It feels good when technology leaps forward. Especially, when the advancement challenges an incumbent and robust industry. Kindle does that. Using electrophoretic display (patented technology from E-Ink Corp) which happened with over ten years of research at MIT (by Prof. Joseph Jacobson and a company which I personally admire a lot – Philips N.V.), Kindle offers great value to readers with access to a little over a million titles sourced through sale deals with publishers.
A perfect device for a bookworm! And for environment, spreading education and lowering the distribution & logistics costs etc. (Can you make out what all businesses it threatens to kill?).
In America, Amazon relies on WhisperNet for downloads alongside a DRM system (suspect draconian?) to safeguard the interest of publishers. On an average a book costs around US$10, and that a downloaded copy cannot be shared nor moved out of one’s device. A model similar to iPod or iPhone from Apple. Grossly speaking, Kindle & its book-world is following the example of American Telecom Industry where the device and service provider are bonded together.
From Asian perspective one wouldn’t support such a closed & rather expensive (IMHO does the term ‘extortionist’ apply here?) DRM based business model at all. For country like China or India the social duty of taking technology and knowledge to the poorest of the poor has a higher priority than earnings-per-book sold in the market. Although, with volumes the profit made is comparable if not bigger than earned from most other matured markets in the world.
An ecosystem where the device and its content are separate from each other allowing growth in a mutually exclusive manner leads to a social change that compares with what the Indian mobile ‘device’ + ‘network-provider’ model has brought about in our country. Something similar is required for books & education industry using Kindle & alternatives as well. Where the cost of delivering, connectivity and assistance to man-kind achieved is at a revolutionary level. Besides result of such a fiercely competitive environment is amazing.
Well not everything is cupped in e-paper book market. There are a lot of alternatives over Kindle from around the world now and it is expected that at least one from these will rise monstrously. Even for key raw material from e-ink – the electronic-paper screen – there is a choice of Japanese suppliers Sipix and Bridgestone(yes, it’s the rubber tyres company we know) lately. Good going, I’d say.
So here is a two-part series where we list down and evaluate most of the e-book options available now in the market place. Hopefully, some of these guys will adopt openness in selling their standalone device and let others sell the content with consumer-interest in mind i.e. at a reasonable price. The problem will then remain of only publishers to cup in – essentially a middle man between author & reader.
ILiad from iRex Technologies, The Netherlands
iRex Technologies, the distributor of iLiad is a spin-off company from Philips. Largest among the e-books available, iLiad Digital Readers come with a large 10.2 inch e-ink’s e-paper Screen, Wacom Penabled TouchScreen and wireless connectivity. It is capable of displaying document files in most of formats including PDF, Mobipocket, XHTML and plain text. It can also display JPG, BMP and PNG images, but only in grayscale(16 shades).
iLiad utilizes Linux operating system and is able to run third party applications. Developers and users wishing to create or run third party applications can request shell access to the manufacturer as well. The price tag in Europe for the book is Euro 649.
The size & price of the book indicate that the company is not focusing at this part of the world yet.
Hanlin V5 eReader from Jinke Electronics, China
Hanlin V5 comes with 8-shade Grayscale 5 inch e-paper screen. The device has multiple language capability (though Hindi is not included in the list) and as their website claims, it has 30 days battery-backup time for average 300 page reading bookworms! It can be connected to network using USB, and has open access to content over the web.
Based on Linux OS, Hanlin V5 supports most formats like PDF, DOC, WOLF, MP3, HTML, TXT, CHM, FB2, Djvu, PNG, TIF, GIF, BMP, JPG, PPT, EPUB, LIT. The retailing price of Hanlin V5 is US$249. While this one does seem a strong contender in the game but their website and sales-strategy both need fixing.
Nook from Barnes & Noble, USA
Nook was launched last month at a retail price of US$259. It comes from Barnes & Noble – a more than 100 year publisher & the largest book retailer in United States.
The device is based on Google’s Android platform and includes Wi-Fi and AT&T 3G wireless connectivity, a six inch E Ink display, and a separate, smaller color touchscreen that serves as the primary input device.
The best part is Nook has a “lendme” feature which allows one to lend a title for upto two weeks to another user (the most kickass option I have yet seen among e-Paper books). And do I have to comment on “hacks” that would be possible on Android platform in future?
Well that’s three books to ponder upon for now. I really do not know which electronic book will the Pluggd.in community finally buy into.
Yes, I am eager to know the future 
Any data on the number of Kindles sold outside of USA?
At a principle level, I do agree that the device and the content should be separate. I do not however agree to the argument that because India is so poor and we have a social responsibility we should do it.
For years we have followed that argument in a different industry (pharmaceuticals) and have screwed innovation and competition.
I think the distributors should look at innovative business models rather than copy the west (I think thats what your underlying theme is – and I completely agree to).
I also think such offerings in India should explore other mechanisms e.g. using GPRS / 3G for data delivery rather than wifi. Unfortunately most cellular operators in India are totally old school (maybe except DoCoMo and BSNL) and are very loathe to experiment. Hope that changes.
COming to the technology part – I had seen a few examples from Sony and Samsung of rollable LCD displays. I think at the end of the day, the success (and failure) of such devices will be decided by usability (carrying, rolling, folding, sitting on it), display capability (e.g. color, contrast etc) and most importantly by battery life.
Lastly – I think “Lend me” is super cool and should be very pop in India.
Sir where can I buy kindle. How much it cost?
“In America, Amazon relies on WhisperNet for downloads” – Amazon relies on WhisperNet not just in America, everywhere else as well.
“For country like China or India the social duty of taking technology and knowledge to the poorest of the poor has a higher priority than earnings-per-book sold in the market” Did I read this correctly? You mean, companies in India should sell products with lower prices to reach the poorest people, rather than making money? In the name of “social duty” why don’t we ask the companies to give it for free to the poorest of poor rather than charging?
“lending” feature in the nook is not a “kick ass” feature. When you lend a book to your friend, it will be gone from your nook. Lending can be a period of only one week. Whats interesting is that lending of a book can be made only once. Not more than that. All these makes lending a useless feature.
It might be the same e-Ink technology in Nook & Kindle, but to flip a page it takes more than 3 seconds in Nook and just less than a second in Kindle. Reviews just by reading the specs and comparing the check boxes in the feature list will be always flawed – just like this one. At least you could read the reviews who owned these products before writing
Yes you read it correctly. Your statement is based on an assumption that with “Social Duty” one does not make money. And second you are denying yourself a reason before entering this business: an e-paper book like Kindle as a product has a essential social-responsibility angle associated with it while an iPhone/iPod does not.
It’s the virtue of the books & education industry.
Lending process of nook is bad as you report it. But probably tomorrow publisher may like to capitalize on it directly by lending a book directly to the reader. Thereby further reduce the reading costs. The feature is kickass, intent may not be.
Kindle is senior in age and version to Nook as on date (if u compare 3sec, 1sec turn over time). And dood the article is about alternatives of kindle and competitive up-coming market not how Nook performs as compared to kindle. And things like refresh rate etc. are likely to level up sooner or later. U need to fix your reading cap. before commenting like that.
Cheers,
Arvind
Arvind,
Why do you write when you get so ‘toucy’ about simple comments? Also, when one writes one should be prepared for not only ‘comments’ but ‘literary criticism’as well…but that would be beyond your intellectual realms.
When you just copy – paste stuff and publish as your own…you should be even more prepared for brickbats. people like you spoil the name of India as just ‘content consumers’ and not “content creators”.
The point is pal – how can you do a review without having used any of these devices? Some of the the devices you have mentioned are hardly available!!
And you want us to tell you which one we want to buy?
What a bloody joke!!!
Seriously? Dood, the article is about how the world of e-paper book is evolving. Especially competitiveness. Indian market will soon be hit by the devices, and it’s in our interest to know how it all reaches to us.
However, I am able to see through your disgust. And that you want me to write about product comparison more and less about the evolving nature of the business.
I’d ignore the rest of your emotional crap coz I did not understand what prompted thee write most of it.
Cheers,
Arvind
Re – lending. Seems you never lent books (yes the ones made of paper) when you were a kid. They do go out of your bookshelf – which is why it is cool as it takes care of privacy and unbridled sharing – something that was absent in content on the internet. Do agree about the lending once bug – I think that sucks. On second thoughts I wish we had it for paper books – I would have had a much bigger library
Also do not agree about reviewers having to use every device. He is not reviewing a movie here. I think the talk here is trends and some aspects of those trends. For product reviews, go to ebay or amazon or scores of other review sites.
Interesting discussion.
Hi i really like the product myself and in fact i liked so much i sell it on my site i also think its great for the environment and so time efficient yes no more pulp mills would be great i think mmm maybe a lot of people see that as losing jobs but then i thought that back in the 70`s when things started up with computers (the big brother syndrome)look at it now all that hoo ha for nothing haha. Any way if anyone needs great products like this and more come take a visit
I have a Chinese Hanlin V5. It is elegant, useful and intelligent. I really don’t understand Kindle…content and device MUST be separate. The future is free,m downloadable e-content and affordable devices provding e-ink screen and supporting at least 10-15 languages. What India needs is a new Hanlin supporting 10-15 Indian languages. Since classics have no royalty fees, the whole classic European, Chinese and Indian culture can be easily downloaded to the device.
I agree with others, every Chinese, Indian and African child should get an e-book reader for free to make reading a miracle.
Yes i totally agree also, every Chinese, Indian and African child should get an e-book reader for free to make reading a miracle. BUT why not the rest of the world as well
can anyone guide me how to read urdu language ebooks on kindle 2nd gen. international ereader