Amazon's Kindle lights no UK fires

Everybody seems to be talking about Amazon's new Kindle e-book reader just now, and if you're wondering why there's no coverage on ZDNet UK Reviews, it's because the device is not yet available for sale this side of the pond.

Now you could buy one from the US and ship it over here. However, since one of the Kindle's main attractions is the ability to download books and periodicals over a wireless connection, and since that wireless service is a US-only affair called 'Whispernet' that Amazon has built on top of the Sprint network, there seems little point.

If and when Amazon puts together a similar wireless service over here, and launches the Kindle (or a successor) in the UK, we'll review it. In the meantime, you can read the review of the US device on our sister site CNET.com.

Our view in a nutshell: Kindle is unlikely to light any fires in the e-book market.