New York Times Speculates on Apple's "Safari Pad"

John Markoff provides this interesting article about a possible Kindle knock-off from Apple called the "Safari Pad." Could Apple pull this off? Absolutely. There's no doubt a Jobs-inspired e-book device would be much sexier looking than the Kindle, but it's not all about look and feel now, is it? Well, actually, I suppose it is all about sexiness in the digital music device market, but I'm not sure that will carry over into e-books.

IMHO, Amazon has a couple of distinct advantages here that Apple simply doesn't: Experience and a well-known brand name in the category. Let's face it. Amazon is one of the most trusted brand names when it comes to book retailing. They're still a relative newcomer when compared to their brick-and-mortar competitors, but they are the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to books online.

Then again, Apple had zero experience in music prior to the iPod and they've always had a strong, well-respected brand name. Come to think of it, maybe it would be a good idea to see if the domain www.SafariPadVille.com is available...