Amazon Kindle's Whispernet
This blog was summarized from an article in wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whispernet, and where possible the original source documentation was cited. Other than being a user of an Amazon Kindle, I get no remuneration from the writing of this blog.
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The Amazon Kindle is one of the most ubiquitous electronic devices in the 21st century. Next to the Apple iPod it is one of the most “given” gifts during the holiday season.
The Kindle itself is a series of different e-book readers (different versions and models such as the Kindle Fire). It enables users to access books and other electronic literature to download, browse and read; including newspapers, magazines, blogs and other digital media.1
It’s interesting to note that the Kindle name was devised by branding consultant, Michael Cronan, who with his business partner, Karin Hibma, suggested “kindle” as it means to light a fire. They felt that it was a fitting "verbal-imagery" for reading and “intellectual excitement.”2
Amazon Kindle’s software allows usage on various devices and platforms, including:
- Microsoft Windows
- iOS
- BlackBerry
- Mac OS X (10.5 0r later, Intel)
- Android
- WebOS
- Windows Phone
Amazon's 3G network is called "Whispernet.”3 It is accessible without any monthly fee or wireless subscription. And through a service called “Whispersync,” you can synchronize the reading progress of all of your media devices across different platforms.4 That means that you can read a book on your Kindle in the morning and later on read it on your DROID while commuting to work, and then at work on your computer during your lunch hour — always keeping in "sync" to where you last left off.
“In the last three months of 2010, Amazon announced that in the United States, their e-book sales had surpassed sales of paperback books for the first time.”5 And just about every civic library is re-tooling itself to include an e-book service. Personally I use the Westfield Athenaeum and the Watertown Public Library. and both have e-book borrowing services.
Currently, Amazon’s terms of usage forbids transferring books to a different type of device (other than a Kindle), but you can “lend” a book to a friend who also has a Kindle.6 “As of July 4, 2011, there were more than 765,000 books available on Amazon’s Whispernet, which is two times greater than that of Barnes & Noble.7
Additionally, Kindle users can purchase literature from:
- FictionWise
- Mibipocket
- Baen Ebooks
- And public domain titles are obtainable from:
- Project Gutenberg
- The Internet Archive
- Retroread
- World Public Library8
So, what is the point of all of this?
Well, any college system at this point that is just beginning either to think about e-books or initially using them, should take their finger out of the proverbial dam and go with Amazon. Like as not most students will be coming into the classroom already with Kindles or Nooks in hand as many grammar, middle and high schools are already using them. The price for the low end Kindle at this writing is $69. The system is already setup for use and it allows professors access to 765,000 texts — so this makes it a no brainer.
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Next week’s blog will be about the use of Kindle in the classroom: “Kindle Karma in the Classroom”
Bibliography from original Wikipedia Article1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whispernet
2 Friedman, Nancy (December 9, 2008). "How the Kindle got its name."
3 http://paidcontent.org/tech/419-the-kindles-no-contract-whispernet-can-teach-the-wireless-industry-a-th/
4 "Kindle for iPhone home page". Archived from the original on February 05 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
5 "Amazon Kindle e-book downloads outsell paperbacks". BBC News. January 28, 2011. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
6 "Amazon Kindle: License Agreement and Terms of Use". Amazon.com, Inc. February 9, 2009. Archived from the original on January 09 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
7 "Kindle Books: Kindle Store : Nonfiction, Fiction, History, Advice & How-to, Business & Investing & More". Amazon.com. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
8 King, Sammy. "Survey of Kindle, Nook, iPad, Sony and OverDrive eBook Store Collection Size". eBookReaderGuide.com. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
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