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Amazon ships Kindle 2 a day early ... But is it a dollar short? (Or $150 short?)

Feb. 24, 2009 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

I got my "your order has shipped" confirmation yesterday, and here's the PR from Amazon:

Kindle 2 to arrive on customers' doorsteps one day early

Amazon.com today announced it is shipping Amazon Kindle 2. Already the No. 1 seller in Electronics on the Amazon.com Web site in just 15 days since it was introduced on Feb. 9, Kindle 2 offers revolutionary wireless delivery of content in a new slim design with longer battery life, faster page turns, over seven times more storage, sharper images and a new read-to-me feature. Kindle 2 began shipping today to customers who were in line for the original Kindle and customers who pre-ordered beginning Feb. 9. New orders placed today will be released for immediate shipping.

"The response from customers to Kindle 2 has been tremendous. In order to ensure we ship Kindle 2 by the original ship day of Feb. 24, we started shipping one day early," said Ian Freed, vice president, Amazon Kindle. "We're excited about the new design and features of Kindle 2, and we think our customers will be too."

Kindle 2 builds on everything customers love about the original Kindle and extends the experience to a slimmer and sleeker design.

OK, so that's nice. I was curious this morning to see a few high profile reviews (USA Today, New York Times), the former of which highlighted what might be some deal breakers in this version (The NYT review was pointless):

- No removable battery

- No physical wireless switch

- No SD expansion (though it does come with a lot more built-in storage)

- No included protective cover (an additional $30 option now)

And then there is that price. $359 is simply too much money in this economy. It's giving me a crisis of conscience, and it's going to affect my eventual review, no doubt about it. In fact... I may not even trade up. We shall see. My Kindle 2 should arrive tomorrow, which is pretty good timing: I'm in New York for an all-day Microsoft event today.

Discuss this Article 18

Waethorn
on Feb 24, 2009
I thought about getting a few of the Sony eBook Readers, if nothing more than to store the vast number of technical documents and whitepapers on computer setup and repair guidelines that we use around the shop. They sell for $349 dollars though. I can buy a helluva lot of paper and toner for that price. I wonder if the government has any "green" tax credits for something like this.... (Just FYI: the Canadian government recently approved a new business tax credit that lets businesses claim their IT expenditures as 100% tax write-offs in 2009)
richardfrisch
on Feb 24, 2009
I was surprised to see that the battery is not user changeable. This is a bad thing. Apple needs to be chastised about doing this and so does Amazon. These corporations are turning portable electronics into disposable items that get thrown away because the rechargeable batteries no longer hold a charge and the cost and inconvenience of replacing the battery makes people buy new devices instead.
tayme
on Feb 24, 2009
@richardfrisch - Its not just Apple and Amazon...The Zune battery is not user replacable, either. It seems like there are a lot of devices like that anymore. Its a sign of the disposible society that we now live in. --tayme
kenmcnamee
on Feb 24, 2009
Amazon should sell a cheaper version of the Kindle that lacks the wireless Sprint service - maybe it only has a wi-fi card so that you can download books at home, Starbucks or the airport. I might consider buying that version for $249. The other problem I have with the Kindle is its lack of native PDF support. Sure you can convert PDFs to the format the Kindle understands but the quality of the conversion is horrible for some types of books such as programming titles. The Sony eBook reader has great support for PDFs but no wireless connectivity. I'll probably buy the first device that can marry wireless with PDF support, especially if it's under $300.
subzerohitman721
on Feb 24, 2009
Wow, thats a darn shame that the Kindle 2 has no removeable batter. However, to my delight, my Samsung Instinct has a removeable battery and comes with a 2nd battery included in the 99.99 price point. It also comes with a handsfree stereo headset. Perhaps Samsung should get into the reader business. They'd probably figure out a way to do it cheaper and give you more bang for the buck.
lotsamystuff
on Feb 24, 2009
"The Zune battery is not user replacable, either. It seems like there are a lot of devices like that anymore. Its a sign of the disposible society that we now live in." I disagree (not surprisingly). No sane person is going to throw away an expensive piece of electronics simply because the battery is wearing down. They'll get the battery replaced, and that battery is much more likely to be recycled or disposed of properly by the manufacturer or service center than it would be by the user, who would probably just throw the old one in the trash. So it's a good thing environmentally. The only advantage to a user-replaceable battery is convenience in swapping out a low battery when you're not near a power source, and there hasn't been a groundswell of complaints over this. All this angst over captive batteries is a tempest in a teapot. (Cue "waethorn" and others with anecdotal "evidence" to the contrary in 3...2...1...)
Waethorn
on Feb 24, 2009
"No sane person is going to throw away an expensive piece of electronics simply because the battery is wearing down." Unless the battery costs nearly the price of the electronics that it powers, or if the company can't guarantee free shipping both ways, or can't guarantee a fast turn around time on the repair....or if batteries are no longer made as new after they depreciate from a standard lifecycle (usually about 3 years or so). If you say this hasn't happened to you, I'd bet anybody else here would say you're lying. Can you honestly say that you don't see companies stopping production on batteries for devices that they've also stopped production on? Can you go to Apple and buy a new battery for a PowerBook G4 that was only discontinued in 2006? The reviewers say "no": http://store.apple.com/ca/reviews/M9572G/A If replacing the battery means putting in a "refurbished" one, then I say: "Throw it away!". "Refurbished" is industry speak for "was used but defective, but *should* work now - just don't rely on it".
LC21
on Feb 24, 2009
Can't drop it, take it to the beach, spill something on it, or throw it in the car so you have something to read while waiting for somebody. It's another device to be tethered to, and given the price, fretted over. The iPod Touch is great, is not a one trick pony, a very adequate reader for less money, and its all the mobile tech I care to worry about.
hamiltonstallings
on Feb 24, 2009
I couldn't agree more LC21.
Waethorn
on Feb 24, 2009
This is funny: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/24/apple-experiments-with-itunes-pass/ ....reminds me of the first few lines of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xillqqt0Y0
lotsamystuff
on Feb 24, 2009
"Can you go to Apple and buy a new battery for a PowerBook G4 that was only discontinued in 2006? The reviewers say "no":" My god, you're an idiot. Can I buy a new battery for a PowerBook G4? Ten seconds of research says "yes": From Apple: http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9756G/A From Third Parties: http://preview.tinyurl.com/b5suhy Go back to your basement, Wae. "Helper Cat" is having problems with the screwdriver.
Waethorn
on Feb 24, 2009
"Can I buy a new battery for a PowerBook G4? Ten seconds of research says "yes"" 5 seconds of research shows that reviewers find you wrong, and so is Apple for selling them such garbage. So who am I to believe? One Mac marketeer troll, or the majority of 313 shopper reviews? Hmm....
lotsamystuff
on Feb 24, 2009
"So who am I to believe? One Mac marketeer troll, or the majority of 313 shopper reviews?" Show me where Apple says the battery is "refurbished" and then we'll talk, jackass. In the meantime, be sure to look at the third-party link I also posted.
Waethorn
on Feb 24, 2009
"Show me where Apple says the battery is "refurbished" and then we'll talk, jackass." Tell me where it says they're "still in production" or else kiss my black a$$. Considering the number of disappointed shoppers, as well as the number that would rather use their "defective" batteries instead of the replacements, I'd say they're refurbs. When has Apple ever not been in denial when they did something wrong before anyway?
lotsamystuff
on Feb 24, 2009
"Tell me where it says they're "still in production" or else kiss my black a$$." Sorry, Wae. You made the accusation. The onus is on you to back it up.
Waethorn
on Feb 24, 2009
"You made the accusation. The onus is on you to back it up." The replacements are clearly used, since they don't maintain a charge. They are refurbished. Obviously that's apparent to anyone that's bought one. Let me get this straight. Are you actually arguing that Apple is making an inferior replacement product as new??? Thanks. I accept your apology. You may go now.
LC21
on Feb 24, 2009
Replacement battery for a PowerBook G4? Easy. Shop OWC. Fast, reliable, good stuff. I've got one.
lotsamystuff
on Feb 24, 2009
"The replacements are clearly used, since they don't maintain a charge." Prove it. Or better yet, sue Apple for selling new products as refurbished. Your Bargain Basement PC Hut could probably use the cash infusion. "Replacement battery for a PowerBook G4? Easy. Shop OWC. Fast, reliable, good stuff. I've got one. " I pointed that out to Wae, too, but he conveniently ingores anything that doesn't pass his childish "APPLE IS TEH SUXOR" filter.

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