Author: Steven Johnson

 It’s like an iPod for books.  Features: ◦ Paper-like screen ◦ Wireless Access with Whispernet™ ◦ Wireless Access to Wikipedia ◦ Lightweight, only 10.3 ounces ◦ Ergonomic Design ◦ Shop the Kindle Store Right from Your Device ◦ Full Keyboard ◦ Bookmarks and Annotation ◦ Built-in Dictionary ◦ Adjustable Text Size

 The Printing Press made books more readily available for the masses, the Kindle will do that again.  With the Kindle you will be able to duplicate your entire library and carry it around in your hands.  Soon it will be as easy to download a book as it is to go online and check your 401(k).  As technology continues to grow it is hard to imagine the extent that to which it will continue to grow.

 An increasing amount of books will be sold due to the impulse buy  The ability to buy any book ever written will be at your fingertips  Unfortunately, with the ease to purchase whatever, whenever, you can easily be distracted to make another purchase without first finishing the book you originally started

 With the Kindle it’s like being in a world wide book club.  Confused by a passage? Go online and chat with other readers about its meaning.  “You’ll read a puzzling passage from a novel and then instantly browse through dozens of comments from readers around the world, annotating, explaining or debating the passage’s true meaning.”

 Writing styles will change as writers try to write with the intention to be the first result on a Google search.  Entire books written with search engines in mind.  Due to the adjustable font size, the Kindle does not have page numbers. Making going back and re-reading something incredibly difficult.

 Many books offer readers the chance to download the first chapter free as a preview of the book.  This will lead to cliffhanger first chapters to entice readers to buy the whole book.  Eventually readers could buy each chapter individually for a small fee, much like paying 99 cents for a song from iTunes.

 Johnson, Steven. “How the E-Book Will Change the Way We Read and Write.” The Wall Street Journal 20 April  “Kindle: Amazons Original Wireless Reading Device (1st generation).” Amazon.com