Posted by Dave Mark on Jan 28, 2010 in
Apple,
Kindle,
eBooks,
iPad,
iPhone Yesterday was a huge day. Tons of activity, conversations with friends and colleagues about the iPad. SO much discussion. There are definitely flaws in the design. This post captures the biggest of them, I think:
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/01/8-things-that-suck-about-the-ipad/
But though this post does point out a number of things that Apple could improve on (and I suspect they will, over time), bottom line, I think the post misses the bigger picture. Apple has created something new and incredibly useful. Right out of the gate, I can see two markets where the iPad can really shine.
The most obvious of these is the eBook market. Great for me, the avid reader, great for me, the writer, great for Apple’s shareholders. Though I am a big fan of the Kindle (do almost all my reading on one), the iPad definitely makes my Kindle look old and dingy. There has been an explosion of eBook readers over the past year, and the iPad just leaps over all of them, much as the iPhone did over its smartphone competitors. And books are typically more expensive than CDs (those round shiny things from the old days), so more revenue for Apple, less dead trees. And as an author, Apple gives me a much more efficient path to the marketplace. Win, Win, Win.
The less obvious, but no less important marketplace for the iPad is in health care. The iPad has an important role to play, putting the latest patient data in the hands of their doctors and nurses, ensuring that a patient’s history and current drug regimen is front and center. The iPad can add intelligence and rigor to that process, ensuring that a doctor doesn’t forget about a particularly subtle condition noted several years ago, or about a newly released drug interaction warning. This market is particularly underserved right now, and the iPad is stepping in at the perfect moment. The fact that it shares an OS with the iPhone and iPod touch means a wide range of choices for health care professionals.
There are many markets where the iPad will change the status quo. To me, focusing on perceived shortcomings of a device that has not even arrived is incredibly short-sighted. The iPad is a leap forward, no doubt in my mind. And I can’t wait to get my hands on one.
– Dave
Tags: Apple, eBook, iPad, iPhone, Kindle
Posted by Dave Mark on Oct 2, 2009 in
Kindle,
amazon.com Interesting. Amazon remotely deleted copies of George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm from all of its customer’s Kindles. This action stirred angry debate about the ownership rights of Amazon, Apple, and other electronic media purveyors. Who owns the material on your Kindle and iPod/iPhone?
A Michigan high school student, Justin Gawronski, sued Amazon, claiming that not only did Amazon delete his copy of 1984, but they also took his “copious notes” as well. In effect, his Kindle ate his homework.
Bottom line, Amazon avoided a costly class action lawsuit by settling this case for $150,000. You can read the details of the settlement on Eric Engleman’s Amazon blog.
– Dave
Tags: Amazon, Kindle, Lawsuit
Posted by Dave Mark on Jun 16, 2009 in
Kindle,
amazon.com,
hardware Cool. Amazon opened up the Kindle source. No warrantees, but no restrictions. Use at your own risk.
Here’s the link…
– Dave
Tags: amazon.com, Kindle, Source code
Posted by Dave Mark on Mar 4, 2009 in
Apple,
Books,
amazon.com,
app store This is great! Amazon has released a new Kindle iPhone app. Here’s the link.
The Kindle iPhone app lets you download all your Kindle books on your iPhone and iPod Touch and let’s you read any of those books. Not as elegant a reading experience as you might find on the Kindle itself, but plenty readable. And the Kindle app even takes you to the same page you were on in your Kindle. Very cool!
Here’s my Kindle app in action, reading Michael Palin’s latest, The Monty Python Diaries:
Even better, you don’t even need to own a Kindle to purchase Kindle books. You just need an Amazon account.
Very cool!
– Dave
Tags: Amazon, app store, Kindle
Posted by Dave Mark on Feb 22, 2009 in
Books,
Business,
Ecology,
amazon.com My brother Stu is a big fan of Cory Doctorow, and for good reason. Cory is a bright fellow and has some interesting things to say.
This article explores Cory’s theory that the newspaper industry is near collapse. I get the idea, but think there’s another take. I think the newspaper industry is about to evolve. The newsgathering mechanism is still as valid as ever. It’s the delivery mechanism that is changing. Online advertising, classified advertising, and an emerging new subscription model will replace the existing revenue stream. As eBook readers, like the Amazon Kindle, become more and more part of the mainstream, more and more people will plunk down $13.99 per month for a subscription.
The New York Times also offers an electronic edition, billed as a complete version of the print edition with less paper to recycle. This version can be read on your computer and is $14.99 a month.
I believe the New York Times has their head wrapped around the right model and that they will succeed. Not everyone will, but the new model is here. What do you think, Cory?
– Dave
Tags: Cory Doctorow, death of newspapers, Kindle, New York Times
