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Since it was first released way back in November of 2007, the Amazon Kindle reader has consistently been the best e-book reader on the market. That is the reason that it has been so successful to date. At the end of 2009, it seemed as if every personal electronics manufacturer was trying to secure a share of the nascent e-book reader market - and any new reader was immediately christened the “Kindle Killer”. The simple reason for this is that the Kindle was, and still is, the industry benchmark.

The recent release of the upgraded third generation Kindle reader has opened the gap between Amazon’s reader and the trailing pack even further. It’s worth noting that the latest, and quite possibly most credible, Kindle killer isn’t another e-book reader but the Apple iPad. This is a completely different type of device, with a much higher selling price and - when considered as an e-book reader - a device which suffers in a number of areas compared to the Kindle.

The latest improvements include a doubling of memory from 2 to 4 GB, a higher contrast display, 20% faster page turns and an extended battery life. The device retains the same 6″ display, but in a smaller, lighter case - which now comes in either white or graphite. Amazon has also launched an entry level reader with Wi-Fi only for those who don’t envisage the need for a 3G connection. This is priced at just $ 139 – getting close to the $ 99 impulse buy threshold for personal electronic devices. The Wi-Fi plus 3G model is available for $ 189.

Almost unnoticed amongst the numerous technical enhancements, Amazon opened an independent Kindle store for UK customers. UK residents will no longer need to get an “international” Kindle shipped across the Atlantic. This only took a few days to do - but some customers may have been put off by exchange rates and having to use a credit card (debit cards are more common in the UK). Amazon has just launched a major TV advertising campaign in the UK and it may be that this, together with the “local” UK Kindle store could produce a lot of sales for them. Should this prove to be a successful strategy for Amazon, they will probably open other Kindle stores for countries such as France and Germany who also have their own local Amazon Web stores.

It wasn’t long after the Kindle 3 was released before Amazon had, once again, sold out of Kindles. At the moment, customers are faced with a three to four week wait before their readers will ship. Looking at the present levels of sales, there’s no evidence that demand for the Kindle is falling.

In the past, reports of the Kindles death were always premature, and that still seems to be the case today. There’s no point comparing the Kindle with the iPad, they are very different devices. The Kindle is by far the best e-book reader on the market right now. That’s why it will continue to thrive - and why Amazon’s influence in the future of digital publishing will continue to grow. Some people will continue to read traditional books, both hardbacks and paperbacks. Others will switch to an e-book reader, in which case the Amazon Kindle will be the first choice (as will Kindle books). Yet others will be chiefly concerned with surfing the net and watching videos when they’re on the move, reading an e-book from time to time - and they will probably find the iPad to be the best solution for their needs. Whichever category you fall into, you will be able to buy your reading material from Amazon.

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Tags: Amazon Kindle, ebook readers, ebooks, personal tech, technology