Will Mario Kill the Kindle?

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 4:09 PM, billsimpsen wrote:

  Wouldn't it be fair to compare the Nintendo DS to the iPhone/iPod touch as well? If you do that, Apple will pass the Nintendo installed base this year or next.

  I think it's more likely that a general purpose computing device like the iPhone/iPod will encroach on gaming than a gaming-centric device will encroach on book reading.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 4:21 PM, ejclason2 wrote:

  "The DSi XL may not be the perfect platform for reading a book, but it's good enough if you don't have anything better at hand."

  Good enough means better than a paper book for a large segment of the population. This assumption has yet to be proven. If it's wrong, your whole argument falls apart. I'm not saying I'm sure the assumption is wrong. Let's just say I'm skeptical.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 5:34 PM, JHawkinTexas wrote:

  Please...give me a break. The existing DS systems are NOT suitable e-readers. The new, larger screen DS system might be but currently there are 0 (zero) of those in the market. Next consider who owns these systems. I would say that 99.9% of the 6-12 year olds that use these systems care NOTHING about reading on them ...only playing games. Can you imaging a 9 yr old reading Moby Dick on his/her DS. LMAO!

  Now, consider this is not a savy move by Nintendo but one of desperation. Case in point: My son, 9, has played on a Nintendo GBA since he was 4 or 5. He wanted a DS but last spring we got him an iPod Touch. Game over for Nintendo. He has hardly touched his GBA since then and has not asked again about getting a DS.

  I realize this is anecdotal but take a look at DS sales (from Nintendo financial reports). They have peaked and are declining.

  Now my son is asking for an iPad because it has a bigger screen for playing games than the Touch. Oh, btw, mom & dad can also use it as an e-reader, reading/writing email, and surfing the web.

  People who write these articles need to get a clue.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 5:52 PM, TyrantBone wrote:

  @JHawkinTexas

  It's unfair for you to refer to the DSi as something for a 9yr old and that they won't read, then say that parents can read their son's iPad in the same post. If you make an argument like that for one device it has to hold true for the other.

  As for this post in general, I don't buy it. I would bet anything in my wallet that Nintendo doesn't go full steam in this direction and that it doesn't affect the e-book market whatsoever.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 5:55 PM, TyrantBone wrote:

  @JHawkinTexas

  It's unfair for you to refer to the DSi as something for a 9yr old and that they won't read, then say that parents can read their son's iPad in the same post. If you make an argument like that for one device it has to hold true for the other.

  As for this post in general, I don't buy it. I would bet anything in my wallet that Nintendo doesn't go full steam in this direction and that it doesn't affect the e-book market whatsoever.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 6:18 PM, gslusher wrote:

  @TyrantBone

  "If you make an argument like that for one device it has to hold true for the other."

  BS. By your logic, one would have to make the same functionality arguments for tricycles and minivans. Most parents aren't going to play with the DSi. It's a toy for kids and older males who are retarded socially & emotionally. The iPad, OTOH, can work for parents and kids because it's more versatile. The DSi & its ilk will probably continue because some games work better with physical controls. (It wouldn't surprise me to see some enterprising company come out with a game controller for the iPhone/iPod touch--if there's not one already.)

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 6:28 PM, costarhu wrote:

  I agree with Bill Simpsen, but would like to add that for anyone serious about reading, the Kindle is way better than the Iphone/Touch/Laptop etc. The electronic paper means no eyestrain, quick downloads via free wireless, it is light & easy to carry around, for me it is superior to a book - the dictionary feature alone does it for me, but there are other features that IMO make it superior to reading a book. Sure, it is fun to be able to read whilst in a queue or at the dentist on the other devices, but none are as good an experience as the Kindle - and they are not designed to be. I cannot believe that Nintendo really expect people to use the DS as a serious reading implement, nor the Iphone, Ipad, etc. If you want to read electronically IMO you need the electronic paper to avoid the eyestrain and until this is incorporated into the other devices I will keep my Iphone for mobile & games and my Kindle for any serious reading I want to get done. The other devices don't even come close to the comfort and overall efficiency of the Kindle.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 7:50 PM, mbernhardt wrote:

  "By your logic, one would have to make the same functionality arguments for tricycles and minivans"

  I think he meant that you could also borrow your kid's DS to read, just like you could borrow your kid's iPad to read. It's a valid argument. The fact that an iPad is much more versatile has nothing to do with the DS becoming a successful e-reader.

  However, my kid has a DS and I think the screen is too small, and the resolution isn't nearly good enough, to make reading a comfortable experience. I can't imagine reading on an iPod touch either- the screen is just too small. If the screen isn't the same size as a paperback page, it will be a novelty but not a success story.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 8:31 PM, themaxpain wrote:

  I wonder when these "kill the kindle" hype pieces will ever stop. Does the author of this actually believe "100 classic works of literature" on a handheld video game system that primarily targets children who by and large avoid reading at all costs (let's be honest, they're most likely either playing video games, emailing/texting, or browsing the web) ... will compete at all against e-readers that target people who actually enjoy, and who regularly/prolifically *do* read?

  I really hope the author is trying to be tongue-in-cheek with this, but I'm guessing not. Sad.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 8:31 PM, themaxpain wrote:

  I wonder when these "kill the kindle" hype pieces will ever stop. Does the author of this actually believe "100 classic works of literature" on a handheld video game system that primarily targets children who by and large avoid reading at all costs (let's be honest, they're most likely either playing video games, emailing/texting, or browsing the web) ... will compete at all against e-readers that target people who actually enjoy, and who regularly/prolifically *do* read?

  I really hope the author is trying to be tongue-in-cheek with this, but I'm guessing not. Sad.

• Report this Comment On February 26, 2010, at 9:01 PM, SukiTawdry wrote:

  agree with you dealbandit.

  Also, my experience with kindle is durablility. I think my kid went through a couple of those small gaming devices. He was even frustrated with the quality and stopped after #2 or was it trying to fix #1 (buying the parts to repair it). He doesn't like to waste his $$.

• Report this Comment On March 01, 2010, at 11:06 AM, ChandraC wrote:

  Yawn. Yes and Westinghouse will add an eReader to the program progress display on its washing machines. And Samsung will add one to its HD TVs so you can read a book in a corner of your 60" screen while watching the Wall Street does the Shylock Shuffle.

  In case you hadn't noticed:

  1 ~70% people don't read more than one book/year;

  2 90+% of DS users are under what... say 15 years of age. 80+% of them are unlikely to buy books or even read the free Classic titles.

  In the true sense of the word, a foolish article.

Add your comment.