Amazon’s Kindle Recalled Due to ‘Small Risk of Fire’.
I don't know if the story at the link above is a send-up or if it is true. If it is true, then Jeff Bezos of Amazon has announced that the company is recalling its e-book reader:
“The Kindle has so far been a blazing success,” said Bezos at a hastily-arranged press conference, “which has sparked people’s imaginations and re-ignited interest in reading books. Unfortunately, we have learned that for a very small number of users, the Kindle itself may actually burst into flames.”
How they must be regretting giving it that name.
This is so not true.
I've been monitoring the TwitterSphere for Kindle references, and this hasn't come up. Plus, the story's style is tongue-in-cheek. Why am I monitoring the TwitterSphere? Because I have KindleLust, and have since day one. But I'm not buying yet. Maybe Kindle 2.0. Why? Because I'm cheap. But I'm engaging in Kindle voyeurism (see my Twitter account @AmazonKindle) to soothe my desires.
Posted by: Debra Hamel | 26 January 2008 at 20:51
Oh the irony - it just had to happen, didn't it?
Posted by: crimeficreader | 26 January 2008 at 21:22
This just stinks of spoof ... I'm just surprised they didn't call him Jeff Bozos.
Posted by: Declan Burke | 26 January 2008 at 21:36
My jury is still out on whether I would read a book on one. I find the idea of a back-lit e-reader which could show the text in a personalised font quite attractive. I think I would be interested too if it had a "voice-over" that I could switch to when my eyes needed a rest.
Posted by: Kerrie Smith | 26 January 2008 at 22:20
It's pretty funny either way.
Posted by: Clare D | 26 January 2008 at 22:21
Debra, I have been following Kindle stories by default (because the web/tech/industry blogs and alerts I follow have constant articles about it). I haven't picked up anything about this "spontaneous combustion" problem, so it probably is a spoof, but then it is the weekend. I'll know on Monday. But based on what I read, I think you are best to wait until version 2. Although the industry reaction has been pretty positive, there are several operational problems which I gather will be fixed for the next version.
Posted by: Maxine Clarke | 27 January 2008 at 10:56
Hi, Maxine. I'll definitely wait, but I'm quite excited by the Kindle. Apart from the whole book reading thing, it's an always-on internet connection. And if one were to just buy a subscription to the NYT on it to replace a regular subscription, the Kindle would pay for itself, I believe I figured out, in a little over a year. (Though I gather that the newspaper subscriptions are not yet what they could be.)
Posted by: Debra Hamel | 28 January 2008 at 15:15