PS3, e-readers and laptops: What we want for Black Friday
Tis the season for gadgets, and while Turkey day is Thursday, gadget gurus know Friday is the annual free-for-all for the Christmas season. What are some of the big presents under the tree this year? We ask Christina Warren from Mashable, and our own Iyaz Akhtar.
Guests:
Kindle likely to launch in UK next week
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"Authoritative sources" are signalling that Amazon is ready to release the Kindle in the UK, and expect the official announcement before the Frankfurt Book Fair kicks off on October 14th. The speculatation is that the delay is likely due to time needed for Qualcomm to engineer a wireless solution in the UK. No word yet from Amazon on pricing or which Kindle models are planned to arrive.
Kindle version of Dan Brown’s newest book outsells hardcover version
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Digital versions of Dan Brown's latest book - The Lost Symbol - has outsold hardcover versions on Amazon.com. Does this signal the beginning of the end for the printed word, or is Amazon's target Kindle demographic perfectly aligned with the book? Either way, it's an interesting shift for the largest e-commerce retailer online.
Amazon Kindle DX gets price, product page ahead of announcement
Behold, the new Kindle DX at $489 with a larger screen. Looks like it won't hit till summer, but Amazon is taking pre-orders now. Obsessable has the full product writeup.
Amazon’s Kindle as a textbook, plus Windows 7’s expectations
Our good buddies from CNET's The 404 stop by to wax philosophically about Amazon's new biggie Kindle. Specifically, the crew sees it as a bad fit for regular commuters (along with themselves) but Justin posits that students could see a real appeal, though there are still some operational issues to work out. We also talk Windows 7's RC release, with the trio seeing the new free release as something to almost ignore. Jeff hopes for a return to the "glory days" of Windows 2000 and XP, while Wilson cant find a way to get excited about explaining the difference between Windows 7 and Vista.
[sidenote, you'll notice some technical issues. We were trying something new, so we had some slight problems. Thanks for being understanding!]
Biggie Kindle to be called Kindle DX, feature 9.7-inch screen?
Engadget has some info on Wednesday's purported Kindle launch, along with a picture of the device, and says Amazon has teamed up with universities to distribute freshman courses electronically.
“Biggie” Amazon Kindle, and Palm Pre’s pricing
It's been about a year since Amazon first unveiled the Kindle, and now the company has invited members of the media for a Wednesday morning event that most expect will be the unveiling of a larger format Kindle, ideally suited for newspapers and magazines. Will people eat up the new Kindle or is the smaller format brother more exciting? Jeff Bordeaux from Gadget Review thinks it'll be a step up in both size and appeal from the current Kindle. Jonathan Strickland from HowStuffWorks.com thinks the device might play well with its informal target demographic, which a CNET poll pegs at the over-40 set, a group known for reading newspapers made of trees, rather than bits. I'm taking a wait and see approach, and personally I'd prefer the pocketable iPod touch rather than a larger screened Kindle for my commute, though at the breakfast table I might give a large screen Kindle a shot.
Also, we're hearing some rumored Palm Pre release dates that sound pretty realistic. The Boy Genius Report claims one of its tipsters has some insider info pegging the price of the Pre at $199 on new contract, and $299 for current Sprinters (and even $999 outright). Does the price point set the Pre as a worthy iPhone competitor? Jonathan thinks this is a tech media snow job (in so many words) and that regular people have scarcely heard of the Palm Pre, let alone lusting after it over the much more in-your-face iPhone. Jeff's take is similar, feeling that the device has a built-in loyalty factor, but when Apple comes out with the next iPhone, few people will head for Palm when they can have Apple.
What's your take, Palm Pre or new iPhone? Too early to tell, or is it a done deal? Also, do you read ebooks, and do you have a Kindle? What's your take on the new "biggie" Kindle? Does more screen equal more appeal?