Amazon introduces e-book reader

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Amazon takes an important step in its history by launching the Kindle, the first hardware for reading e-books made available by the company. The device costs $ 399 and is equipped with a connection wifi to the Amazon website so that users can download the more than 90,000 books available on the Kindle Store.

After the download of the contents, there is the option of the reader not to read, but «listen to the book», since the machine is equipped with a system that allows the automatic reading of the contents, which makes the user hear the texts through the included earphones at the pack equipment.

The company points out that books can be downloaded in less than a minute and that magazines, newspapers and blogs are automatically delivered to subscribers. In a statement it can read that «Amazon pays for connectivity wireless of the Kindle so there will be no monthly bills for wireless connections, packet data plans or service agreements with customers. «

Additionally, Kindle allows users to download and read the first chapter of most titles available in the store for free. Among the news publications available in the reader’s library are newspaper names such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal or TIME magazine. Some publications are loaded overnight so customers can read the first news early in the morning and automatically, says Amazon.

Monthly subscription for reading newspapers is $ 5.99 or $ 14.99, depending on the publication. In turn, magazines have a monthly fee of 1.25 to 3.46 dollars. All publications include a two-week free trial period.

According to Amazon, the Kindle weighs only 300 grams, includes electronic paper technology developed by the company and Ink Corp., and has a 30-hour battery life. The battery charging time of the device is two hours.

However, despite the fact that it is only going out to the market today, the equipment is already the target of some criticisms. The fact that it is only prepared for the North American market, since it operates only as the Evolution-Data Only system (EVDO), is one of the negative points pointed out by the international press, which continues to give supremacy to book reading capabilities. Apple iPhone.

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2006-09-28 – Sony launches e-book store and digital reader in October