Kindle, like technology & a Prediction

As of yesterday, Anything at Anytime is now available on Amazon.com for the Kindle. 

I figured it would be a way to open up to a larger audience and at the same time maybe pick up a little income so that I could say: "Look Honey, I can still help out a little with the Bills.  Here's my 30 cents."

This site is not built to be a "Money Maker".  If it does make a little, Great!  If not, that is fine as well.  I will not overlook an opportunity to help bring a little into the household income when it is put right in front of me and doesn't cost my family Anything other than my time. 

If you want to see where we are check out this link:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VYBJM0

Amazon sets the prices so I have no control over that.  I just think it is cool that they accepted it so quickly and felt it was worth what they put up there.  People will be able to see Anything at Anytime on things like the picture to the left here, it is a Kindle 2.

Kindle and Like technology- What does it imply and where is it heading us?

First and Foremost - I am NOT being paid for this!  I thought about all of this when my wife and I were discussing where Kindle and similar items could lead.

If you don't know what a Kindle is the most basic description is that it is an Electronic book.  A book with no Pages, A book with NO PAPER (other than the operating instructions when you buy it). 

First off lets start there - a book with NO PAPER.  How many books does a single tree make?  I have no idea and I will put lay odds that most of you have no clue either.  Kindle 2s can hold up to 1500 books, Yes 1500 books, that is not a typo 1500 books.   I don't know about you but I go through books pretty quickly, if I were to read all the time I would more than likely knock out on average 9 books a month.  Because of cost I run maybe 2 new books a month and go back and re-read several old favorites. 

Now, if we were to say that the Average "Joe" reader got in roughly 6 books a year and made up 50% of the market and the below average reader (maybe 3 books a year) and the above average reader (say about 15 books a year) both took 25% of the market apiece.  Take 100 readers, in one Year that is 4250 books!  I am not an expert but I really do not believe that a Single tree can make that many books. 
If 100 out of a 1000 readers had a Kindle that is 4250 books that do not need to be published, just a data transfer to the unit. 
I am not the Greenest person in the world by no means at all.  Green sticks to me about as well as Me catching a Greased Pig - It Ain't Happenin!!!!!

But you Do the Math and Figure out how many books you wouldn't need published?!?

As a Non-Greenie, I could add so much more about other things saving trees could lead to but I am not a Green Preacher.

By the way, when you just read "book" or "books" that is to include magazines and other "printed" materials.

Another Kicker that goes with the Kindle is that you can get your books as soon as they get it in the data base, and get it cheaper than the Hardback printed version.  Most of what I saw scanning around in the sales section for the Kindle was that Hardbacks ranging from $20-$30.00 you could get for download to the Kindle for $9.99.  That alone is a savings of $10-$20.00, and you got it as soon as it was available.  How many books a year do buy and read?  Now do that Math.

Every single one of you that has been reading me regularly is more than likely wondering where I am going with this; well, it definitely is not where you think. 

I am heading towards a prediction and one that could easily shake some and open eyes of others. 

If Kindles and the similar products that are out there take off, as I think they will, We are looking at the beginning of the end of regular Libraries and Printed Books! 

Don't get me wrong, there will still be Libraries but Libraries as we know them will be very, very rare.  Most publications will be printed in very limited runs as "research" materials only.  Everything will be available for download directly to your hand held reader.  Schools are already looking at getting items like this and laptops for the students in order to cut back on papers and books and save money in the long run for their districts. 

Imagine the cost savings for a medium to large city if they could have one Large Central library where everyone could stop in and get their downloads.  No extra building cost as in electricity, water, gas, security.  Take for Example a city like El Paso:  Give them 2  or even 3 Download centers (already existing "Libraries"), closing down or even selling off the other buildings to bring added income into the city, that would mean more funds for Parks, Recreation Facilities, better roads, better trained Police and Fire Depts. (not that they are bad but just more training, training always makes better). 

Those are just the immediate things I can think of off the top of my head.  Give me a Day and I can write you a book/data transfer. 

Libraries as We know them will be gone sometime in the next 25 years if not sooner.  Books as we know them (turning the page to see whats next, or where is the writer taking me now) will be something we see as a museum piece or that precious "research material" that can only be used on location.

Depending upon how you look at it, this can be a Good thing or a Bad thing. 
I Think it is a Good thing.
It will allow us as a People/Society to become paperless, saving trees and forest in the process and allowing Nature to replenish itself.  It will allow financial resources to be allotted for other needs. 

Again, I am not a Green!  The very Nature of the Kindle and similar items just make you Think "GREEN" because it fits so easily. 

If I could afford it I would get a Kindle for everyone in the house because we are a house full of READERS.  In the long run it would save us a ton of money on books and in our small way we would be helping Nature come back as our Parents and their Parents and the Parents before them all knew it. 

Not to mention that sometime in the next 25 years we are all going to need them anyway in order to Read what our Favorite Authors are putting out there for us.