I've been giving the Kindle to people on the train to try and see if they like it. In addition, I'm wondering about all the things I've been hearing in the Echo Chamber and how they relate back to the millions (billions?) of everyday people.
The UI.
On the train and here inside the Starbucks in my office building, people like it. They get the little "home" button and from there get the scroll wheel and get you have to click it to make something happen. The echo chamber's reaction of "The UI sucks" is not panning out here on main street.
The Ergonomics
On this one, the chamber called it right. Everybody (all 30 people I've had play with this) has inadvertently pressed a next page key or the back key. From my own experience, if you press the 'back' key by mistake without a bookmark, you can get seriously lost. If you look carefully at pictures and video of Amazon people holding this device, you will see they have a very specific way to hold it with a thumb on the screen. You have to avoid the buttons and it can be tricky.
The Screen
Slam dunk, everybody in and out of the chamber loves it. One person who liked to read in bed made the point that the book light clip on thingy they owned would fit on the device.
The gadget parts.
"Cool" was the immediate reaction the notion of no computer required, just over the air, browse and buy. Pissed was the immediate reaction when they were informed that this feature won't work in Canada. The ability to read the New York Times, etc, was also a big hit with the commuters given the spacious seats we all share on the train.
Lots of debate out there with respect to what did or didn't make the first cut of this device. A social network aspect. If you noodle around Amazon, you will clearly see where they are going. Everything from tagging to sharing collections, etc. It is only a matter of time before all of those features/services will be incorporated into the Kindle. The next generation device will be better, incorporate the feedback of real users, and probably think about possibly having a WiFi connection which links the device to your home country's Amazon store.
However, the people I spoke to over the last couple of days simply don't care. They, for the most part, think this is a great service (not device/gadget) that let's them read more, get instant gratification, and buy cheaper books. It isn't about social networks, sharing books, booklists, etc, for the people I've been talking to. And, I suspect, it is these people that are the core target for Amazon, not the geek phreaks like me and, perhaps (?) you.
Start up lesson for you: Who are your users/testers? Do they represent the mass audience/customer base you are going after or are you sucking up to the blogging "A" list in the hopes of a favorable review which might not give you the feedback 'real' customers would. Tricky business.
Finally, it is interesting to read blogger reviews of the device vs. the reviews on Amazon's web site. The common themes are all there but the things the blogging community focuses on vs. the people who either tested it or actually bought it are illuminating. It is an interesting exercise for you. Go read both piles and see if you can get a sense on what 'average' people focus in on vs. the blogging community. See what has gone mainstream vs. geek speak.
Really good points. This post is a perfect companion to the "Be careful who you ask" one.
"instant gratification, cheaper books..." will become order qualifiers sometime in the future but, right now, with the Kindle being the only of its kind (instant delivery, cheap books, back-up in amazon) are order winners.
However, if the Kindle (any service with mass-appeal, really) is wildly successful, some bloggers will be pissed because they didn't "understand" the market and they will have a hard time "readjusting".
The tech/startup bloggers more and more feel/read like "chefs" (sharing books, recommendations...) and forget a lot of people eat double cheese burgers (fast, cheap, yummy). I worry about the Kindle lock-in (the calories) but a lot of people won't. Look at the iPod (DRM vs free). Is the recent Facebook "debacle" another example (convenience/network effects vs privacy)?.
Posted by: David Blanco | November 27, 2007 at 05:16
do you like it my man
Posted by: howard lindzon | December 01, 2007 at 00:46
do you like it my man
Posted by: howard lindzon | December 01, 2007 at 00:47