I’ve mentioned in the past that Amazon has enjoyed a considerable advantage in the ebook reader market simply due to the fact that the Kindle 4 and the Kindle Keyboard are both on sale internationally. The Kindle Touch has also, very recently, started shipping internationally – although it must be ordered through the main Amazon website and is not yet available in the countries which have their own dedicated Kindle store, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Not only does Amazon’s international presence provide a significant extra revenue stream, but it promotes customer loyalty and boosts ongoing through life sales. It means that Kindle owners will be much less likely to change allegiance in future, not once they’ve built up their own small library of Kindle books.

However, Amazon isn’t going to have it all its own way in the international arena for much longer. It seems that Barnes and Noble are preparing to launch the Nook family onto the global stage, starting in the UK.

Barnes And Noble UK Developer Workshop

On March the 19th, Barnes and Noble is holding an Android developer workshop in London. Barnes and Noble’s team will get to meet some UK developers and will be showing them some of the best ways to monetize their apps and use the Nook Developer system to best effect.

UK Nook Launch?

This is widely regarded as a precursor to a UK launch for the Nook ebook reader and tablet computers. In fact, the Nook is expected to launch at the London Book Fair, which runs from Monday April 16th to Wednesday April 18th.

It’s a major step forward for Barnes and Noble. A global presence can only help to close the gap on Amazon, something which B&N has struggled with lately – despite the fact that many reviewers consider the Nook Simple Touch to have a slight edge on the Kindle Touch (in terms of hardware at least).

Barnes and Noble will definitely be coming from behind in the UK. The Kindle has been available for shipping to the UK since early 2010 and Amazon set up a dedicated UK Kindle store in the autumn of the same year. The Kindle is well established and has a good customer base. B&N will need to fight tooth and nail for a share of the market – especially since they are not well known on the other side of the Atlantic.

However, there are rumors that Barnes and Noble may enter into a partnership with Waterstone’s – the UK’s largest high street bookstore chain. Last year Waterstone’s announced that it would have its own ebook reader hardware by the spring of 2012. Things have gone a bit quiet since then, but if Waterstone’s were to push the Nook in the UK that might be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both companies.

Which Nooks Will Launch?

If the rumors are true, holding the launch at the London Book Fair would certainly imply that the Nook Simple Touch will be landing in the UK in April. However, an app development workshop to be held in London in mid-March does seem to suggest that at least one of the Nook tablets might be heading to the UK also.

Although B&N may be a little behind Amazon in terms of getting their ebook reader into the wide world, it’s worth noting that neither the Kindle Touch or the Kindle Fire are currently available in the UK. It’s not out of the question that B&N could beat Amazon to the punch for both devices.

Reading has always been a hobby of mine. If someone was to describe me as a “bibliophile” I certainly wouldn’t object. However, over the last couple of years, I have come to understand the word bibliophile in its more literal meaning.

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of bibliophile is as below:

bib•li•o•phile
noun
a person who loves or collects books, especially as examples of fine or unusual printing, binding, or the like.

So basically, although bibliophile is very often used to describe someone who enjoys reading, strictly speaking, it refers to someone who likes books.

That may sound a little like splitting hairs – but I don’t think that it’s just an exercise in semantics.

Like Books, Like Reading – Or Maybe Both?

As someone who likes to read a lot, ebook readers and ebooks were something that I welcomed with open arms. Ebooks had been around for years of course, but it was the advent of e-ink technology displays that made all the difference for me.

Reading on an e-ink display is as close to reading text printed on paper as it’s possible to get. After you have been using an ebook reader for an hour or so, you won’t even be aware of it. It really is a lot better than reading on a back-lit computer monitor.

E-ink displays also use a lot less power than the average computer display – so you can go for a long time between battery charges. Battery life is typically measured in weeks rather than hours, which is handy if you’re travelling as you won’t need to pack cables, chargers adapters etc.

The ability to carry thousands of books around with me on a device which is smaller and lighter than the average paperback is also great. Once again, very useful for anyone who travels a lot or who just wants to read when out and about.

Best of all, for me at least, is the fact that, whenever I finish a book, I can download a new one in under a minute. Being stuck in a hotel room, jet-lagged, unable to sleep and with nothing to read is my idea of hell.

I could go on. Ebooks are cheaper and more environmentally friendly. You can download out-of-copyright books free of charge – make your reader pay for itself if you like. The list goes on – but how about if I just say that, in my personal opinion, ebook readers are the perfect gadget?

Enter The Bibliophiles

Many of my friends and work colleagues are also keen readers. In my enthusiasm, and quite possibly, innocence, I shared my new found love of ebook readers and ebooks with them. I may, if I’m honest, have been approaching evangelism at times.

So imagine my surprise to learn that, not only did many of my fellow book lovers not share my love for digi-books, but that they even looked upon them with a certain element of disdain.

Some said that they would miss the “feel” of a book in their hands. Fair enough – I suppose that there is a certain tactile pleasure to be had whilst reading a good book.

Yet others said that they would miss the smell of a book. At this point, I did start to wonder just what kind of books they were reading. Presumably something from the “Scratch ’n Sniff” literary genre.

However, it soon became clear to me that the physicality of printed books is, for many people, an important element in their enjoyment of reading. And why not? Personal hobbies should be about enjoying yourself. If you like the feel (and even the smell) of a bound volume in your hands whilst reading, then go right ahead and do what you enjoy most.

So Will Ebooks Replace Printed Books

It’s a question that has been asked, and answered, many times on blogs, websites, newspapers and magazines. I don’t know the answer any more than the other pundits out there – but my opinion is that printed books will be with us for a long time to come.

Amazon has reported that it now sells more Kindle books than hardcover and paperback books combined. Barnes and Noble has also confirmed that the growth in its digital division, the Nook reader, tablets and associated ebooks, is much higher than that in evidence in its more traditional bricks and mortar outlets.

Of course, Amazon and B&N are the number one and two players respectively in the ebook reader market. You might therefore consider them to be just a little atypical and wonder how those figures compare with other booksellers and publishers. I also suspect that, were you to remove free downloads of out-of-copyright ebooks, then the figures may be less impressive as far as ebook sales go.

Atypical or not, slightly skewed or not, Amazon and B&N probably represent the way that things are going to go in the book market in future. It seems reasonable to assume that ebook sales will continue to grow.

Whether they will be read on dedicated ebook readers or tablet computers is a different question, but they will make up an increasingly large proportion of total book sales in future. In fact, I suspect that ebook sales will be in the majority – and not just for Amazon and B&N – much more quickly than many people imagine.

However, selling more ebooks than printed books is a very different proposition to having printed books disappear altogether.

It seems clear to me that there are plenty of people who have a strong preference for printed books. There are certainly more than enough to ensure that printed books will be with us for the foreseeable future – and as a reasonably priced alternative to ebooks rather than as collector’s items or rare curiosities.

For myself, as much as I like ebooks, that makes me happy somehow. So maybe I am a bibliophile after all.

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Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on February the 7th, 1812 in Landport, England. So this year would have marked his 200th birthday. Google chose to mark the occasion with one of their special Doodles, as shown on the right.

Many of Dickens’ novels were originally written in serial format. It’s said that, unlike many other authors who wrote their complete novels, subdivided them and then serialized them, Dickens wrote his in “real time” and that he would sometimes alter his plots based upon the response of his readers to a particular episode.

All of Dickens’ work is now out of copyright – so you can download it for free to read on your ebook reader. Some Kindle versions are shown below – if you don’t have a Kindle then you can download a free reading app here. If you have a different reader then check out Dickens at Project Gutenberg.

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol has never been out of print since it was first published in 1843. It tells the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge and his transformation as he is visited first by the ghost of his dead business partner Jacob Marley and then by three apparitions representing the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet To Come on Christmas eve.

It’s quite possible that this one book may have inspired more movie versions than any other.

A Tale Of Two Cities

Set in London and Paris during the French revolution, A Tale Of Two Cities was first published as a novel in 1859 after having been serialized over 31 parts.

It traces the events of the time by following several characters on both sides of the channel.

Even if you haven’t read this book, you will almost certainly be familiar with it s famous opening line – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”.

Great Expectations

Considered by many to be Dickens’ best novel, Great Expectations charts the fortunes of orphan Pip who, thanks to a mysterious benefactor, finds himself with great expectations of becoming a gentleman. Other characters include the beautiful but haughty Estella, with whom Pip falls in love with and the slightly loopy Miss Havisham who, having been jilted at the altar, continually wears her bridal gown.

This novel has also produced a plethora of movies and TV adaptations. Speaking personally, I can remember watching one version as a child (part of my English lessons) and finding the emergence of the escaped convict Magwitch (played by James Mason if I recall correctly) from behind a gravestone absolutely terrifying.

David Copperfield

Published as a novel in 1850 following serialization, David Copperfield is considered to be Dickens’ most autobiographical work.

The novel tracks David Copperfield’s life from childhood to adulthood and we are introduced to some of Dickens’ most famous characters, including the financially incompetent Mr. Micawber (based on Dickens’ own father) and the unctuous Uriah Heep.

Oliver Twist

Dickens’ second novel and one of his darkest, dealing with kidnapping, robbery, child abuse, prostitution and murder – pretty much a slice of life in working class Victorian England you would suppose.

It’s a social novel in which Dickens addresses many of the problems in the society of the day. Dickens treats some of the darker issues of his times with sarcasm and dry humor.

If your acquaintance with Oliver Twist is currently limited to some of the many, often quite whimsical, film versions of this novel, then this is a free download that you really should take advantage of.

Martin Chuzzlewit

Like most of Dickens’ works, this was originally released in serialized form. However, the reception was somewhat subdued by all accounts and Dickens actually changed the plot halfway through to send Chuzzlewit to the USA – which Dickens himself had visited in 1842.

Dickens somewhat satirical representation of America may have been intended to play to his Victorian audience’s view of the world and improve Mr. Chuzzlewit’s standing – at least with his English readers. It is, in any event, in good and gentle humo(u)r.

Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby is a gentleman’s son who falls upon hard times and must make his way in the world.

During the course of his adventures, he meets up with various unsavory characters who attempt to thwart his efforts.

Set in Victorian London, where wealth and poverty exist side by side, Dickens’ social commentary still rings true today.

Bleak House

Bleak House looks at the complex legal system in London in the Victorian era – and is set at a time when the system was undergoing reform.

The novel looks at how the legal system consumes the talents of the greedy without providing justice to the innocent.

It’s a Victorian John Grisham with a bit of social commentary thrown in for good measure.

The Pickwick Papers

As with most of Dickens’ work, The Pickwick Papers was written as a series of stories in the first instance. It is pretty much a collection of loosely related tales which involve members of the “PickWick Club” making journeys to different areas in Victorian England and reporting their findings to the other members upon their return.

It is considered a valuable work by many due to its accurate description of English Coach Houses of the period.

Humor, accompanied by social satire and commentary are present as usual.

Anyway, that should hopefully be a good selection of free Kindle books to help you to celebrate the great man’s 200th anniversary. I hope I haven’t missed out your favorite – but you can find plenty of other free downloads on Amazon’s Charles Dickens page. Enjoy.

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For some time now, industry watchers have been speculating that Amazon is actually losing money on its Kindle hardware. The general consensus seems to be that, the more expensive the Kindle, the more money Amazon loses.

So the entry level Kindle 4 is thought to be about break even, or maybe a slight loss, for Amazon, whereas the top of the range Kindle Fire is costing Amazon something in the region of $ 10 according to various analysts.

None of this has been denied or confirmed by Amazon, but it doesn’t seem to be out of the question that the company would be prepared to lose a little on hardware sales secure in the knowledge that proud new Kindle owners will be, if not exactly “locked in” to the Amazon content ecosystem, very likely to buy Amazon content in future, potentially in perpetuity.

If the analysis is correct, Amazon would be far from the first successful company to adopt this strategy. Neither is it a bad idea – just so long as the corporate pockets are deep enough (you might suppose that Amazon’s are) and the company can bear a temporary dip in cash flow in order to secure future orders.

It also relies on the fact that future orders will materialize of course, but that seems to be a fairly reasonable expectation in this case. the fact that the Kindle and the Nook are the two big players in the ebook reader market seems to suggest a high degree of customer loyalty when it comes to books. Time will tell whether or not that will carry over to apps, movie downloads and software – but it does seem like a safe enough bet.

And that’s another factor that needs to borne in mind of course. Whereas prior to November of 2011, Amazon was chasing future sales of ebook sales, it now has a whole new raft of products which can follow on from sales of Kindle Fire tablet computers.

Even the pure ebook readers in the range are now shipping “with special offers” more often than not. The possibility for through life sales is, by even the most conservative estimate, enormous.

And, as far as special offers go, Amazon has demonstrated just how good it is at tailoring offers to customers based upon previous purchases and browsing behavior whilst on the Amazon site. How often have you received an e-mail from Amazon recommending a host of products based on something that you looked at on Amazon but didn’t actually buy?

It seems reasonable to expect Amazon to capitalize on feedback from browsing behavior, whether on the Kindle Fire or the ebook readers in the family. Tightly focused ads and recommendations are bound to follow.

Amazon’s Latest Financial Results

Of course, whether or not Amazon is actually losing money on their Kindle hardware is pure speculation at this time – but likely to remain so in the foreseeable future. However, Amazon’s latest financial results do seem to suggest that there may be something behind the theory.

To cut a long story short (bullet point highlights are below if you’re interested), despite the fact that sales were up by 35% on the same period in 2010, Amazon made 58% less profit.

Higher sales and lower profit means lower margins. Some of that may be due to the fact that people are just more price conscious due to tough economic times. However, if the Kindle range was being sold as a loss leader, then that may well account for a fairly large chunk of the reversal in profit margin.

Here are the financial result highlights:

• 2011 Q4 sales of $17.43 billion were up 35% compared to the same period in 2010.
• Profit of $177 million represented a 58% drop on the same period in 2010.
• Operating income for Q4 2011 fell to $260 million – 45% down on the same 2010 period.

Amazon’s Non-Financial Highlights

• Kindle sales – Kindle Fire plus all various ebook reader variants – were 177% over the festive season of 2011 than for the same period in 2010.
• One million Kindle units (all variants) were sold each week during the month of December 2011.
• The Kindle Fire is the most wished, most gifted and best selling item on the Amazon website – and has been since its introduction in mid-November 2011.
• Some analysts have estimated Amazon’s share of the tablet computer market as high as 39%. Unconfirmed – but astonishing if true considering the short lifespan of the Kindle Fire.
• The Kindle (Kindle 4 and Kindle Keyboard combined) was the best selling item on Amazon’s UK, German, French, Italian and Spanish websites over the 2011 festive season.
• Amazon has just launched its dedicated Indian website. Book sales in the sub-continent are estimated at $2 billion annually.

Amazon’s Game Plan?

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating perhaps, Amazon may or may not be losing money on sales of Kindle hardware. It is pure speculation. However, if the company is losing money on the Kindle, then it is part of a carefully thought out business strategy. And it may be a wise investment.

The fact that the Kindle is available internationally is also very significant. Every Kindle sale ties another user into the Amazon content system and makes continued domination of the ebook reader market almost inevitable.

Whatever the perceived technical shortcomings of the Kindle Fire when compared to the Apple iPad may be, the low price point makes it seem likely that Amazon may soon become a very important player in the tablet computer market also.

One of the big advantages that Amazon enjoys is the fact that the Kindle is much more than an ebook reader or a tablet computer. Each Kindle is an electronic marketing and sales point for Amazon.

In fact, you would have to wonder what further electronic gadgets Amazon might choose to bring to market next. Is an Amazon mobile phone on the cards?

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Barnes and Noble is offering a free Nook Simple Touch ebook reader to anyone who takes out a one year digital subscription to the New York Times. The yearly NYT subscription costs $ 19.99 a month – so you will be paying $ 240 to get your Nook Touch, which retails for $ 99, free. The digital edition of the NYT will be delivered to your Nook reader every morning.

If you were thinking about taking out, or renewing, an NYT subscription anyway, then it might not be a bad deal. On the other hand, you can get a digital subscription to the NYT suitable for use with tablet computers and access to the NYT website for $ 85 for 26 weeks. That’s just over $ 14 a month – so you’ll need to decide if the B&N offer is tempting or not.

Buy the Nook Color along with a one year subscription the NYT and it will be yours for $ 99 instead of $ 199.

In a similar vein, anyone who takes out a digital subscription to People magazine, costing $ 9.99 a month, will be able to get $ 50 of the price of the Nook Tablet computer – you get it for $ 199 instead of $ 249. Again, whether or not you consider that to be a good deal will depend upon if you were thinking of taking out a subscription anyway – and whether or not you were thinking about getting yourself a Nook Tablet.

The above offers will run until March the 9th. With that being said, it seems unlikely that this is the last time we will see such incentives.

What Next For Ebook Reader Prices?

Now that ebook readers have dipped below the $ 100 mark, it seems probable that we will see this type of offer more and more frequently. Both Amazon and Barnes and Noble have plenty of opportunity to offer incentive loaded subscriptions.

Amazon might even offer free Kindles to Amazon Prime (the Amazon premium delivery subscription service) members at some point in time. Possibly not too far in the future – Amazon already offer their Amazon Prime members free Kindle books and movie downloads. It would really just be a variation on a theme.

All sorts of different pricing models and incentives are possible. Free hardware with subscriptions, free content with hardware purchases, free hardware with membership of delivery services, book of the month clubs. The permutations go on.

So, if you think B&N’s current deal is good, go ahead and bite their corporate hand off. Or just wait a few months, maybe even just a few weeks, and you might just be able to pick out the best offer from a number of different options and suppliers.

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The last quarter of the year was pretty busy for both ebook readers and tablet computers alike. Both Barnes and Noble and Amazon were busy in the run up to Christmas.

Amazon unveiled its new additions to the Kindle range at the end of September – the Kindle 4, the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire tablet computer. The Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire, as Amazon’s first touch screen reader and first tablet computer respectively, got most of the publicity – but the Kindle 4 was a fairly significant development in its own right. An ebook reader for as little as $ 79 was a significant development. And with the Kindle Touch starting from $ 99 and the Kindle Fire on sale at $ 199, there were bound to be ramifications for pricing in both ebook reader and tablet computer market.

Barnes and Noble held their own press conference at the beginning of November and pretty much came out with all guns blazing. The price of the Nook Simple Touch was cut to $ 99, the Nook Color tablet computer was reduced to $ 199 and the Nook Tablet, priced at $ 249, was unveiled. What was just as interesting as the new pricing and product, was the way which Barnes and Noble went after Amazon so aggressively. They were clearly not going to play nice and were quite prepared to fight for their share of the market.

So did they get it? Who cleaned up in the festive gift giving jamboree? On the face of it, both companies did well – but there does seem to be a marked difference in their demeanor and reaction to their sales results.

Amazon

Amazon was bullish and upbeat. As always, Amazon was somewhat reticent when it came to releasing concrete figures – but they did announce that one million Kindles were sold each week during the month of December. They also confirmed that the Kindle Fire was the top selling item on the Amazon website, the Kindle Touch was second and the Kindle 4 was third. Quite a vote of confidence for the new models there.

Amazon were also happy to confirm, again without firm figures, that the Kindle was the best selling product on their UK, French, German, Spanish and Italian websites. Neither the Kindle Touch or the Kindle Fire are currently available outside the USA, so this claim could relate to the Kindle 4, the Kindle Keyboard, or combined sales of both.

The fact that Amazon sells the Kindle, or some versions of it, outside the USA is noteworthy in itself. It’s an additional revenue stream, some of the profits of which can be channeled into further Kindle development. Just as importantly, Amazon is building up a base of international customers who are connected to the Amazon content system – and who will therefore be less likely to jump ship and change to new readers or tablets in future.

B&N

In contrast with Amazon’s upbeat attitude, Barnes and Noble seemed to be somewhat confused as to just how well they had, or had not, performed over Christmas. Comments to the effect that the Nook Simple Touch had not met expected levels of sales were followed by rumors that B&N might split the Nook from its physical book sales.

B&N’s share price took a sudden hit, down 20% in a day’s trading, and CEO William Lynch clarified that Nook Simple Touch sales were up 70% on the previous year (compared to Nook reader sales that is) and that the company had not met their sales forecast because the forecast was too optimistic. He also advised that

We know that one of the goose that have laid the golden egg here in our success with Nook has been the showrooms that the stores provide, and we’ll continue to have a very symbiotic relationship there. We get that.

You can check out the full interview on CNBC in the video below.

So Who’s Winning?

Amazon is winning, or at least, Amazon is maintaining its already established position as market leader. In the Nook Simple Touch, Barnes and Noble has, what many business analysts and consumers consider to be, the best touch screen ebook reader on the market.

However, if it can’t get its act together and project an image of long term solidity for both its physical and digital sales arms, B&N will struggle to increase its market share further and to push Amazon harder.

Amazon will, in all probability, continue to lead the market for the foreseeable future. However, there is certainly room for other players. B&N projects digital sales of $ 1.5 billion in 2012. Hardly a trifling amount.

B&N is currently the best placed competitor to Amazon, and it can offer a serious alternative to the Kindle - but it needs to be a little more circumspect in its public pronouncements. If they get it right, there’s no reason why the Nook can’t close the gap on the Kindle.

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Lucky recipients of ebook readers spend the weeks after Christmas logging onto Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Project Gutenberg to download some ebooks for their new readers – hence the peak in sales of ebooks.

The good news is that many ebooks are available completely free of charge. There’s no reason for your new ebook reader to cost you a fortune.

Here’s a list of ten free ebooks which you can download for the Amazon Kindle free of charge. They’re all chosen to get you into the festive spirit over the coming holidays.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a Kindle. You can download a free app which will allow you to read these on your PC, Mac, iPod, iPad or smartphone here. Some of the titles are also available on Project Gutenberg – in which case a link is provided below the title.

A Christmas Carol – By Charles Dickens

You’ve seen the movie – several times and in numerous versions no doubt – but have you read the book?

If not, grab a copy of Dickens’ classic and witness the transformation of Ebeneezer Scrooge as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet To Come.

Also available in other formats at Project Gutenberg.

The First Christmas Tree – By Henry Van Dyke

This tells the story of Winfried of England – also known as the Apostle of Germany – as he travels through Saxony converting German pagans to Christianity.

In the end, the pagan tradition of the “Thunder Oak” is replaced by what will become the first Christmas tree.

Also available in other formats on Project Gutenberg.

Twas The Night Before Christmas – By Clement Clarke Moore

Another classic family favorite which is as enjoyable today as it was when written in 1912.

Also available in other formats on Project Gutenberg.

A Christmas Feral – By Mary Matthews

A slightly more modern Christmas tale – but based upon Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol”.

Set in the twenties, Judge Scrooge refuses to heat his home for Christmas and rules incorrectly in a dispute between cats. Magical cat Titania, and her companion Zeus, teach him a lesson about celebrating Christmas (and keeping cats content).

Christmas with Family & Friends Cookbook

Favorite recipes, homemade memories and little touches that make the holidays warm & cozy.

Festive recipes interspersed with seasonal tales and stories.

Sample recipes include:

Rosemary and garlic turkey

Chicken Kiev

Tiramisu

Eggnog pound cake

Cherry punch

Old Christmas – By Washington Irving

Set in the early 1800′s, Irving is traveling in the English countryside when he meets an old school friend at an inn.

Invited to spend Christmas at the family’s estate nearby, Irving finds that his friend’s father has decided to spend Christmas celebrating some of the obscure Christmas traditions of that time.

Also available in other formats on Project Gutenberg.

The Everything Family Christmas Book

Packed full of recipes, stories, poems, songs, handicrafts and Christmas traditions – and sure to infuse you with the festive spirit (if you aren’t already).

Also has some good ideas for hand-made gifts if you’re feeling artistic.

The Christmas Angel – By Abbie Farwell Brown

Miss Terry is a lonely old woman who has set out to ignore Christmas.

Whilst rummaging through a box of old toys, she comes across a Christmas Angel ornament, at which point things start to look up.

Also available in other formats on Project Gutenberg.

The Lonely Christmas Tree – By Shannon Glenn

A lonely Christmas tree stands in the middle of a field on Christmas eve.

Will his only wish be granted by the magical Christmas star or not?

A fairly short story which children will love.

A Little Book Of Christmas – By John Kendrick Bangs

Another relatively short volume.

Full of heartwarming Christmas stories and poems.

You can dip in and out of this as the fancy takes you.

Also available in other formats on Project Gutenberg.

That should hopefully be enough to see you through the holidays. If not, you can find plenty of other free titles, both festive and otherwise, on Amazon and Project Gutenberg.

Have a very merry Christmas.

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Anyone searching on Amazon for some Kindle friendly Black Friday – Cyber Monday festive joy, would have found that the big deal was that the DX had its price cut from $ 379 to $ 259. That’s a whopping great $ 120 off – or a price cut of 32% (let’s call it a third) if you prefer. What a bargain!

Given that the new Kindle 4, the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire have only just been launched, and bearing in mind that the Kindle Keyboard (the Kindle 3 as was) had its price cut at the same time, the DX would be the natural candidate for a price reduction.

Even so, $ 259 is still $ 60 more than the $ 199 price of the Kindle Fire. Who would prefer to pay that much extra for a device which has a monochrome e-ink display and a rudimentary web browser?

When the DX launched in the summer of 2009, it was marketed as being ideal for anyone who wanted to read newspapers, magazines or academic text books. At the time, that did make a lot of sense – content with a high degree of graphics would certainly be better viewed on the DX’s 9.7″ screen rather than 6″ screen of, what was at that time, the Kindle 2.0.

However, with Amazon’s new Kindle line up, you really have to ask if the DX continues to make quite so much sense. In all probability, if you’re reading newspapers, magazines or text books, you won’t (unless exams are looming) be reading for quite the same length of time as you would if you were reading the latest blockbuster.

So do you really get the full benefit of the e-ink technology display? Would you be better viewing your paper, mag or textbook in color for that matter? The DX does have basic web browsing capabilities – but even Amazon calls it “experimental”. Would your research, or catching up with the news, be better with something slicker, something altogether Silkier perhaps?

Which Is The Right Kindle For You?

Looking at the current Kindle range, I can imagine who might go for each of the different models.

The entry level Kindle 4 will probably appeal to anyone who just wants to read books and isn’t to bothered about surfing the web or playing Kindle games. It’s a good deal at the price.

The Kindle Touch is going to appeal to anyone who wants a compact device (no keyboard) but might want to do the odd bit of typing from time.

The Kindle Keyboard is going to be good for anyone who is in the habit of taking extensive notes whilst reading, or possibly just someone who wants to send the odd e-mail from their Kindle.

The Kindle Fire is aimed, fairly and squarely, at those who want to enjoy media other than books. If you want to watch videos and TV shows, surf the web, read magazines and newspapers and maybe just read books from time to time then this is the puppy for you.

The Kindle DX on the other hand now looks a little out of place – especially considering its price tag. Apart from its physical size, which has some disadvantages of course, it’s hard to see where it fits in the Kindle family these days.

Amazon is supposed to be releasing a larger version of the Kindle Fire sometime early in 2012. At which time I predict that we will see the Kindle DX put out to pasture.

Or am I missing something here? If you’re the proud owner of a DX, whether you got it as part of the Black Friday deal or not, feel free to tell me what you like about it and why I’m wrong in the comments section below.

Are you a book lover who just wants a light, small and inexpensive ebook reader to (guess what) read books on? If so, then the new entry level Kindle 4 might be the perfect solution for you.

When Amazon announced their new range of Kindles on September the 28th, a great deal of attention was, unsurprisingly perhaps, focused on the new Kindle Fire tablet computer.

The Kindle Touch also got a fair deal of publicity and Kindle Touch vs Nook Touch comparisons appeared all over the web – as did Kindle Fire vs Nook Color blog posts and reviews.

The fact that Amazon also introduced a new entry level Kindle, designated simply as the “Kindle”, but being referred to as the Kindle 4 by many these days, costing just $ 79 didn’t exactly go unnoticed – but it was significantly overshadowed by both the Touch and the Fire.

However, the Kindle 4 is selling well – hardly surprising when you think that it is a full spec ebook reader for just $ 79 which allows full access to Amazon’s massive library of Kindle books. In fact, it is currently the number one item on Amazon’s Kindle store bestseller list.

Kindle 4 – In A Class Of Its Own

After Amazon’s press conference at the end of September, Barnes and Noble held their own press conference – on November the 7th – and really hit back very hard and very aggressively at Amazon. However, whilst B&N clearly has the readers and computers to fight the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire, it has no direct equivalent to the Kindle 4. Amazon seems to have the entry level market pretty much to itself right now.

But don’t let the “entry level” label mislead. If you are a bibliophile looking for a device which will be mainly used for reading, then the Kindle 4 may be all the ebook reader that you need.

You get the same top quality Pearl e-ink technology screen as the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Keyboard and, of course, you get access to Amazon’s massive library of Kindle books. There are over 1 million to choose from, and 800,000 of these cost $ 9.99 or less. There are a further 1.8 million out-of-copyright titles which you can download for free, direct from Amazon’s website.

So How Can Amazon Keep The Kindle 4 Price So Low?

No Keyboard, No Touch Screen

The Kindle 4 has no touch screen or keyboard. All the controls are located at the bottom of the device as can be seen above. Page turn buttons are located on either side of the reader and make one handed operation very easy.

If you do need to input text, a virtual keyboard can be brought up using one of the buttons on the bottom. You can then use the central 5-way controller to enter text and commands.

It’s certainly less convenient than using a keyboard or a touch screen – but think about it. If you’re buying your ebook reader primarily to read books, just how much time will you spend typing? Probably the only time you’ll need to input data will be when you’re looking for a new book to buy on the Amazon website.

The lack of a keyboard or touch screen allows the Kindle 4 to be made smaller, lighter and cheaper. Depending upon how you intend to use your reader, you might find it to be a minor inconvenience.

Kindle 4 Internal Memory

The Kindle Touch and the Kindle Keyboard both  have 4GB of onboard memory, whereas the Kindle 4 has 2GB – of which about 1.25GB is accessible for user storage. That’s sufficient storage for up to 1,400 books – which is still probably going to be enough for even the most committed book lover.

Audio

Unlike the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Keyboard, the Kindle 4 has no audio facility. So you won’t be able to take advantage of the “read-to-me” function, listen to mp3 files or play audio books.

Power Cord

The Kindle 4 ships with a power cord suitable for connection to the USB port of your computer or laptop. If you want to be able to charge it from a wall socket, you’ll need to buy and additional adapter. These can usually be found for less than $ 10 on Amazon.

Kindle With Special Offers

$ 79 gets you a Kindle 4 which is supported by “Special Offers” – adverts in other words. These are shown on the screen saver pages and also at the bottom of the “Home” menu screen (see illustration).

Barnes and Noble made much of the fact that their Nook Touch has “no annoying ads” – but since the ads are only on the screen saver and menu pages, they won’t mar your enjoyment when you’re actually reading your books. On the other hand, they will be the first thing you see whenever you pick up your Kindle after it has been idle long enough for the screen saver to kick in.

It’s a topic that some people seem to feel strongly about. Some seem to object to adverts being associated with reading almost on a point of principle. Others are happy to point out that the special offers are genuine “specials” and many claim to have made their Kindle pay for itself by taking advantage of the special offers.

Here’s an example of some previously run special offers:

• One month of yoga classes in your city for $ 30 ($ 119 value).
• A Kindle book for $ 1.
• $ 30 worth of groceries at your local store for just $ 15.
• Savings of up to $ 500 on selected HDTVs.

Whether or not any of those appeal to you, they do seem to be genuine special offers. You could save a few dollars.

However, you don’t need to make your mind up immediately. You can buy the Kindle with special offers and, if you find that you really can’t tolerate the adverts, they can be turned off via the “Manage My Kindle” page on Amazon’s website. It will cost you another $ 30 to do this – but you have the option should you wish to use it.

The Kindle 4 Is Available Worldwide

Unlike the Nook, the Kindle 4 is on sale worldwide. Obviously that’s handy if you travel abroad a lot, but if you don’t, then you might just be saying “so what?” around about now.

However, the benefit of this for Amazon, and for Kindle owners everywhere, is that Amazon has access to numerous other revenue streams. This extra revenue can be used to fund development of the Kindle in future.

Kindle 4 Verdict

There’s not much doubt that the Kindle 4 has been built to a price. However, there’s not much doubt that Amazon has done a great job of it.

What Amazon has come up with is an ebook reader that is small, light and exceptionally good value for money. What you are getting here is a full spec ebook reader at a stocking filler price.

Anyone who wants a reader chiefly for reading books, and isn’t too worried about surfing the net or listening to audio, could do a lot worse than choose the Kindle 4.

Check out the Kindle 4 on Amazon.

Back to ebook reader home – or have a look at Kindle 4   Kindle Touch   Kindle Fire

As a matter of fact, whilst I find the hardware fascinating, I’m considerably more interested in the way that this is used. I consider the growth in the popularity of ebook reader and ebooks to be inevitable and think that most people will be surprised at how quickly they catch on. Bear in mind, it’s only 4 years since Amazon launched their first Kindle – and 2 years since Barnes and Noble launched their first Nook.

However, I am prepared to admit that I might just be a bit of a geek. Not everyone will share my enthusiasm for ebook readers and the changes that they bring. In fact, even some of my fellow geeks clearly have doubts.

So here’s a guest post from self proclaimed geek Part Time Ted who clearly harbors some doubts as to whether or not they are a good thing. Feel free to voice your own opinion in the comments section.

 Are eBook Readers Really Worth It?

I decided to write this article because I see how popular that these little electronic eBook readers are becoming.  Several of my friends now have them.  And, believe it or not, those friends aren’t the kind of people who are addicted to reading books like my wife and I are.  They are more casual readers.  With all of the hype going on, I have been wondering if one of those gadgets would be right for me.

I am kind of a geek.  I grew up with electronics. I am a part time blogger.  I went to college for computer science.  I am fascinated by new technology and the cool things you can do with it.  Yet, at the same time, I am a bit stubborn.  I don’t run right out and buy the latest greatest new technology when it first comes out.  My primary television is still a CRT based TV.  Scary, huh?  All of my friends have long since moved on to the flat screen LCD.  Most of them have several.  Our house is littered with the old fashioned tube televisions that just keep on working.

When cell phones first started becoming popular, all my friends ran out and bought them.  I was incredibly reluctant.  I was still using a pager.  Depending on how old you are, you might not even know what that is.  I used to have to borrow someone’s office phone or home phone or a pay phone to call back when somebody paged me.  I used that pager for work only.  So, I only took important calls.

When I finally got my first cell phone it was a Startac brand phone.  At the time it was the latest and greatest.  I hated the darn thing.  I found it annoying.  I snapped antennas off of the phone on a regular basis and not on purpose either.  The phone dropped calls on me.  It wasn’t always clear.  A lot of the calls were still analog.   Right now I am using one of those Droid3 phones from Motorola that allows you to do pretty much everything.

My wife and I were also slow to adopt the use of a digital camera.  Even though I had bought her a nice Kodak digital camera some years back, she was still using one that took actual film.

I tell you all about these other gadgets because it gives you a sense of the kind of person that you are dealing with here when it comes to electronics.  Some of my friends think I am nuts.  They wonder how a computer geek like me can be so slow to embrace these other modern technologies.

Back To eBook Readers

Here we are now in the age of eBook readers and I am still without one.  One of my best friends got one of those Nooks.  A couple of other people have the Amazon Kindles.  Everybody swears that they are the best thing since sliced bread.   Everyone except me, that is.

I keep asking myself why in the world I would want to complicate something as simple as reading a book.  You don’t need to start swearing when you are reading a book because your reader has run out of battery juice.  You don’t need to go nuts because you can’t find that little charger to plug the darn thing back in.   You don’t need to worry about getting a new cord because the power cord is starting to come apart.  You don’t need to sit somewhere special to get the right light to read your book.  Pretty much every traditional book lover already has the perfect place for reading books.  If you drop your book it doesn’t break.  If you are willing to take the time to go to the library then your book is totally free.  If you fall asleep and go face down into your book, who cares?  You aren’t going to choke on the cord or possibly electrocute yourself because you drooled on it.

I guess I just don’t get what all the hype is about really.  I think that these electronic eBook readers are for people who like to complicate their lives with junk so that their friends will think they are hip or cool.  I am not like that at all.  I could care less about whether people think my habits are cool or not.  I like to keep things simple.  Go try to relax on a beach sipping a stiff cocktail with your expensive electronic gadget.  I’ll still opt for my old fashioned book.  At least then I don’t have to worry that someone might steal it when I get up to go to the bathroom.  Hey, it’s just my opinion.

So, thanks for your opinion Ted. Needless to say, I disagree with you about ebook readers – I believe them to be a big step forward which will make reading easier, cheaper and more widespread (eventually).

I must also disagree about the Startac – I had one of those and I loved it. I would swap it for my Blackberry tomorrow.