The Kindle e-book reader was one of the most popular presents for Christmas 2010 and the top-selling lists for Amazon are dominated by e-books. Amazon had a bumper sales year in 2010, with Kindle sales surpassing even the seventh installment of the wildly popular Harry Potter series. Yet, there are still those who think the Kindle has had its day.
With the proliferation of Kindle Apps across various platforms such as iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone 7, Android and Blackberry, many believe the Kindle e-reader will dwindle in popularity as people turn to multi-use devices as their preferred e-reading platform. With the major threat appearing to come from Apple's iPad it has been suggested the Kindle e-reader is rapidly on the way to being obsolete. Multi-use devices have many benefits, but the Kindle remains a forerunner all the same.
Amazon has been working hard to keep the Kindle e-reader relevant, with success. The Whispersync technology that allows users to save and sync bookmarks and the like across Kindle platforms improves usability. Serious readers often prefer the authentic crisp paper-like appearance of the Kindle and long lasting battery life, but the various Kindle Apps available on smartphone devices mean users need not compromise on portability. When space and weight are premium, reading your favorite book on a smartphone Kindle App can be ideal.
With the recently added lending feature, Amazon has taken a step into socializing the Kindle e-book format. The ability to lend e-books that have been purchased from Amazon across all Kindle platforms generates good will many users will find difficult to ignore. Even if the Kindle e-book reader should decline in popularity, Kindle in various forms will continue to dominate the e-book market. By ensuring users can always access their virtual bookshelves regardless of the platform, Kindle has inspired loyalty with improved usability and functionality.
Amazon has not shielded the Kindle format from smartphone and LCD touchpad devices and continues to release more Kindle Apps to improve the portability of the e-reader format. When it comes to the crunch, Amazon wants customers to use the Kindle format, regardless of the platform, because to use any type of Kindle, you must purchase your e-book from Amazon. The commitment of Amazon to keeping new release books at $9.99 or below has further solidified their place as the leader of the e-book movement. While the Kindle e-book reader may not remain the most popular e-book reading device available forever, Amazon has utilized various platforms to ensure Kindle in all its guises remains a giant in the virtual bookshelves.
If you are looking for kindle covers, check out our kindle blog!
