bluefacedpixie

I’ve skirted around ebook readers for a while especially the Sony eReader, and ironically enough, just succumbed as my old Amazon colleagues finally released the Kindle. A very different device – not so much a static reading device as a wirelessly-tethered access-point for Amazon sold books and content.

Along with the fact it’s butt-ugly compared to the Sony gorgeousness (industrial design and v2 can always fix that), it has generally gone down badly in the press for the lack of open formats (no PDF, presumably this can be updated by software later), aggressive DRM, pricing, blog pricing and crazy terms and conditions ().

By far the best synopsis of the perfect storm of bad ideas that reach a conclusion in the Kindle offering is Mark Pilgrim’s The Future of Reading (A Play in Six Parts). Read this, and then reach for your copy of 1984.

() Amazon’s MP3 store also has steep terms and conditions (presumably to offset the non-DRM format of their music files) reducing your normal conditions for even digital music copyright quite drastically. Remember, if you accept it, then you are bound by it, regardless of rights.

Update: Concerned that this read too negatively, especially as I’m really just cross-posting Pilgrim’s rant, I thought I’d weigh the scales with this balanced “wait it out” from Signal vs. Noise:

Kindle isnt the first eBook reader, but its the first portable bookstore. Thats novel. A book in 60 seconds whenever I want it at used-bookstore prices. And the daily push newspaper feature sounds like one hell of a bonus. I love getting the paper, but I hate getting the paper. What a complete waste of resources just so I can get yesterdays news. I like that theres some genuinely new thinking behind Kindle. We should embrace this, not tear it to shreds before it even has a chance.

Personally I love the idea of a good eReader – too often the fantasy books I prefer clock in at 1000 pages and are large-format paperbacks. It’s awkward to take one or two of these anywhere (especially totting a baby). The whole DRM and lock-in is a big issue in the industry which is different from the iPod scenario – I can’t go to my bookshelf and “rip” my favourite books – I have to buy new ones from somewhere, and it would be nice to share.