Some say the Kindle will be the next iPod… Really?
Like most, I am a big fan of technology but I struggle to let go of the “experience” that comes with purchasing items in the offline world.
For instance, one of my favorite hobbies years ago was spending Saturdays at Amoeba, a fantastic record store in San Francisco. Sifting through hundreds of CDs in search of the ultimate deal or rare find, I loved the sounds, sites and even the smell of the record store.
I miss that experience and although I helped support the PR for an online music company, I questioned whether we would ever get to a point where people wouldn’t feel the need to have the jewel case or a physical object that represented something that could be physically owned, shared and stored. Fast-forward several years… It has been months since I purchased an actual CD or even stepped foot in a record store. Shame on me, I do feel guilty but that feeling quickly goes away given that today it is possible to access almost any song with a few clicks.
This brings me to the excitement surrounding Amazon’s announcement that it would start shipping the Kindle 2 this week. Since the first Kindle was released in late 2007, the excitement around the Kindle has continued to grow and analysts are already starting to predict that the Kindle will surpass iPOD sales and have said that the Kindle business will play a significant part in Amazon’s future given a rise in digital content.
Given the predictions and interest, are we ready to say goodbye to the bookstore?
