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Oprah Flips for Amazon's Kindle

Reading gadget is 'life changing,' TV host declares

By Laila Weir,  Newser User

Posted Oct 24, 2008 5:20 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Oprah Winfrey is taking her book-promotion prowess to the tech world: The multimedia mogul declared the Amazon Kindle device her “new favorite gadget” on today’s show, calling it “life changing.” That should give the year-old electronic reader a boost, reports Forbes, but the Kindle may not get really popular until Amazon releases a redesigned version.

"I'm telling you, it is absolutely my new favorite thing in the world," said a post on Winfrey's website. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos appeared on the show to tout the device, and each member of the audience took one home. The company says the new Kindle will come out in 2009. Until then, Amazon will have to rely on the well-documented “Oprah effect” to push the reader through the holidays.

Amazon.com chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos holds the Kindle, Amazon's portable reading device.
Amazon.com chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos holds the Kindle, Amazon's portable reading device.   (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Amazon's Kindle reader allows downloads of more than 90,000 book titles, blogs, magazines and newspapers.
Amazon's Kindle reader allows downloads of more than 90,000 book titles, blogs, magazines and newspapers.   (AP Photo/Amazon.com)
Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, uses a projected image of a book to introduce the Kindle at a news conference on Nov. 19, 2007 in New York.
Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, uses a projected image of a book to introduce the Kindle at a news conference on Nov. 19, 2007 in New York.   (AP Photo)
In this Aug. 30, 2008, file photo, Oprah Winfrey speaks in Whitesboro, N.J.
In this Aug. 30, 2008, file photo, Oprah Winfrey speaks in Whitesboro, N.J.   (AP Photo)
In this June 25, 2008 file photo, television presenter Oprah Winfrey arrives for the birthday party of former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela in London.
In this June 25, 2008 file photo, television presenter Oprah Winfrey arrives for the birthday party of former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela in London.   (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)
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COMMENTS
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Amazon won't say how well the Kindle is selling
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Bezos appeared on the show but didn't get to say much
Wired

"Oprah's adoption of the Kindle is a signal that the device is transitioning from early adopters to the mainstream"
CNET

"Considering she just purchased her first cell phone, we were highly intrigued by what 'gadget' she could be so head over heels for"
Chicagoist

 
Oprah Winfrey • electronic books • Kindle • gadget • Amazon

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