New Kindle Announced - 139$ WiFi Only on August 27th
Amazon underprices Barnes and Noble with its new low price Kindle
One of the greatest parts about an aggressive product battle like Kindle vs Nook is that the devices seem to constantly get cheaper. The companies need to beat out one another to get you to buy their product, so they keep slashing prices. In the latest round, the Amazon Kindle has made a WiFi only model priced at the incredible price of only 139 dollars starting August 27th.
Besides removing the 3G from their device, the new Kindle features a few minor changes. The model is smaller and faster than past Kindle devices, with a 20% improvement in the refresh rate of the E Ink, and a 15% reduction in weight. The device is also 20% thinner than past models.
According to Amazon, the new device is able to last on a battery charge for a full month if the wireless is off, and ten days if it is on. These numbers are great, and while some people might be upset by the company's commitment to E Ink, its improvements on battery life can't be denied.
The big question that is introduced here is whether it is worth the smaller price tag to be limited to just WiFi. In truth, it comes down to your own needs. Do you think you'll want to grab a book on a whim when you're out and about? Or are you capable of planning ahead, so you can just build a backlog of books on your device. Unfortunately, the lost feature is likely one you won't notice until you really want it.
Overall, it's still very much the Kindle everyone has come to know and love. It's just a smaller, cheaper, faster version of that loved product. How will Barnes and Noble respond? We likely won't have to wait long to find out.
