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Kindle Demand - Perception and Reality
By Dave Peterson | March 5, 2008
There seems to be something of a gulf between perception and reality when it comes to the public hunger for Amazon’s Kindle e-Book reader. When it was introduced last November, most reviewers were at least mildly intrigued by the device, but almost none have declared it an indispensable gadget. Many in the online tech crowd have expressed profound disinterest, sometimes bordering on contempt for the little tablet with distinctly 1980s looks. Despite this, the Kindle has remained out of stock and wait-listed since five hours after it first went on sale. Since then I’ve seen Kindle sales on eBay close at prices over $800, twice its retail cost. As one of the lucky few who got one on release day, I can say that the Kindle really does deserve a following. It’s a first generation device (not unlike the Apple TV), but its designers got enough right that for someone who wants an easy way to carry a small library around in their pocket, the Kindle can be very useful. E-book readers do for printed material what iPods and other MP3 players do for audio. They allow you to put off the decision of what content you want to enjoy until after you’ve left the house. Despite the critics, there is clearly ongoing demand for the device, and interest over the when supplies will stabilize. Yesterday, Amazon’s chief financial officer reiterated that the company is “continuing to scramble” to step up production in an attempt to bring it to “In Stock” status. So, is there really a vast under served consumer group waiting for their Kindles or did Amazon intentionally under-order to create a perceived shortage? I’m hoping we’ll have an answer soon.
Topics: Gadgets |
March 6th, 2008 at 2:06 am
[…] Kindle Demand - Perception and RealityBy Dave Peterson There seems to be something of a gulf between perception and reality when it comes to the public hunger for Amazon’s Kindle e-Book reader. When it was introduced last November, most reviewers were at least mildly intrigued by the device …GadgetyTech - http://www.gadgetytech.com […]
March 6th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Everyday I like my Kindle a little more.
I wanted to LOVE it from day one, but I had to adjust to it’s hardware design quirks before it became indispensable for me. I’m now very, very reluctant to buy a book that isn’t available on Kindle.