Amazon ships Kindle electronic book reader to Hong Kong

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Leslie Tang , Channel NewsAsia Online retailer Amazon is now shipping its popular Kindle electronic book reader to customers around the world, including Hong Kong. The latest e-reader fad has some saying the days of paper books are numbered. But others said technology cannot replace the traditional experience of curling up with a good book. For centuries, books have been bearers of knowledge and tellers of stories and now it seems the digital age has turned another page in history. Amazon has started shipping its Kindle electronic book reader to over a hundred countries, including Hong Kong. Previously only available in the US, it has become Amazon's hottest-selling item. At the touch of a button, readers can download an entire book in just 60 seconds, using the same 3G wireless technology as cell phones. The international version of Kindle costs US$279. Readers can adjust the font size on the 6-inch electronic ink display which Amazon claims looks and reads like real paper. Charlie Tritschler, director of Product Management, Kindle, said: "It's got great readability even in bright sunlight. And as a result, people can read on it for long periods of time. It also uses very little battery life." Kindle users can buy and download over 350,000 books in English including New York Times bestsellers. Mr Charlie Tritschler continued: "With a Kindle, I can store over 1,500 books in a single place. I can literally carry my entire library in a device. So if I go on a trip, instead of carrying six books in my suitcase, I can have my entire library with me." In terms of size, the device is just over a third of an inch thick. Compare that to a 400-page book. But the question is, can its sleek technology really replace the experience of flipping through the pages of a good book? Bookstores do not seem to think so. Some said reading is a much larger experience which starts by browsing through the shelves. Ellie Luk, general manager, Bookazine, said: "For example with children's books, it's the interaction between the child and the story. So you've got the child turning pages. They're looking at pictures and reacting to the story. And as a parent, you really wouldn't want to take an e-reader to bed with your five-year-old child." As for the claim that e-books will mean the extinction of paperbacks, die-hard book lovers said that chapter will never be written. - CNA/vm