What I Love Best About the Kindle, Amazon Took From Vegas.

Disruptive Technology:

090306 Tivo Logo I
remember the first time I used TiVo. I instantly knew it was a
disruptive technology that would change how people watch TV. It's even
better than I thought I was. That doesn't mean it was a great
investment in the stock market; but it was a terrific investment in the
household.

And the ripples of this technology are still being felt
whether you're using TiVo or some other digital video recorder.

The Kindle is a Disruptive Technology Well-Placed In the Consumer Adoption Cycle:

Using
a Kindle reminds me of the first time I used TiVo. Only this might be
different, because we're several generations of technology further
along. And the world is ready for it.

The
Kindle 2 is ergonomic and reasonably fast. It is a great way to read. 
It also has a built-in Internet connection, which means you have access
to content virtually anywhere. And it just so happens that the content
you want is the content Amazon sells.

Chances are you already go to Amazon's website.  Because of
economies of scale, not only do they have a bigger inventory, they have
a bigger community of users who rate the books and write reviews of the
books.

A few years ago, Barnes & Noble and Borders tried to compete
with Amazon online. As a user, I went to the competitors' site once or twice … but the
first time Amazon had the book I was looking for and the other site didn't … or
the first time that Amazon had reviews of a product and the other site didn't –
well, that was all it took to stop going to those sites.

And
Amazon
continues to extend that edge with bigger inventories, more product
lines, and a truly mature delivery pipe. Their storefront and
shopping cart has been used tens of millions of times is an important
part of the value proposition.

Psychologically Smart, Part 1: Amazon Banks on Funny Money:

090306 casino chipsOnce you have a profile on
Amazon, it doesn't feel like you're spending money. Casinos know the
token is treated differently than cash.

On the Kindle, Amazon makes it easy for you to
buy with "one click" over their "Whispernet" always-on data network.
So you don't hear or feel your money as it leaves your account. This is
brilliant.

Psychologically Smart, Part 2: Amazon Banks on Your Addiction to Instant Gratification:

Even better, though, is how they handle samples.  It is already changing how I use Amazon. With the Kindle, I
have instant gratification.

I can find a book and download a sample in
seconds. In many cases, the Kindle version is dramatically cheaper than
the old paper version. So, I suspect that I'll be downloading samples
of many books. And when I like the author's writing style or find a few
ideas that I can use, I'm one click away from being able to read the
rest of it (even if I'm in a meeting or stuck at the airport).

Over
time, I might find that I prefer certain books in paper format. On
the other hand, I've been surprised by how likely I am to read a little
of this and a little of that.

And being able to have a whole bookshelf
is a pretty cool competitive advantage too.

2 Comments
  1. The long term problem I see with the kindle is that the copyright/drm protection will prevent mass adoption. The world of media is moving towards a free content model promoted through social sharing. I put lots of books on my amazon wish list but by the time I get around to buying them I have already read the authors blog, watched his keynotes or interviews on youtube, etc. For most non-fiction topics, when I come across something new I then want more info instantly. If I still think the topic is interesting after gathering more info then I want to send links and quotes to friends. I don’t want to be locked into one device based on a hub and spoke style network.

    Fiction may be a completely different issue. Small portions of a work of fiction don’t really do you much good so Kindle might be ideal for heavy fiction consumers.

  2. I don’t love DRM either. However, with the Kindle, you can clip portions of text, add annotations and send any or all of that to friends. It does require a USB cable … but it is a step in the right direction. Also, my wife and son can read the books I purchase on their Kindles or iPhones without having to pay again. Seems mostly reasonable and fair to me … so far.

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