Dubai Consumer Mirror

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Kindle Goes International ... but

Labeled as Amazon's iPod, Oprah loves it and when I travel to the US, every other person I meet rubs a Kindle in my face ...

Today, the news is out … after a lingering wait, people outside the US will have the chance to own one. Amazon cut its prices and decides to ship 100K units to international locations around the world (thats it? 100K?).

BUT … if you happen to be one of those who really really really really really want a Kindle and happen to live in the Middle East, it must suck to be you. Because Amazon is not recognizing any country in the region as worthy enough of its precious little reading toy.

Mind you, Kindle and Kindle content will be available in countries like Myanmar, Ghana and Namibia, where illiteracy rates are much higher than places like the UAE, Kuwait, Egypt and Lebanon. However, avid readers of Arabia will have to wait longer.

Some people suggested buying it in the US and using it here; thats not my point .. Also, I am not entirely sure using a Kindle on a non-US or non-Amazon-recognized service provider will allow me to download Kindle content (books, magazines and newspapers)..

I am pissed and I need to point a finger at somebody to blame..

posted by moryarti at 10/07/2009 10:24:00 AM

7 Comments:

  • I've been banging on about the wonder that is kindle almost since it's inception.

    As an expat and avid reader AND an supporter of writers by virtue of me purchasing their books, it does make it hard when one has to move.

    Books take up space, and weight.

    Apart from literacy rates, a high transient professional population should suggest that the market here is GAGGING for such a device.

    People want to read, but they don't want to be lumbered with the responsibility of what to do with said books once they are done.


    Bah.

    I guess we will all have to wait...

    ...or continue waiting as the case may be.

    Well done Amazon. Once again providing a low percentage solution.

    By Anonymous Andrew Webber, at October 7, 2009 at 11:36 AM  

  • Just to be contrary - whats wrong with a well thumbed book, curled up under the covers, bedside lamp on?

    By Blogger Mita, at October 7, 2009 at 12:31 PM  

  • I'm with Mita. I waaant it thaaaat way. (sorry.. BSB fever from a decade ago brimming up)

    By Blogger Harsha, at October 7, 2009 at 2:05 PM  

  • I would have loved a device like this when I was studying. Carrying all those heavy reference books was always annoying...

    By Blogger Dave, at October 8, 2009 at 8:28 AM  

  • Thing is...

    KIndle:
    Save trees
    have a light device with lots of content
    Read you own PDF files
    Enjoy magazine and newspaper subscriptions
    Get content delivered to you

    Those are the quick reason why the kindle and such devices are cool.

    If Amazon does not do it Sony is not far behind with its new reader.

    The Gulf:

    I always though we were being ripped off one way or the other. We pay up to twice the US value for these toys and no matter if its Apple TV, iPod, PS3 or XBox we buy these things in good faith to find that we cannot download the content for them - even when we genuinly want to pay for it.

    International copyright is the culprit but what alternative does that leave us here... Bittorrents?

    By Blogger DubaiMan, at October 8, 2009 at 1:31 PM  

  • buy a book

    By Blogger KJ, at October 13, 2009 at 1:56 PM  

  • As an avid reader, I would love me a knidle. I wonder where I will do with all the books when I move somewhere else.

    By Blogger Dubai Jazz, at October 17, 2009 at 8:22 PM  

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