Amazon today announced Kindle, their first-party eBook offering. Unlike past eBook Readers, Kindle is the first to combine an eBook store, wireless eBook downloads, and news access in one device.
Kindle will not only offer eBooks to download, but will also offer news and other wireless content. Kindle users will pay for content alone, unlike other devices, there is no monthly service fee for accessing the network. Sprint’s EV-DO will power the service, and Amazon is building the cost of offering free service into the digital download fees per-product. The result is that users won’t pay for data, just the price of the eBook on Kindle. It can also fall back to 1xRTT data access in non-EV-DO coverage areas.
Kindle also offers a full QWERTY keyboard for interaction, 30 hour battery life, and can recharge in about two hours. The display uses E-Ink technology, and an 800×600 screen resolution. The device stands at just over seven inches tall, or about the size of a hard-cover book. Kindle plans to expand its content offerings beyond the initial 90,000 source offering, but will launch with free access to Wikipedia, and a built-in dictionary.
The Kindle is now available from Amazon.com directly for $399.99, and Amazon.com is offering free two-day shipping for early buyers.
