Kindle candle lighting up in Aust retail stores: don't get burnt!

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Sunday, 07 August 2011 13:05

Your IT - Home IT

With new Kindle models on the way soon, Amazon is clearing out stocks of older models by lowering prices in the US and finally selling them in Australian retail stores. It might be tempting for some, but with new models around the corner, this is one e-book whose cover you should judge carefully.

Although we're warned to never judge a book by its cover, which presumably equates to never judging an e-book by its specifications, buying a Kindle now could be a bad idea.

Although Amazon waxes typographically about the Kindle being 'a revolutionary wireless reading device', as seen over at the Big W pre-order page while noting that it is still 'coming soon', Amazon is widely reported to be preparing new models.

These include more powerful and more expensive 7- and 10-inch multi-touch full colour Android-powered tablet models, alongside improvements to the existing B&W e-ink Kindles at lower prices, which would also signify Amazon's own-brand foray into the real, and ever more crowded, Android tablet market.

Amazon does have its own music, TV show, Android app and movie stores to go along with its book store, and thus has many of the pieces of Apple's puzzle including global online and offline distribution, except for its own brand of tablet.

Clearly, this will shortly change, and would solidify Amazon's attack against Apple's iTunes and iDevice hegemony, while helping convert all those millions of Kindle owners into Amazon Kindroids instead.

If the 'Kindroid' becomes a fast-selling success, it would also give a great boost to Google's Android Honeycomb platform and give developers ever more reason to ensure they have Android versions of their apps, alongside versions for the iPad and other tablets they choose to support.

In the US, Slashgear is reporting that Amazon is selling 'refurbed' Kindles at US $99 for the Wi-Fi version and US $129.99 for the 3G and Wi-Fi version, although 'brand new' models are US $159 and $189 respectively.

Amazon has been selling its Kindle to Australians since 2009, but shipping isn't included with those prices.

This compares to Big W pricing of AUD $159 for the Wi-Fi version and $219 for the 3G and Wi-Fi model.

Continued on page two, please read on!