I think most of the readership here knows that I received a Kindle as a gift from a special friend right around Christmas. It had been on my wish list pretty much since the thing came out. As a voracious book junkie and lover of all things bibliographic I had no intention of an electronic reading device replacing the books on my shelves nor replacing my strong desire to continue filling those shelves.
Here are my thoughts thus far:
As a Reader
I transitioned into Kindle reading with ease. Amazon has stated that their goal with the Kindle is to make the device disappear once in the hands of a reader. In other words it should be no different than holding onto and reading a printed book. I was skeptical about the ability for an electronic reader to do this but in fact that is exactly what happens when I am reading in my Kindle.
I’m not going to delve into the various features since I think that has been done to death. If you’re interested in that facet, feel free to shoot me an email and I’ll tell you what I think, but suffice it to say I’m very happy with that aspect of Kindle Ownership.
Okay, now to the books. My degree is in Aviation Administration. One of the things I learned through my collegiate career is that ticket prices for nearly any flight are dynamic. The prices are a function of availability and any number of other factors. By dynamic I mean that they change literally thousands of times every day. Kindle books are no different, although the scale is not quite as grand.
When I go to the Kindle Store, I immediately head on over to the Bestsellers List. The first few times I was there, I fully expected to find a boat load of books all priced at $9.99. Sheesh was I ever wrong. The first time I went there 7 of the top ten were priced at $0.00. Wha? Durned system is AFU. That can’t be right. But it was. And what I learned over the past month is that the prices change all the time. I found a book called Two Rivers. It was free and so I read the reviews. They were positive so I downloaded the book. Two hours later, the book was $9.60. I see that happening all the time.
The other interesting observation comes from looking at the Movers and Shakers List. This shows the Kindle editions ranked in terms of the highest percentage of movement in rank. So, the day that Mr. Salinger died, Catcher in the Rye moved up some astronomical percentage – something like 3000 percent. (Moral of the story for writers: If you want to sell books, die)
What does all of this mean? Well, for readers it means that paying attention to the lists can land you some pretty good bargains. There are also PLENTY of free books on Kindle – not just out of copyright classics.
I’ll post the Writer’s Perspective in a few days because what is happening over at Amazon is important to writers. There is some strategy involved there and it merits discussion.
I love my Kindle! I stay on my treadmill longer too, since I’m not trying to hold pages open.
.-= Laura Eno´s last blog ..Valentine’s Day Anthology =-.
Hi Laura,
See, I hadn’t even thought of that! Kindle Kalorie Killer! Woot!
George
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It’s funny, for a long time civilization meant moving from the negotiated price of the bazaar to the fixed price tag of the department store.
I’m trying to decide if the move to constantly variable pricing is going to be fun or maddening. And how can a website tell when you’ve turned your back and are walking away? Twitter me to say “Hey buddy, I’ll give it to you for 3 bucks less…”?
.-= Fred H Schlegel´s last blog ..Is The American Dream Dead? =-.
Hey Fred.
I think there’s an iPhone app for just what you’re suggesting.
Nice to see you here, as always.
George
Hi George,
I love my Kindle, too. I’m happy you’re having a great experience with yours.
One of the first books I downloaded (back in late 2008) was “Beyond the Literary-Industrial Complex: How Authors and Publishers are Using the Amazon Kindle and Other New Technologies to Unleash a 21st-Century Indie Movement of Readers and Writers” by Stephen Windwalker. It was informative and eye-opening.
As far as pricing, I’m not sure how I feel about pricing being all over the map. Not to sound like a fuddy-duddy, but I think the “freeconomy” works great for the biggies like Google, Apple/iTunes, Amazon, etc. but I think it’s slowly killing off the middle class and creative people (musicians/writers/artists). The ‘long tail’ is hard to grasp if your a little fish in an ocean of big business.
Sorry, kind of off topic there: the big picture is that I LOVE my Kindle and I’m willing to pay about 90% of what I’d pay for the hard copy for the ebook. There’s just something about holding a printed book that I can keep on a shelf (or donate to a local library when I’m done reading it) that makes it worth a bit more to me.
On the flip side, when I traveled/flew most days for work, my Kindle rocked because I could carry a whole suitcase of books with me in the size of one.
I’m looking forward to your next post — this is great info, George!
~xo
.-= Lori´s last blog ..Panglossian Effulgence =-.
Lori,
Always nice to see you here! The whole ebook pricing thing is a quagmire right now, one that I hesitate to get too involved in until the dust settles a bit.
I feel the same about books. To make up for the half dozen Kindle versions I’ve downloaded this week, I went to the Thrift store on Saturday and bought some used books to read and put on my shelves. It’s all about balance, eh?
Cheers
George
You know, George, I’ve never really had the desire for a Kindle. I don’t know why. Everyone seems to ADORE them! I’m not sure if I’ll ever get one, but I enjoyed reading your thoughts. Glad you’re enjoying it!
*smiles*
Michele
.-= Michele | aka Raw Juice Girl´s last blog ..Recipe: Inside-Out (Coconut) Peanut Butter Cups =-.
Hi Michele,
I’ll just bet they’re not for everyone. I do have a geek-tech side that needs satiated now and then. The Kindle filled that void perfectly. As well, it gave me access to some classic books that I otherwise may never have read.
Just do me a favor: When you publish your raw foods book couldja make a Kindle version available? Please?
Cheers
George
Gosh, George, I sure will!!
.-= Michele | aka Raw Juice Girl´s last blog ..Recipe: Inside-Out (Coconut) Peanut Butter Cups =-.
I’ve always wanted a Kindle and they weren’t available for the longest time in Canada…might have to think about getting one again. I didn’t know that about the pricing on book, very interesting!
Heather,
I hope they are available soon. I really do love my Kindle quite a bit and I’ve read more since receiving it than I have in the six months previous.
George
George, I sort of want a Kindle, or a Nook or a Sony… you get the picture. Like you I tend toward geek, but this choice baffles me… partly because I doubt I can take any of them into the bathtub or to the beach with any safety.
Re pricing… waiting to see.
Thanks
.-= Anne Wayman´s last blog ..Freelance Writing Jobs For Wednesday, February 17, 2010 =-.
Hi Anne,
Thanks for coming by. A friend at work has a Nook and she really likes it. She brought it in one day and I brought my Kindle so we could swap and compare notes. The Nook looks pretty durned neat as well. I’ve seen the Sony reader and it looks to be a bit more clunky but the folks I know who have one are thrilled with their decision.
The pricing thing is one of the most interesting debates in the publishing arena right now. Not sure when the dust is going to settle.
George
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I got a Kindle as a birthday present and I absolutely love it! I didn’t think anything could replace a book, but I love it that the Kindle is light and I can read it one handed. It’s definitely going to be a must on holidays, though of course, I’ll keep reading regular books as well. Off to check off the rest of this series, which somehow I missed. (BTW, my blog is available in a Kindle edition, though I have no idea how it looks).
.-= Sharon Hurley Hall´s last blog ..Writer Earnings: The Woes and Joys of Currency Exchanges =-.
Sharon,
I’m glad you found the series and I know how ecstatic you must be about your Kindle. That’s exactly how I feel about mine.
And, your blog looks great on the Kindle. I just went over and subscribed and wrote a review. Your header shows up fine along with the images for the latest post.
Congrats and if I can help with the Kindle publish of your book then let me know!
George