Princeton’s Kindle experiement generates mixed results

Amazon’s Kindle DX has been undergoing testing by several universities as a possible replacement for printed course materials. Last year, University of Washington students reported that it didn’t quite make the cut due to complaints about it’s navigation, folder, and note taking systems, and now Princeton University is chiming in with the same complaints.

Both schools loved the device’s portability and battery life but is that enough for it to be a success in the academic world? Not likely. In order for e-readers to gain a foothold there they will need to offer powerful features for taking notes and highlighting texts as well as a top notch file system.

Another cog in the wheels is the agreement three universities-Pace University, Reed College, and Case Western Reserve-reached with the Justice Department saying they would refuse to buy, promote, or recommend any e-reader that was not fully accessible to the blind. This is where things could get sticky as several publishers refuse to allow their ebooks to be read using the built in text to speech feature.

Hopefully the feedback from the schools and the Justice Department will lead Amazon to release a truly revolutionary Kindle 3 sometime in the future!

Read [TechFlash]