Amazon: Kindle 2 to sell internationally
We just don't know when
Amazon has confirmed that the Kindle 2 will be launched internationally - at some, unannounced point.
Amazon's Kindle 2: coming to the UK... er... at some point
A spokesperson for the online retailer told Register Hardware today that it has inked plans to sell the device outside of North America.
“The ambition is for an international rollout out [of the Kindle 2] in the future,” he said.
Kindle 2 – which features a 6in E-Ink screen, 3G connectivity and 2GB of memory – was unveiled in New York yesterday. It’ll arrive in North America on 24 February and cost $359 (£240/€276).
Unfortunately, Amazon’s spokesman couldn’t confirm when the redesigned model would hit the UK or how much it will cost. ®
COMMENTS
Kindleless
I would certainly consider one of these as I miss my ebook reader with the e-ink display already as I managed to lean over it last week and crack the front. It didn't take much I assure you. To all those who have not used one regularly they don't know what they're talking about. I've read my Apollo (version of the chinese jinke reader) in low light conditions, on the train, anywhere without the eye strain of an LCD panel. 6 weeks between battery charges, fitted nicely in my coat pocket better than a fat paperback, lighter and with 100 books to choose from on an SD card.
Bad points, when it did break it broke proper ! You need to be careful or have insurance (I didn't). Adobe Acrobat files were just too annoying to read. Just like a web page on a mobile phone is in my opinion. Would have been nicer to have more books formatted better for the 6 inch screen. txt & rtf files were best of a bad lot for formatting (obviously).
I say who needs the wi-fi connection & DRM. It takes two seconds to copy a document from the PC.
Also the delay in page turning is not so annoying once your used to it, it's not that slow.
not in Canada
I wrote Amazon.ca yesterday to ask when the Kindle would be available in Canada and they provided the following bullshit answer:
"At this time, Amazon.com is unable to offer the Amazon Kindle and associated digital content from the Kindle Store to our international customers due to import/export laws and other restrictions. Whispernet, which allows users to take advantage of Kindle's wireless features, is currently available only in the United States."
What, there is no CDMA network outside the US? Someone please educate Amazon about the existence of Telus and Bell, both of which operate CDMA networks. As for laws restricting content, how is it that Sony is able to sell its reader in Canada?
No, the real reason that the Kindle is only available in the US is that Amazon is too lazy to actually get out and make deals with other cellular providers. No wonder American industry is collapsing... they don't think there's a world outside their own borders (even though this thing is probably made in China).
Non stop fussing
If some of you had your way we'd still be using scrolls of parchment. Why would anyone insist on "...a device with 2 e-ink screens side by side like the pages of a real book...." like it will magically make the whole reading experience better. That would simply be a complete waste.
@AC
Nope, as Mage says, eInk displays make each and every pixel either a solid white or a solid black. So they reflect light just like real paper and don't let light through from behind just like real paper. The advantage over LCD — besides the massive power savings for static displays — is that the contrast ratio is very close to real ink on real paper. Quite probably a front light would work, albeit with the uneven distribution of light that they tend to have.
However, I'm not familiar with any eInk technology that involves physical rotation, I think most use electrophoresis.
Tell them
that they can keep their expensive, ugly bundle of DRM-laden mediocrity for themselves.
