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Amazon Kindle
ManufacturerAmazon.com
Availability by regionUnited States November 19 2007
Compatible networksAmazon Whispernet
Dimensions5.3" × 7.5" × 0.7"
Weight10.3 oz
Operating systemLinux (2.6.10 kernel)
CPUIntel PXA255.
Memory64 MB RAM,
256 MB (180 MB available) internal storage,
SD expansion slot.
Complete back up archive of all purchased material archived on Amazon Cloud.
Battery3.7V, 1530mAh lithium polymer, BA1001 model.
Display600×800 px,
167 ppi resolution,
6" diagonal,
4" × 6",
4-level grayscale
Electronic paper,
LCD side scroller.
ConnectivityEVDO/CDMA AnyDATA wireless modem, USB 2.0 port (mini-B connector),
3.5 mm stereo headphone jack, built-in speaker,
AC power adapter jack.
Data inputsQWERTY keyboard,
select wheel,
next/prev/back buttons.

Amazon Kindle is an electronic book (e-book) device launched in the United States by Amazon.com in November 2007. It uses an electronic paper display, reads the proprietary Kindle (AZW) format, and downloads content over Amazon Whispernet, which uses the Sprint EVDO network. This means that the Kindle can be used without the need for a computer. Whispernet is accessible through Kindle without any fee. On the release day, the Kindle Store had more than 88,000 digital titles available for download. Amazon's first offering of the Kindle sold out in five and a half hours. It retails for $399 from Amazon.com.

Technical specifications

The Kindle features a 6" diagonal, 4-level grayscale electrophoretic display (E Ink material) with a resolution of 600×800 pixels (167 ppi), although the largest graphic image that can be displayed without being resized is 450x550 pixels. It measures 5.3 inches × 7.5 inches × 0.7 inches (134.5 mm × 190 mm × 19 mm) and weighs 10.3 oz (295 g). The Kindle's internal storage capacity is 256 MB, shipping with 180 MB free. A SD memory card expansion slot is present, officially supporting up to 4GB which implies support for SDHC. It has 64 MB of RAM. The battery lasts roughly two days with wireless on, and one week with wireless off. The battery charges in about two hours. A USB 2.0 port (mini-B connector) is available for connecting to a computer (where it acts as a USB flash drive). The Kindle features a headphone jack and one-year warranty. The device runs on a modified version of Linux based on the 2.6.10 kernel.

Content

The internal memory of the Amazon Kindle can hold approximately 200 non-illustrated titles. Users can download content from Amazon in the proprietary Kindle format (AZW), or load unprotected Mobipocket (PRC, MOBI) or plain text content. Amazon offers an email-based service that will convert HTML, DOC (Microsoft Word), JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP documents to AZW. It also supports audio in the form of MP3s and Audible 2, 3, and 4 audiobooks, which must be transferred to the Kindle over USB or on an SD card.

Users can download content through the Kindle Store. The Kindle Store is accessed through Whispernet, over Sprint's EVDO network, which Amazon provides free of charge. New releases and New York Times bestsellers are offered for approximately $10. Classics like Bleak House sell for around $1.99, with free samples available of the first chapter of each book. Subscriptions to newspapers cost between $5.99 and $14.99 per month, magazines between $1.25 and $3.49 per month, and blogs for $0.99-$1.99 per month. Users can send documents to a conversion service which will send a Kindle-formatted file to the device directly for $0.10 or to a personal e-mail account for free. Users can transfer converted documents from a computer to the Kindle via a USB cable or an SD card for free. Access to Misplaced Pages is offered at no additional charge.

The device comes with electronic editions of its owner's manual and the New Oxford American Dictionary.

Experimental support for web browsing is included.

Notes

  • Although it supports unprotected Mobipocket books (.MOBI, .PRC), plain text files, and HTML and Word documents, Kindle also uses its own proprietary, DRM-restricted format (AZW). It does not fully support the widely accepted PDF format, but Amazon provides "experimental" conversion to the native AZW format. A user may also convert PDF files to supported formats using third-party software.
  • The Kindle Terms of Use forbid transferring eBooks to someone else or using them on a different device. This has been criticized by the Free Software Foundation and free software advocates including Mark Pilgrim.
  • The Kindle allows RSS subscription to select blogs for $0.99 or more monthly, even though one may use the experimental web browser to navigate to and read blogs without cost.
  • Text is fully justified but without hyphenation. Text can, however, be displayed left-justified via an undocumented feature.
  • Amazon does not sell the Kindle outside the United States, and Whispernet only works in the U.S. However, U.S. owners traveling abroad have the option of managing their Kindle purchases via PC and can then in turn download items from the PC to their Kindle.
  • Using the experimental web browser, it is possible to download books directly on the Kindle (.mobi, .prc and .txt). Hyperlinks in a Mobipocket file can be used to download e-books but cannot be used to reference books stored in the Kindle's memory.

Digital Text Platform

Amazon launched the Digital Text Platform in open beta concurrently with the Kindle device, and promoted the platform to established authors by e-mail. Authors can upload documents in several formats for delivery via Whispernet and charge between US$0.99 and $200 per download. The authors receive 35% of revenues based on their list price, regardless of discounts by Amazon.

See also

References

  1. What is the Amazon Whispernet wireless feature and how does it work?, Amazon.com
  2. Steven Levy (November 26, 2007). "The Future of Reading". Newsweek. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  3. Nilay Patel (November 21, 2007). "Kindle sells out in 5.5 hours". Engadget. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
  4. "DTP FAQs".
  5. "Kindle FAQs".
  6. "Kindle Powered by Linux". Robert Love.
  7. ^ "Amazon Kindle FAQ". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  8. "Reading Personal Documents on your Kindle". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
  9. Thomas Ricker (November 19, 2007). "Amazon Kindle available now on Amazon". Engadget. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
  10. "Kindle: Amazon's New Reading Device". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
  11. "Accessing Basic Web and Kindle NowNow". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
  12. Amazon (2007). "Amazon.com: Help > Digital Content > Amazon Kindle Support > How to Use Your Kindle > Reading Personal Documents on Your Kindle". Amazon. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
  13. "Amazon Kindle: License Agreement and Terms of Use". Amazon. 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  14. "The Kindle Swindle". Free Software Foundation. 2007-12-12. Retrieved 2007-12-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. Pilgrim, Mark (2007-11-19). "The Future of Reading (A Play in Six Acts)". Retrieved 2007-12-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. Joel Johnson (November 19, 2007). "15 Things I Just Learned About the Amazon Kindle". Boing Boing. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
  17. Glenn Fleishman. "Hands on with Kindle". TidBits. Retrieved 2007-11-27.
  18. Igor Skochinsky. "Reversing Everything". Retrieved 2007-12-22.
  19. Feedbooks. "Kindle Download Guide". Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  20. ^ Rick Aristotle Munarriz (November 27, 2007). "Why Kindle Will Change the World". Motley Fool. Retrieved 2007-11-27.
  21. "Amazon DTP Support:Terms & Conditions". Retrieved 2007-12-07.

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