Content Amazon.com to sell cheaper Kindle e-reader, but you'll have to see on-screen ads!

theGsayeth · 04-11-2011, 06:02 PM

Quote:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Amazon.com Inc. is dropping the price on its Kindle e-reader, but the change comes with a trade-off: On-screen ads.

The online retailer was set to announce Tuesday that the new Kindle with Special Offers will cost $114 — $25 less than the currently lowest-priced Kindle — and include advertisements on the bottom of the device's home page and on its screen savers. Seattle-based Amazon will start shipping the newest Kindle on May 3, and it will also be sold in Target and Best Buy stores on that date.

What do you think? Is it worth having ads if it means cutting the price by $25?

DixieGal · 04-11-2011, 06:04 PM

Sounds good. Ads are coming anyway, so why not get a deal?

bhartman36 · 04-11-2011, 06:05 PM

There's another thread on this that just popped up.

As I said in that thread, I don't see the big draw of the device, if the price difference is only $25. I think that if they could get it under $100, that would break a psychological barrier that would get some more people to try a Kindle, but $114 just doesn't sound like that sweet spot.

koland · 04-11-2011, 06:06 PM

pay less and get special offers to buy $20 gift cards for $10 (essentially half price on books or other items at Amazon)?

Where do I sign up?

theGsayeth · 04-11-2011, 06:06 PM

I agree bhartman36. It's not enough to deal with stupid ads flashing on the home screen and screensaver. Besides, I wonder how they'll handle people who can hack the kindle.

paperwastage · 04-11-2011, 06:22 PM

I don't mind the ads if everything is cheaper

// guy with DX-G, thinking of getting a smaller K3 for book reading

Barty · 04-11-2011, 06:24 PM

If someone is unwilling/unable to pay $139 for the kindle, I don't think s/he will do it for $114.

$89 and you've got a deal.

coolbreeze · 04-11-2011, 06:43 PM

$25 off? Give me a break.

Sell me your ad-supported Kindle for $79 and we'll talk. I'm shocked this piddly discount even made the news. Sorry, but this may be the silliest discount I've ever seen for what you get - to stare at years worth of ads.

Does this suggest that there will never be ads on the Wifi / 3G versions? I'll raise hell if my 3G has some crap from Visa flashing across the bottom of the screen. I can see the eBay auctions already:

"RARE Ad-Free Kindle 3G! Mint condition! Only $450 BIN!!

Strange move by Amazon...very strange.

Yes, I know they are subsidizing the cost of the unit for the ads, but still. It's not a good sign for a dedicated book reader. There aren't ads scrolling across paperbacks and I don't want them on my Kindle.

Mark Rehorst · 04-11-2011, 06:43 PM

Rest assured, that $114 number was arrived at by careful consideration of expected sales, profitability, and supply chain capacity. $114 is the perfect price in every way.

kennyc · 04-11-2011, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGsayeth

Just announced!

What do you think? Is it worth having ads if it means cutting the price by $25?

I don't know. My first reaction is no, but hey, this is how radio and tv started...still are....

bhartman36 · 04-11-2011, 06:50 PM

I just checked out Amazon to have a look at the device. What I think might make the ad idea palatable for some people is the fact that Amazon will let people vote on ads and take people's ad preference into account. I think the screensaver ads are something most people will be able to tune out. How often do you really pay attention to your current screensaver? And the picture of the ad at the bottom of the Home screen doesn't look egregious. but I still think $25 isn't enough of a distinction in order to justify putting ads on the Kindle. I would much rather they offer a year of Amazon Prime with a Kindle 3 Wifi (or even the 3G version).

PharaohsVizier · 04-11-2011, 06:51 PM

I wonder if all the work with jailbreak and alternate firmwares could wipe this thing clean. I use duokan quite a bit... so potentially this could be a $115 priced WiFi for me that functions the same.

hopkinsenglish · 04-11-2011, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PharaohsVizier

I wonder if all the work with jailbreak and alternate firmwares could wipe this thing clean. I use duokan quite a bit... so potentially this could be a $115 priced WiFi for me that functions the same.

Surely they have anticipated this line of thinking. Then again, maybe not.

I agree with the comments about the price not being low enough. Would like to see it under 100 for ads. Still, I'm glad I bought the K3 wifi before this deal was out.

Kenneth_irl · 04-11-2011, 06:58 PM

I hate ads, so I'm more than happy to pay the extra 25$ to get one without ads (if I didn't have one). But it would be cool if you could buy a cheaper one with ads and then remove the ads infestation on it afterward, if it was without any consequences, saving 25 bucks. It could potential void the warranty in some cases, but it wouldn't be an illegal thing to do.

Skydog · 04-11-2011, 07:06 PM

Gawd awful! I read to avoid the world of advertising - hate ads. No sale.

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04-11-2011, 06:04 PM	#2
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Sounds good. Ads are coming anyway, so why not get a deal?

04-11-2011, 06:05 PM	#3
bhartman36 Wizard Posts: 1,323 Karma: 1515835 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Jersey, USA Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2021)	There's another thread on this that just popped up. As I said in that thread, I don't see the big draw of the device, if the price difference is only $25. I think that if they could get it under $100, that would break a psychological barrier that would get some more people to try a Kindle, but $114 just doesn't sound like that sweet spot.

04-11-2011, 06:06 PM	#4
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	pay less and get special offers to buy $20 gift cards for $10 (essentially half price on books or other items at Amazon)? Where do I sign up?

04-11-2011, 06:06 PM	#5
theGsayeth bling bling Posts: 26 Karma: 330 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: amazon kindle	I agree bhartman36. It's not enough to deal with stupid ads flashing on the home screen and screensaver. Besides, I wonder how they'll handle people who can hack the kindle.

04-11-2011, 06:22 PM	#6
paperwastage Groupie Posts: 154 Karma: 1310 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: kindle DX Graphite	I don't mind the ads if everything is cheaper // guy with DX-G, thinking of getting a smaller K3 for book reading

04-11-2011, 06:24 PM	#7
Barty doofus Posts: 2,549 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	If someone is unwilling/unable to pay $139 for the kindle, I don't think s/he will do it for $114. $89 and you've got a deal.

04-11-2011, 06:43 PM	#8
coolbreeze Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 2600 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Nook Color, White 3G K3	$25 off? Give me a break. Sell me your ad-supported Kindle for $79 and we'll talk. I'm shocked this piddly discount even made the news. Sorry, but this may be the silliest discount I've ever seen for what you get - to stare at years worth of ads. Does this suggest that there will never be ads on the Wifi / 3G versions? I'll raise hell if my 3G has some crap from Visa flashing across the bottom of the screen. I can see the eBay auctions already: "RARE Ad-Free Kindle 3G! Mint condition! Only $450 BIN!! Strange move by Amazon...very strange. Yes, I know they are subsidizing the cost of the unit for the ads, but still. It's not a good sign for a dedicated book reader. There aren't ads scrolling across paperbacks and I don't want them on my Kindle.

04-11-2011, 06:43 PM	#9
Mark Rehorst was engr, now dentist Posts: 143 Karma: 18558 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Riverside, Ca Device: Kindle DXG	Rest assured, that $114 number was arrived at by careful consideration of expected sales, profitability, and supply chain capacity. $114 is the perfect price in every way.

04-11-2011, 06:50 PM	#11
bhartman36 Wizard Posts: 1,323 Karma: 1515835 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Jersey, USA Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2021)	I just checked out Amazon to have a look at the device. What I think might make the ad idea palatable for some people is the fact that Amazon will let people vote on ads and take people's ad preference into account. I think the screensaver ads are something most people will be able to tune out. How often do you really pay attention to your current screensaver? And the picture of the ad at the bottom of the Home screen doesn't look egregious. but I still think $25 isn't enough of a distinction in order to justify putting ads on the Kindle. I would much rather they offer a year of Amazon Prime with a Kindle 3 Wifi (or even the 3G version).

04-11-2011, 06:51 PM	#12
PharaohsVizier Connoisseur Posts: 92 Karma: 510274 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle DXG, Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch	I wonder if all the work with jailbreak and alternate firmwares could wipe this thing clean. I use duokan quite a bit... so potentially this could be a $115 priced WiFi for me that functions the same.

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04-11-2011, 06:58 PM	#14
Kenneth_irl Addict Posts: 212 Karma: 55934 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3 + Paperwhite 7th gen	I hate ads, so I'm more than happy to pay the extra 25$ to get one without ads (if I didn't have one). But it would be cool if you could buy a cheaper one with ads and then remove the ads infestation on it afterward, if it was without any consequences, saving 25 bucks. It could potential void the warranty in some cases, but it wouldn't be an illegal thing to do.

04-11-2011, 07:06 PM	#15
Skydog Wizard Posts: 2,286 Karma: 7409537 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Circling Earth @ Mach .83 Device: Elipsa 2E, Sage, Libra Colour, Libra 2, Clara 2E, Oasis3, Voyage	*Gawd* awful! I read to avoid the world of advertising - hate ads. No sale.