The Amazon Kindle was released in the US in 2007 as a way for consumers to read e-books, as well as other digital content.
The Kindle, soon to be available internationally
Network issues were cited as the main reason that the Kindle was not available in Australia, but this month Amazon announced a new Kindle model that would be available to work internationally.
This means that Australians can now download Amazon e-books onto these wireless devices. Being Australian, however, still seems to be somewhat of a disadvantage because they’re going to be paying up to 40% more for the reading material (according to this report from the SMH) and, although the Kindle allows subscriptions to affiliated newspapers and magazines, none of their affiliations are with Australian publications.
Making the product available internationally is presumably an attempt to boost the sales of digital literature (because it turns out that even the frenzy generated by a new Dan Brown novel won’t break the 5% limit on e-book sales). Except, Amazon still remains a snob in terms of the Kindle, releasing the device to Australia and Fiji, but not New Zealand (as remarked here in the National Business Review).
Amazon is an American company, although there is a UK based branch, there’s nothing to cater exclusively to Australians. The Kindle is bound so tightly to Amazon that anything you do with, or purchase for your new e-reader will be done the long way, via the US.
I, personally, wouldn’t want to get this kind of reader until an Australian based company (or franchise) is available to adequately service its Australian customers. Although, I may be wrong. The Kindle might just well be on the verge of revolutionising the literary world.
