Kindle's been unleashed

Today Jeff Bezos launched the amazon kindle at 7:30 pm IST :). Boy'o'boy am I really excited. I don't wish to say too much, but it was just way way way way over expectations at our control centre. Do check out the videos on the device here - http://www.amazon.com/kindle.

Here are a few links that I managed to get though -

1. Reinventing the book
2. Engadget live at launch
3. More on engadget
4. Gizmodo @ launch
5. The 'Kindle' Revolution (watch the video here)
   

I find the possibilities endless. And I just can't stop thinking. A lot many of you may not be all that excited. But I've been around this device for little less than 6 months and its just amazing when I think of it in the hands of people and how it could impact our society in the years to come :).

So here are some thought of mine as to the possibilities

1. Business men on tour getting their favourite newspaper where ever they go. No more missing out papers when you travel, no more search for where the news stand is. Wherever you go, your paper follows you ;).

2. Bloggers and blog readers on the move. Sometimes I've wished while I were traveling if I could catch up with some blogs. Wait until the kindle starts pumping your favourite blog and you can read it on the move. No PC Required! And who knows, maybe the device would also let you blog in the days to come :).

3. Voracious readers of books. I am the kind who reads books while traveling but I just hate carrying the bulky thing and having to bookmark where I left. The kindle is just IDEAL for that. Keep reading, turn it off, come back and it will take you to where you left. Something that I found was a big turn-off with PDF readers. And moreover, you can carry over 200 books in just ~10 ounces ;).

4. Students - With most of the kindle editions being priced at not more than $9.99 (which is how amazon would want it) this would be a great boon for students not having to carry tons of books or go through the painful process of reading from back-lit device. Although such books are not available for the kindle, I am blown away just thinking of the possibility of wide use of it in academic circle.

I can go on-and-on but am short of time so I'll cut it down here and leave the remaining thinking to you. Maybe i'll stop with imagining a color display and also support for music in the background (so befitting for people who listen to music while reading :D.

The experience for us in the war room was exhilarating. It was like we were launching a space-shuttle and during lift off a piece of foam broke off. But then it was nothing to worry. And the rate at which the device was selling out was simply MINDBLOWING. The number of people requesting for their stuff to appear on the kindle was unfathomable.

I hate to make a comparison of the kindle for IMHO it stands by itself in human history, but for the benefit of reader to comprehend its potential impact - Kindle will do to reading what the iPod did to music ;).

Do comment your ideas as to how this could change out lives.

Note: None of the opinions expressed here are those of Amazon or the people withing and are purely my thoughts on this ground breaking event.