A discussion about sales, sales tips and advice, and about those who land the deal

I was on Amazon.com today, and noticed that they are starting to sell a new digital reading device called a "Kindle".

Here's what it looks like:

So, now the question that will dictate whether or not this is the next big thing, or just another technology bust: Would you buy it?

For me, the answer is probably not.  That's not an opinion on the technology or product itself, mind you.  This might be the coolest thing in the world.  But here are the problems I see Amazon facing when it comes to selling a bunch of these:

• It's big.  From what I see, the trend in technology is going...

...smaller, not larger.  Cell phones used to be huge, remember?  I always remember Gordon Gecko using that enormous cell phone (really cool, at the time!) in "Wall Street".  Now they're about the size of a credit card.  The Kindle is going against the grain of the market, from what I see.

• Speaking of cell phones, Seth Godin has a mention of the new craze in Japan, which is novels delivered to cell phones.  Don't you see that being the direction things are head instead of a big, clunky product like Kindle?  I do. 
• Another thing to carry around?  If I'm traveling on a plane, do I really want to check this thing through security, along with my cell phone and laptop?  That has to be like 7 of those grey plastic bins humming through the x-ray machine as I undress for the TSA agent.  No thanks.
• Books are just fine with me.  I like technology, but its nice to have the look and feel of a book.  I like to dog ear the pages, write notes, and generally "make it mine". 

I understand what Amazon is doing with this.  They want to do what Apple has done, and create a product that is a good exclusive outlet for their products - namely, downloadable books that cost Amazon zilch.

But to do that, they're going to have to undo a couple of centuries worth of human habit: Picking up and reading a good book.

Good luck, Amazon.