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Mobile & Wireless: Exclusive: Stephen King Helps Launch Amazon Kindle 2 in NYC


eWEEK has a behind-the-scenes look at the launch of the new Amazon Kindle 2 electronic reader at an exclusive event in New York City that features author Stephen King reading from his new novella called "Ur," which is available with the new Kindle device. On Feb. 9, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced the release of the Kindle 2 electronic reader at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York, demonstrating the device's improved functionality over its predecessor. The Amazon Kindle 2 features a 6-inch gray-scale screen and can store 1,500 books, or 1.4GB of data. For enterprise users, Kindle 2 has the ability to convert Word and PDF documents, which can then be wirelessly e-mailed to the device.
 
  • Exclusive: Stephen King Helps Launch Amazon Kindle 2 in NYC
    by Nicholas Kolakowski
  • Jeff Bezos takes the stage at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York to announce the release of the Kindle 2 electronic reader starting at $359.
  • Device navigation happens via a five-way controller. The Kindle 2 is designed to be used one-handed.
  • Stephen King takes the stage to read from a novella, "Ur," that he wrote exclusively for the Kindle 2.
  • "I don't even know how to say the word, 'Zeitgeist,'" King joked near the end of his reading.
  • The Kindle 2 introduces a text-to-speech option, where users can have the document read to them by either a male or female voice.
  • The Kindle 2 has been designed for 25 percent more battery life than its predecessor, roughly 2 weeks' use with a single charge.
  • The Kindle 2 features seven times more storage capacity than its predecessor: 1.4GB of user-accessible data, the equivalent of roughly 1,500 books.
  • At 0.36 inches thick, the Kindle 2 is thinner than most smartphones.
  • Every Kindle device comes with a unique e-mail address, allowing users to wirelessly e-mail PDF and Word documents to it.
  • The 3G wireless delivery allows books and other documents to be downloaded to the Kindle 2 in less than 60 seconds.
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