The Kindle and the e-book - the perfect complements

I am a Kindle user.

There, I’ve said it. As the founder member of the Kindle-owners self-help group (KOSH), I’m inviting all fellow addicts to come out and admit likewise – until you admit it to yourself no-one will be able to help you. Until we act collectively, no-one will be able to stop those Amazon dealers from peddling their wares.

If we ever needed proof that they’re out to change the way we consume then you need look no further than the statements made yesterday by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos who was in the country to promote the launch of the UK version of their new e-reader (Kindle Paperwhite) and the company’s e-book lending service. Interestingly as well, Bezos re-iterated the widely-understood business-model wherein the physical hardware that they sell (the Kindle brand in all of its guises including a tablet called the Kindle Fire) are sold at cost – Amazon do not make a profit from the devices themselves. The true profit comes from content – selling books and other media (such as movies and music).

And herein lays the example that I’ve tried to get across to my students recently. Sales of media products are not just linked to the quality of the film or the book that we wish to consume – but also how easy it is to facilitate the use of that media. The Kindle and its e-books (or the Kindle Fire and its magazines) are the new big example of complementary products. Reduce the price of the hardware to a level that is more accessible then sales of its content start to flourish. It is claimed that e-book readers now read up to 4 times as many books as those who still use the dead-tree versions (although sales of traditional books still outweigh their digital versions). Research is also showing that reading amongst children and young adults has been increased because of the use of technology such as the the Ipad.

But look out Amazon. Reports suggest that a German e-reader called the txtr beagle will soon be available and on sale for less than £10 – its low cost coming from having AAA batteries instead of rechargeable versions and transferring data via Bluetooth instead of wi-fi. At that cost, the beagle could be a real game changer to challenge the Amazon monster – perhaps your school and college could now afford class sets.

Now, I haven’t touched my Kindle all day today. I’ve got it under control, honest. I might have a look to see what Amazon’s Daily Deal has on offer – one look can’t harm can it?