‘Tis the season for making predictions for the upcoming New Year. Where technology and media are concerned it would appear that Amazon’s Kindle and other devises like it are poised for a major breakout in 2010.
A few telltale signs? For the first time ever, the online retailer’s customers bought more Kindle e-books than physical books on Christmas day. In fact, the technical wonder was the “most gifted product” in the company’s history. Add a more consumer friendly price point (roughly $250 and falling) as of this past October and more and more are making their way into the hands of adults and always tech-savvy teens (and you thought they didn’t read anymore).
Moreover, as news junkies of all generations become more and more accustomed to reading daily newspapers online, including via virtual page-turning e-editions, the user- and price-friendliness offered by the Kindle is sure to move many to also consume their favorite books and magazines in the same way.
Perhaps as telling as anything as to a consumer demand that is about to explode is the soon to be launched tablet device from Apple (rumored to be called the Apple Tablet or iSlate). Think we should “read” something into Apple’s plans? Let’s just say a year ago I was still plugging CDs into my car dash.