Dear Jeff Bezos (one-week Kindle review)
I’ve read two books on it, which explains why I haven’t been on Twitter very much in the past week. But the Kindle really bugs me now. I’m hitting all sorts of little things that the Kindle team simply didn’t think through very well.
Here’s my one-week review of Amazon’s Kindle.
I focus on a few areas:
1. No ability to buy paper goods from Amazon through Kindle.
2. Usability sucks. They didn’t think about how people would hold this device.
3. UI sucks. Menus? Did they hire some out-of-work Microsoft employees?
4. No ability to send electronic goods to anyone else. I know Mike Arrington has one. I wanted to send him a gift through this of Alan Greenspan’s new book. I couldn’t. That’s lame.
5. No social network. Why don’t I have a list of all my friends who also have Kindles and let them see what I’m reading?
6. No touch screen. The iPhone has taught everyone that I’ve shown this to that screens are meant to be touched. Yet we’re stuck with a silly navigation system because the screen isn’t touchable.
Would I buy it? Yes, but I’m a geek. I can’t really recommend this to other people yet. Sorry.
It’s obvious that they never had this device in their hands when they were designing it.
Whoever designed this should be fired and the team should start over.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Nicely done Robert. Very good points. Especially the ecommerce part.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
I didn’t need a one week review to tell you all this, Scoble. ;)
November 25th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Is built in e-commerce and social networking really needed in a book?
November 25th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Absolutely agree with you here… This *might* have been cool in 1995. Arrington is right about the Sony Reader being better, but I think that the best is going to come out of Samsung or Apple in the near future.
http://digg.com/gadgets/Tech_Guru_Robert_Scoble_Reviews_the_Amazon_Kindle_Explains_Why_It_Sucks
November 25th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Thank you for an honest review. Wasn’t expecting that.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
So it will fail. If the early adopters don’t adopt it, how can it get across the chasm? But when you describe a device that would allow me to read online and then buy everything out of Amazon’s catalogue on the same device, I’m almost there.
As I mentioned last night, it’s good for high school and college students who have to carry a lot of books, but then it has to be covered in camo for the boys and leopard for the girls.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Send it back.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
It IS nice to get an unbiased review from someone who was prepared to use the thing for a week and then report back. Well done for trying it out.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
haven’t read your blog for a while robert, but i figured i’d stop by. it’s easy to rip things apart, but giving positive feedback is where most people fail. nice job on that. hopefully they listen.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Thanks for saving me $300. No way I’m going to buy this when it comes out in the UK. What a pile of crap. The only books I read on screen are technical books for reference. Often publishers will provide PDFs for the books if you’ve bought the paper version - and I’ll put those on my laptop. Similarly, the eBook reader in my Palm Pilot is mostly filled with converted specifications from the W3C.
For anything other than W3C specifications and technical manuals, I use Good Old Paper. Not because it’s special or magic or sacred, but just because ebook technology and/or design sucks.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
I meant giving helpful feedback is where most people fail :)
November 25th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Dear Robert Scoble:
Thank you for this.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
like we really need another gadget…traveling??? seriously scoble, you are such a retard!
November 25th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
I’m agree with you, Robert.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Another well placed rant! that’s two I love…..the Apple rant the this one….. Seriously the two grumpy old muppet hecklers………. I want to do a podcast and be one of those guys with you about tech.
“Back in my day we didn’t have gaddamn digital books, we used clay tablets, or stones and delivered them on a donkey, whip one of those into someones skull they knew they were getting smarter!”
November 25th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
No way I’m buying this thing. However, if they implement even half of the things you suggest (Google reader, book sharing, social network, less f**king stupid buttons, no rubbery horribleness), then I may have a look at v2.0.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Nice rant. Some of it skirted dangerously close to the style of the uber-troll “Moldy Toaster” of youtube, but its mostly right on target, and not the least bit embarrassing to any current or future offspring.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Thanks for the informative review - when I held one, it seemed really big. I don’t need something else to cram in my tote (girl problem). The (non) social aspects surprise me, it just seems that that and the eCommerce part would be a given.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
You couldn’t have said it better, Robert, “out-of-work Microsoft employees”…isn’t this the curse of all software but Apple’s! The interfacing of software tasks with not a shred of design or utility insight extends far beyond this particular device, supposed to be a fire starter.
One glance at the Kindle and I thought, “Ugh!…another tech billionaire who thinks he’s a design genius.” And proud that he spent 3 years getting it to perfection. You have to admire Jobs for knowing that he doesn’t know design and hiring the best.
I refer friends to my top five list of really good software, no bugs and superb interface. Two of these are the NeoPro overlay for Outlook & the X-1 text & file indexing program. And I never have forgotten Jerry Pournelle’s extended advice in Byte on how to write computer manuals…too detailed to recite, but should be a rule book for any one orginating tech for sale to the general public
Thanks for the heads up & your effective critique on so many subjects…maybe Jeff and all the others guilty of these same crimes will listen. One should, however, congratulate Bezos on the excellent Amazon business plan underlying the Kindle.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Perhaps our impressions of usability will improve after Amazon cuts the price of the device, which they presumably will after the beginning of the year. Heck, if its primary purpose is to point to Amazon, perhaps Amazon should give it away…
November 25th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
[...] Robert Scoble recorded a 13 minute video laying out his main beefs with Amazon’s new ebook Kindle reader. Most of his points pertained to the Kindle’s poor design (which I agree with). However, one of his points include: 4. No ability to send electronic goods to anyone else. I know Mike Arrington has one. I wanted to send him a gift through this of Alan Greenspan’s new book. I couldn’t. That’s lame. [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
I think all are good points, except 5 and 6. I really don’t see how a Social Network fits into a book, and a touch screen, if even possible on an eInk display would most cerently kill the battery exponentially faster. People have to remember that this isn’t meant to be a do-everything device.
While I don’t think this is the best device possible. Mainly due to the fact that after getting mine it took a good hour or so to figure out how to hold it. I do think it is far better then the Sony ereader though. I’ve been in the market for a eBook reader for a while and this is the first one I took a chance on, still room for improvement but a good start.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Commodore 128 brought into the year 2000:
http://blendingthemix.com/2007/11/22/the-amazon-kindle-commodore-128/
November 25th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
[...] 11/25/07 Scoble has a great review of the Kindle after using it for a week, reading two books on it. Technorati Tags: Kindle, gadgets, Jeff [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
It doesn’t have a teleporter either. That sucks.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Good stuff. My thoughts:
1) Agreed. Very short-sighted of Amazon. The fact that I could buy a paper-based product from Amazon on my Windows-based smartphone (which is a third of the size) is more than a little ironic.
2) Agreed. Unless your hands are the size of a 6-year old child, they seem to have designed the Kindle without considering the possibility that people actually need to hold it.
3) Disagree. Assume, for a moment, that you are not an uber-geek. Assume that you use a PC, you don’t have an iphone and spend most of your day in a Microsoft programme of some sort (as is the case for most business professionals). Menus are still far more familiar to the vast majority of potential Kindle-users. The Kindle is not a gadget built for geeks; or, to put it another way, my Mother likes the Kindle. ‘Nuff said.
4) Agreed, but there would presumably be the added headache of making sure people couldn’t bypass the system, and send books to each other gratis. Perhaps that is something for v2.
5) Disagreed. See 3) above. I would happily estimate that 90%+ of the people who will be Kindle users won’t give two hoots about any kind of social networking. I’m not saying it isn’t a decent idea for a future iteration, but it certainly isn’t necessary.
6) Depends. It’s already a fairly expensive device (for what it is), and a touchscreen would, I imagine, push the cost up even further. It may be a nicer experience for the user (although that would depend on the implementation), but would it really make a substantive difference? The Kindle isn’t a multi-faceted smoothie like the iPhone; it’s relatively limited, and designed for one primary function. Given that, a touchscreen doesn’t seem too high on the list of priorities.
I actually think it would have been a much nicer design as a…book! Not dissimilar to the Nintendo DS, but with a full (touch)screen covering both surfaces inside. But that’s just me.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Kindle sounds like something slapped together in the back of some Taiwanese hardware shop. It truly looks like it hasn’t been designed with functionality in mind, though I think Scoble may be coming on it too strong from the social network side of things. But they do need to think the use cases through more carefully and then design the hardware and software accordingly.
Actually, I’d like to see Scoble review the Irex Iliad (http://www.irextechnologies.com/products/iliad) and see if that works better for him. It seems to address some of the UI issues with its touchscreen, but it probably suffers some of the same hardware and software design flaws.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Personally I think the Kindle is too little too late.. compared to what we are bound to get on the iPhone.
http://martysmind.com/2007/11/24/amazon-kindle-too-little-too-late/
November 25th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
[...] UPDATE: Robert Scoble absolutely hates his. [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I haven’t used a Kindle, but I could already sense its suckiness just from looking at the customer reviews on Amazon. The time lag on the menus as seen in your video is mind-bogglingly bad.
However, I don’t think the lack of social networking is such a big deal. Personally, I would never buy a book for a friend on the fly and want to send it to them right then and there. I think you may be overstating the negative effect of this omission.
The big thing that kills the Kindle in my book is really two things: (1) the lack of native PDF support for both reading and annotating, and (2) the $400 price tag. Add PDF support to the kindle and drop the price to $99 and I’m interested. Otherwise not so much.
More here:
http://tinyurl.com/2laoyn
November 25th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
[...] Scobleizer unloads on the Kindle. There’s video. I think he makes too much of the lack of social networking capabilities, but [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Most of the points that you mention will eventually be fixed with a software update I suspect:
- Social Networking (book specific)
- Gifting - how cool would it be to turn on your kindle and see that someone has purchased a book for you?
- Overall UI experience
- Purchase other stuff from Amazon rather than just e-books
I do hope they come up with a better looking device overall, but I think that many of the shortcomings of the 1.0 version will be fixed in subsequent software updates. I hope this can happen directly over the EVDO network.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Robert: YOU might not buy a book on the fly, but I certainly would (and have). I bought my first book while attending a party when Cathy Brooks recommended one to me. I looked it up right there, showed it to her to make sure it was the one she was thinking of, and then bought it.
November 25th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Why does anyone who designs things you don’t like have to be fired? Isn’t there room in your world for reeducation, retrying and second chances?
November 25th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
“3. UI sucks. Menus? Did they hire some out-of-work Microsoft employees?” - Not only is this insulting to Microsoft employees, coming from you makes it so much worse. If it weren’t for that company you would be a zero. At least have some basic courtesy for a company who made who you are today.
“5. No social network. Why don’t I have a list of all my friends who also have Kindles and let them see what I’m reading?” - I frankly don’t think having a social network for a eBook reader makes any sense. I would rather have the price of the device lower… I think that plus the design is what’s going to kill this device. I think Amazon blew the price point.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Thanks for the honest review. I own an iPhone too so at $400, there isn’t much use for this other than reading eBooks. And I would be more than happy just having that capacity without any of the wireless crap which you know they (Amazon) are paying up the ass for. A nice Kindle Nano reader for $199 where I would sync up via USB would be just fine for me.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
[...] Robert Scoble pops a blood vessel ranting after his first week’s use of the Amazon Kindle. Really, Robert, tell us what you [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
[...] to generate positive buzz for the Amazon Kindle. “I can’t really recommend this,” writes Robert Scoble. “Whoever designed this should be fired and the team should start over.” [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Alfred: no one listens to me when I say people should be fired. Obviously if they get the job done right next time they’ll get kudos.
And, anyway, if I do something stupid I get fired. Why shouldn’t designers who aren’t going to hold the device in their hands before they let this thing out the door?
Personally, it probably wasn’t the designers’ problem, but rather some committee who probably threw out the original design for something that “looked cooler.” At least that’s what usually happens when products don’t come out right.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Eshwar: Microsoft Office 2007 got rid of menus. Even Microsoft’s designers realize that menus are hard to use, look lame in the world of the web and iPhone, and need to be done away with. And since when is telling the truth about Microsoft’s designs bad? Microsoft isn’t known for its design skills. Regarding whether Microsoft “made me” or not. Well, sure did help put me on a bigger stage, but before I was a Microsoft employee I was an NEC one and had thousands of readers every day BEFORE I even got to Microsoft.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Seriously,
The Kindle team should take a lesson from Apple designers. The UI is so garbled and confusing.
When the screen is of that size, I would like to have touch on it. It is very unintuitive (especially now that I use my ipod touch everday) to press buttons to make something happen on the screen. I would just like to touch the pages and flip them.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
On second thought, for a book reader, I wouldnt mind stylus input (rather than simple touch) with handwriting recognition like in a tablet PC.
It will feel like reading a book holding a highlighter to mark stuff and take notes. Makes much more sense.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
[...] Kindle product page are pretty good marketing tools, but, is the product truly worth it? Scoble, among others, dislikes it. Among the many criticisms are the Kindle’s nonexistent social [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I completely agree with you on this - the usability of this thing is a nightmare. It’s funny that 37signals, usually quick to give a vicious and opinionated lashing towards anything that scores so low on the usability scale, was urging caution and asking people to quit condemning the kindle:
http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/712-kindle-ignites-the-flames
They disclosed that Bezos is one of their financiers, but that sounds more like an explanation than a disclosure this time.
We parodied this post on our own blog, the 38th signal:
http://38thsignal.blogspot.com/2007/11/kindle-bursts-into-flames.html
We do this with a lot of their sillier stuff. I started telling you about it during our interview, but then Rocky came back with new batteries for the mics so we had to get started again. :)
November 25th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Robert,
I like your blog and much of what you write, but I think this is one of the most off the mark, inane set of comments and what drives real innovators crazy.
I’ve been using a Kindle and I think it’s incredible. (I wonder how many others leaving comments actually have one).
It does what it’s intended to do near perfectly. It lets you shop for a book and retrieve it quickly and effortlessly. The hardware is modern, subtle, sleek and simple. It gets out of the way when you’re reading. Why in the world do I care whether I can send something to someone else. Use a phone or a computer. The screen technology is what enables and makes practical a book reader. They haven’t yet invented one with a touch screen and doing so would degrade the quality.
As to the menuing interface I handed it to my elderly mother to use as a test. She was able to shop for a book, retrieve it and read it. Perhaps it was developed by an unemployed Microsoft employee who was fired for making things too simple.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Why the gratuitous Microsoft bashing in #3? You weren’t referring to yourself, were you? :-)
November 25th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Phil: cool, glad to see we disagree, although largely I agree with you. Being able to buy a book and view it immediately no matter where you are is pretty incredible and well done.
It’s just that the design of this thing is maddening and makes telling other people about it even more maddening. EVERY TIME I hand it to someone else I lose my place in my book.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
The business model for the kindle is terrific - really top notch. It’s the UI that’s bad. I know the technology isn’t there to do a digital paper touch screen, but honestly the iPhone has ruined users - we’d rather have something fun with less battery life than something more readable with lots of buttons. This just doesn’t have mass market appeal.
I think you left a good complaint off the list too: the keyboard. If this thing is about reading books, then why should I have to deal with a keyboard taking up 30% of my device when 95% of the time I’m using it I don’t need or want it?
If you’re going to do an e-book reader, it needs to be done right. The business model is done right, but the device isn’t. If the technology isn’t here to do it right, then Kindle should wait a few years.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
[...] out what Scoble says about the Kindle: It’s obvious that they never had this device in their hands when they were designing [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Robert if you got fired everytime you did something stupid you’d have multiple jobs a year. :-) So would most of us.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Alfred: heheh. If I got fired everytime I did something stupid I’d have at least 600 jobs a year! :-)
If Jeff Bezos actually listened to me that’d be stupid!
November 25th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
[...] How To Become Web 2.0 Reviewer? Ask Robert Scoble… Posted on November 26, 2007 by Tukang Ketik Tertarik untuk menjadi Web 2.0 reviewer? Lakukanlah seperti apa yang dilakukan Robert Scoble: [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
[...] The blogosphere has been abuzz with Amazon’s ebook reader named [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Robert,
As to the keyboard, I suspect it’s there to make better use of the Kindle store and searching. But it also helps to hold the device. I hold the unit either with 2 hands above the keys or with my right hand over the ridge. Once I got used to it the turn page bar works great.
Phil
November 25th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
I think what Scoble was trying to say with all those social networking comments is that the possibilities for this product are amazing: imagine a device that’s always connected, independent of your computer and used for something as personal as reading, and how it could bring you closer to your friends who also own one? They could have really changed the game here, like Microsoft did with their XBox online functionality.
November 25th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
One thing about the Kindle introduction that sticks out to me-Bezos saying this isn’t a device, its a “Service”.
I’m guessing the 1.0 hardware is just something they had to do to get things started-but they must have a bigger strategy here. I’m wondering if Apple is going to release:
a) an update to the iPhone that can access the Kindle “Service”
b) a Tablet Mac that can access the Kindle “Service”
(Steven Levy even dropped a hint about something in his Newsweek column-”(I’ve been reading Boswell’s “Life of Johnson” on my iPhone, a device that is expected to be a major outlet for e-books in the coming months.)” )
November 25th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Robert, I think you missed one minor point; it’s an electronic book. It’s not a frisbee that’s supposed to let you read while you pass it around. It’s not a wireless physical-goods shopping device. It’s not a remote facebook interface. It’s not an iphone clone.
In your entire silly rant you fail to mention how the experience was reading those two books. That might have been interesting.
November 25th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
[...] I think he’s a tool. My quote of the week comes from his review of the Kindle though:http://scobleizer.com/2007/11/25/dear-jeff-bezos-one-week-kindle-review/ Skip to about 6:30. ”Who the hell uses menus anymore?” Indeed. [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
[...] I find so fascinating about the discussion around the recently released Amazon Kindle book reader and devices like the iPhone is that people are generally open to the slate form factor….and [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
I guess the memories of readers really are that short. Just a few short days ago, you were gushing about the Kindle.
I pointed out that the Kindle was a UI nightmare which you childishly responded with “Have you seen the UI? I don’t believe you” which added NOTHING to the conversation.
Go back to your previous link and reread the comments. http://urltea.com/24fp
I specifically pointed out that the Prev and Next buttons were going to be an issue. The Kindle is not a well thought out product. I would LOVE to have a good ereader given the number of books I read. I am nearing 100 books for the year despite having an extremely busy schedule and “full time job” as you say. The fact is that if you enjoy reading, you will make the time. And two books in a week is nothing.
So for a change, admit that you know nothing about what makes a good ereader, lay off the navel gazing techno punditism and let others who actually have a clue weigh in.
I leave you with a quote. “You, Sir, Are an idiot”. And should be fired for gross stupidity.
PS. For those saying that books are status symbols, that is just plain idiotic.
November 25th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
I don’t intend to purchase this version of the Kindle…But do expect the second and third generations to be serious revolutionary devices.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
My refrigerator sucks because it doesn’t have a social network. Why don’t I have a list of all my friends who also have refrigerators and let them see what I’m eating?
Because not everything has to be a social network, that’s why.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
I’m in the same boat as Davic Mackey (above). Perhaps if the price point were much lower then people wouldn’t expect a simple ebook reader to do so much.
What I’d like to see in addition to being able to purchase books is to have a book subscription like Oreilly’s Safari service. I re-read a fraction of the books that I buy, so being able rent a couple of books a month for a reasonable subscription fee would be great for me.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
In other words… Its not buzzword or multi-touch compliant. BOOOHOOOO! Get a real book!
November 25th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
[...] never seen Scoble go off, but he has lost it today He goes off on the Kindle and his review. From what I can tell from [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
I agree with everything Scoble has to say thus far about the Kindle’s shortcomings. Sure, many readers will not miss the social networking features he mentioned but he is right that it should be there in these web 2.0 days. The ability to connect with other kindle users is a brilliant marketing and business tool! Robert is correct about the piles of money they are leaving on the table!
The UI is critical and it does appear to be flawed in many ways. Too bad Apple was not involved with its design. Steve Jobs would have come up with a much better book reader. (did I type that out loud? me, a windows lover? sheesh).
Keep the criticism coming, Robert! It will help them build a better product for all of us!!!
Thanks for the passion!
Pai
November 25th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
Well, Robert, you talked yourself out of a $40 commission. But I appreciate your honesty. I’ll wait and hope that they get the next version right.
But I have to disagree with you about firing the designer. The one who had authority over approval of the design is the one who needs to take responsibility.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
they should make it more like a umpc, with the keyboards on the sides… and with a hold button for the keyboard, so you don’t accidently hit it when you’re gripping it. They should have a seperate lcd screen for typing (using non e-ink technology) at the bottom, so typing is more responsive. finally like the psp, the next/prev botton should be at the top of the device (r1/l1)
November 25th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
[...] Scoble, on Kindle. Tagtastic: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Wow. Robert, I’ve never had the patience to watch one of your videos beyond a few seconds before, but this was compelling, honest, and just rang true. Nicely done…I was seriously interested in the Kindle before I saw this, but not now. Like I said…wow.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
maybe amazon had ‘your media library’ in mind for the social network. you can make your kindle collection public.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/ays/index.html?app=profile&targetCustomerId=A11KU9CJKK4R3D&profile=A11KU9CJKK4R3D
November 25th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
[...] the last week giving his new Amazon Kindle ebook reader a test drive, reading a couple of books and declaring the progeny of Jeff Bezos a failure. He thinks the usability and user interface suck and it lack features such as a touch screen, [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Robert- I’ve been testing a Kindle for the past few days and it feels like a prototype device. Forget about just ordering paper products- I should be able to order anything out of the Amazon catalog.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Thank you, Robert! :D I just hope Apple take notice, coz you get the feeling they are the only ones who could do it right.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Robert:
You appear to have completely missed the point.
The Kindle is a book reader–buying paper goods and other features would complicate the device.
The most important attributes for the Kindle are long battery life and screen readability. Neither of these can be accomplished with a touch-screen.
Do you have any expertise in technology at all? Maybe you should get a clue before calling for the firing of the Kindle designers.
Matt
November 25th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
I agree, the Kindle is too limited… it can’t even find me a girlfriend! (Can anything?)
November 25th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
Books are status symbols because someone living in poverty does not have or take the time to buy a book and read. All romantic notions aside, someone who is worried about their next meal, or too strung out on drugs, does not care about books or the Kindle. Thus, books are status symbols saying ‘Hey, I’m rich enough to buy books.’
November 25th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Are you wearing pink nail polish? Hope not.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Your point about the funky page numbers in the video is an excellent one as well. Imagine a class where the professor is using a printed copy of the book and you are using your Kindle. When the professor says “turn to page 115 and read the second paragraph” you need to be “backwards compatible” with the paper version or you will immediately be lost in the discussion. So there really needs to be compatibility between paper users and electronic users.
One thing that did appeal to me about the “Service” aspect of the Kindle is that you can redownload your purchased books at any time — Apple could at least learn a lesson from this and allow people to redownload media when they lose it.
And now a critique of the kyte video player you are using since the topic is usability — why won’t it let me skip ahead without downloading the entire clip up to that point? I wanted to jump forward to a later point in your review, but it wouldn’t let me.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Dread said:
“Thank you for an honest review. Wasn’t expecting that.”
Ditto.
The only really positive impression I have after reading a half-dozen reviews of the Kindle is that I would have appreciated a device that contained all my casebooks in law school. I have had problems with my right shoulder, the one my backpack tended to rest one, since that time.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
[...] tell you why I won’t be buying one, and more importantly, what you can do to change my mind. Robert Scoble was nice enough to give it a week at least; I don’t think I need that much [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
Nice post Robert - I am nearly in complete agreement. I’ve also posted up what I think Amazon can do to change the way Kindle works. I really think they are missing out on a huge opportunity:
http://ericgonzalez.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/kindle-me-this/
November 25th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
[...] Andy Abramson makes a good point: we are more and more entering the era of divergence, in every field. And Scoble joins this bandwagon of pessimists with this review. [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
“It’s obvious that they never had this device in their hands when they were designing it.”
is it really obvious, or is that your way of simply delivering a cheap shot?
Personally I’m not having any problems with the usability. Compared to the Sony Reader it’s an order of magnitude better.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
[...] Scoble: One week Kindle review. Dana Blankenhorn: Just how bad are medical records? A real medical [...]
November 25th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
Omar: if they had their hands on a device while designing it they would have made the rubber grip fit your hands.
But I agree that it’s better than the Sony Reader. I never bought a Sony Reader, I bought this one.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
I’ve also had mine for a week or so now and disagree with pretty much all of your points.
1) I don’t want to buy paper goods from Amazon through the Kindle. The main reason I bought it was to read things on the Kindle and to unclutter my shelves.
2, 3) Usability sucks. They didn’t think about how people would hold this device.
The usability and UI could certainly be better — They’re obviously limited by by the screen, its refresh rate is slow, but fast enough to do what the device was meant to do. Read. I find the way the device fits in my hands to be great. The device looks a lot better in person than in the photos.
4) It would be great to be able to send electronic goods to someone else. This doesn’t seem like a failing of the Kindle but of the Amazon service. Nothing stops Amazon from letting you do this.
5) Social network? Again, more Amazon service things. Do they provide this for actual books? Why do you need this for ebooks?
6) Touch screen? I’m pretty sure I would find a touch screen on this device to be a pain. Given the speed at which the screen can redraw, I suspect you would end up pushing the screen, waiting waiting pushing it again and it wouldn’t be a very nice experiment. I think they’ve done a great job given the screen technology. The screen isn’t a LCD.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
callingbull: so you never change your opinion after you have a product for a while? Got it. You are so smart that your first judgment is always right.
Oh, and have you ever had your hands on a Kindle? How did you before last Tuesday?
November 26th, 2007 at 12:31 am
Wish amazon would just let us read books in the devices we have already: iphone, treo, ipod, etc.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Robert:
I was kind of embarrassed for you as I watched this video. Repetetive, over-the-top bile; you could have trimmed 10 minutes out of that video. And I wondered if *you* had thought it through - there is an ebook device with a touchscreen (iRex iLiad), and it retails for $700. I think I can do without that if it saves me 300 clams.
Yes Kindle has some flaws. I haven’t held one yet (mine is on order), so I can’t comment about the page buttons. I suspect that one learns to hold it properly in, oh … 5 minutes or less, though.
Social networking or buying products for others? Maybe that’s for version 2. For now, I’m fine without it.
Kindle brings two very big new features to the fledgeling ebook device area: 1) the wireless impulse buy, that’s a stroke of genius. And 2) over 90k books at reasonable prices, with a real way forward to see more and more books in the ebook channel. These alone put me in the ‘wanna take *yet another* early adopter beating’ crowd. Yet you hardly bother to mention them.
I was embarrassed for you; and I wondered if you’d been drinking.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:33 am
believe it or not, they still haven’t delivered mine, and we bought it the same day. ridiculous.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:43 am
Robert-
I have to give you a gold star for your regression from Kindle fanboy to fair critic after legitimately road-testing it.
Cheers.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:46 am
Bryan: I wasn’t drinking. You should go back and look at my other Kindle videos. this isn’t the only one. In the others I point out the benefits.
Here’s my other videos:
Kindle unboxing: http://www.kyte.tv/channels/view.html?uri=channels/6118/74949
Walking around on Kindle: http://www.kyte.tv/channels/view.html?uri=channels/6118/74999
Kindle first use: http://www.kyte.tv/channels/view.html?uri=channels/6118/74984
Books vs. Kindle: http://www.kyte.tv/channels/view.html?uri=channels/6118/75445
Arrington rips on Kindle: http://www.kyte.tv/channels/view.html?uri=channels/6118/75154
November 26th, 2007 at 12:49 am
Of course, it is possible to change one’s opinion. The problem though is you typically come across as your opinion being the only correct one.
I did get a chance to play with a Kindle (not before Tuesday since I have a RealJob) and still stand by my comments.
One other point I would make though is that Kindle does not let my friends borrow a book that I like. Just like I am able to loan a physical book, I should be able to do the same. That would be a decent use of DRM instead of a blanket lockup.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:51 am
In the age of convergence why is anyone going to carry around another device just to read books?
The iPhone already comes close to fulfilling the Kindle’s potential. Just check out the Texterity iPhone magazine web site (on an iPhone) and you’ll see what I mean…
http://www.texterity.com/iphone/
If it’s another gadget that you want to lug around then the fabled UMPC-multi-touch Apple device will probably nail the market before anybody else does.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:55 am
When I eventually get back to the Valley, I’m still ordering one, since I’ve done the Sony thing and none of the bullet items are deal breakers for me. ESPECIALLY lack of social networking, heh. Trust me, you don’t want to know the stuff I read.
And Chris Finke, your comment alone has made me a new reader of your blog. :D
November 26th, 2007 at 1:01 am
[...] the last week giving his new Amazon Kindle ebook reader a test drive, reading a couple of books and declaring the progeny of Jeff Bezos a failure. He thinks the usability and user interface suck and it lack features such as a touch screen, [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 1:06 am
I guess the reason I’m not surprised it’s bad is because the company who built it isn’t a products company. As I’ve said before, I’m a huge Amazon fan, but it’s not like they are design/interaction experts. They have a so-so Web interface, and zero gadget expertise.
Maybe there’s a reason a few of us do this stuff for a living? :)
November 26th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Personally I think you wine too much during this review. The kindle seems to have some interesting features but you wine about some feature nobody ever will use except some freaky consumers who order books daily. You have the privelage to be an American consumer. As soon as China switches to Euros you WILL be screwed and will have to dive deeper into you wallet for you gadgets. You will notice that requesting useless features cost more than a few bucks.
November 26th, 2007 at 2:26 am
[...] Scoble’s review and lengthy (13mins) videolog points out some other valid flaws. Essentially, quoting ZDNet, Scoble [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 2:50 am
[...] Scoble has published his one-week review of the Amazon Kindle. The Amazon Kindle is an eBook Reader much like the Sony Reader and the iLaid [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 2:55 am
I can’t believe they came out with this and even brought it out with such fanfare. It looks like something from the 1980’s. After using an iPhone all they needed to do was create something similar to this but larger (maybe with a screen that is ‘paper like’ as they say). Anyway, hope they learn their less on this
November 26th, 2007 at 3:13 am
“Usability sucks.”
Wow. And it’s with this kind of highly detailed commentary you became one of the top-rated blogs on the web?
Sound’s more like something a Digg troll would spout…
November 26th, 2007 at 3:31 am
Be that as it may, but personally, I’m suitably impressed by Kindle. I don’t want it to have a social network, nor do I need to be able to buy paper books from the damn thing.
But a device with a screen that I can see stuff on when I’m sitting outside in the sun? That I need.
Of course the iPhone/Laptop/PDA has better resolution and better networking capabilities. But that doesn’t do anything for me when sitting somewhere sipping umbrella drinks.
When I have some spare time, I read books. Lot’s of them. Three this weekend. If I go somewhere I take lots of pulped dead trees with me.
To get rid of that weight AND being able to read the darn thing wherever I want is somewhere between good enough and a dream come true.
Again, it’s all about the (granted, fairly limited) screen. All the other stuff is extras.
November 26th, 2007 at 3:32 am
[...] can see the scobleizer’s full review here. Watch the video though, I love the phrase about “leaving that kind of money onthe [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 4:05 am
Scoble, I really value this most direct and passionate summary/review of the kindle. I much prefer this kind of reviews (even if it’s somewhat emotional) to the average “oh, everything is sooo great” reviews that usually float around the net. it’s this kind of reviews that make a difference for me (even if, of course, not everyone can/will agree with every point you bring up. i do, however). cheers!
November 26th, 2007 at 4:05 am
You can’t use the browser to buy books on amazon? Why?
November 26th, 2007 at 4:16 am
Give me a break, no social networking. You live in this world of tech blogs that believes everyone in the world is in some social network, and the rest who are not actually care. Guess what, most are not, and most don’t care. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid. The device is interesting with or without social networking.
November 26th, 2007 at 4:57 am
Just watched the video. I haven’t seen you this upset since the time you tried to kiss Dirk Diggler.
The point about the page buttons seems like a good one. In trying to make it as easy as possible to turn the page, they made it way too easy. Other than that, I don’t really care about any of the things you’re so incensed about. No social networking? OHNOEZ!!!
November 26th, 2007 at 4:59 am
For Kindle 2.0, perhaps they should add user to the evaluation group. Seriously, many of the features you want seem like no-brainers that could be implemented. It’s always fascinating to see new products that miss some of the basic things that consumers want.
November 26th, 2007 at 5:23 am
The difference between Kindle & iPod
http://tinyurl.com/2pw6nd
November 26th, 2007 at 5:38 am
The Kindle was designed by Cheek Piederbonk of Wolff Olins, same people behind the reviled London 2012 Olympics logo.
http://odelbee.com/2007/11/22/cheek-piederbonk-kindle-designer/
November 26th, 2007 at 5:56 am
[...] The text is posted here. [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 6:19 am
[...] clipped from scobleizer.com [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 6:27 am
The design is not the best, I agree, but I still think this is the best e-book device we have.
November 26th, 2007 at 6:42 am
Nice review, one thing I wish you would hit is the keyboard… Is it as bad as it looks?
Also, why wouldn’t you buy an OLPC instead? It has a reflective screen, is a real computer, can be charged with a crank and you get to help save the world.
Pretty good deal, I think!
November 26th, 2007 at 6:48 am
I am waiting for a Day-Runner sized package with both an LCD touchscreen and an e-Paper screen. It is either that or wait a decade for e-Paper technology to improve so that it can do all the tricks we have come to expect from mobile devices. No it wouldn’t fit in your pocket but neither does a paperback (much less a stack of reference books). I’ve read books on LCD screens and I don’t like the small size in the case of mobile devices or the backlighting. When I am traveling in South America I need more battery life than LCD devices provide as well.
November 26th, 2007 at 7:26 am
The kindle reminds me of the Sony reader from 1994 which it had limited amount of books but the dictionary was the only great feature that I actually used in College… Well, They should of learned from sony mistakes…The new Sony is much better….
Thanks for being honest…
Keep it up..
Big Frank
Downey, Ca
November 26th, 2007 at 7:27 am
Robert,
I respecfully disagree with pretty much everything. I’ve owned it for a week. My biggest issues are that most folks want MORE features, for LESS money, but that’s what consumers always want. I want to get rid of some features (blogs? Come on?).
I do agree that the physical design is odd, but I took a note from the instructions that said it’s designed to be used with the cover on. Once you do this, the holding it issue goes away 100%. The spine becomes a perfect handle, and I can read endlessly with one hand, without having to hold a book open. (The cover could hold the thing better, but velcro solved that). Which brings me to my biggest complaint, which is how they’ve communicated this thing. They should SHOW the thing with the cover on all the time. They should point out that getting PDFs on it is super easy.
There’s little question it’s early adopter tech. Much of what you talk about (store/social networking issues) are relatively straightforward software problems easily patched in.
Last, for everyone who doesn’t get ebooks — thats OK. But take one to the gym, put it on the little shelf of the treadmill, up the type face and start running, flat out. You can still read a book. Never seen a way to do that on paper.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:02 am
Nice review, although I really didn’t need one to know how much this thing sucked. It’s so retro-but-not-cool-enough-to-be-retro. It looks like something TI circa 1982. That being said, I think e-book readers like this will probably replace regular textbooks for schools. Just thinking about how much less back pain for our kids and how much locker space saved could be accomplished by licensing text books in an electronic format for these things.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:03 am
I just bought one. Haven’t received it yet though. My question is - why do we need “social networking” in a book reader? Seems like it would be a total waste of bandwidth, and not something that most users would want. That’s like the old complaint that iPods don’t have FM tuners.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Thank you for validating the design decisions that went into the best ebook reader: The Sony Reader.
http://mikecane.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/sony-reader-part-4-of-4/
Sony did the Kindle first — in gadget-mad Japan:
http://www.makezine.com/extras/50.html
– see all those nifty buttons? FAIL!
Sony USA twisted Japan’s arm to let them remix it. It’s been successful (yes!) and has gone to rev 2, recently released.
Just looking at the Kindle, I could tell there would be all the problems you highlighted (no pun intended). You get no sympathy from me.
As for a touchscreen ebook reader:
http://fakesteve.blogspot.com/2007/10/our-new-ibook-reader.html
One thing I can thank amazon for: Ebook prices have dropped to sane levels. There are ebooks I’ve wanted to buy and they’ve now dropped in price *below* their mass-market paperback price. Thanks, Jeff Bezos. But I won’t be reading them on that Kindle abomination!
November 26th, 2007 at 8:14 am
[...] una semana de usar el eBook Reader de Amazon, Robert Scoble escribe 5 excelentes [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Robert, I agree with most of your opinions about the Kindle and even wrote my own impressions after a few days of usage:
http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2007/11/hands-on-impres.html
I’m not quite as harsh as you are as I still think that the Kindle is sufficient for the intended audience- those who don’t live on the web and who are connected all the time. If they address the buttons I wouldn’t have a problem buying one for a family member.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:33 am
Please leave social networking OFF the Kindle. The last thing I’m worried about when “curled up” reading a book is what the hell my friends are doing. I don’t need to be connected to the grid 24/7. Other than that, sounds like you just saved me a few bucks. Guess I’ll wait for version 2 or a better brand.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:01 am
all of you people giving bad reviews about this device are missing the point. this machine is meant to be as simple and technology free as possible and give you the real feeling of a book.
you want an ipod, go get one, but don’t ruin it for other brilliant devices.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:23 am
[...] 2007]: In follow-up to the points made by Telecoms.com, it’s worth noting a comment left on Robert Scoble’s blog: 56. One thing about the Kindle introduction that sticks out to me-Bezos saying this [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Despite the problems, they sold out.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:33 am
[...] Dear Jeff Bezos (one-week Kindle review) « Scobleizer — Tech geek blogger Ouch. (tags: kindle amazon reviews) [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 9:47 am
I found the Kindle awkward and clumsy, but it is far better than using my laptop. I hope the next version is better.
November 26th, 2007 at 10:16 am
>>>Despite the problems, they sold out.
BFD. How many *units* did they sell? If they only had 5,000 on hand, that’s no big accomplishment.
November 26th, 2007 at 10:28 am
[...] Scoble, a professional tech blogger, has a very negative review of the Kindle here. If you watch the video (and let me warn you: there’s a few bad words in there), you will see [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Well the plus point is the lack of social networking. I seriously don’t see the need for social networking to be part of every aspect of my life, people like time alone, a perfect situation for reading.
I’m sure this will improve with later versions, it’s early days yet but it doesn’t sound as if it was designed with the end user in mind.
November 26th, 2007 at 10:30 am
No touch screen? please. Touch screens are not innovative, on mobile devices, all touch screens require a minimum of two hand to operate, that’s not innovation.
Social networks? Please!! If I want to know what my friends are reading, I ask them.
I find this review laughable and totally missing the point.
November 26th, 2007 at 10:33 am
There is something being said for buying an electronic book that you will be able to access anywhere for the rest of your life. Yes, DRM is a big part of this, and you might think that would work against permanence of access. But it’s frick’n Amazon. Whatever follow-on devices they sell, you can be sure that your purchases will always be accessible. And if they stick with built-in EVDO (and successor) tech, indeed, you buy it, you own it.
November 26th, 2007 at 10:38 am
Scoble - what a whiny bitch. Try designing a product yourself you fat pig.
November 26th, 2007 at 10:43 am
What the heck? I’ve just watched your earlier videos. You’ve flipped so much, so fast, so hard, I’m wondering if your Kindle mugged you in the middle of the night.
http://www.kyte.tv/ch/6118-scobleizer-sponsored-by-seagate/75445-books-vs-kind#uri=channels/6118/75445
This earlier video is a much more mainstream review. Again, you’re acting like you’ve never said word one about the Kindle before. So tell us please, what happened?
November 26th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Well, 7 days too late, but you got there anyways. Gandered it over Thanksgiving, took less than 30 seconds: Poor UI (ok, maybe a pass, if stuck in the Palm III era), hard-to-handle usability feeling, ghosting/flicker, lack of PDF support, locked into Amazon’s bloodstream.
The old Sony Reader, even with it’s own massive shortcomings, is light-years beyond this (I don’t agree with Omar), and the 505 or iRex kicks it further. Kindle is really time machineish, feels like it was made two decades ago. This woulda been the coolest thing EVAR, like totally, like gag me with a spoon, like, in, like, 19, like, 85, like totally. I mean, fax machines, the CD, the Walkman, and the KINDLE.
Touch would be nice, but it would make it more expensive. The lack of ’social functions’ is Scobleish moot point, even in it’s best-case-usage scenario only a few will use or care. Zune has ’social’ and look what that has done for them, nadda. And you just know Amazon wouldn’t let you share books, all willy-nilly.
iPhone gone iBook, yeah that could be a consumer hit, anything else I don’t see it. Reader and iRex and similar, while good, are still expensive niche markets. If Apple doesn’t get in this market, it’s pretty much a goner. Microsoft tried and failed, those MS Reader Win CE devices were beyond jokes, and the Tablets are DOA.
November 26th, 2007 at 11:43 am
Well, Amazon supposedly thinks long term, so maybe there’ll be a Twig next year, then a Branch, and finally by the time they get to the Amazon Log they’ll actually be saving a lot of trees :)
But seriously, I’m not sure geeks are the early adopters for a technology like this.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
[...] foi considerada como revolucionária. Será que algum dia a gente vai dar risada do iPhone? Do Amazon Kindle com [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
I don’t know whether Kindle is any good or not, but I couldn’t care less about the lack of a “Social network” functionality for this device, and I don’t particularly like touch screens (I hate smudges and fingerprints on screens, but I guess that’s just me).
But at least this was an honest review, after you praised it so much. But I think most buyers won’t care about the “problems” you list, except for point 2 (which was vague) and possibly point 3 (UI issues).
November 26th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
[...] under: Books, Technology — Fred @ 3:28 pm Tags: Amazon, e-books, Kindle, Robert Scoble Scoble doesn’t like the Kindle much. If by “not much” we mean “everyone associated with the project should be [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
“How many *units* did they sell? If they only had 5,000 on hand, that’s no big accomplishment.”
Yeah, $2 million in 5 hours? Ho-hum.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
I didn’t care for the way Robert reviewed the device.
http://www.eclecticismo.com/hhblog/2007/11/dear_robert_scoble.html
Just my opinion though.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
And now, the Luddite response:
I will never ever ever buy an e-book. They are the epitome of lame, and serve no discernible purpose.
Who on earth would want a machine to do what his own eyes and hands have equipped him to do with greater ease and less expense? No matter how user-friendly they make the interface, it does not improve upon the interface of a bound book. Nor does the memory of a book fragment, decay, or become in-acessible. Print may fade, but copies can be made not just before it does so, but AS it does so!
Who wants to be interrupted during a choice passage of a novel by low battery or some other mechanical failing? This will happen. You will have to pay good money to have your reading apparatus repaired, and then to re-buy the tomes you have stored there. Money which could have been better spent buying actual books, which can still be read even if you snap the spine like vermicelli.
Do you people actually like reading, or is this simply the next wave of Geekifest Destiny? Must we automate EVERYTHING? Normally I’m a pro-technology kind of chap, but this is simply a waste of resources. Books are not broken. Do not fix them. Burn, Kindle, Burn.
November 26th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
“And since when is telling the truth about Microsoft’s designs bad?”
Maybe because it’s totally off topic and done for the sole purpose of scoring brownie points with the anti-Microsoft crowd that you so covet? It really cheapens your blog and videos when you prostitute yourself like that.
“Microsoft isn’t known for its design skills.”
FWIW, I don’t even agree here. I’ve used Office 2k7, OneNote (which I love), Media Center, Xbox 360’s dashboard, and see no problems with their UI. And from what I’ve seen, Zune has the best UI of all non-touch-screen devices (and not everyone is into touch screens, btw).
And before you bring up Apple and their vaunted “design skills”:
Using iTunes feels like using a damn spreadsheet, and iTMS’s UI needs a serious overhaul, as it’s far too busy. QuickTime player is an absolute joke of a UI. And the Dock sucked from day one and still does; Stacks is also lame. So there!! ;)
November 26th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Big Thanks for summarizing your review on your blog. With the overload of video everywhere, it’s getting difficult to decide what to watch these days, and this really makes a difference. (Because it made me want to watch it, rather than debate whether to even start it.)
November 26th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
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