One of the most heated discussions within the communications industry today is the virtue of openness in the mobile arena. What does it mean to be open? Is the iPhone an open environment? What is Google really up to with Android? Will Symbian gain a foothold in the US market? What does it mean to be an “open” operator? These are just a few of the questions debated at the Open Mobile Summit last month in San Francisco. 

I found the Open Mobile Summit interesting, however, I was intrigued by a single device that was consistently referenced throughout the two day conference; the Amazon Kindle. Kindle, which is built and sold by Amazon, is simply a wireless, e-book reader that allows users to download books purchased online or directly from Kindle with Amazon’s “one touch” purchasing system. The book’s file is systematically downloaded to the device over Sprint Nextell’s EVDO network. There is no wireless service fees, no term contracts or the need to link to a computer. Over 200,000 titles are currently available in the Kindle store and most sell for less than $10. Blogs, magazines, and newspapers are also available via a subscription based service. There are several e-book readers on the market but Amazon, which obviously knows books and its customers, seems to have perfected the product and process.

The first generation Kindle has been available for about a year, however, even in these uncertain economic times the $349 Kindle seems to be flying off Amazon’s virtual shelves. For books available in both physical and Kindle formats from Amazon, Kindle accounts for >10% of the sales. Unfortunately for Amazon, the brick and mortar component of the product, the actual Kindle device, currently has a 12 week lead time.

To me, Kindle is an example of an elegant and thoughtful design that improves on a very traditional, ubiquitous product. As Ian Freed, VP Kindle, Amazon.com explained at the conference, Amazon’s design team set off to replicate all the features of a traditional book and then augment the device with new features not possible from a bound collection of pages.

-          Kindle is small and portable, much like an average paperback, however one can carry many “books” at once.

-          It is easy to hold and perfect for a public transportation commuter or frequent traveler.

-          Kindle’s innovative screen reads like a book and displays a traditionally sized page with the ability to modify font size per  reader preference.

-          Unlike mobile devices or laptops the screen is visible in bright sunlight.

-          Kindle includes an embedded dictionary which offers immediate definitions to unknown words.

-          Much like the iPod and MySpace did with music, Kindle is promoting the long-tail of publishing by creating a self-service publishing platform.

-          Once manufactured and shipped, Kindle’s carbon footprint and impact on the environment is minimal. It eliminates the need for paper, warehouses and shipping. 

Everybody knows that the world is going mobile and Kindle is a perfect example of a new, purpose-built device which leverages an “open” mobile network to provide consumers with an innovative approach to a traditional technology. 

At Global IP Solutions, we are seeing significant interest from customers developing real time voice and video applications for the mobile market. Maybe we will soon see a Kindle with real-time voice and video for those unable to attend their book club in person.

Tags: Consumer Electronics, EVDO, Kindle, mobile

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