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Hardware
The End of Textbooks?
4/1/2008
Perhaps most importantly, Greenfield is enthusiastic about users' newfound ability to tote numerous books in one, 10.3-ounce device. He adds that once Kindle users fork over the up-front cost of the device, they'll come to see that the tool actually will save them money, since publishers will sell eBooks for far less than they would sell printed books, either used or new.
More Positive Reaction
Some pundits are lauding Kindle's use of electronic paper technology, which provides a sharp black-and-white screen that is as easy to read as printed paper. The screen makes use of "ink," but displays the ink particles electronically, and reflects light similarly to the way ordinary paper does. In addition, the screen does not employ backlight, which eliminates the eyestrain and glare associated with other electronic displays such as computer monitors.
Mike Masnick, CEO of Techdirt, a California-based market research firm, also likes the Kindle's respectable battery life: Amazon claims that with wireless off, Kindle's battery can last up to a week. For this and many other reasons, Masnick says universities are one of the prime places where use of the Kindle could make real sense. He says that in the higher education environment, Kindle offers a legitimate benefit to users, since "lugging around books is a huge pain."
Still, Masnick warns that users may become too dependent on the tool. He says that because the product is so new, users have not had the opportunity to get a legitimate sense of glitches and inexplicable functionality problems that could prove to be costly for some. "The one question that will really come up is how durable the device is," says Masnick. "Can you imagine having all of your books suddenly unavailable because your Kindle stopped working?"
Scott Nelson, associate executive director of the Texas Community College Teachers Association, raised a more pedagogical concern in his blog, wondering "whether reading with one of these devices produces a different result educationally," over time.
"Studying is different from reading," Nelson stated, hinting that while Kindle may be great for recreational readers, it is not the best application of technology for students who frequently read with a need to retain the information and pass an exam. Still, the Kindle offers some study tools; it has a small keyboard for jotting down notes in the eText "margins," performing searches, etc. It also has a dictionary and free wireless access to Wikipedia.
Interestingly, skepticism about Kindle is perhaps most prevalent among one of the tool's biggest potential user bases: students. In Wesleying, a student-run and student-produced blog at Wesleyan University (CT), an overwhelming number of undergraduate students said they'd miss the feeling of turning the pages and bending the spines of conventional books.
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