I won't break a Kindle. The Kindle is sufficiently robust, and then some.
> Ability to loan to others - You never lend books? To anyone?
No. The only exception was my textbooks in college.
> Extended Read Time - How on earth couldn't you want extended battery life.
How long does it take to read a book? My Kindle lasts easily 4 weeks, reading about 5-8 hours a week, and in that time I can usually get through a 1,000 page novel. I've never taken a trip where I would be without electricity for more than 4 weeks, and even if I were, I doubt I would want to lug around more than one 1,000 page novel.
> Random Access - You never want to flick through a book?
No. Again, textbooks are the only exception, but that's not really a common use case for e-readers.
> Support for color - Really? You don't want any color in your books? Not even Text books?
Maybe for textbooks, although all the textbooks I've actually enjoyed enough to keep after class have been monochrome.
> With the possible exception of "Loan to others" - I can't understand why every single one of those isn't a "Must have" in order for the kindle
And, conversely, I can't understand why many people would care at all about these issues.
I see no reason to not strive for more, but for the most part I disagree.
However, if they really wanted to advance ebook readers instead of just enjoying their dominant position and branching into androids tablets and phones, they ought to try to push the envelope.
Frankly, if I could legally get textbooks and have random access, color and better pen support... I would be so, so keen. I think there are education opportunities as well with good pen options and text books.
Why can't you buy your third grader a Kindle and have their math book, math workbook/worksheets, answers, tutorials, everything in their hand? The technology more or less exists for this.
> Robust - You don't mind breaking kindles?
I won't break a Kindle. The Kindle is sufficiently robust, and then some.
> Ability to loan to others - You never lend books? To anyone?
No. The only exception was my textbooks in college.
> Extended Read Time - How on earth couldn't you want extended battery life.
How long does it take to read a book? My Kindle lasts easily 4 weeks, reading about 5-8 hours a week, and in that time I can usually get through a 1,000 page novel. I've never taken a trip where I would be without electricity for more than 4 weeks, and even if I were, I doubt I would want to lug around more than one 1,000 page novel.
> Random Access - You never want to flick through a book?
No. Again, textbooks are the only exception, but that's not really a common use case for e-readers.
> Support for color - Really? You don't want any color in your books? Not even Text books?
Maybe for textbooks, although all the textbooks I've actually enjoyed enough to keep after class have been monochrome.
> With the possible exception of "Loan to others" - I can't understand why every single one of those isn't a "Must have" in order for the kindle
And, conversely, I can't understand why many people would care at all about these issues.