Kindle 2 Price Drops to $189.00

[dmaul1114]

Thought this deserved it's own news thread, rather than being buried in the Nook price drop thread.


http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireles...pf_rd_i=507846

[davidspitzer]

I hope they release a $99 5 inch with wifi only - that would be a great compliment to people with an Ipad who want to have a pocket reader, but also share their investment across multiple platforms. Reading on my Cell phone is OK but at the right price point I could see scores of new Ipad buyers picking up a cheap kindle for dedicated reading sessions when they dont want to lug the ipad around

[dmaul1114]

Yep, I definitely want a tablet and would use it for most of my reading needs (which are mostly work related and not suited to e-ink devices), but would probably like to keep a 5-6" dedicated reader around for reading novels in bed etc.

So I definitely think there's a place for cheap, dedicated reader devices along side the coming onslaught of tablets. As well as the only device for avid readers who just want to read on a paper-like screen of course.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Yep, I definitely want a tablet and would use it for most of my reading needs (which are mostly work related and not suited to e-ink devices), but would probably like to keep a 5-6" dedicated reader around for reading novels in bed etc.

So I definitely think there's a place for cheap, dedicated reader devices along side the coming onslaught of tablets. As well as the only device for avid readers who just want to read on a paper-like screen of course.

I want a device that is both backlit AND with the amazing battery life of e-ink. Since there isn't one, I'm now seriously thinking about augmenting my Asus T91 MT with a wifi nook, for longer trips.

[dmaul1114]

True, but for me it's I really want a tablet PC type device and not just a reader/media consumption (iPad like) device, so I know we're probably decades away from getting long battery life in those.

I don't care that much about battery life honestly, if the tablet can get the 10 hours the iPad does, that's good enough for me as I can plug it in every night or two and be good to go.

It would just be nice I think to keep a 5-6" device around that's more comfortable to read laying in bed etc. That said, I have read on my girlfriends iPad in bed and not been bothered by it much at all. So I could well end up going with a tablet pc device as my only e-reader. But I'd have to get one and use it for a couple months and see how it worked as my only reading device before deciding for sure.

[abookreader]

Man, I love a good price war!

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

True, but for me it's I really want a tablet PC type device and not just a reader/media consumption (iPad like) device, so I know we're probably decades away from getting long battery life in those.

I don't care that much about battery life honestly, if the tablet can get the 10 hours the iPad does, that's good enough for me as I can plug it in every night or two and be good to go.

It would just be nice I think to keep a 5-6" device around that's more comfortable to read laying in bed etc. That said, I have read on my girlfriends iPad in bed and not been bothered by it much at all. So I could well end up going with a tablet pc device as my only e-reader. But I'd have to get one and use it for a couple months and see how it worked as my only reading device before deciding for sure.

The Asus T91 MT I have (in tablet configuration) is great for reading in bed. No external light needed, and the backlit screen goes WAY down, so your eyes don't hurt. I want (another) e-ink device for traveling when there's no electrical outlets handy. We just did a 14 hour round trip to Kansas and back to pick up my son for the summer and it was way too long for the Asus's battery...and I don't have a car charger for it. There's also a slight chance I'll be taking a loooong train ride in the not too distant future, so I'd like a longer life battery for that, too.

ETA: For those who looked at the "device" on my profile and wonder why I didn't use the BlackBerry for reading on the trip? I found that I can't read comfortably on the smaller screen while in a moving vehicle.

[dmaul1114]

Yeah the ASUS seems good for what it is.

But I want a slate with no keyboard attached and the 8.9" screen is too small. Even the 9.7" screen on the iPad is too small for reading letter sized PDFs--especially 2 or 3 column documents. 5 hour battery life is too little for me as well.

So I'll be in the waiting game for a while to get what I need since 12" or so screens with 8-10 hour battery life are probably at least a couple years away!

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Yeah the ASUS seems good for what it is.

But I want a slate with no keyboard attached and the 8.9" screen is too small. Even the 9.7" screen on the iPad is too small for reading letter sized PDFs--especially 2 or 3 column documents. 5 hour battery life is too little for me as well.

So I'll be in the waiting game for a while to get what I need since 12" or so screens with 8-10 hour battery life are probably at least a couple years away!

Right, yeah, I remember your wishlist well . And you are correct, the 8.9 inch screen on the Asus is too small for what you're wanting. I do like having the keyboard available when I need it, though - but if you do get a slate like you want, you could always hook up a usb or bluetooth kb if you found you needed one.

[Zorz]

I was thinking of selling my kindle, but now it's not worth it.

[fjtorres]

Hey! I just realized:
Kindle 2 is $189.
Kindle DX is $489. Still.

I'm thinking something's not right there.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

I do like having the keyboard available when I need it, though - but if you do get a slate like you want, you could always hook up a usb or bluetooth kb if you found you needed one.

Yep, that's my plan. Plus I'll always have a laptop, so a slate would just be supplementing it as a reader/document mark up tool, and for some light web browsing and e-mail checking etc.

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Hey! I just realized:
Kindle 2 is $189.
Kindle DX is $489. Still.

I'm thinking something's not right there.

Only thing I can think of is the larger e-ink screens must cost more and/or they know it's a tiny niche, can't compete with the iPad and other tablets in the mainstream etc. so they just leave it high priced for the niche of people who want a big screen e-ink device.

It's still quite a bit cheaper than the rumored prices of the Que, or the big screen iRex devices etc. so they really don't have much pressure to drop price. No one who wants an iPad or other tablet would buy a DX instead even if it was $299 or something. And they're still under price the other 9.7"
or close big screen e-ink devices.

[RyanMWilliams]

Well, I'm glad that I've held off at this point. Isn't there supposed to be a new thinner, lighter version of the Kindle coming out? I wonder what that'll be priced at? I think I'll wait a little longer before making up my mind.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by RyanMWilliams

Well, I'm glad that I've held off at this point. Isn't there supposed to be a new thinner, lighter version of the Kindle coming out? I wonder what that'll be priced at? I think I'll wait a little longer before making up my mind.

My guess is we'll see a WiFi only version at $149 (to match the Nook) and the 3g version at $189 replacing the Kindle 2.

[cheerio6414]

im excited