Kindle 2.0: What to look for

With Amazon.com expected to roll out the next-generation version of its Kindle electronic book reader at a New York press event Monday morning, here's a quick primer on what to look for in the new Kindle's design, features, price point, and supply issues.

FEATURES. If recently leaked photos purporting to show the new Kindle are to be believed, Amazon's next e-reader will be thinner, have a metal back, and sport stereo speakers. It may also have better navigation buttons. The first version of Kindle has an experimental web browser -- will Amazon expand on that at all?

PRICE. Kindle 1.0 had a relatively high price point at $359. Will Amazon cut the price, keep it the same or raise it? Current speculation is that Amazon will keep the Kindle at $359. Maintaining or increasing the price would indicate that Amazon sees the Kindle primarily as a high-end niche product for business travelers and e-book enthusiasts. If Amazon lowers the price, that could signal a broader consumer strategy.

MOBILE. Amazon said last week it it is working on putting Kindle titles on mobile phones. Will Jeff Bezos reveal details of this strategy at the New York press event Monday? Amazon in the past has expressed little enthusiasm for turning the Kindle itself into a multi-purpose device. So which mobile phones and platforms might Amazon work with? Apple's popular iPhone is an interesting possiblity. Amazon already has an iPhone shopping application which launched late last year.

SUPPLY ISSUES. Many people ordered Kindles after Amazon sold out of the devices during the 2008 holiday season, and Kindles are still out of stock. Will people who have ordered but not yet received their Kindles be offered the chance to upgrade to the new version?

About Eric Engleman

ERIC ENGLEMAN is senior technology staff writer for TechFlash and the Puget Sound Business Journal, covering online retail giant Amazon.com. Engleman tracks Amazon's increasingly complex business, spanning ecommerce, Kindle, cloud computing, and more. He's been covering technology and other industries for the Business Journal since 2003.

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