It changes the way you think about publications

Hi,

After a long time i am excited about a new product and i see it changing the game. The last product which changed the game was ipod, ipod changed the way music is heard, recorded, sold, kept, distributed. It turned everything around, questioned everything we took for granted when it came to music and gave that warm inspired glow to life that only music can. Its besides the fact that now there are many different ipods and many other device that are better, cheaper etc etc…ipod did what every designer wants to do. it changed and controlled the game.

I have been following the e-book genesis since apple had launched newton long time back. Sony has been at it and rumors are that Apple has something coming soon, Google has been making waves with all the book rights controversies..BUT i think the right product is here from Amazon, its Amazonkindle2. I saw it with a client who bought it from US, looked exciting…but what i found irresistible was the fact that u can order kindle from Amazon website and have it delivered to u in India at your doorstep, after customs and everything. I just couldn’t wait and bought a gift for my friend Architect Christopher Beninger for his birthday that is still a month away. Absolutely painless buying experience on the Amazon, and then regular DHL tracking online is yet another amazing experience. Kindle arrived at “India House’ (thats where i have my new studio INDI, dot on time….i know people in other countries may be surprised as to what is there to feel good about an on-time delivery…I think we in India still find pleasures in occasional brushes with efficiency.

I am sure you will read more about Kindle online, so am not going to write much about what it did..what excites me is the possibilities that emerge now. For one i think Kindle will change the concept of laptop…from a very very different point of view. So far everybody was designing a better, smaller laptop…now that changes..

It changes your expectations from an electronic device…even from your phone..

I changes the way i carry my own work documents (word or pdfs).

It changes the way i read a newspaper and the magazine..i get newspaper on time in my hand, magazine before it hits the stand.

It will change the way we design Annual reports and distribute them I see it changing the way children carry those big bags to school !!!…

it changes the way school and text books are made and distributed,

it changes the way i listen to the books and it does change the impact i have on my eyes.

it changes my office/studio layout…it changes the way libraries work, stock and loan books..

it changes the way i have my passport and other documents,

it changes the way i travel…

Not far to imagine these things…and if you do 2+2 like i do all the time..you will soon have a cross between ipod and kindle, then ipod+kindle+laptop, then ipod=kindle=laptop+TV..etc etc.. and sure phone too. kindle (even in India) already has a gsm sim card built in…as of now it downloads publications its always connected and u dont pay for it…but soon with 3G..and various GPS systems..god knows where will this land up.

I am very excited. I also see India becoming a part of these things..if u saw the google wave video of the tech head..you will know what i mean…and i think designers have to be the first ones to jump up and be on the edge and perhaps take it beyond what amazon thought they could do with it.. It makes for a super gift…

now i wish i had gifted this to myself. Anyway my birthday is on 6th november (I just thought i will mention…) so i will wait. and maybe then i will buy it myself soon after i have saved some money.

by the way i have a new design office now (am not with elephant since June), its called INDI design, based in Pune…am looking for a few very passionate and kick ass designers.

regards

Sudhir Sharma

INDI Design Private Limited