If you’ve been living under an Internet-proof, lead-lined rock the last 24 hours, you may have missed the big story of the day, perhaps season. Amazon announced a whopping SIX new Kindles, including FOUR named Kindle Fire. Yep, a veritable conflagration of tablets they rolled out, and I can think of only two words to describe the announcement:
BRAVO and BOFFO
Admittedly, I’ve never actually used that second word, but it somewhat rhymes, plays on a little alliteration (and allowed me to say “little alliteration”), and I think it sums it up quite nicely.
Yes, four Fires can be confusing (the original and now updated at $159, the new and improved Fire HD at $199, the HD 8.9″ at $299, and the HD 8.9″ 4G at $499…and call me jealous of the last one’s $50 per YEAR 4G/LTE data plan), but what it all boils down to for me, a self-published author, is this
This will be one hell of a Christmas.
As if Amazon’s market share of ebooks wasn’t already great enough (I run around 65-70% Kindle sales versus others, though many authors I know exceed 90% regularly), they’ve shaken up the e-reader world once again with six very nice pieces of technology that will (a) cause some Kindle users to upgrade, get all happy at their new device, and buy some new books to put on it; but maybe more importantly (b) cause some market shift* from Nook/Kobo/Sony/squint-at-Blackberry-screen/stone-tablet-with-chisel users.
*Of course this is where Kindle’s proprietary mobi files cause some issues, but rest assured all of my books are DRM free, so with a little tinkering in Calibre they can easily be moved over to a new Kindle. Just sayin’…
My personal feeling is that the two biggest Kindles to come out of yesterday’s announcement are the $69 base model and the updated and price-reduced $159 Fire. Yes, the Fire HDs stole the show, and the Paperwhite (really Amazon, a name that close to paperweight??) looks like an even better version of the excellent Nook Glow. But in our still struggling economy, with plenty of eager readers still yet to move to an e-reader, I get the feeling that a whole heap o’ low end Kindles will be boxed, wrapped, and stuck under the tree in a few months.
Personally, it doesn’t matter to me which model, or even which brand, readers choose. But with this announcement, Amazon has once again vaulted to the forefront of both e-reader technology and readers’ minds. I would anticipate Kindle sales percentages for all authors will rise.
Disclaimer: Once the iPad mini is announced in October, ALL BETS ARE OFF.
Loading tweets...
You’re an Apple fiend…just sayin’
This is really cool about the new Kindles. Usually I am annoyed by companies slightly modifying a product and releasing as a new version all together, but these actually look like fairly substantial upgrades in their own right, and if they can release new versions that are more economical to release at a lower price point for those that can’t afford $160-$500 products, that is fantastic! Now the pressure is on for me to get my first book out before Christmas
I love the fact that they kept the former Fire in production, gave it a few tweaks, and dropped the price. I think the Nexus 7 gave them a bit of a scare at $199 and iPad mini is looming, so with their R&D costs already sunk and materials costs dropping, they lowered the price point. I’m floored that a 7″ color Fire can be had now for $159. That was a Kindle e-ink just a year ago.
And I’m still probably never going to buy a Kindle. Not until I can read other formats besides mobi.
Pingback: New Kindles « Keri M. Peardon
Pingback: New Kindles « Keri M. Peardon
First, I have to agree that the decision to use “Paperwhite” as a product name is kind of baffling. The first time I read the announcement, I actually read “Paperweight” and scratched my head. I thought, “Why on earth would you name a tech gadget that?” LOL!
When I read the specs of the new Fire HDs, I have to say I am very excited. I love the current generation Kindle Fire that I now own (thanks to the awesome Gabriel: Zero Point promotion contest), but I think I may be upgrading to an HD and giving this one to my mom who has been jealous that both my dad and I each have a Kindle Fire and she’s stuck squinting at the screen on her smartphone. Now the decision is… do I go with the 7″ Fire HD or upgrade to a slightly larger screen? Choices, choices.
Tough one – I’ve always been of the mindset to replace an old piece of tech, the new one needs to be much different/better, so if I had a Fire today, I doubt I’d get a new 7″ Fire – I’d probably go 8.9″. Then again, I’m an iDevice guy, so no Kindle at all for me!
Your thoughts are kind of why I’m leaning towards the 8.9″ myself. I considered the iPad, but I fall into the basic tablet user and couldn’t justify the cost since I prefer to use a computer or traditional laptop for generating content. I mainly use my Kindle Fire to read, Twitter, news, and use a few other apps. Of course, if the iPad mini is priced right, then I may also consider that. In any case, there are some great gadgets hitting the market.
I’m still not sure about them calling the Fire a Kindle. It’s not a true eReader (that is a device with eInk), it’s a tablet. Nothing wrong with tablets, just that they’re something different.
In any case, its exciting to see developments in the technology.
Well, half a tablet, anyway. Tablet to me implies full capability, and neither the Fire or Nook Tablet can do that – they’re hampered by their OS overlays that force users into using their stores/apps only. Tablet to me would be the Nexus 7, Galaxy Tab, or of course iPad. So I guess I’m OK with them calling it a Kindle, since at its heart that’s what it is, and for the market they’re going after (readers and basic users) that’s probably fitting. Thanks for the comment!
Anything that helps me with marketing– my good writing isn’t always enough– I’m all for! Enjoyed and agree with your out look steve. 35% sells from ‘others’ I’m really impressed, Steve! Do you go direct to B&N for Nook? Do you use Kobo? OR do you use Smashwords?
I really would like to know. I also think that would be another great article for you to revisit.
Great post, Steve!
I wish I could say 35% was a good thing, but it’s a combination of Nook sales rising in 2012 while Kindle sales bounced up and down, so the percentage shifted a bit. I’d probably be happier with 80-90% if all outlets were on a steady rise!
I’m nearly Smashwords-free. Long story behind my love-hate relationship there (could be a decent article I suppose), but yes – direct with B&N (always have been), direct with iBooks (since May), and now direct with Kobo (who has a very user-friendly publishing interface they launched in July).
Thanks Dannie!
Great post and yes, Christmas has all sorts of possibilities now.:)