Well, its official. Kindle is Amazon’s “most gifted product ever.” Ever? Yes, I said ever! Amazon also notes that on any given day, buyers purchased more digital books than actual books. So what is it that finally got people to eschew their tattered paperbacks and handsome hardbacks for digital editions? The kindle got off to a slow start, but eventually it was “discovered” for lack of a better term, and it looks like 2009 was its heyday. (So far.)
Many customers surveyed cited the low cost of digital books. But it isn’t only the cost that is low, it is the space it takes up—namely: none. Most bibliophiles have walls of bookshelves in their homes, and they love their hardbound versions, no doubt. But everyone runs out of space some time. Some sooner, some later!
Many believe that “green housing” also may have something to do with the popularity of the kindle. That’s right—social phenomena are coming together to support Amazon in inexplicable ways. The logic goes: small “green” condominiums are replacing suburban homes for many first time home buyers. Especially with the first time home buyer credit from the government spurring them to buy, young potential book buyers are investing more and more in homes that simply can’t house the crates and crates of books that they might otherwise own. No room to store CD’s, so they turn to digital music. No room to store books, so they turn to digital books. Just about everything that takes up space these days has a digital version, which is a Godsend to those living in the new, smaller-but-more-efficient “green” homes.
Social networking is also an important social phenomenon these days and it has an effect on kindle as well. After all, everything has to be sharable. In this day and age, when everyone is so well entertained right inside their own homes, the importance of having online “friends” is paramount. You want to share music, share books, share your daily thoughts and feelings. Kindle adds to the fun, since you can share books on up to five Kindles with the same account. This way that book you always promised to loan to a friend, but never did . . . well now there is no excuse. You don’t have to worry that they won’t return it either!
So, out with the old and in with the new. After millions of bibliophiles swore they would never give up the pleasures of turning paper pages, millions went ahead and took the plunge into a brave new world of reading. Amazon (along with millions of trees whose lives will be spared) thanks them!
