Kindle Good News?

Being TWICE’s Web and computer technology editor makes me receptive of most new gadgets.

Except the Kindle.

I’m a bibliophile. I love the heft and feel of a nice thick book knowing it likely contains something fun and interesting.

But after chatting with fellow TWICE editors Amy Gilroy and John Laposky about the new Kindle DX, I might be willing to change my view on the Kindle. What spurred my potential change of heart was how useful it would be to get a newspaper wirelessly delivered to the Kindle everyday.

I do buy a paper most days, but on too many mornings I just don’t have the time to stop and grab the N.Y. Daily News before I hop on the Long Island Railroad. However, if my Kindle would have automatically done so in my home I would be all set. The same would work for someone working from home. No need to get in the car. Boom, it’s there at 12:01am.

Granted, this would wipe out what’s left of the newspaper delivery boy industry, but the overall benefit to mankind would make up for that loss. It’s an open argument as to whether it will save the newspapers.

For all I know this next service is already out there, but how about a Netflix-like subscription service for e-books? For $10 per month you get a steady stream of books. Finish one, it is deleted from the Kindle and the next on your list is downloaded.

That seems doable.

This just leaves the Kindle’s cost and battery life as the last two potential stumbling blocks. On the bright side, if the cellphone carriers can figure out how to give me a new phone for a few dollars, then Amazon and others will do the same for the e-reader.