Kindle 2 Price Cut to $299

[pilotbob]

Think $359 was too much for a Kindle 2? What to spend less? You asked for it and you got it. The Amazon Kindle 2 is now on sale for its new reduced price of $299.

(@via Engadget)
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/08/a...ut-now-at-299/

Discussion of this is ongoing in this thread:
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?p=515871

[JSWolf]

My feeling is that Amazon is feeling the pinch from all those 505's sold via Borders for $200. And I also think that Amazon is nervous about the next Reader(s) from Sony.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

My feeling is that Amazon is feeling the pinch from all those 505's sold via Borders for $200. And I also think that Amazon is nervous about the next Reader(s) from Sony.

I doubt it. K1 was discounted 6 months after it was released as well. This may just be a trend.

[TheLongshot]

Part of me was waffling on this for a gift for my father. On one hand, I'd like to make it easier for my father to get the books he wants for it and the Kindle seems to be good for that, both with selection and ease to find books. On the other hand, It was hard to justify the $100 premium for it for that reason.

This price drop puts things into the same ballpark. I still don't know if it is something I will get him. (he wants a reader that scrolls text automatically without him turning pages)

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by TheLongshot

This price drop puts things into the same ballpark. I still don't know if it is something I will get him. (he wants a reader that scrolls text automatically without him turning pages)

The K2 in TTS (Text-To-Speech) mode will change pages automatically (turn not scroll). If he doesn't want to hear the TTS voice, he can turn the volume down. There is also some speed control via TTS speed and/or font size.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by TheLongshot

This price drop puts things into the same ballpark. I still don't know if it is something I will get him. (he wants a reader that scrolls text automatically without him turning pages)

Doesn't reading scrolling text make people dizzy? I never understood that requested feature.

BOb

[Teyrnon]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Doesn't reading scrolling text make people dizzy? I never understood that requested feature.

I have a feeling that it's one of those things people think is a great idea until they've experienced it and the alternatives a bit.

[Kris777]

It is interesting if customers who purchased Kindle for $359.95 can get $60 refund...

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Kris777

It is interesting if customers who purchased Kindle for $359.95 can get $60 refund...

Amazon's 30 day price protection applies to everything. Although I hear that they changed that policy some time last year.

I know I ordered my Kindle for $399 about a week before they reduced it to $359 and they gave me the $40 refund.

BOb

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Amazon's 30 day price protection applies to everything. Although I hear that they changed that policy some time last year.

I know I ordered my Kindle for $399 about a week before they reduced it to $359 and they gave me the $40 refund.

BOb

I'm not sure how many people purchased Kindle for last 30 days but they must be prepared to get this request from many of them

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Doesn't reading scrolling text make people dizzy? I never understood that requested feature.

BOb

I got used to it on my Clié, although I never managed to sort out the auto-scroll options, and I read a lot of web content that requires scrolling. I go back & forth about whether I'd prefer that to the page turning on the Sony; for some documents, it takes as long as 4 or 5 seconds to turn pages. (I think those are badly-made PDFs; it's not all docs that do that.)

On a small screen, scrolling is more pleasant for me than page turning, and the option of putting your content of choice at the top of the screen is nice--the ability to have a crucial, complex paragraph not broken by page breaks is useful.

But it's a very minor benefit, and I do think that most people who claim to want it have never actively worked with it. I'd like it to be available, but can't think of anything I'd be willing to give up for it.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Kris777

I'm not sure how many people purchased Kindle for last 30 days but they must be prepared to get this request from many of them

Yep... they discontinued it in September:

http://www.retailerdaily.com/entry/6...ce-protection/

That said, you still have the 30 day return policy for a Kindle. So, just tell them if they don't give you the lesser price that you will just return it and order another one at the $299 price. You'll have to pay for return shipping but it is worth it for $60.

BOb

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Yep... they discontinued it in September:

http://www.retailerdaily.com/entry/6...ce-protection/

That said, you still have the 30 day return policy for a Kindle. So, just tell them if they don't give you the lesser price that you will just return it and order another one at the $299 price. You'll have to pay for return shipping but it is worth it for $60.

BOb

I see that CNET write:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-...html?tag=mncol

Chopping the price to a more palatable $300 will certainly attract some fence-sitters who've been contemplating a purchase, but it's also bound to upset a few folks who bought the device fairly recently. The good news is that if you bought a Kindle 2 in the last month you should get $60 back. According to an Amazon PR rep, "If the product was shipped within 30 days of purchase, customers are eligible to receive the price difference as a credit."
Anybody ready to buy at $299 or is the Kindle 2 still overpriced?

[JSWolf]

For now, if you can wait, I'd wait to see what Sony does. If the rumors are true, you only have to wait 2 months or so.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

For now, if you can wait, I'd wait to see what Sony does. If the rumors are true, you only have to wait 2 months or so.

Summer ends Sept 21st(ish depending on the actual day of the Autumnal Equinox), so at the least 3 months... assuming the release it on time.

BOb