Kindle will generate $1.6 billion by 2012 - analyst

Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Aggarwal predicts that the Kindle will earn Amazon $300 million this year, and $1.6 billion within the next three years.

Amazon launches new Kindle App for iPhone!

It does some new tricks, too, such as landscape mode reading, custom colors and the use of multi-touch to zoom in on images.

New scanner software offers 'scan-to-Kindle' feature

The new OmniPage Professional 17 scanner software how offers a “Scan-to-Kindle” feature. Just choose the feature, and scan any document. OmniPage will run optical character recognition of the image, and e-mail the Kindle-formatted document to your Kindle.

The Kindle's computerized voice can't say "Barack Obama"

The new Kindles will read your books to you, if you like, using a computerized voice. Unfortunately, the device can't say the president's name.

Kindle books now 35% of Amazon book sales

During today's Kindle DX announcement, Amazon bragged that for books available on Kindle, 35% of all sales are for the Kindle edition!

Amazon releases Kindle 2 firmware upgrade

Amazon rolled out a firmware upgrade for Kindle2 this week. The fix improves some minor display issues. If you've got a Kindle2, don't worry about it: The Kindle will upgrade itself next time you connect to Whispernet.

Amazon.com sued over e-book patent

A company called Discovery Communications has filed a lawsuit against Amazon.com for use of what it claims is patented encryption. The encryption in question is used in both the new and old versions of its Kindle e-book reader, which makes me wonder why they waited nearly a year and a half to file the suit.

'Kindle' now a verb!

You know a product brand has arrived when people start to use it as a verb. You know, like "Google it!" According to the Urban Dictionary, "Kindle" has now become a verb. As in: "I'm Kindling right now."

Amazon Posts the Kindle2 User Manual

Now you can learn how to use your new Kindle even before it arrives. (Thanks to Engadget)

First Official Pictures of New Kindle Leaked

The Mobile Read forum has leaked images of the Kindle 2 -- the first official pictures to emerge. The site also says the new Kindle will ship February 24 and cost $359.

Amazon.com Sold Half a Million Kindles In 2008

Citi analyst Mark Mahaney says Amazon sold 500,000 Kindles last year, according to a post on the Silicon Valley Insider.

Why the New York Times Should Buy All Readers a Kindle

Silicon Alley Insider did the math and discovered that it costs twice as much for the New York Times to send the paper version of the newspaper to subscribers as it would cost to buy every subscriber an Amazon Kindle.

New Amazon Kindle May Hit February 9

It appears likely that the next-generation Amazon Kindle may be rolled out in less that two weeks. Amazon.com is calling reporters to a press conference February 9 at a New York City location that "relates to books," according to Crave's David Carnoy. Sounds like the new-Kindle unveiling to me.

3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Kindle In the Works?

Amazon.com may be developing a Kindle that supports 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or all three. The Kindle was developed by a Silicon Valley-based company owned by Amazon.com called Lab 126. That organization is currently seeking a Baseband Engineer, whose role is described by the Lab 126 Web site:

As part of the Wireless team, your primary responsibility will be the integration of baseband circuits into Lab126 products. This may include the development and optimization of various wireless solutions including 802.11, CDMA, UMTS and Bluetooth.

802.11 is Wi-Fi. UMTS is a 3G and will be a 4G wireless networking technology. Bluetooth is, well, Bluetooth.

Note that this is all speculation and that the engineer they're seeking could end up working on a yet-unspecified Lab 126 product. For the time being, however, the Kindle is Lab 126's only product, which makes this job posting all the more interesting.

My Interview on the Kindle Chronicles Podcast

Len Edgerly was kind enough to have me on his Kindle Chronicles podcast today. Here's Part I. Here's Part II. I also recommend that you subscribe to his podcast on iTunes.

USA Today Now Available On Kindle

USA Today is now available on the Amazon Kindle. That brings the total number of Kindle-based newspapers to 28 -- 21 of which are U.S. newspapers.

Thanks to Kindle, eBooks Going Mainstream

Amazon's Kindle is driving interest and sales of eBook readers. And it's chronic shortages are providing an opening for Sony, according to the New York Times.

Pre-Holiday Kindles Selling for $1,500 On eBay

Amazon ran out of pre-holiday Kindles long ago. So people are selling Kindles on eBay and Craigslist for as much as $1,000 each.

AT&T Demands E-Mail AddressYou Don't Want Contacted

AT&T Wireless won't send you e-mail if you don't want it, but first you have to provide the e-mail address you don't want e-mail sent to... (props to Close Your Browser)

New York Might Tax Kindle Downloads

New York state is thinking about adding a new tax for all digital entertainment and media, including Kindle books, newspapers, magazines and blogs.

Personal Finance Magazine On Kindle Launches

A new, weekly consumer and personal finance magazine called CASH has launched on the Amazon Kindle. The magazine's tagline is: "Personal Finance for Real People," so you fake people are out of luck. Presumably, the magazine will advise readers to spend as little as possible, and help with a monthly subscription fee of only $2.49 or just 49 cents per issue.

Historic Algonquin Hotel Offers Kindles to Guests

New York City's Algonquin Hotel is loaning Amazon Kindles to guests free of charge. The Kindles are loaded with best sellers, but hotel staff will load any book requested.

Forbes.com: Why Amazon Doesn't Need Kindle 2.0

Forbes.com's Andy Greenberg says that Amazon doesn't need a new version of the Kindle in order to keep dominating ebooks. And the new version won't have, and doesn't need, ground-breaking new technology -- or even color.

Amazon Kindle Sold Out For Holidays

If you were thinking of giving the gift of Kindle this year, think again. The ship date Amazon lists on its web site is now 11 to 13 weeks. That's right. The Amazon Kindle is sold out for Christmas.

Oprah Winfrey to Endorse Kindle Today

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey plans to endorse the Amazon Kindle today on her popular show, which could launch the product into the mainstream. In a video trailer for today's show, which is posted front-and-center on the main Amazon.com home page, Winfrey describes the Kindle as "life-changing."

Frommer's Travel Guides Now On Kindle

Amazon's Kindle Blog reports that Frommer's now publishes 17 travel guides on Kindle. This is a great trend, because Kindles let you leave those heavy books at home and travel light. Here's the complete list.

Scrooge Report: No UK Kindle Before Christmas

Sorry, Brits. A rumor reported on this blog on August 30 that a UK version of the Amazon Kindle would ship in time for Christmas was true -- that was the plan -- but because of "network issues," Amazon is apparently not able to pull it off. Now the Kindle is expected in the UK and elsewhere in Europe "sometime next year."

Newsweek to Repackage Stories As Kindle eBooks

Newsweek plans to round up all its published articles on presidential and vice-presidential candidates and re-publish them as Kindle e-books. They're planning four books, one for each candidate. The books go on sale Wednesday for $9.99 each.

First-Ever Photos of Next Kindle Posted

The Boy Genius Report has posted the first-ever photos of the next Amazon Kindle!

Is Kindle a Trick for Amazon to Control Publishing?

New York Magazine speculates in a doom-and-gloom report on the publishing industry that Amazon's pricing scheme for the Kindle, where publishers get almost all the money paid for books, is simply a way to move the industry over to the Kindle so Amazon can gouge everyone later on.

Rumor: UK Kindle Coming Before Christmas

TIMES ONLINE reports a rumor that Amazon will release a UK version of the Kindle "later this year."

Amazon Officially Says: No New Kindles This Year

Amazon’s chief spokesman Craig Berman told the New York Times: "I can tell you for sure is that there will be no new version of the Kindle this year. A new version is possible sometime next year at the earliest."

Michael Arrington Calls for Kindle Clones

Michael Arrington urges Amazon to open the Kindle to cloning. He writes: "Very quickly we’d see a wide variety of Kindle devices, all competing on price, features (large and small screens would just be the start) and form factor. Hardware manufacturers, who are all constantly trying to squeeze a tiny bit of margin out of their products, would suddenly have another revenue stream to tap."

Two New Kindles, Bigger: Cheaper, Cooler - Rumor

BusinessWeek is reporting that Amazon will unveil two new Kindles in September and/or October that have larger screens than the original model. One is for students. The other, an upgrade to the current model, will be thinner, cheaper and more stylish and usable. Their source claims that "They’ve jumped from Generation One to Generation Four or Five. It just looks better, and feels better."

UK's Times and Financial Times Now On Kindle

Two of the UK's best newspapers -- The Times and The Financial Times -- are now published on Kindle for $14.99 and $9.99 per month, respectively.

Amazon Kindle: 240,000 Units Sold -- Source

TechCrunch says a well-connected source told them Amazon has sold 240,000 Kindles since launch.

New Kindles Coming In Three Months -- Report

CrunchGear says two new Kindles -- one smaller than the current model but with the same size screen and another bigger in both form factor and screen -- will ship as early as October. The bigger version will be the same dimensions as a standard office-size piece of printer paper -- 8 1/2 by 11.

Best Collection of Kindle Tips Yet!

Some kind blogger at the College Degrees blog posted an amazing roundup of tips, ideas and resources for Kindle. The post is called "Hack Your Kindle: 100+ Tips, Resources, and Tutorials to Get More Out of the Amazon Kindle," and you can find it HERE.

Book Publishers Worried About Rise of Kindle

I read on my Kindle this morning in The New York Times that publishing-industry attendees of the BookExpo America show are "both ENERGIZED AND UNNERVED" at the growing power the Kindle eBook reader gives Amazon.com. One fear is that the rise of the Kindle will let Amazon dictate prices publishers can charge for books.

Kindle Gets 5,000 More Books In Publisher Deal

Amazon announced today that Kindle will get about 5,000 MORE BOOKS from Simon & Shuster. The deal adds titles like Stephen R. Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," according to ZDNet's "Between the Lines" blog. All titles will be online and available by the end of the year.

Amazon Cuts Kindle Price by $40

Amazon has CUT THE PRICE of a Kindle e-Book reader from $399 to $359 and added free, two-day shipping. The company says the lower price relects reduced manufacturing costs because of high volume. Another possibility is that a new version will come out this year and the company wants to reduce inventory.

Kindle Now In Stock For First Time Since Launch

For the first time since it sold out hours after becoming available, the Amazon Kindle is now officially "In Stock" -- you can buy one and get it WITHOUT DELAY.

Baker Makes Kindle You Can Eat!

Someone on the TeamSugar Web site baked a KINDLE CAKE!

Rupert Murdoch Wants to Charge More For WSJ

Media Mogul Rupert Murdoch, who took control of the Wall Street Journal newspaper as part of his company's acquisition of Dow Jones, told Martha Stewart (a huge Kindle fan, apparently) during Murdoch's appearance at Bear Stearns that he believes the subscription price for the Wall Street Journal on Kindle, which is $9.99 per month, is FAR TOO LOW. "We certainly need to charge you more," he told Stewart.

Kindle Has Secret GPS, Minesweeper, and More

Igor Skochinsky published A POST AT THE REVERSE EVERYTHING BLOG that shows how using key combinations, you can bring up secret capabilities, including a location finder, Minesweeper game, picture viewer, reboot command, screenshot grabber, clock, diagnostic modes and much more. Here's a list of the key combinations from Skochinskiy's blog post:

Keyboard shortcuts

Various undocumented/underdocumented keyboard shortcuts. I italicized most interesting ones.

Global keys

Alt-Shift-R reboot Kindle
Alt-Shift-. restart GUI
Alt-Shift-G make screenshot
due to an implementation bug, screenshots can only be stored on SD card, not the main storage. A gif file is saved in the card root.
Shift-Sym start demo
Enabled only if allow_demo=true is passed on the Java commandline. Needs a special demo script present on the SD card.

Home

Alt-Shift-M Minesweeper
Alt-Z rescan picture directories
Alt-T show time

Reader

Alt-B toggle bookmark
Alt-T spell out time
Alt-0 enable/disable slideshow
Alt-1 start slideshow (if enabled)
Alt-2 stop slidehow
Alt-PageForward/PageBackward go to next/prev annotation or one "chunk" (1/20th of a book) forward or backward

Settings

411 show diagnostics data
511 run loopback call test
611 diagnostic data service call
c/e/s
126 Lab126 team members

Font List

J show/hide justification options

Picture viewer

Alt-Shift-0 set current picture as screensaver
F toggle fullscreen mode

Minesweeper

I,J,K,L up,left,down,right
M mark mine
R restart
Space open cell
Scroll move cursor up/down
Alt-Scroll move cursor left/right
H return to Home screen

Text input

Alt-Backspace clear all
Alt-H/Alt-J move cursor
(the following don't work in search field for some reason)
Alt-6 ?
Alt-7 ,
Alt-8 :
Alt-9 "
Alt-0 '

Browser

It seems there is a location capability (GPS?) in the CDMA module. I cannot check it as I'm not in USA but the following shortcuts are programmed inside the browser.
Alt-1 show current location in google maps
Alt-2 find gas station nearby
Alt-3 find restaurants nearby
Alt-4
Alt-5 find custom keyword nearby
Alt-D dump debug info to the log and toggle highlight default item
Alt-Z toggle zone drawing and show log

Audio Player

Alt-F next
Alt-P play/stop

Search commands

These command work in the search field. You can enter only beginning of the command if that's enough for it to be unique.

Public commands (always available)


@help
@web
@wiki/@wikipedia
@store
@time


Semiprivate (available but not mentioned in @help)


;dumpMessages dump current debug log into the "documents" directory
;debugOn set log level=2 and enable private commands
;debugOff set log level=1 and disable private commands


Private commands
Note: following commands are clearly not intended for end users. Some of them may damage your Kindle and void your warranty. Enter at your own risk.


`help list private commands
`7777 set version to TOPmk-xyz-77770 (to disable OTA updates?)
`voltLog <1|0> enable/disable voltage table debug
`batteryLoggingDelay set battery logging delay (in seconds)
`pppStop close WAN PPP connection
`disableIndexing
`logOpenFiles
`startIndexing
`dumpBattery
`indexStatus
`compliance
`einkAdjustments
`allocate [MB]
`log611
`reloadContentRoster
`indexForever
`downloadIndex
`consumeMemory
`terminal
`checkForUpdate
`applyUpdate
`stopIndexing
`processNowNow
`processTodo
`countUnmergedDownloadedIndexes
`dumpIndexStats
`memInfo

Library to Loan Kindles

The Sparta Public Library in Sparta, New Jersey, has purchased two Amazon Kindles for LOANING TO PATRONS. Trouble is, they immediately got 22 people who want to reserve them. The lending period will be one week. Here's the cool part: Each patron who borrows it gets to buy one book from Amazon, and the library will pay for it. So the number of books available on the library Kindles will increase by one each time someone borrows it. (props to blog kindle)

Kindle Rises to #2 On Amazon Bestsellers List

Amazon's own Kindle has actually been rising in the past week on Amazon's "Bestsellers in Electronics" list, and is now #2 ON THE LIST -- just after A