Amazon newspaper store, reader receive firm launch
updated 11:35 am EDT, Thu September 13, 2007
Amazon Kindle mid October
Amazon's widely expected Kindle reader (pictured) could have a fixed release date and a service to match, according to a claim from French newspaper Les Echos. The trade publication backs earlier claims that Amazon will offer an eBook store in the US by October 15th that will sell both traditional eBooks and at least some newspapers, suggesting a simultaneous release of the increasingly likely Amazon device. No confirmation has been made of the expected subscription service, though the business model "isn't any different" from Les Echos' physical newspaper model, according to the report.
The French paper did not provide direct references to the Amazon Kindle and instead pointed to existing readers like the iRex Iliad, which are more likely to be available on a global basis. The recent New York Times report alluded to hardware priced between $400 and $500 with an EVDO cellular Internet link to download new issues and books when beyond the reach of USB or Wi-Fi. Other well-known papers were said to be onboard and included at least one other French national paper, Le Monde.
