Amazon’s Kindle DX launch stirred enthused response in the media business the other day, which shouldn’t come as a surprise really, seeing how the old media for the time being seem to be on a desperate search for ways out of the current downturn.

The Kindle DX, Amazon’s generation 2 ebook board, with a larger screen, specially designed for newspapers, is by many expected to be the salvation for a newspaper business in utter distress. The very idea is, of course, brilliant. Save the forests and reduce costs! But is it a viable business model?

First of all, the Kindle is sold in the U.S. only, mainly, I expect, because it connects to the Internet via Amazon’s own Whispernet, through Sprint’s 3G network. No wi-fi connection, what are they thinking? There are, however, ways around that obstacle, I’ve been told. More important, I think, is the Kindle’s – or rather the distributed newspapers’ – lack of links, interactivity and multimedia.

The news consumers’ flee from newsprint to news on the net isn’t related to the medium (i.e. the paper/the platform) per se: If links, leaving instant comments, sound and living images were an option on newsprint, chances are we’d stick with the good old rags. Unfortunately it’s not. Or rather… Who knows? The electronics industry have been fooling around with bendable, unbreakable electronic displays for over a decade now (I seem to remember Philips experimenting with it, sometime back in the 20th century, too). Maybe it’s time we could expect an outcome?

Back to the Kindle DX: Let’s take a closer look at how it works, shall we (text continues underneath video clip)?

The New York Times have been at the forefront for several years, in terms of finding new methods for traditional newsprint distribution. Several years ago I tried out the NYT Reader, in beta at the time, presenting the newspaper on-screen, pretty much in exactly the same fashion as a traditional newsprint paper – on the computer, but I soon tired of it.

This time around they attack the need to boost circulation with a different platform. According to a press release issued by Amazon last Wednesday, The New York Times Company and Washington Post Company are launching pilots with Kindle DX this summer. The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post will offer the Kindle DX at a reduced price to readers who live in areas where home-delivery is not available and who sign up for a long-term subscription to the Kindle edition of the newspapers, which ties in nicely with the media executives’ expectations. Clearly, the intention is to maintain – or increase, even – “traditional” circulation and subscription figures. The medium, the newspaper, that is, remains the same. The new thing about it is the distribution channel, as it were. Furthermore, according to the press release:

The New York Times headquarters. Photographer: Haxorjoe/Wikipedia

“At The New York Times Company we are always seeking new ways for our millions of readers to have full and continuing access to our high-quality news and information,” said Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., chairman, The New York Times Company and publisher, The New York Times.

“The wireless delivery and new value-added features of the Kindle DX will provide our large, loyal audience, no matter where they live, with an exciting new way to interact with The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Additionally, by offering a subscription through the Kindle DX to readers who live outside of our delivery areas, we will extend our reach to our loyal readers who will be able to more readily enjoy their favourite newspapers. Meanwhile, we are continuing to work with Amazon to make The New York Times and The Boston Globe experiences on Kindle better than ever.”

Old copies of The Times with supplements (Wikimedia Commons)

You really can’t blame them for trying, but, as indicated above, I really wouldn’t hold my breath. For one, the revenues are dramatically reduced by the mere fact that Amazon charges 70 percent of the subscription income. Secondly, the reason we all fled the print editions is the Internet’s ability to offer additional functionality, which isn’t featured in the Kindle version.

I could go on, of course. Suffice it to say the technology obviously remains at its earliest stages. With Amazon offering U.S. newspapers only, I’d guess that the market has its limits. Why don’t they open up a bit? This really could be Amazon’s equivalent to Apple’s global iPhone success!

But there are alternatives. Take the Plastic Logic Reader, for instance, sporting a full range of business document formats, such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint, and Adobe PDFs, as well as newspapers, periodicals and books. Plus (BIG plus!), it has wi-fi connectivity (text continues underneath picture)!

ePaper from Plastic Logic (photo from Plastic Logic).

Let’s have a closer look at that one, too:

In all honesty, I think it’s time the media execs leave the old print editions behind, regardless the distribution channels or platforms. Modern day man wants the Internet interaction. The platform itself isn’t so bad, though. I’d love reading news on a Kindle or a Plastic Logic reader, but with Internet functionality, if you please.

If I’d like to have one? Of course, but gadgets – any kind of gadget – are a little out of reach if you’re a freelance journalist these days – as an interesting reflection of the overall and very tangible news business crisis.

See also:

• Switched On: Big Kindle on Campus – Engadget
• How Big Can The Kindle Get? – TechCrunch
• Hands-on: Amazon Kindle DX – TechCrunch

Late edit (Tuesday 12 May 2009): Norwegian daily Dagbladet’s tech writer Jan Omdal seems to share my Kindle scepticism in today’s article (in Norwegian, obviously): Ville du betalt for å lese papiravis på denne? Link later changed to this: Ville du betalt for å lese papiravis på denne? (Loosely translated: Would you pay to read print editions on this?)

Top photo: Amazon’s Kindle DX.