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Rumour Smashed: No New Kindle This Year
Posted by Mark Wilson at 6:00 AM on August 29, 2008
Despite the rumours, it looks like there will be no sunny retirement for the current Kindle. From Amazon's chief spokesperson to the New York Times:
One thing I can tell you for sure is that there will be no new version of the Kindle this year. A new version is possible sometime next year at the earliest.
Oh well, maybe next Christmas. Sorry Timmy, don't cry. Santa still loves you—it's Jeff Bezos who doesn't. [NYT]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity
Posted 6:26 AM 29/8/08
But "year" did he mean. Calendar year, or business year? It's a trick to keep people buying old stock!
Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity
92BuickLeSabre
Posted 6:17 AM 29/8/08
@jewsrock: Agreed. Very disappointing.
92BuickLeSabre
jewsrock
Posted 6:13 AM 29/8/08
whats up with the shadowing on the text in the pic? thats too professional for the gizmodo red handwriting.
jewsrock
bosskev
Posted 6:13 AM 29/8/08
* sigh *
I almost bought a Kindle at their introduction. Almost. I even had one in the Amazon shopping cart, mouse hovering over the "One-Click" order button, but couldn't go through with it. As Zira said to Charlton Heston, these things are just so damned ugly.
I get enough ugly in my life every day, for free. I don't need to be buying it from a company that has zero sense of design aesthetics--I mean, hell, that's what generic PCs are for.
And, had Kindle 2.0 been planned for a holiday release--in a fresh, zippy redesign--I would have likely lined up for one. However, now that I've discovered that there is a form of eBook reader on the iPhone, and it actually works amazingly well, I may just go that direction longterm instead.
I love you, Amazon, but you've blown it badly.
bosskev
Kaiser-Machead on the Edge
Posted 6:12 AM 29/8/08
Thus the kindling for the flames of enthusiasm wanes, and we all go back to our laments over e-paper versus iPhone PDF readers.
Kaiser-Machead on the Edge
bandit
Posted 6:12 AM 29/8/08
Too bad. I'm ready to buy an e-book device, but the Kindle is just too ugly and cumbersome in its current version. Guess I'll wait, or go with the Sony.
bandit
weatherman
Posted 6:46 AM 29/8/08
@awemaker: It's good, but there are enough things about the design both from an appearance and from a functionality standpoint that I haven't been inclined to buy one until the next one comes out. I did buy a Sony Reader though, and am happy hanging tight with that until Kindle 2.0. That said, I'm a little disappointed that it won't be until after x-mas, but I can wait. Maybe Sony will hit with something even better... in fact, I think their cycle is on a September/October launch, so maybe that's what will come next for me. Eat that, Amazon!
weatherman
Joseph
Posted 6:41 AM 29/8/08
So to go back to the poll from [gizmodo.com] these thing's probably aren't selling.
Joseph
Noobs-R-Us
Posted 6:37 AM 29/8/08
There's still a chance that the person is LYING? After all, they have to keep selling the old ugly ones to deplete their inventory right?
Noobs-R-Us
What dreams may come
Posted 6:35 AM 29/8/08
I just wish they launched the Kindle in Canada (with the same features as the US) but given how things are up here I am not holding my breath...
What dreams may come
awemaker
Posted 6:29 AM 29/8/08
Oh please. It comes down to money.
The Kindle is great as it is. I ordered it, but I'm the guy who read the whole Neal Stephenson Baroque cycle and all of Neil Gaiman on my T3 Palm Pilot!
Don't forget: there is unused mp3 functionality in the Kindle, and it is pretty damn great at the $100 off price I got it for signing up for that card in 5 minutes.
Maybe the issue is you don't read too much? Nah, you're reading this, so support the new ebook movement!
awemaker
robpruitt
Posted 6:29 AM 29/8/08
This year has 5 months left right? Should give them time to get rid of crates of the nearly obsolete versions.
robpruitt
DarkHavoc99
Posted 6:55 AM 29/8/08
Nothing to see here, move along people.
DarkHavoc99
operator99
Posted 8:41 AM 29/8/08
Just give us a firmware update to the original that allows folder for genres, books read, etc. Otherwise, completely happy with the device - esp. after years of reading on the palm.
operator99
brundlefly76
Posted 10:19 AM 29/8/08
Well if anything I think this round of rumors really got the word out to Amazon that the Kindle is freaking ugly.
brundlefly76
Elcheecho
Posted 8:07 PM 29/8/08
but it's almost next year
Elcheecho
sharmanova
Posted 11:39 PM 29/8/08
Bummer. The Kindle is like the fat rich girl. You wanna love her, buuut....
sharmanova
pharago
Posted 2:14 AM 30/8/08
yep, fugly as hell, and f-expensive too, it should be, well, like beer
pharago
Tagbert
Posted 9:02 AM 31/8/08
Fugly or not, the kindle works. I read more now that I have it due to the convenience. The e-ink screen is like no other screen you have seen. Once you see it, you see why LCDs just don't cut it. I have an iPhone, but when I want to read, I pull out the kindle.
Its not perfect, but Kindle owners love their little device. Just ask anyone in the Kindle forum: [www.amazon.com]
Tagbert
SurotamaKliker
Posted 8:31 AM 29/8/08
For everyone who's trashing the Kindle's design... have you actually used or even held one? Or are you just bashing it based on pictures. They really don't do it justice.
SurotamaKliker