Newsflash – Kids think The Kindle is crapola. Kindle lovers disagree.
Fun stat for ya to consider.
Kindle user demographics as of December, 2009.
38.4% are 35-54
37.3% are 55 and older
2.3% are 17 and under
And 22% @ 18-34
I’m an Early Adopter. In my home I have 5, yup 5, fairly high end computers, 2 laptops, 2 Xbox 360’s (only way I can kick my son’s butt online), 1 PS3, a Wii, 6 (embarrassing) Ipods, 6 (equally embarrassing) Nintendo DS’s., 1 iTouch, a Kindle and 2 Big Green Eggs. I’m not bragging, it’s a disease. I can’t get enough of what’s next. I’m a sicko. I also don’t count because I’m an Early Adopter and my segment is but a sliver of Ye Ole Consumer Pie.
But, I do work in an industry where we have tried, somewhat successfully, to reach beyond the Early Adopters and pry our way right into the living room with mom and the kids, grandpa too.
Cross fade to large hotel conference room, PowerPoint slide backlighting the handsome speaker.
“Kind sir, an example please,” says the crowd of 1,000 make believe consumers. They have just finished their third consecutive standing ovation, impressed with the skill of the presenter wearing a t-shirt and a Utah Jazz cap.
“Certainly, now everyone sit down. Are you sitting? Good. Now when I describe you, please stand. Don’t be shy.
“How many of you have finished Mass Effect 2 on your 1080p, 50 inch flatscreen TV?” The crowd mumbles, turning to their neighbor to see if they understood the cryptic code that the speaker delivered. Two 30 year old men with beer bellies and sports jerseys stand up in the back (yeah, that’s what the new “core” gamer looks like – attractive isn’t he.).
“Thanks gentlemen. Please stay standing if I continue to describe you. That is, if your atrophied legs can hold your weight without being charged up with a 64oz Mt. Dew.
“Next, please stand if you have a music game in your home. Any member of the genre will do: Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Hannah Montana Sing-A-Long. The console doesn’t matter here, I just want to know if you consider yourself a digital musician. Wow, that’s better.”
A mixed group of children and parents stand, looks like we even grabbed the teens. Over 30 percent of the crowd is standing, the bravest of the throng playing plastic air guitar and flashing rocker fingers in the air.
“Ok, the Wii. Stand up if you have the non-threatening, non-invasive, standard resolution Wii in your home. Hooked to the most popular tv in your home. Impressive, look at that, even our Early Adopters are still standing. They’re claiming they discovered Mario and the rest of you are all bandwagoners. Aren’t they cute?”
Now more than 60% of the consumer pie chart is up and waving their arms in bowling motions and posing in mock fencing stances. Every age is represented from 5 to 80. Looks like everyone that is going to play games is up. Oh, but wait… there is another group to be found.
“Quiet down, quiet down. There’s more. If you play Facebook or Pogo games while you are waiting for your email to download, or maybe sneaking in a quick check on the progress of your super pumpkins in Farmville while your boss is napping in his corner office, then join the party. Amazing, give yourselves a hand – you are gamers.”
Nearly every person in the crowd stood. 85% roared and congratulated themselves at being in the “in-crowd”. The remaining 15% decided they were going to have to check out what all the fuss was about. Want to take a guess where they are going to look first? A copy of Mass Effect for the PS3? Maybe a head banging sing along game? Drop by BestBuy and slap down 200$ + games for a Wii? Not me, I’m putting my money on checking out Facebook games from their out of dated home PC (or Mac).
Ok, so why the silly illustration? It’s all to prove a point about appealing to broad based cosumers. Over the past two weeks, all I keep hearing is how the IPad is going to clobber the Kindle. Early proclamations of death to both traditional publishing and the new gaggle of eReaders on the market. I too am attracted to the IPad, but as I stated at the top of this post, I don’t count. If I didn’t want one, I would lose my Early Adopter Membership badge, and that simply won’t do.
I think that Apple might be jumping the shark a bit here. Look at how current spending trends are happening. We as consumers, regardless of age, are looking for faster, cheaper and dare I say – free. Ironically, Apple might have started the whole thing with the .99cent music track and dirt cheap (although generally worthless) apps.
I did the math on the Kindle, I had to purchase 42 books at regular Kindle price to break even on the hardware based on what I would pay for an average paperback + shipping. I figured I could make that up in a year or so, but the iPad is another story all together. Sure, you can get the iPad for around 500(allegedly), but that’s for a gimped version of the iPad. WiFi capable isn’t the same thing as having access to a wireless connection. To get that you’re going to have to buy another package all together – rumors have it at closer to $800 plus a $30 a month fee for unlimited data. That is going to be more than a grand a year for a user to have access to as much data as the Kindle gives you for $259 – out the door and not another penny for access to their content. How does that sit with the current Kindle demo? Not to attractive I’m gonna guess.
Now, replacing an iPhone is another matter altogether. If you don’t mind holding a dinner plate up to the side of your face while you are talking on the phone, for a similar price have the iPad. You can watch movies, post to Twitter and Facebook from your “reader”, play multitouch apps and surf through the pile of dollar aps out there (for free or cheap). And, kids will dig it. Teen, college kids and of course Early Adopters. The question remains, can Teens and College kids afford it and will there be enough Early Adopters to keep it rolling or will it end up in the Museum of Modern Computer Oops’ next to the Newton. Man, I wanted one of those.
Only time will tell. What’s that, there’s already an app for that? Figures.
