The Kindle Thread

nheather

Being released in the US first.

Primarily to compete against the new Barnes and Nobel readers which are(have) been launced with touch and colour.

The need in the UK isn't as pressing, though I'm sure they will make it over the pond if they prove successful.

Cheers,

Nigel

HMHB

I'm not really sure what the benefit of having a touch screen on a book would be to be honest. I think I'd still prefer the old one with the keyboard at the bottom.

Theydon Bois

I dont know - if they make the interface better , you would not need the keyboard, and just a few buttons would do. Not sure the benefits of a touch version are, unless when you touch it you are tricked into thinking it feels like paper of course

nheather

Agree 100%, but the Fire is interesting because it is not just a Book Reader - it is a tablet albeit with some functionality removed to keep price down (cameras for example).  So it can browse, email, run apps, play music, movies etc.  It is effectively a tablet that runs Kindle as one of its apps.

What is interesting is that this is being targeted in the US at $199 - that's £127.

I expect that we will pay a little more than this, but if they can bring out a cheap touch screen colour kindle that runs apps etc. for around £150 then I would be very interested.

Cheers,

Nigel

Theydon Bois

Got the email today - £89, pre order for 12th October.

Kindle, Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

cebs_uk

Dc have put up a list of exclusives for the fire on their blog site, it looks a bit thin but might be the thing for comics.

I'm off to the states at xmas so if it not out here by then at least i can have a look at it.

nheather

Not sure whether you were aware but this isn't the touch version.  It is a non-touch screen but without the keyboard.  The line up for the US and the UK are quite different at the moment.

For the US

New Kindle (no keyboard) - $79
New Kindle touch - $99
New Kindle touch with 3G - $149
New Kindle Fire - $199
Kindle Keyboard - $139
Kindle Keyboard 3G - $189

For the UK

New Kindle (no keyboard) - £89
Kindle Keyboard - £109
Kindle Keyboard 3G - £149

Interesting is the looks of the new pricing policy.  The New Kindle (no keyboard) is being charged at $79 and £89.

Is quite common to see prices set with the pound equal to the dollar, but you don't often see the pound being valued less than the dollar.  In this case

$1 = £1.14

Doesn't bode well for the Fire.  When I saw it selling for $199 I was hoping for £150 or so in the UK but if they used the same exchange it would end up as £225.

Cheers,

Nigel

HMHB

It looks like the new smaller one won't handle audio books just noticed on the amazon site.

Theydon Bois

Did you mention something about advertising? Perhaps the US $79 version is one with adverts, as the 3G/Wifi models are more like $1=£0.90

Stream62

Yeah the $79 is the "with offers" version, the £89 non-offers version is $109 in the US