e-reader

• Verizon Wireless has been keeping a close eye on Amazon’s red hot Kindle e-reader. As paper reading material begins to die out, books and newspapers sent wirelessly to a reading device is an attractive business model for carriers who want to power them.
• As Reuters points out, “Competitors to the Kindle are out there and ready,” said a Verizon executive, Tony Lewis. Verizon, along with the other carriers have opened the door to supporting more devices than just cell phones that they themselves provide, since the Open Handset Alliance.
• Since then, Verizon Wireless supports 29 wireless devices that run on its network but are sold by independent vendors such as health and tracking devices. It will be interesting to see how the carriers slip into selling other devices from their store, such as e-readers, digital femtocell picture frames and more. The problem with going against the Kindle is that users don’t have to pay a fee for wireless connectivity on the Kindle to download/access books, newspaper, blog posts and Wikipedia. No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments, means no $$ for Verizon. So what’s in it for them? Sell it cheaper and sell the data plan.
• Once offered by the carriers, consumers will most likely be able to get their hands on a seriously subsidized e-reader (around $100) to replace their paper-delivery boy in the morning. If e-readers are going to be as big as everyone thinks they are, Verizon will signing up customers for small data plans (about the price of a monthly newspaper subscription) so they can use their device anywhere. For many it will be a more affordable option than the $360 Kindle.
• So far Amazon has nothing to worry about. Aside from the e-reader on the iPhone, Sony’s version and a few others that have come to market, nothing has really come close to the easy of use and quality of the Kindle.

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