Spring Break
Amazon product 'Kindles' the desire to read
Caitlin Wolters
Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: News
The holiday season is known for bringing out many new creative gift ideas. This season, Amazon.com is giving customers an innovative way to read by introducing an electronic device that is set up similarly to a book, called Kindle.
Devon Corvasce, an Amazon.com spokesperson, stated in an e-mail message that Kindle, which was the subject of Newsweek's Nov. 26 cover story, has many benefits for readers which print versions do not have.
It has a wireless connection that allows readers to connect to Amazon.com at any time and in any place and it also has an 11 hour battery life, she said. It can be used anywhere a cell phone can be used. Kindle has more than 900,000 titles including books, newspapers and magazines that can be accessed, making it convenient - specifically for travelers who do not have to carry those items.
Corvasce said Kindle was not released for the holiday season. Rather, it was announced now because Amazon.com felt it was the best time for customers to experience the product's advantages.
William Kist, associate professor of English education at Kent State University and member of the National Council of Teachers of English, said Kindle will be a benefit to readers.
"Obviously, the advantage is convenience," Kist said. "It's apparent people want the convenience of being able to download e-books. I see that as a benefit. How can this be seen as a negative?"
He said he has seen people have negative reactions to a change in media before. This is not the first time people have worried that a new invention may change the amount of books being read.
"When you look at a lot of new media, such as the Internet and text messaging, many words of print are embedded in all of those," Kist said. "Just as the invention of television and comic books, there have always been these alarmist cries that new media is going to be the death of reading."
Kist, who recently wrote a book titled "New Literacies in Action," said that despite new studies that say reading has decreased, young people may be reading more than ever because of different medias available to them. Students are often reading electronically, so they might respond more positively to Kindle.
Devon Corvasce, an Amazon.com spokesperson, stated in an e-mail message that Kindle, which was the subject of Newsweek's Nov. 26 cover story, has many benefits for readers which print versions do not have.
It has a wireless connection that allows readers to connect to Amazon.com at any time and in any place and it also has an 11 hour battery life, she said. It can be used anywhere a cell phone can be used. Kindle has more than 900,000 titles including books, newspapers and magazines that can be accessed, making it convenient - specifically for travelers who do not have to carry those items.
Corvasce said Kindle was not released for the holiday season. Rather, it was announced now because Amazon.com felt it was the best time for customers to experience the product's advantages.
William Kist, associate professor of English education at Kent State University and member of the National Council of Teachers of English, said Kindle will be a benefit to readers.
"Obviously, the advantage is convenience," Kist said. "It's apparent people want the convenience of being able to download e-books. I see that as a benefit. How can this be seen as a negative?"
He said he has seen people have negative reactions to a change in media before. This is not the first time people have worried that a new invention may change the amount of books being read.
"When you look at a lot of new media, such as the Internet and text messaging, many words of print are embedded in all of those," Kist said. "Just as the invention of television and comic books, there have always been these alarmist cries that new media is going to be the death of reading."
Kist, who recently wrote a book titled "New Literacies in Action," said that despite new studies that say reading has decreased, young people may be reading more than ever because of different medias available to them. Students are often reading electronically, so they might respond more positively to Kindle.
Be the first to comment on this story