I’m a Kindle Schizophrenic
Last night, while I was cleaning out the attic in my house, I uncovered a few old magazines and pamphlets, most from the late 20’s. Awesome! In amazing shape, it was awesome to flip through the pages and image that someone 80 years ago could have been sitting up there doing the exact same thing. If paper media went extinct, what would my grandkids find in 80 years? A cracked up Kindle? Definitely not as cool.
Perhaps this is why I’m a Kindle schizophrenic. One minute I want a Kindle and the next I think it’s an absolute waste of money.
On one hand, the thought of being able to carry a virtual library in my pocket (or bag) is appealing. I envision the technology – and hefty price tag – forcing me to do the reading I’ve been avoiding.
On the other hand, I think about all of the books that are already in circulation. The ones that I can borrow from the local library for free or pick up at a garage sale for a couple of cents. Sure the convenience is not there, but since I’m not a world traveler, I can certainly afford the calorie burn associated with lugging a book or two.
One thing I am certain of: I have no interest in a larger Kindle that is designed to read newspapers and magazines. There’s a press conference scheduled for tomorrow that will likely unveil just that. Can Amazon help revive old media? Probably not.
First and foremost, there is a content issue – not a content delivery issue. So unless Kindle will allow users to interact with their favorite “print” publishers in a new and exciting way, I can’t see too many people getting jazzed up about this.
Also, everyone I talk to, whether they are 20 or 70, claim they will never let go of the physical product. EVER. I have no reason to believe they are all lying. The number of “physical” readers might dwindle as the years and decades roll by, but it will not disappear.
And it never should. I’m more convinced of this than ever before.
But I was also the guy who always thought he’d want his CD artwork. Maybe I’m not just a Kindle schizophrenic – but a man with multiple personalities. 
What do you think?