The introduction of the Kindle in 2007 by Amazon changed the face of the electronic book market. Amazon’s Kindle has received a lot of praise for its fast wireless downloads of books, growing library of over 350,000 books, and the ability to store more than 1,500 books on a smaller device than a paperback. The Kindle has many other benefits that go beyond these already-known features.
Amazon claims that the electronic Kindle version of most books on The New York Times bestsellers list is priced on their Kindle book promotion. The Kindle version usually costs less than a hardcover book. The economic benefits of owning a Kindle are not limited to this. Amazon offers thousands of free public domain titles. You can download classics like The Scarlet Letter and Pride and Prejudice and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for free.
There are many books that can be downloaded for free or at a fraction of the cost. Amazon allows independent authors the ability to publish books on their Kindle. These authors often give away their books or charge $0.99 to build a following. Books of well-known mainstream authors can be found for free. Publishers will often give away books from the past when a new title is due. The Kindle owners are the ones who benefit, even though the publishers do this to promote their books. Many Kindle owners discover that the plethora cheap and free books allow them to expand their reading horizons. Amazon owners have the chance to try out independent authors without any risk.
Another great feature of the Kindle is one that is rarely mentioned. The first chapter of any book can be downloaded free to users. Kindle users can read a few pages in the bookstore and download the first chapter for free. The user can click once to download the entire book. It is particularly useful to be able to review the first chapter free of charge before deciding whether to purchase a work by an unknown author.
Amazon recently launched a free app on iPhones. This app allows iPhone users to purchase Kindle books and then read them on their smartphones. This iPhone app makes the Kindle a better phone than reading on a backlit smartphone. Amazon will synch both a Kindle reader and an iPhone user. If you’re reading a book on your Kindle, and then want to continue the story on your iPhone, Amazon will automatically synch the two devices. Even if your Kindle is lost or stolen, your latest novel will still be at your fingertips. Don’t despair if your iPhone is not available. Rumours abound that Amazon is working on Kindle apps for Blackberry and Palm smart phone models.
Amazon Kindle is truly a life-changing gadget. It will change the way you read and how you get your literature. It will eventually transform the publishing industry. We can still enjoy the incredible benefits of the Kindle while we wait.