Comments on: Amazon: Stop Trying To Be Cute

By: Keenan

Keenan — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:33:10 +0000

"Build the base of customers and the money will follow"

Exactly Bern, plus the Kindle costs $395, the more content that's on
it, the more reasons to buy it. Amazon should want to make me want
it, feel like I can't live w/o it. Each person who can't live w/o it
gives them $395

By: Keenan

Keenan — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:33:10 +0000

By: Matt Morava

Matt Morava — Sat, 16 May 2009 22:19:14 +0000

Jim,

Good point. I'm not saying Amazon has the answer, but what if someday soon someone finds a way to make money off of blogs? Off your blog? You cool with that? Where would you draw the line- you can use my content as long as you get cited? What if your content is pulled without your consent and your name is not used?

I don't back this model, I just find it interesting... I think there are many conference rooms all over the country that are working on models that turn all this blog content into profit.

M

By: Keenan

Keenan — Sat, 16 May 2009 21:27:02 +0000

Matt,

Once upon a time water was free.

Business models change, with the explosion of information, control of information it is not longer a valid business model.

I think we are in a transition period. We are about to see tremendous innovation in business models. Amazon's Kindle blog model isn't it.

By: Matt Morava

Matt Morava — Sat, 16 May 2009 20:39:00 +0000

Jim,

I tend to agree with you about Amazon being cute, but are we being dumb? I like your blog, I like my blog, and I like a lot of blogs, are you're right- they're free. But should they be? Once upon a time you use to have to pay for content, especially good content, but not anymore. Maybe this is an attempt by someone to get at the true value of blogs? Maybe only 5% of the blogs out there are worth a damn, but if you could package up that 5% what would that be worth?

Matt

By: Keenan

Keenan — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:18:11 +0000

I will be adding my blog too. Ubiquitous access is something I belive
in. The Amazon model should be to make as much content available.
Free blog access would do wonders for the Kindle AND blogging.

Hope they figure this out.

//keenan

By: geechee_girl

geechee_girl — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:30:24 +0000

I agree. I set up Uptown Uncorked on the Kindle yesterday because I believe in offering my readers a way to read the blog in whatever medium they choose to. (It's one reason I continually experiment with audio files, though I've yet to find an audio reader that works well)

I was quite disappointed to see that I had no way to offer my blog for free when setting it up on Kindle. However, I am using it as inspiration to write more regularly and add value to people who do choose to consume it that way, and will check back periodically to see if they add the option to make it free.

By: Bernstyles

Bernstyles — Sat, 16 May 2009 00:48:30 +0000

I couldn't agree more.

A newspaper charges its customers for the privilege, and we all know how well that is working. Even with a full day’s worth of content, written by a staff of professional writers, newspapers are losing readership.

While the kindle has a unique opportunity to step in a offer a product that potentially offers a much more satisfying experience to the reader, Amazon's approach to making money with this new technology is inherently flawed. Amazon needs to make using this technology as friendly as possible (i.e. free) in order to attract as many readers as possible. Charging the author is one interesting revenue stream, but good old fashioned advertising side by side with the content would seem the most likely source of revenue.

Build the base of customers and the money will follow.