Kindle 2 Price Drops to $189.00

[whitearrow]

Originally Posted by Jaie

I would have loved a Kindle, but I want my expansion-able storage. 1500 books isn't really enough for some of us.

It doesn't have to be; unless you don't own a computer, there's no need to keep all of your books on the Kindle at all times. It's very easy to use your computer or a flash drive for additional storage, should you need it. Plus you can use Amazon's archive for purchased titles.

(1500 books is an estimate. There are plenty of books in the 300-500 kb range, which means you could fit considerably more.)

[J. Strnad]

It seems that we have an easy, cheap solution to extra storage in the form of SD cards. I don't know why people need thousands of books on their ereader, but if they do, that seems an effective way to do it.

About being a first-adopter: I generally avoid it, because I'm cheap. You know for a fact that prices will drop and the product will usually get better. (Not always--video recorders, IMO, got cheap and the picture quality went down. Even when comparing recordings made at the slowest recording speed, the earlier models of both VHS and Betamax made better copies.)

But you have to figure, at whatever point you buy: "Is this product worth the money to me?" If it is, then it doesn't really matter if it gets cheaper and/or better. Once you've bought it, the question becomes, "When is it worth it to me to upgrade?"

[garygibsonsf]

Does anyone in the UK have any idea of the real cost of the Kindle post-price drop, given import duty, etc?

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by garygibsonsf

Does anyone in the UK have any idea of the real cost of the Kindle post-price drop, given import duty, etc?

Maybe this will be helpful...
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...ing-reaches-uk

[garygibsonsf]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Maybe this will be helpful...
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...ing-reaches-uk

Ah. The link doesn't make sense, however. It says:

"Ordering through Amazon.com today will mean the $189 price becomes £132.70 with Amazon's 70p to the dollar exchange rate. But then a power adaptor will also be needed, adding $19.99 or £14.03, bringing the basic cost up to £146. For shipping, priority international courier seems to be the only option, adding a further £18.93, but that is then reduced by a £10.53 "promotion applied". However an "import fees deposit" of £28.02 brings the final hit on your wallet to just over £183. "

However, as a UK resident, when I go to Amazon.com's kindle page, it flashes up a menu for you to click through if you're wanting to buy a kindle from outside the US. Click on 'united kingdom' and you get (amongst other things):

"Your international shipment is subject to VAT. This is the same VAT rate you pay when you buy products in your country. There are NO customs duties or any other fees [my emphasis]. We will show you the estimated VAT upon checkout."

Mind you, when you click on 'learn more' there's some eye-wateringly confusing stuff about an 'import fees deposit' which might or might not contradict that quote above (the one from Amazon's kindle page). So colour me a touch confused (and I've got a feeling the Inquirer's insistence on including the cost of a charger for an item that can be charged by USB is perhaps unnecessary).

[Sylver]

Originally Posted by whitearrow

there's no need to keep all of your books on the Kindle at all times.
(1500 books is an estimate. There are plenty of books in the 300-500 kb range, which means you could fit considerably more.)

To answer the question "who would need additional storage", here are some interesting comments I just read from Amazon:
"As someone who travels frequently, I don't always have the time or resources to go back online and redesign my library. Also, as many travelers know, you do not always know what you will be in the mood for, so it would be nice if you could simply take your memory cards with you. And yes, Mr. Tritschler, even without audio books, there will be those of us who will actually own more than 1500 books eventually. "

I just purchased several Ayn Rand's novels from Audible.com with the highest quality (yes, I do care for my ears) available, each novel alone is about 800 mb in file size.

I can understand why Amazon ignored the needs for expandable memory and user replaceable battery for some business considerations, but honestly cannot understand why an end user does not see such obvious needs.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by garygibsonsf

Ah. The link doesn't make sense, however. It says:

"Ordering through Amazon.com today will mean the $189 price becomes £132.70 with Amazon's 70p to the dollar exchange rate. But then a power adaptor will also be needed, adding $19.99 or £14.03, bringing the basic cost up to £146. For shipping, priority international courier seems to be the only option, adding a further £18.93, but that is then reduced by a £10.53 "promotion applied". However an "import fees deposit" of £28.02 brings the final hit on your wallet to just over £183. "

However, as a UK resident, when I go to Amazon.com's kindle page, it flashes up a menu for you to click through if you're wanting to buy a kindle from outside the US. Click on 'united kingdom' and you get (amongst other things):

"Your international shipment is subject to VAT. This is the same VAT rate you pay when you buy products in your country. There are NO customs duties or any other fees [my emphasis]. We will show you the estimated VAT upon checkout."

Mind you, when you click on 'learn more' there's some eye-wateringly confusing stuff about an 'import fees deposit' which might or might not contradict that quote above (the one from Amazon's kindle page). So colour me a touch confused (and I've got a feeling the Inquirer's insistence on including the cost of a charger for an item that can be charged by USB is perhaps unnecessary).

Just go to the ordering process. You can stop right before ordering, and it will show you how much it'll be.

For me, in the Netherlands, it would be (simply the Kindle, no extra products)

Items:                       EUR 159,82
Shipping & Handling: 	EUR 17,74
  	
Total Before Tax: 	EUR 211,30
Estimated Tax:*		EUR 0,00
Import Fees Deposit 	EUR 33,74

That deposit may or may not be used...

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by afa

Not only will they, flyash, but they should. I've long since felt that the $489 for a DX was overpriced. And ever since the iPad came out at $499, it became downright ridiculous. I'm not a diehard Apple fan by any means, but if I had to choose between the two, I'd go for the iPad 100 times out of 100.

Considering how quickly they responded to the Nook's price drop, I'm surprised Amazon hasn't really done anything about the DX's price. Surely, they must have thought of the above as well. I suppose it's possible they know something we don't, but I'm going to go ahead and be arrogant enough to say they're wrong. The DX will go the way of the Dodo unless they have a dramatic reduction in price.

I don't think the DX is threatened all that much by the iPad. Someone considering the DX wants to read. The Kindle (any flavor) is a much better reader than an iPad. If you're willing to plunk down $489 for a device that just displays e-books, haven't you already made peace with the fact that the reading experience is the most important thing to you? If reading wasn't your top priority, wouldn't other options (e.g. a netbook) already have convinced you not to buy a DX?

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by Jaie

I would have loved a Kindle, but I want my expansion-able storage. 1500 books isn't really enough for some of us.

That, right there, is why I don't have a Kindle 2 right now. I bought a Kindle 1 on Ebay, and I've been happy with the decision, for the most part. (The button placement is the most glaring annoyance I've dealt with.)

For me, the inclusion of a removable battery and the expansion slot in the Kindle 1 make it a superior product, in the long run, to a Kindle 2. Of course, it's true that you can always store your books elsewhere and load them up when you're ready for them, but why should you have to? The omission of the expansion slot was a perplexing oversight, in my eyes. I assume the omission of the removable battery from the Kindle 2 had to do with slimming down the device, so that's more understandable, I guess.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

I don't think the DX is threatened all that much by the iPad. Someone considering the DX wants to read.

Or: Someone considering the DX wants a larger screen reader than the 5-6" readers offer. In that case, why wouldn't they choose the device with more functions. The combination of iPad release and Kindle 2/Nook price drop must be killing DX sales.

[robb01]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Or: Someone considering the DX wants a larger screen reader than the 5-6" readers offer. In that case, why wouldn't they choose the device with more functions. The combination of iPad release and Kindle 2/Nook price drop must be killing DX sales.

that is a good point

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Or: Someone considering the DX wants a larger screen reader than the 5-6" readers offer. In that case, why wouldn't they choose the device with more functions. The combination of iPad release and Kindle 2/Nook price drop must be killing DX sales.

Yes, and I cannot imagine most readers would spend that much more just for the larger DX screen when they can get an iPad with a larger screen and all the other great functionality. The Kindle DX has, in my eyes, ceased to make sense as a logical purchase.

[John F]

Originally Posted by BenLee

Yes, and I cannot imagine most readers would spend that much more just for the larger DX screen when they can get an iPad with a larger screen and all the other great functionality. The Kindle DX has, in my eyes, ceased to make sense as a logical purchase.

Aren't the iPad's and the Kindle DX's screens the same size, with the DX having a higher DPI?

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Or: Someone considering the DX wants a larger screen reader than the 5-6" readers offer. In that case, why wouldn't they choose the device with more functions. The combination of iPad release and Kindle 2/Nook price drop must be killing DX sales.

Again, someone who is considering the DX wants to read. Certainly, they want to read on a bigger screen than the Kindle 2, but in the end, they want to read. If the iPad reading experience was equal to the DX reading experience, it'd be a closer call. (I still don't think it's a no-brainer, because if reading on an LCD screen is acceptable, there are cheaper ways to do it.) Since the iPad reading experience isn't the equal of the Kindle DX experience, though, I find it hard to understand why someone whose primary purpose would be reading should get an iPad. If reading is your main purpose for buying a device (and if you're even thinking of droping ~ $500 for a DX, that's the choice you've made), I can't see why a lesser experience would dissuade you.

I think it boils down to this: The Kindle is designed for reading. The iPad is designed as a multifunction device you can read on, if you want to. That's a major distinction.

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by John F

Aren't the iPad's and the Kindle DX's screens the same size, with the DX having a higher DPI?

By larger, I mean larger than the 5-6" readers