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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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17

Amazon Cuts Kindle Price, Offers Worldwide Wireless

E-reader now just $259, but cheaper Sony device is making inroads

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(Newser) – Amazon slashed the price of its Kindle e-reader by $40 today and introduced a new edition of the device that will enable wireless downloads in 100 countries. The move brings the price of a Kindle to $259, which is still $60 more expensive than Sony's competitor. Amazon will also finally sell the Kindle to customers outside of the US, although most of the titles in the Kindle's store are in English.

While Amazon commands an estimated 60% of the digital reader market, Sony and other challengers are making inroads with more flexible products that can read multiple formats of e-books, including more than a million free books whose copyright has lapsed. Amazon continues to refuse to give figures on how many Kindles it's sold, although a market analyst estimates that 3 million e-readers will be sold in 2009.

Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos introduces the Kindle DX at a news conference Wednesday, May 6, 2009 in New York.
Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos introduces the Kindle DX at a news conference Wednesday, May 6, 2009 in New York.   (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
The Kindle 2 electronic reader is shown at an Amazon.com news conference in New York.
The Kindle 2 electronic reader is shown at an Amazon.com news conference in New York.   (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, file)
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17 comments
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phil
Oct 7, 09 7:20 AM CDT
Meh, who cares? Isn't this just a niche product for upper middle class people? Worst tech ever. Reply
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Timinator2K
Oct 7, 09 8:47 AM CDT
Its the textbook of the future but, NOT at that price point. Try $99 or, much less with A LOT more technical capabilities. Give it less than 5 years.
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IN RESPONSE:
shonangreg
Oct 7, 09 10:36 AM CDT
It's useful: lighter than a paper book, less awkward to hold, just as easy to read (you can even make a photocopy of the screen), and can hold many books finally in standard, read-anywhere-any-device format (ePub). But the Kindle still doesn't support ePub. They are still trying to lock you in to their bookstore. Otherwise it is a good reader. ............. This month new android phones and new smartbooks will begin coming out. These devices too will be able to have ebook reading software installed. The screen will not be the nice, paper appearance of the dedicated readers, but it will be good enough, I bet, and certainly much, much more generally useful -- an instant-on linux or android desktop.
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fa12345
Oct 7, 09 7:23 AM CDT
SCREEN IS TOO SMALL WORD IS TOO SMALL I LIKE TO READ REAL BOOK Reply
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cjasonhall
Oct 7, 09 7:38 AM CDT
Just not the same as curling up with a good book. Technology does not always have a better way to do things. I think the printed book is here to stay for quite some time to come. Reply
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