Maybe Kindle Isn't Crap

When I first heard about the Kindle electronic book reader from Amazon, my first reaction was that this is a product looking for a time and a place to go bust. Who wants to read a book on a screen smaller than many books? Maybe I had this all wrong.

Today, Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos issued a big apology for Amazon's inability to ship its Kindle electronic book reader in a timely fashion.

Okay. It sold out at launch. Not a surprise, as early adapters will buy almost anything. But maybe Kindle has legs. On the other hand, maybe Bezos is as surprised as I. Long shipping delays have been the norm. It looks at first glance as if people want the Kindle and Amazon can't make them fast enough. I still think it is crap, and that sales will smash into a brick wall. Nevertheless, there is no excuse for production delays.

Here's Bezos note. You decide.