Kindle 3 Vs Kindle 2 Vs Nook - What Are the Kindle 3 Changes? How Does it Compete With the Nook?

Amazon is aiming to shake up the ebook reader market once again by announcing the 3rd generation of the Kindle, dubbed the Kindle 3. So what can you expect to see different when comparing the Kindle 3 Vs. the Kindle 2? Here's a detailed look.

The Kindle 3 Vs. Kindle 2:

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The new Kindle 3 will have a few different features that differ from the earlier generation.

Change #1) Updated E-Ink Reading Screen- Amazon is reporting a new "High Contrast" model of the E-Ink screen, still allowing for reading in bright lighting conditions, but according to Amazon, improved.

Change #2) Storage Space Increase- The earlier Kindle 2 model had 2G of storage, allowing for 1,500 books to be stored on the device. The Kindle 3 will effectively double the space to 3,500 books allowed.

Change #3) Different (More Compact) Design- Amazon is going for the "sleeker" look. The new model takes away 21% of the Kindle 2 design size, keeping the 6 inch reading screen the same size. This also makes for a lighter ebook reader for the Kindle 3. According to Amazon, it's now 15% lighter.

Change #4) New Reading Fonts- Amazon is adding some more fonts that they call "crisper" and more dark for easier reading.

Change #5) Improved Page Turn Time- According to Amazon, the page turn time is 20% faster now with the 3rd generation.

Change #6) QUIETER Page Turn Buttons- My husband would like to hear this point, as my clicking the page turn button has kept him from falling asleep in the past. Apparently others have been complaining about this too and Amazon has taken notice.

Change #7) Increased Battery Life- Amazon is reporting an improved battery that allows up to 1 month of reading with the wireless off. With wireless left on, the reading time is 10 days. That is an increase in about 2 weeks with wireless off, and a few days with wireless on.

Other Notable Changes) Now you can choose between 2 different colors when purchasing the Kindle (black/graphite or white). You can share passages with people on Facebook or Twitter from your device. Use Whispersync to sync your Kindle with any of your other devices (phones, laptops, etc...)

The Kindle 3 Vs Nook- How Do The Changes Stack Up Against the Nook?

Battery Life- The Kindle 3 now has a battery life (with wireless off) of about a month. The Nook is at 10 days with wireless off.

Storage Space- The Nook has a standard memory size that allows 1,500 books with an expandable memory slot for SD cards. The Kindle 3 now has a standard memory of 3,500 books.

Size/Weight- The Nook has a weight of 12.1 ounces. The Kindle 3 is 8.7 ounces, quite a difference now. The dimensions of the reading screen are the exact same for both Nook and Kindle. The size of the Nook device is 7.7" x 4.9" x.5". The Kindle is now 7.5" x 4.8" x.335".

Touch Screen Vs. Push Button Navigation- The Nook has a 1" touch screen navigation menu as well as the push-button navigation for page turning, etc. The Kindle 3 is still sticking to it's push-button technology only as the means to navigate text and titles.

Wi-Fi, 3G, and International Usage- The Nook has free Wi-Fi in AT&T hotspots and Barnes and Noble stores. 3G only works in the US. The Kindle connects free to AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots, as well as other free Wi-Fi hotspots. The Kindle works wirelessly across 100 countries and territories in the world.

So once again the ebook market is shaken up by innovation. You can see above there is quite a difference when comparing the Kindle 2 Vs. the new Kindle 3. Now the Nook vs Kindle 3 battle has begun. How will the consumer respond? Time will tell.

Kindle 3 Vs Kindle 2 Vs Nook - What Are the Kindle 3 Changes? How Does it Compete With the Nook?

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A Relook at Retail - Can Your Store Compete With The Internet - Even From Within?

Just as the economy is starting to recover many retailers are buying more merchandise, filling up their warehouses, and watching the consumers come through the doors once again spending and buying. It's all good right? Well, yes and no we have some more innovative disruptions on the home front, and the brick-and-mortar companies are going to take another huge hit. Let me explain.

Have you considered that everyone is running around with a smart phone, or an iPad? Ask yourself as a retailer what they are surfing for while they're inside your store? Well, you might be surprised that they are checking on your prices and they are surfing online to find similar products for a lower cost. Worse, some of the companies that sell online do not charge sales tax so they already have your brick-and-mortar store beat by anywhere from 5 to 10% depending on where your store is located, often this more than covers the shipping costs.

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Also, consider if you will that their cost structure is a lot less because, as they do not have to have a storefront. Can you see how difficult this is getting? The question is; what can you as a retail store do about it? Can you make your store into a Faraday cage where no way can get a Wi-Fi signal, or 4G wireless frequency get in from outside the store? That will probably backfire and piss off your customers. The only way you're going to compete is to lower your cost, increase the volume, and offer special discounts yourself to your loyalist customers caring your membership cards.

But still, how can you compete against Walmart [dot] com or Amazon [dot] com if you are a smaller store with less purchasing power? Chances are you can't. Maybe what you need is to have an online store within your store. In other words, offer free Wi-Fi for those people who are in your store, and let them go through your servers. Watch where they go, and let them browse your own online store for items that may not be in your store but items you can have delivered to them via a third-party delivery system.

There are many ways to tackle this problem, but if you don't have a strategy you can't win. And meanwhile your competition is all over this. In fact Sam's Club is now telling its customers that if they can find a lower price, even while shopping in the store, show that price to the front register, and they will match the price. In other words, Sam's Club is using this to their advantage, and they are telling the customer they are confident that they have the lowest price, so confident they will match any price, and so confident they challenge you to find it cheaper elsewhere.

That's where the competition is going, question is; can you compete in the future of retail. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it. If you have any comments, concerns, and/or questions please feel free to shoot me an e-mail at your earliest possible convenience.

A Relook at Retail - Can Your Store Compete With The Internet - Even From Within?

BARNES AND NOBLE APPLETON WI