[Ann in Arlington]

Kindle is #8 on Time Magazines list of top 10 gadgets of 2008.

"Amazon's digital-book-reading device definitely takes some getting used to, but it's simply a terrific tool for people who love to read books.  Travelers will especially enjoy the luxury of taking a library on the road, and the Kindle can connect to a high-speed cellular network that delivers books on demand."

They should have added, "and you can subscribe to Time Magazine as well. . . ." 

Ann

 

[stevene9]

Why in the world aren't we #1. Number 8 is an insult.

Steve

 

[Eclectic Reader]

Why in the world aren't we #1. Number 8 is an insult.

Steve

What was Time's criterion for the list? Most popular among gadget freaks? Most popular among booklovers? "Coolest"? (Apple fans would pan the K for its "lack of coolness". I, OTOH, think Kindle is the coolest thing out there!) Availability? (The Kindle has had a problem in that respect). Word of mouth? (I have only seen 1 Kindle "in the wild" besides mine, and a coworker--I work at a library--had never heard of it when she saw me reading at lunch last week.)

I think the Kindle seriously lacks publicity in the "general arena" of gadgets. OTOH, this is a gadget for READERS, and often gadget-freaks and READERS are not one and the same. They can be but.....

 

[cat616]

What was Time's criterion for the list? ............... "Coolest"? (Apple fans would pan the K for its "lack of coolness".............

This Apple fan thinks Kindle is THE COOLEST.

 

[Micdiddy]

Kindle is definitely Number 1.

 

[Leslie]

Does someone have a link to the article?

L

 

[pidgeon92]

Here you go....

Top 10 Gadgets

Amazon unveiled its digital-book reading device at the end of 2007, but in such small quantities that you couldn't really get one until 2008. While it definitely takes some getting used to - the awkward placement of the page-forward and page-back buttons makes it easy for newbies to lose their place - this is simply a terrific tool for people who love to read books. Travelers will especially enjoy the luxury of taking a veritable library on the road, and the Kindle can connect to a high-speed cellular network that delivers books ($9.99, even for new titles) on demand. Price: $359

 

[Eclectic Reader]

This Apple fan thinks Kindle is THE COOLEST.

Perhaps you do, cat616, but did you read all the negative reviews from the Apple fans in November and December, 2007? These people PANNED it left and right--oh yeah, and they had never seen the K in action in person and never had actually held it in their hands. These so-called "reviewers" continued to write "non-reviews" throughout the winter, spring, and summer (though by this time, more positive reviews were being written by people who had actually held a Kindle in their hands, and had used it).

Don't misunderstand me, cat616. I'm glad you are an Apple fan who truly thinks the K is the coolest! But many, many, many Apple fans bombarded the Amazon website with negative "reviews", and lambasted the Kindle left and right on the Amazon board because "it was ugly, it wasn't an Apple, Apple could have done it better, they can 'read' on their Iphones so who needs a Kindle" yada, yada, yada.

I know...because I was there, trying to sift through the "fake" reviews and the "real" reviews to see if the Kindle was worth the $399 (which is/was not a mere trifle for me to to spend on a product). Did it "really" live up to its hype? Was it worth it to spend that much money on it? (I've watched E-Books come and go in the past. Would this one be "the one" to really catch on, or would it peter out like many of the others that came before it?

To be fair...there were Apple fans on the Amazon board who wrote "good" reviews of the Kindle (the ones who had actually used a Kindle, that is). But there were sooo many Apple-and-other-company gadget freaks who were not readers who were posting negative reviews and never had any intention of buying one.

I'm glad you weren't one of "those" Apple fans! lol

 

[pidgeon92]

But there were sooo many Apple-and-other-company gadget freaks who were not readers who were posting negative reviews and never had any intention of buying one.

It has nothing to do with being an Apple fan. It has to do with being a negative person.

 

[Leslie]

Thanks for the link, Pidgeon. What a weird list...

1. a projector
2. a TV
3. iPhone 3G
4. camera
5. bluetooth speaker
6. headphones
7. camcorder
8. KINDLE
9. Netflix box
10. Playstation "home"

It's almost like they wanted to make sure all categories were covered and picked the top item from each category.

L

 

[pidgeon92]

Thanks for the link, Pidgeon. What a weird list...

The thing I don't know if I like is that a few of the items are not 2008 products.

 

[Michael R. Hicks]

Thanks for the link, Pidgeon. What a weird list...

Yeah, the list seems a bit strange when you think of all the gadgets that must come out every year.

However, I have to confess that we went ahead and got the Netflix box!

 

[drenee]

Apple could have done it better

But they didn't.

 

[Cuechick]

I guess I might be called an Apple fan, I am typing this on my Apple Powerbook, I also have an desktop iMac, iphone and an ipod, also an apple airport. I even stuck an Apple sticker on my truck. However, if I was forced to choose between my iphone, ipod or Kindle, without hesitation I would choose my Kindle! (My computers I need for my work, so are not really an option)...

I have read a lot of the negative reviews on Amazon and found the majority were written by people who had never used a Kindle (keep in mind that there are very few negative reviews overall) I did not notice that any of these were from "Pro Apple" peeps but have seen them trolling the forums there. Apple products certainly have lead the market on slick, visually appealing, cool gadgets and I have to admit, I would never describe the Kindle as slick or visually appealing or even cool...and for whatever reason, that is exactly why I love it.

 

[pidgeon92]

Apple won't make a reading device, the market is too small. As for reading on the iPhone, it's not bad at all. The Stanza application is really nice. However, I prefer the Kindle for reading, with the larger matte screen. It's easier on the eyes, and I like the button for turning the page, vs. scrolling down in Stanza. For most people who don't read a lot, the iPhone or iPod Touch is a good enough reader.

 

[Angela]

I'm sorry, but after looking at that list I am kinda scratching my head and thinking.... whaaa??

Needless to say, the Kindle is Number 1 on my list!

 

[Anju]

Ditto Angela 

 

[Guest]

Needless to say, the Kindle is Number 1 on my list!

Ah, but you just went ahead and said it anyway....

 

[DawnOfChaos]

oh I shouldn't have looked at the list.  Of the top 10, I own two of them and want 4 others.    I love my kindle, but I think I could show some love to that big laser TV.

 

[tlshaw]

I think the Kindle should be #1.

But hey, if the writer has never used one, he/she has no idea what it is about.