The Amazon Kindle DX – The Newest Generation of Kindles
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Amazon is releasing its newest Kindle, the Kindle DX. Sporting a large display area (9.7 inches), Amazon is hoping that its newest e-book reader will appeal to those readers who would prefer to enjoy periodicals on their Kindle. The larger display makes it appear to be more of a tablet PC type unit and sports the Kindle’s fabulous electronic ink display, making this the most “readable” ebook reader on the market.
Is Amazon trying to broaden its market with its newest Kindle release? A recent informal survey of current Kindle owners revealed a startling surprise – most Kindle users are over 50! Keep in mind that this survey was strictly informal. Results were derived from responses to an age question posted on the Amazon discussion forums.
To appeal to a younger crowd, Amazon needs a hook. And what do most college students read on a regular basis? Textbooks. If Amazon can get students to use the Kindle DX to read their textbooks, those students will become loyal Kindle users – thus broadening Amazon’s market share.
Amazon is working with a number of universities to do its own little “beta” test using the Kindle DX to “carry” college textbooks. Some freshman students at Case Western Reserve will test the newest Kindle with pre-installed textbooks on them . Combining the availability of college texts with the ebook reader’s electronic ink technology makes this combo a homerun for Amazon . And one can only imagine how much lighter that college backpack will be when all it has to carry is a Kindle DX and a few notebooks!
Amazon is hoping that the new enlarged display will also appeal to newspaper readers. Amazon is throwing out a life line to the periodical print industry, pairing up with many major newspapers to provide Kindle electronic delivery of the morning paper. Many newspaper fans rave about having the Kindle edition of the newspaper being automatically downloaded each morning and ready for consumption with their morning coffee. The larger display should only make that aspect of the Kindle DX even more appealing to the print news loving crowd.
