The Christian Science Monitor is reporting that Amazon plans to make the Kindle into the new backpack. Amazon is releasing a model of the Kindle this fall with an improved design and new screen. They hope to also begin offering text books for download to the Kindle to replace books and backpacks all together.
The question is, at $359.99 (the cost of 2 or 3 pricey textbooks) is it worth the leap of faith that your class' textbook will be available?
The benefits are there. The Kindle offers EVDO and WiFi connections (for free) for downloading books on-the-fly, access to Wikipedia, access to newspapers like the New York Times and Amazon boasts their e-books are as cheap as $9.99. You can even e-mail Word documents and images to the Kindle for viewing (class notes?). That seems like it would all benefit a college student, especially when the device could fit in a binder or a purse.
But just how many text books will be available? What about those obscure text books that no one seems to have ever heard of except the university book store?
The Kindle does seem to pick up new books very quickly, but can it keep up with every college in the US? Accross the world? I hope they can with a majority.
I've never truly considered buying a Kindle myself, but this would certainly interest me. Well, maybe if my classes ever required books.
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