Introducing the Kindle DX

since you took a swipe at Apple here for no reason, why not mention the Consumer Reports story from a few days ago showing apple running away with their ratings.

$489? Wow, I'll have what they're smoking! A LED backlit netbook goes for less, such as something like the Dell Mini 12.

Oh, I got it, Blakes. He baits for hits, so I'm helping him out with his jerk plan. I get it. so I hijacked his topic, and look at you, helping me.

9.7 inches and yet the text and buttons on that pic look WAAAAY too small for your ginormous hands and astigmatic eyesight, Paul. ;)

I find it frustrating how Amazon insists on offering new "software" features (e.g., PDF, new menu system, text-to-speech) on new Kindle models, when it should be offering them, either free or for nominal fee, to existing users. That demonstrates how I should simply wait for more mature and affordable model instead of early adopter/sucker.

they apparently just don't get that the price needs to come down for people to buy in to the kindle ecosystem. release the small kindle without the cell phone networking that's whats needed. I want a kindle, yes.... not going to pay over 200 or so for the honor.

they apparently just don't get that the price needs to come down for people to buy in to the kindle ecosystem." Maybe its selling well so, right now, there is no need for them to lower the price? If so then you dont get it. If you make a widget, Kindle, Macbook Air, iPhone, Sony P series come to mind, and you set a price and sales are good, meaning people will pay for it, then why should you lower the price again? We are talking nicities not food or medicine here.

@Slim if sales are so good, why don't you ever see one in the wild... much less general population talking about it.

@Waethorn, Even a better reason to come up with a model without the cell network ability.... cheaper to produce, cheaper to sell, more universal. I am perfectly fine with it using only wifi and or even just sync via usb.

@meason: You mean like the Sony. I have two and am happy with the PRS-505 model (non-touchscreen, no backlight). They weren't cheap, but they work well in the shop. I should get a green tax credit or something for buying them, cuz I save tons of paper, toner, and printer electricity for not having to print the numerous 100+ page deployment documents and manuals from different sources. The guys here seem to like them. They find them easy to use. The Sony ones support PDF and Word documents already, and you actually don't need any software to put files on them - they show up as drive letters on the PC. They are also expandable with SD and MS Pro Duo slots. I like that they come with their own book cover. The magnets in the cover are a nice touch too. Overall, I like the build quality of the Sony Reader's.

Agreed. I'll stick with my $399 ACER Vista laptop with a 15.6 in LCD screen that can play everything, including movies, surf the net, check email, use Works, create family movies/DVD's [dual layer too], edit photos, etc...

Duh Slim! Just watch Startrek. They showed disc storage, cell phone [Communicators and PDA's years before they were invented. They read off electronic devices in the 1960's show. I'm now awaiting transporters, phaser guns and cyborg sluts ;)

>A LED backlit netbook goes for less I see that argument all the time and it so misses the point. The Kindle uses e-ink, no backlight. This gives great battery life (especially with wireless turned off) and is much kinder on the eyes than a notebook screen because there is no refresh. It's very close to the readability level of ink on paper and a notebook screen can't touch that. And no, there's no color. It took years to develop the current technology. Color will come, but it will be a long while.

@shark ???? I have seen kindles here and there mostly in air ports/on flights and it coffee shops. When they first came out I tried to buy one but they were sold out for a while so someone was buying them. Then I got over the urge to buy one at that price. I think the idea is great. I have a lots of technical books and I would love to have them all in that one thin device. Now that is fully supports PDF files its even better since lots of technical books come with a PDF version. I think Paul even linked a Vista book from MS that I downloaded in PDF format. OT: Those bastaaaaaards at AMD are jacking up the new killer feature that MS has in 7!!!!!!!!:) http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10235329-64.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksA... Where is the OUT RAGE????

@Lindy: The AMD v. Intel stuff is a bit frustrating. You have Intel stuff which is more expensive but also more confusing from a marketing standpoint, and you have AMD which is a good value, but not as fast. What makes it worse is that AMD still has a 125W TDP. I'd like to see that come down. The Dragon platform is nice too, in that you can easily get an on-board GPU and pair it up with Hybrid Crossfire in a full 2x PCIe X16 gaming system for up to 5 GPU's. That's great and all, but it doesn't support CUDA or PhysX. There aren't any micro-ATX boards with the 790GX chipset either (just the FX, which doesn't have the on-board GPU). Then you have NVIDIA, but they don't have any good AMD chipsets (they only go as high as having 8300's for o/b GPU's). The Intel ones go up to 9400's but the only company using them is Gigabyte, and their board is micro-ATX so you can't do SLi with 2 discrete cards, only one + the onboard. Ideally, I'd want to see this: AMD bringing the TDP down, Intel supporting VT more consistently, NVIDIA making a good onboard GPU for AMD, AMD supporting CUDA and PhysX, and mobo makers making the 790GX and 9400GS GPU chipsets in both micro and full ATX sizes. Oh, and yes that was OT too. ....um....something about the Kindle.... er, I still like my Sony. Unless the Kindle comes out internationally, it will still be a niche product.

Darn, I forgot to mention that even the iPhone sold many more units after a signicant price drop, and now there's talk about ATT droppping the price of service by $10/month to get even more sales. [I would bet that if it happens, they will charge 10 bucks/month or m,ore for tethering once 3.0 firmware rolls out].