Looking Back: Amazon Kindle

The Amazon kindle appeared on our radar around about the time this blog came into being. While it had been out briefly before, it was starting to make big waves in the tech world. Amazon cleverly had ignored the apple inspired rush for top of the range functionality and top of the range prices, and instead went for something simpler and more importantly cheaper.

By keeping the kindle simple yet fantastically designed they single handedly lit a fire under the fledgling eBook industry. While others will point to competitor models and claim them "better". This was a case of good enough being, well...good enough. The kindle at 8.5mm was incredibly thin, with up to 2 months battery life and a capacity of around 3,500 books the kindle had the specs were it needed it. The kindle like many of its competitors made use of eInk screens that allowed for zero eyestrain on those using it. The inclusion of wi-fi and 3g was an inspiration allowing for easy access to amazons huge library from almost anywhere in the world all included in the purchase price (another fantastic idea.)

What really knocked my socks off though was Whispernet! The fact that the kindle would seamlessly update a central server with where I was up to in my book was a wonder. Meaning that if your kindle wasn't to hand and you picked up your android phone or laptop or iPhone (using their freely available apps,) you could continue from where you left off. This is were the kindle really wins over its rivals, its a service you are buying not just a device. The kindle itself is just an interface to that service, admittedly a beautifully designed interface but its the extras that Amazon include in the already low price that make the kindle the market leader now and for the foreseeable future.

Did the kindle live up to its hype. It most certainly did, amazon have sold many tens of millions and the reviews seem to be nothing but positive. The kindle was in great demand by spree4 users and has been very popular in the short time it has been available on the site.

New Kindle?

The Amazon Kindle has been an unquestionable success for Amazon. It managed to do what other companies (including Amazon itself,) had failed to do and open the eBook market to everyone.

Over the last 12 months there has been lots of rumour about the next kindle. It would have a touch screen, it would be high res, it would be colour etc etc. All of it had the distinct smell of being made up. The simple fact has been that as the kindle sold in ever increasing quantities, Amazon had no real reason to add any of the functions above that are not necessary to the kindle's functioning as an eBook reader. The public seemed quite happy to buy the kindle as is, and the drop in price over time just sweetened the deal. Lets not forget that even though kindle is a fantastic bit of kit it isn't "the best" eBook reader on the market. It works, its simple, its well designed and its cheap.

So what’s changed. Well Amazon recently reduced the price of its refurbished kindles and looks set to follow with a reduction on new units. If they are following the apple model this generally signals a stock clearing before an upgrade. Also Amazon have just registered a new domain kindlescribe.com. Unless this is baiting us tech bloggers to get some free marketing (and I wouldn't put it past them,) this seems very suggestive we are about to get a new kindle.

An educated guess would be that the new kindle will incorporate a stylus that will allow the reader to annotate their eBooks. i.e. to right in the margin or highlight paragraphs much easier. Not a massive upgrade so expect to see more storage space and higher res screens.

We'll keep digging and let you know the minute we find any better facts.

If you can't wait why not buy the excellent Amazon Kindle on our parent site Spree4.com.

Getting on a bit!

So it’s August and we are fast approaching this blogs first anniversary. #PartyTime

It’s been an interesting time and we’ve enjoyed providing Tech news for our followers, our friends and those just passing through. We hope we have been of use, or at the very least mildly entertaining. We know you have a choice in your tech news sites and appreciate your patronage. Our parent site Spree4.com has gone from strength to strength offering great savings on consumer goods, following on from the site redesign that hit our screens earlier this year they have some interesting plans for the coming months (watch this space.)

Over the next few months we’ll be looking back at those products that have made the biggest splash over the last 12 months, discussing if they lived up to the hype, what impact they had on our lives or failed to have (I’m looking at you 3d tv.). We’ll also be looking at those rumoured products that will be lighting up the last few months of this year or the first few of next. In November we will be naming our product(s) of the year to mark our first birthday. It realise is exciting times hear in spree4 towers.

Wii U Hit of E3

Nintendo becomes the first of the Big 3 to release details of their new console. Not only that but the the lucky people at the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo.) have even got their grubby little mits on it. So far the reviews are positive.

Nintendo Wii U.

So just what is new with the new console. Well at heart its an update on the Wii. It boasts faster processing and better (HD) graphics. So far so underwhelming, but lets not forget that the Wii was hardly technically ground breaking. The wii was essentially an updated GameCube (faster with better graphics,) and many thought it could not survive against the xBox 360 and the PS3. What was ground-breaking and the saviour of the Wii was its control system. The exceptional control system added to Nintendo's targeting at the "Family" market, leaving xBox and PlayStation to fight over the "Gamer" market. It was 4 years before we saw something that had the potential to steal Nintendo family crown when the Kinnect was released. Those clever guys at Nintendo have done the same again.

New controller.

The Wii U has been given another revolutionary control system. Joining the wand and Nunchaku is a tablet controller. This tablet has a large screen which is also touch screen and a camera. This screen allows for exceptional game play. Already on the cards are wii sports style games Were the tablet allows one to zoom into something on screen or for a dungeon master to move his minions to trap the players. Where one player(the one with the tablet) is the hunted and upto four players track him down (as the tablet allows one player to have a unique view.) We used to play something similar with four TVs, an ample amount of cardboard and goldeneye (No radars). Also the tablet allows games to be played without the a TV as well.

Controlling Link's inventory.

Now some hardcore gamers I've talked to aren't impressed. I however am and it seems those that have actually played with it are with me. Nintendo seem very good at making innervative games that make the most of their controllers. I can see them making some really wonders using this new control method.

If you can't wait why not go to spree4.com where you can get a Nintendo Wii, a Microsoft xBox with Kinect or a Sony Playstation 3 for as little as a tenner.

iPad 2 Hits Britain's Stores this month!

Around about 2 hours ago and several thousand thousand Miles away. Steve Jobs took the podium, in a surprise move after he stood down from Apple (hopefully temporarily) on medical grounds. The reason he thought he had to be their "We have been working on this product for a while and I just didn't want to miss today." Good on you Steve (or should it Mr Jobs???) and can I take this opportunity to wish you a speedy recovery.

The product he was talking about is of course the iPad2. For those that have been living in a hole for a year, iPad was released last year and has single handedly (does an iPad have hands?) kick started the long stalled tablet market. Earlier this year at the CES in Las Vegas many companies were releasing their iPad killers, but as we said "while everyone fights for a piece of the iPad market, what clever little gadget are Apple technicians working on". Well we get our first answer (of many we hope) here.

On first glance the iPad 2 has raised the bar once more. They have managed to shave 33% of the thickness, which is good going as iPad wasn't really that thick to start. It boosts the new A5 processor which will make the iPad 2 twice as fast, with graphics processing more than 8 times faster. It also comes with a camera which allows for iPad users to use the facetime, and for those who are just a little bit shallow it will now come in white as well as black. The only disappointment is that it still comes with a maximum of 64GB storage, and as yet no hint of the rumoured mini sd expansion slot.

So when is it available? It will hit UK stores on 25th March. When will it be available on spree4? Well that would be telling.....

What Hi Fi Review of Sonos S5

What Hi Fi have reviewed the Sonos S5 and given it 5 stars.

"..perfectly pitched, stylistically and technologically – a premium-feeling proposition that we described as being 'as close to hi-fi as wi-fi gets'."

"..the S5 is the perfect way to begin or extend your Sonos system."

We at Spree4 couldn't agree more, the Sonos system is incredible. So easy to setup and so easy to expand. It really does set your music free.

We also can't help the nerd in us wanting to go the whole hog and get an iPad to use as a controller.

iPad controller!!!

PS3s Banned in Britain.

In a rather bizarre turn of events LG have successfully won a ten day import ban on Playstation 3s. LG accuse Sony of patent infraction with regards to blueray playback, and Judges in the Hague have agreed to this temporary ban on PS3 imports into Europe. LG are also seeking a similar ban in the states to.

This latest patent row joins a long list of big names arguing over patent infractions. Nokia vs Apple, Oracle vs Google over the use of java to build android. Normally these sorts of things are just part of licensing negotiations. Simply a tactic to gain an increased margin for the patent holders or as results of buy outs from companies with stricter interpretations of agreements, but this escalation to actual import bans is worrying. As big businesses play hard ball and armies of lawyers look over complex licensing agreements, it only seems to be the consumer that will suffer. In the case of Sony and LG it seems even worse for the consumer as this is just the latest in a long line of tit for tat patent suits.

Reports already show that Sony has little intention on budging on their side of the dispute and LG are eager to extend the ban past 10 days. Is it long before we see shortages of PS3s? Only time will tell.

Definite belated congratulations to h0rs3y and terrilou who managed to buy PS3s for less than a tenner.