Will the new Kindle DX really help college students?

The Kindle DX has officially "been out" for a few hours now (though not shipping until summer), which has been just enough time for me to think about it a little since writing this previous post. I’ll start off by saying that, despite all my criticism, I do like the Kindle and I even like Amazon. My beef with both is when it comes to DRM.

As for the Kindle DX, I think it is definitely taking a step in the right direction. Amazon is spot on to develop and release a device that can be very well suited to help college students lighten their loads, maybe help a struggling newspaper industry, and even give those with vision problems the ability to enjoy reading.

Let’s break it down one item at a time!

1. Used by college students to read their class textbooks.

In theory, I think this is a great idea. The sheer number of textbooks combined with the size of some of them that students are required to lug around these days is enough to make even a profesional weightlifter cry.

But, I think for college students, who are probably the biggest cash-strapped demographic in this country, the $489 price tag on the Kindle DX is hard to justify. For that price, or even a little more, a student could easily get one of the many Netbooks on the market that can do so much more than store books.

Also, how much will e-textbooks cost? If there’s not a significant price reduction in the cost of electronic textbooks, then Amazon can kiss the Kindle DX goodbye on college campuses. Students, parents and even some professors have long decried the high price of textbooks as highway robbery. And to make it worse, publishers have a nasty habit of adding on CD-ROMs and website subscriptions to justify higher prices.

Then, to add insult to injury, the publisher comes out with a new "version" each year, pulling the "old" version off the market. This forces students to buy new textbooks and prevents them from getting anything back when they sell it back to the bookstore (if the book can even be sold back to begin with).

The Kindle DX is in a great position to change all that – but only if publishers stop being greedy and start being realistic about the financial strain they put on millions of college students. Publishers should sell their e-textbooks at drastically lower prices than their print counterparts. A few dollars off won’t cut it.

And once a student buys the book, he/she should get free updates. If there’s a series of textbooks (ie. courses like Algebra 1, Algebra 2…) then give the students a discount for buying the subsequent electronic versions.

2. Will the Kindle DX save the newspaper industry?

I doubt it. At least, not with the current business model. I’m not going to pay $13.99 per month to read the New York Times in electronic form when I can read all the same stories and features online or via my iPhone, for free!

Right now I’m not sure what the solution is for the newspaper industry. I think for one, each newspaper should take a look at how many printed papers they actually sell versus how many they print. I bet most can drastically cut back on printing and focus on digital content with targeted adverstising. I’ve talked to the good folks at my local bookstore and they say it’s astounding at how many newspapers don’t get sold. Such a waste!

3. Other Kindle DX odds and ends.

One of the biggest complaints for many regarding ebook reading devices is the screen is too small. The Kindle DX definitely puts that argument to rest. People with vision problems will appreciate its larger screen, and Amazon even kept the text-to-speech software despite the Authors Guild fiasco.

I can see this device being a big help for people with vision problems, but also learning disabilities. Some people need to hear something before fully comprehending it, and the DX will certainly give them that option.

My optimism about this new device is somewhat overshadowed by Amazon’s DRM practices. Keeping Kindle users chained to Amazon.com is not a good long-term strategy. And as more ebook readers hit the market that are open to more formats, I think Amazon might be forced to rethink exactly why they are using DRM to begin with.

But it will also take a lot of arm-twisting for publishers to come around as well. I only hope book publishers are looking at the disaster the music industry has been facing since the recording industry decided to keep pushing CDs onto a market that was obviously going digital – and then sued their own customers when they went elsewhere to get their music (another rant for another day).

What do you think of the Kindle DX? Do you think it will change how college students buy and read their textbooks? Give me your thoughts below in the comment section!

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