Amazon.com Kindles its wireless book reader

Amazon.com, the world8217;s largest Web retailer, said on Monday it will begin selling an electronic book reader with wireless access, the latest attempt to build consumer interest in portable reading devices. Although the market for e-books is limited, and competing devices have yet to catch on, one analyst said Amazon8217;s book reader could eventually evolve into one that is able to capture all of the company8217;s many offerings.

The battery-operated Amazon Kindle will let users download books, newspapers and blogs over a wireless connection. Wireless access, based on the cellphone broadband technology EVDO, is built into the 10-ounce, thin white device. Downloading content does not require a computer and takes less than a minute for a full-length book, the company said.

8220;The question is, can you improve upon something as highly evolved and well-suited to its task as the book? And if so, how?,8221; Amazon.com chief executive Jeff Bezos said at a press conference in New York. The device8217;s screen is not back-lit and uses electronic ink to mimic paper. The competing Sony Reader from Sony Corp uses similar technology but does not include wireless access.