Kindle Schmindle #2

Ok, I think I’ve figured out Kindles. Why people buy them I mean. It’s not because they’re a reading aid, it’s because they’re a shopping aid.

If I had one right now, I’d use it. There’s a book I’d like to buy… just to see if it’s any good etc. My library hasn’t got it, and if I had a Kindle I could get it right now, at less than the normal price, without any waiting around.

Apparently 10% of Amazon’s sales are now via Kindle.

I used to know someone who had this Web 1.0 startup that sold “answers to questions via SMS”. One quid a question – they had experts online, and an AI system for frequently asked questions… and people did actually use it. “are there any bars open in Wolverhampton after 11.pm”, “who scored the most goals in the game last night” etc… and when I asked about the price – and the fact that this was all free on the web, she said that information wasn’t the driver, situation was.

And so it is with Kindle I think. Mind you, I say this and I don’t actually have one, so what do I know.