far. The Mobipocket method of sharing books (by using your cc as the activation code)works well but it is not consistent with Amazon’s method of each person having their own account.

By: TateJ

TateJ — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:11:09 +0000

Bringing Kindle content to mobipocket would be great. I could have Amazon titles on my BeBook.

By: Rick Lobrecht

Rick Lobrecht — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:10:53 +0000

Thanks Sean.

By: Sean Brady

Sean Brady — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:33:20 +0000

@Rick I have been told that if you have multiple Kindles purchased on the same Amazon account they can share content. I only have one so I have never tried it.

I like the idea of ebooks on my BB Storm, but only as a reference tool. I almost always have my Kindle with me, and the reading experience on an e-ink device is just a ton better than on a phone or PC IMHO. I don’t think I would read a book on a phone. Now giving me access to the same store on my phone that I get to on my Kindle would be awesome. I often mark books to buy using the Kindle store, and I cant get to that store via my PC. Pretty sure the 3G on my Storm will be faster than the Sprint network on the Kindle, and I have the Storm with me always.

By: Rick Lobrecht

Rick Lobrecht — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:05:31 +0000

This article is a good read on eBooks. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2009/02/the-once-and-future-e-book.ars#

I agree with that author on why eBooks are useful (carry lots of them, on a device I always have with me, and read in the dark.)

I’d love to have an updated Kindle. The better screen looks really attractive. But I would never have it with me, unless I really intended to read. I currently read in 1 or 2 minute snippets while waiting for things.

Does anyone know how the Kindle DRM works? If you own two Kindles and you buy a title, can you read it on both? (Of course I’m thinking Kindle and phone really.)