Amazon to sell ads on Kindle Fire front screen? - Page 2

ProfCrash · 05-18-2012, 03:49 PM

What facade? You can buy a version without the ads for a more expensive price. If you buy a version with the ads and decide you don't like it, you can opt out but have to pay the difference between the version with the ad and without.

So you have a choice, pay more and don't get ads. Pay less and get ads.

Heck, the ads are even easily avoided by simply not looking at the screen saver and ignoring the little ad at the bottome of the page.

jgaiser · 05-18-2012, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connallmac

I fail to see how there is a "facade of choice" with their ad supported Kindles.

I agree. Ad supported kindles are cheaper and nobody is "tricked" into buying them. And if you don't like the ads, you can pay the extra $30(?) and get ads removed.

My Kindle 3 - Keyboard is ad supported and it doesn't bother me anymore than the ads in a magazine. I pay little attention to either. If I were offered an upgraded Fire with ads for a decent price, I'd probably think long and hard about purchasing it, as long as it was exclusively startup screensaver ads.

Daithi · 05-18-2012, 03:58 PM

I don't have a problem with Amazon selling an Ad supported version of the Kindle Fire, but the article pointed out that the details concerning this new ad program are still up in the air. It is possible that the new ad program will apply to all existing Kindle Fires. If that turns out to be the case then I would not be happy at all, but I'll wait and see before I get too worked up.

ProfCrash · 05-18-2012, 04:09 PM

It is possible that Amazon will make a fundementaly stupid decision and not give people the option to opt out. Then Amazon will lose business and we will all ridicule them.

I think the fact that Kindles still have a non-ad version means that Amazon knows that people want to have a choice. I would not be surprised to find out that the Ad version of the Kindle is selling better than the non-ad version, it is $40 less expensive and that means something.

Polyphemus · 05-18-2012, 04:10 PM

Amazon would probably allow existing Fire owners to opt-in and opt-out, like they do for the full-price owners of Kindles. Ad-supported Kindle owners pay the difference between the SO and non-SO version to be able to opt-out.

I have a Kindle Keyboard that I bought the first month that they came out. I've been opting-in just so I don't have to look at the dead authors (especially Emily Dickinson). When I get tired of the ads, I just opt-out.

Kumabjorn · 05-18-2012, 04:13 PM

How do you do that?

HarryT · 05-18-2012, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

How do you do that?

From the "Manage My Kindle" page on Amazon. But it's only available to people in the US.

ProfCrash · 05-18-2012, 04:19 PM

If you bought a non-ad Kindle or have opted out of the ad based Kindle, meaning you paid the price difference, you can opt in and out whenever you want for no charge.

As Harry said, go the Manage My Kindle page on Amazon.

If you bought and ad based Kindle you will have to pay the difference to opt out of the program the first time.

Ravensknight · 05-18-2012, 10:47 PM

By "facade of choice" I meant that you are getting the exact same piece of hardware whether you go ad or adfree.

I did not mean you don't have the choice to pay more or less money...

Giggleton · 05-19-2012, 12:57 AM

A welcome screen without product placement is just a waste of good space, especially when that product could be so well targeted to the individual user.

BWinmill · 05-19-2012, 01:31 AM

I'm not a fan of advertising to start with, especially in the online era, since I find that advertisers tend to pigeonhole people in a deliberate attempt to limit our world-view (to coincide with their products).

Another issue is that I work with other people's children and tend to play it safe with what I bring into the classroom. I can control the books on my ereader, so that's not a problem. I cannot control the ads, so that is a problem. Yes, it is an issue. I've seen teachers bring materials into the classroom without pre-screening it, and they have suffered through a few non-so-comfortable moments because of advertising on scraps of newspaper.

wizwor · 05-19-2012, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWinmill

I'm not a fan of advertising to start with, especially in the online era, since I find that advertisers tend to pigeonhole people in a deliberate attempt to limit our world-view (to coincide with their products).

I love targeted ads. If I'm shopping for something and you have a unique product or an outstanding price, I want to know about it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWinmill

Another issue is that I work with other people's children and tend to play it safe with what I bring into the classroom. I can control the books on my ereader, so that's not a problem. I cannot control the ads, so that is a problem. Yes, it is an issue. I've seen teachers bring materials into the classroom without pre-screening it, and they have suffered through a few non-so-comfortable moments because of advertising on scraps of newspaper.

I applaud your principle here, but you're urinating into a strong wind. Children are targeted from birth and schools are entirely complicit. From posters in the corridors to TV in the classroom to sponsorship of athletic events to fundraisers, there is no shortage of marketing in our schools. Apple has subsidized classroom use of their products since day 1. Of course, the schools mostly promote themselves. From guidance offices that resemble travel agencies to electioneering, Big E is using children to market their products.

I teach my kids to use the ads as data to be collected and processed as part of a decision making process. I think that works best.

To their credit, Amazon has provided offer supported and offer free versions of their readers. Schools, parents, and consumers have the option of not being targeted. As long as this continues, I'm good and it sounds like you are too.

One thing, though -- no whining about paying $30 more to not be targeted, OK?

stonetools · 05-19-2012, 09:55 AM

IN the business press, they have speculated that Amazon will offer ad-supported KFs for up to $30 less. I doubt this though. The KF is already priced to sell.
They may be willing to offer some kind of benefit-like a b$30 gift card- to get people to sign up to buy one.

tubemonkey · 05-21-2012, 05:44 PM

Since a Fire without ads sells for $199, a Fire with ads should sell for $159.

SeaKing · 05-21-2012, 09:59 PM

I paid the full price $189 for my 3G keyboard Kindle when it first came out. I would be happy to get $30 or $40 back and let them put some ads on it.

Have I said lately, that I love that machine?

05-21-2012, 09:59 PM	#30
SeaKing Frequent Flier Posts: 1,282 Karma: 2058993297 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: KB kindle aboard, Galx Tab 7.0 Plus, trying out Droid 1 as mini-tab	I paid the full price $189 for my 3G keyboard Kindle when it first came out. I would be happy to get $30 or $40 back and let them put some ads on it. Have I said lately, that I love that machine? Last edited by SeaKing; 05-21-2012 at 10:10 PM.

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05-18-2012, 03:49 PM	#16
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	What facade? You can buy a version without the ads for a more expensive price. If you buy a version with the ads and decide you don't like it, you can opt out but have to pay the difference between the version with the ad and without. So you have a choice, pay more and don't get ads. Pay less and get ads. Heck, the ads are even easily avoided by simply not looking at the screen saver and ignoring the little ad at the bottome of the page.

05-18-2012, 03:58 PM	#18
Daithi Publishers are evil! Posts: 2,418 Karma: 36205264 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Rhode Island Device: Various Kindles	I don't have a problem with Amazon selling an Ad supported version of the Kindle Fire, but the article pointed out that the details concerning this new ad program are still up in the air. It is possible that the new ad program will apply to all existing Kindle Fires. If that turns out to be the case then I would not be happy at all, but I'll wait and see before I get too worked up.

05-18-2012, 04:09 PM	#19
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	It is possible that Amazon will make a fundementaly stupid decision and not give people the option to opt out. Then Amazon will lose business and we will all ridicule them. I think the fact that Kindles still have a non-ad version means that Amazon knows that people want to have a choice. I would not be surprised to find out that the Ad version of the Kindle is selling better than the non-ad version, it is $40 less expensive and that means something.

05-18-2012, 04:10 PM	#20
Polyphemus I am not The Stig Posts: 131 Karma: 1881506 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Southern California Device: KK-3g; PRS-350; Galaxy Tab 7.0+; Galaxy Tab 3 10.1	Amazon would probably allow existing Fire owners to opt-in and opt-out, like they do for the full-price owners of Kindles. Ad-supported Kindle owners pay the difference between the SO and non-SO version to be able to opt-out. I have a Kindle Keyboard that I bought the first month that they came out. I've been opting-in just so I don't have to look at the dead authors (especially Emily Dickinson). When I get tired of the ads, I just opt-out.

05-18-2012, 04:13 PM	#21
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	How do you do that?

05-18-2012, 04:19 PM	#23
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	If you bought a non-ad Kindle or have opted out of the ad based Kindle, meaning you paid the price difference, you can opt in and out whenever you want for no charge. As Harry said, go the Manage My Kindle page on Amazon. If you bought and ad based Kindle you will have to pay the difference to opt out of the program the first time.

05-18-2012, 10:47 PM	#24
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 1,123 Karma: 10219804 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony 350; Nook STR; Oasis	By "facade of choice" I meant that you are getting the exact same piece of hardware whether you go ad or adfree. I did not mean you don't have the choice to pay more or less money...

05-19-2012, 12:57 AM	#25
Giggleton Banned Posts: 1,687 Karma: 4368191 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle3	A welcome screen without product placement is just a waste of good space, especially when that product could be so well targeted to the individual user.

05-19-2012, 01:31 AM	#26
BWinmill Nameless Being	I'm not a fan of advertising to start with, especially in the online era, since I find that advertisers tend to pigeonhole people in a deliberate attempt to limit our world-view (to coincide with their products). Another issue is that I work with other people's children and tend to play it safe with what I bring into the classroom. I can control the books on my ereader, so that's not a problem. I cannot control the ads, so that is a problem. Yes, it is an issue. I've seen teachers bring materials into the classroom without pre-screening it, and they have suffered through a few non-so-comfortable moments because of advertising on scraps of newspaper.

05-19-2012, 09:55 AM	#28
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	IN the business press, they have speculated that Amazon will offer ad-supported KFs for up to $30 less. I doubt this though. The KF is already priced to sell. They may be willing to offer some kind of benefit-like a b$30 gift card- to get people to sign up to buy one.

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05-21-2012, 05:44 PM	#29
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,477 Karma: 158151390 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Since a Fire without ads sells for $199, a Fire with ads should sell for $159.