Last week, Amazon announced an eBook device, that may just be the begging of a new trend. The device “Kindle”, is a 10.3 ounce piece of hardware, that can hold over 200 books. Rather than carrying around paperback or hardcover books in your bag wherever you go, you can download the books straight onto this device, from any location, and just read them off the screen.

The Kindle is a great concept, but I must say, Amazon didn’t do a great job in executing an appealing device. I think the concept of being able to carry over 200 books, in one small device, is great, however, the device itself, is pretty ugly and bulky. Amazon should have partnered up with Apple, and worked together in this project. Amazon is an online store, not a hardware/software developer. When looking at the Kindle, it reminds me of one of those $30 laptops that are offered at Wal-Mart, which have a “ages 4-6” label on the box. It just looks cheap and unreliable.

Like I said, this is a start to something that may be huge in the future. If a sleeker, more modern looking version of this product were to come out, people would defiantly be interested in one, and even more so if an Apple logo were slapped on the back of it.

Enough of the negatives (which is mainly made up of looks and exterior qualities), lets take a look at what Amazon did right.

• No Computer Required: This is a pretty good feature, as it eliminates the confusing process people seem to experience when syncing a device with their computer.

• $9.99 for New & Best Selling Books: Books are always priced differently. Some will be $23.99, some may be $35.99, but they’re generally in the $20-$30 range. Being able to buy any new or best selling book, at one standard price is great.

• 30 Hour Battery: 30 hours is a long time. A lot of people sit and read for hours, so being able to use this, and not have to worry about charging it, makes it all that much more enjoyable.

• $.99/Month for Blog Subscriptions: Being able to get blog posts wherever you are, is definitely an attractive feature. Although blogs are for free, and you can just read them at home for no price at all, paying a dollar a month, is really nothing.

Overall, this is a great concept, and has a lot of potential, but it still needs work. Amazon needs to team up with a company that’s more experienced in the hardware and software industry, otherwise, this product might fail.

This product sells for $399.00, and will be shipping in mid-December.

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