Amazon's Kindle device out of stock

Despite much skepticism--and some downright harsh criticism--on the part of observers about the looks and marketability of Amazon's Kindle electronic book reader, consumers seem to be giving it the thumbs up.

The device, which the retailer started selling Monday for $399, quickly sold out, "due to heavy customer demand," according to Amazon. It will be in stock on December 7, and customers are instructed to order now "to reserve your place in line."

(Thanks to Engadget for bringing the sellout to our attention, and further noting that it's still unknown just how many devices Amazon has actually sold.)

With the Kindle, Amazon is hoping to succeed where hardware companies like Sony have failed. No e-book reader has ever been a market success.

The device weighs 10.3 ounces and uses "electronic ink" technology to mimic paper, with no backlight. The screen is black and white, for now anyway; Amazon executives have confirmed that E Ink, which manufactures the screen technology for Kindle as well as for other e-book readers like the Sony Reader, has a prototype of a color display.

The Kindle's battery will last several days to a week, company representatives have said, and, as shipped, it will hold about 200 books.

[mitch5511]

Where's the color?

With the current technology, this device should display in both gray scale and color. I will wait for the upgrade.

[Draxon]

Electric ink

This is not a standard screen like an ipod, it is made with a new technology(electronic ink) that hasn't developed cost effective, ready for mass market color versions yet.

[avagee]

you already have a reader ... your cell phone

$400 ! ? - go to http://www.booksinmyphone.com and you can install books into your cell phone. As well as you having a 'free reader' booksinmyphone don't charge anything for public domain books.

[Draxon]

Reading off a cell phone? eww

You do realize this screen is not backlit right? so not only is it larger than a cell phone screen, easier to read but it wont hurt your eyes like a cell phone screen. Back lit screens may be fine for articles, but a cell phone on a public transit reading a novel? No thanks!

[t_rectenwald]

eInk != Cell Phone

There is simply no comparison between reading a book via eInk technology and a cell phone. eInk doesn't just look like paper, too a certain extent is seems even better than paper. I can read on an eInk screen for hours and it is like you are not even looking at a screen. Unfortunately, pictures on the internet tend to make eInk look like an Etch a Sketch from the 80's. You have to see it in person to understand that it is so much more than that.

I have an eInk device (Cybook G3) and will soon have the Kindle. I never plan on reading an eBook on a cell phone again (for me, a Treo). There is literally no eye strain at all with eInk. Some media needs a separate device.

[winterkm]

puke

... no friggin' way... if you suffer from ADHD or something similar, sure... but if you have a bit more of an attention span, you need something that better mimics the book metaphor...

now, think about it the other way around - add telephony to the Kindle... ah, now that's a better fit.

[Bronzit]

OMG, they could've had a 16 GB 'touch'...

... (as in iPod touch) for the same cost that can do all of this and
SO MUCH more! Can you zoom in on a Kindle page?

It's still true that you pay more for your ignorance than you do for
your education: What you don't know, especially about
technological gadgets, can cost you plenty!!

[FloridaLeo]

OMG, They Could

I've owned 4 Ipods. I spend a great deal of time on the net within various communities discussing everything Ipod. I consider myself something of an expert when it comes to all Ipods. I must tell you that ignorance is a bad thing. The Kindle is a great machine. It does what it is meant to do better than ANY IPOD can and will EVER be able to do. The technologies are completely different. Unless Apple came out with a reader, it will be impossible for it to match the readability, porability, and transparency of the Kindle.

Please don't be ignorant, do a little research before you start throwing flamers.

[mitchell2020]

OMG You Have to Squint at a Screen

A 16GB might be nice but as an ereader I don't feel like squinting at the screen. I'm over 40 and my eyes don't work like they used to.

Plus I disagree with Apple's stand on DRM

[winterkm]

the iPod is so...

... yesterday.

Why do I want a tiny little touch screeny thingy?

The Kindle form-factor is much smarter.

[cmbat]

What the...?

I have a 16GB Touch. I have a Kindle. Reading books on a Touch would be painful in comparison. That's just a silly comment. I guess "what you don't know about technological gadgets" can make you say incorrect things.

[dinkeldorf]

This is vertical integration = usability good thing

but this device is more closed than ipod, with only one content channel. And you prefer Amazon's DRM?

[t_rectenwald]

Not more closed...

There is a bit of misconception regarding DRM on the Kindle. First of all, the Kindle will read unencrypted Mobipocket books. The Mobipocket Reader (free download) will convert MS Office, PDF, HTML, Text, CHM and OCF documents into .mobi format, easily and for free. This is not technical. If the formats don't show well, then you can use the Mobipocket Creator to tweak the conversion (again free).

DRM is an _option_ on the Kindle. Nothing is forced. You are not locked into the Kindle format. Go check out Project Gutenberg, the Kindle will read these titles with no DRM easily.

Now, Kindle books have DRM. Find me a modern title that doesn't. That is not the doing of Amazon, but rather the way publishers are selling their books. All formats have that... whether you buy Mobipocket DRM books for your Palm/BBerry/etc. Or .lit for the MS Reader, BBeB for the Sony Reader.

The Kindle has no more DRM than the rest of them. But it will readily read literature that is DRM free as well.

[M C]

So...how many are sold? Or is it false scarcity?

Really poor reporting when your entire story is based on a product page that says "out of stock." An actual reporter would think of picking up a phone and actually CALLING someone for facts.

[winterkm]

An Apple miss, Amazon gain

Amazon may have hit on something with this Kindle thing. It ain't anywhere perfect, but the ease of use and their marketing campaign (which looks a lot like they took a page from Apple's book (pun intended)) may be striking a chord. Their intended audience ain't no stinkin' techgeeks, but those who love to 'snuggle up to a warm fire, drink a latte, and read a book...'

This is probably the first serious contender for the elusive ebook. More work is needed, and lots of opps for competitors - but my hat's off to Amazon for getting us finally going.

Apple should take a look at this puppy and consider something similar to replace that lame iPhone (yes, I said it and I mean it - it is lame). More hype than substance.

If the Kindle had some form of telephony, multimedia, web access, and 'opened' up a bit, I might consider owning one.

[R. U. Sirius]

Thank You Jeff Bezos...

...for your comment. It's amazing how much Amazon astroturf is clogging up the blogspaces trying to hype this piece of junk.

[snortpath]

Old School here...

Looks like a very nice ereader with all the mentioned shortfalls. But my goodness it is spendy.

I am still using my ole Sony TH55 palm. Not perfect but have over the last 3 years read at least 2 hundred books on the thing. Not to mention it makes a great backup pdf reader when the laptop is not around. I will see how much more life I can dig out of the Sony before I spend another 400 on another reader. Great idea though and the future of ereaders is indeed bright.

[DoingSoSo]

Kind of expensive for what it offers.

It's kind of expensive for a reader, even with the other things it offers. The reviews I've read says that the browser isn't that good. I have a lot of ebooks on my heard drive, probably oooohhh 4 or 5 gigs worth. I can read them just fine on my PC between Microsoft reader and Adobe PDF. There are other portable readers not as expensive that will do at least as good a job as Kindle.

[winterkm]

not the point

the price point is the standard bull companies start with... it will come down significantly by next year as new models are introduced and competition mounts.

don't fool yourself into believing you can read an eBook with any depth on a PC...