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Scoble: Whoever Designed This Product Should Be Fired! (re:Kindle)
I've 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 watching his video, his concerns fall into three categories: ecommerce, usability and social networking. He looks more like the bad dude from MI:III in this video!
From what I can tell, it looks like the Kindle was developer-designed instead of designer/usability-designed. It's certainly no iPod Touch.
Overall he believes that the product is not only designed poorly but it's marketed poorly as well. His review is well thoughout and worth a view - I've embedded it below. Let's look at each area of Scoble's concerns:
eCommerce
Yes, he's dead on. Why can't I order any item from Amazon directly through the Kindle? This does make sense - especially as you show off the device. I can imagine it sparking discussion that might lead to purchase. And so many say that reading blogs with the Lynx browser is better than using the paid blog tool.
Usability
I can't speak much to his complaints here as I do not have a Kindle, but the number one issue I hear across the board is that everyone clicks the movement buttons too easily no matter how you hold the device. He also rants on the backside of the Kindle. He also notes that it takes forever to change screens and the keyboard lag. He also calls the plastic, "cheap ass and saving a penny on the materials". Changing the menus makes it look like "a piece of crap". Lastly, the page numbers are not so good.
Social Networking
This is the area that I don't agree with 100%. Scoble says that there should be social networking built-in. For the average person using this device, I am not sure they will care about being able to friend people or send them their book list. Of course if reading clubs were using the Kindle, then it certainly makes sense. And it makes sense for super-geeks.
His concerns follow along well with my Top 10 Reasons the Kindle Will Fail from last week. Here is his video review:
It's whoever. Whom is only used as an object, not a subject.
And here I thought "whomever" was used when speaking about a person and "whoever" was used when speaking to a person. Thanks James!
There really are plenty of reasons - more than 10? - that the Kindle isn't all that great. Some are listed here http://tome-reader.blogspot.com/2007/11/kindle-fails-to-spark.html
But it strikes me that the real story isn't so much that the Kindle is either a great or a horrible device. The truly new thing here is that Amazon has gotten into the game - which means publishers have gotten into the game - of electronic books in a large way. If done right, that opens up all kinds of possibilities. http://tome-reader.blogspot.com/2007/11/publishers-electronic-opportunities.html
That's what you use when somebody gets up in arms over "whoever" and "whomever." Anyhow, I'm with Scoble: the Kindle is way too limited!
Anyone tried iPhone ebook reading with textonphone.com?