Amazon drops Kindle 2 to $299
July 8, 2009 by Robin Parrish
Filed under Electronics
Amazon has lowered the price of its popular ebook reader by $60. The latest generation of the Kindle, dubbed by fans “Kindle 2,” has been priced at $359 since its launch, but today Amazon has announced a drop to $299.
The Kindle has been a hit with readers since its first generation release, but the newest version upped the ante by reducing the device’s thickness while greatly improving its capabilities. The main hurdle standing in most readers’ way is that hefty pricetag. It can hold 1,500 books in the palm of your hand, download new ones in less than 60 seconds, and weighs less than a mass market paperback book… but who can afford such a costly gadget in today’s economy?
The lower price should help convince some to take the plunge, but I don’t see Amazon achieving the kind of market penetration they’re hoping for with Kindle until its manufacturing costs drop enough to allow it to come closer to the $100 mark.
Image: Amazon.com.
I totally agree with you that the Kindle would be WAY more popular if the price were around $100. For what it costs right now, I would hate to have it dinged. And having 2 school-aged kids would definitely mean some hard wear-n-tear.