Today, Amazon.com will unveil its latest trick in the digital book world: an e-reader called Kindle. At the moment this article is being written nothing is official, but Steven Levy from Newsweek has a good cover-story about Amazon’s plans and Kindle features.  

“It weighs but 10.3 ounces, and unlike a laptop computer it does not run hot or make intrusive beeps. A reading device must be sharp and durable, Bezos says, and with the use of E Ink, a breakthrough technology of several years ago that mimes the clarity of a printed book, the Kindle's six-inch screen posts readable pages. The battery has to last for a while, he adds, since there's nothing sadder than a book you can't read because of electile dysfunction. (The Kindle gets as many as 30 hours of reading on a charge, and recharges in two hours.)” Levy wrote in his article.

The device has wireless connectivity via a system called Whispernet, based on EVDO and the customers will be able to venture out on the Web itself. Also Kindle can be used to read virtual editions of newspapers and magazines or to display PDF and MS Word documents.

Also Amazon is preparing no less than 80,000 books for the Kindle store and according to Newsweek’s article a bestseller will be sold for $9.99, while an old book will be priced at $1,99. The virtual editions of the newspapers and magazines will be available in Kindle format for $1,99 per month.

The Kindle device has been anticipated for almost a year and its unveiling was expected last month according to other reports. The tech site Engadget even has reported some details and a picture about Kindle one year ago.

“Amazon Kindle, their take on a book reader device that comes equipped with a 6-inch 800 x 600 display (which we can only assume is e-ink), 256MB internal storage, smallish two-thumb keyboard cursor bar, scroll wheel, standard mini USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack, SD slot, and get this: EV-DO data!” wrote Engadget at the time.

Amazon’s Kindle will compete with Sony Reader, a device measuring 6.9” by 4.9” by 1/2 inch and weighing approx 1/2 lb.

According to Sony, Sony Reader rechargeable battery lasts enough to read 7,500 page turns and it can be recharged in as little as 4 hours with the AC adapter.

Sony Reader has 128MB internal memory, with more available via SD and Memory Stick Pro expansion slots, it features a button for adjusting font size, it displays PDF and Word files and it plays MP3 files.

Clearly now, Amazon wants to extend its presence on the Internet by all means possible, beyond the area where it is already significantly influential, online retail.

Over the past couple of years, with initiatives such as Amazon Unbox, the digital movie store, and Amazon MP3, the giant of online retail has tried to fit into new areas as well.

After movies and music, Amazon appears to be returning to its origins now (I doubt there is anyone who does not know by now that Amazon.com made its debut as an online bookstore).

Inspired by the iTunes + iPod combo, Amazon is to launch Kindle today, an e-reader with wireless connectivity. Will Kindle have more success that Sony Reader, to name its best-known competitor? Probably not! In a digital world where the trend is to combine as many features as possible in the same device, what is the point in carrying around with you one more gadget that can do nothing more but display documents?

Besides a mobile phone, an iPod, a PDA or any other device the common user carries around nowadays in their pockets, one should also make room for a Kindle, for the sole purpose of reading books on Amazon.com?

Kindle will indisputably have its fans; however, taking into consideration that we already have devices like the iPhone, HTC Touch or Nokia N85, it is hard to believe that Amazon’s device will become a must-have.