A Comparison Of The Amazon Kindle And The Internet

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There are often concerns that older communication technology is consistently displaced by newer more innovative technology. Sometimes however, new technology does not displace the longstanding technology but adds a new element to that technology. The e-reader is a suitable alternative to printed books and the Amazon Kindle is considered one of the most popular e-book readers available.
The e-reader is a handheld device that allows the user to read electronic books, newspapers, magazines and other digital content. The e-book is the digitized version of the printed book and can be read on computers or any other hand held devices such as tablets, smartphones, and e-readers. Originally, the e-reader device was the designated device specifically …show more content…

The “Oprah Effect” or the expression denoting to the influence that Oprah Winfrey, one of the richest women in the world has on businesses and products that she endorses, increased the Kindle’s adaptability. During her time as a talk show host (between 1986 - 2011), Oprah was being watched by over 44 million people each week which translates into big sales for the businesses and products that she supported. In November 2008, Oprah endorsed the Kindle by proclaiming on live television that the Kindle was her favorite new tech gadget. Although the device was new to the technology market and cost over $350, Oprah reminded her audience of the advantages of owning the environmentally friendly device. She also commented on how the revolutionary device would eventually pay for itself since e-books were cheaper to buy than printed books …show more content…

According to the theory of innovation, there is a progression among the members of a social system which starts at the innovators, then moves to the early adopters, then to the early majority, then to the late majority and finally ends at the laggards (Grant and Meadows p 27). Oprah’s success and fame allowed her to become a gatekeeper to the millions of viewers that tuned into her show every day. Once she endorsed the Kindle, she opened the door for the next group of potential adopters. Two months after Oprah’s endorsement of the Kindle, the device was completely sold out. Oprah’s endorsement of the Kindle enabled the device to move from a small portion of the market occupied by the early adopters to a mainstream market occupied by the early majority and late majority at a record

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