The Bookseller.com

2nd December 2008

Amazon's Kindle 'out of stock'

21.11.07 Philip Jones

Amazon's new e-book device, Kindle, has gone 'out of stock' due to "heavy customer demand". The strong demand for the device comes despite a mixed critical reception, with users on Amazon.com's own website only giving it 2.5 stars out of five.

Nevertheless, Amazon says that it is not now able to ship the device until 29th November. A message on Amazon.com reads: "Due to heavy customer demand, Kindle is temporarily sold out. Because we ship Kindles on a first-come, first-served basis, please ORDER NOW to reserve your place in line."

The latest reviews of the unit continue to be divided. A piece in The Times concludes: "My overwhelming sense after playing with the Kindle is that it is too little, too late to keep up with the surging technology on display in such products as the iPhone."

A review on Forbes, calls its the "anti-iPhone". "It does one thing very well: downloading and displaying text. Unlike Steve Jobs' wondertoy, it's not likely to become a status symbol for hip digerati." However, the piece concludes: "Even so, Amazon's reader is still exciting. The reading experience it creates is just as pleasant and immersive as a book. And more important, it isn't a book; it's a library. The Kindle may be among the first devices that start to shift the way people accumulate literature, transforming shelves of books into a single device that can ride around in a briefcase." It suggests that it could appeal to "law students".

The Economist calls it "the most serious attempt yet to take bookselling into the digital age".

On Amazon.com, 152 users out of the 432 who have so far reviewed the device gave it just one star. Just 85 gave it five stars.

Amazon Kindle page

Philip Jones e-book amazon Kindle

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