Kindle Lightning Deals

Starting at 5PM Eastern/2PM Pacific, Amazon will be having a different Kindle accessory (and one for the iPad) in the Lightning Deals every hour. There are clues as to which ones we'll see, but not the prices. If they are popular, or there aren't many available at the sale price, count on these selling out just after the hour changes each hour.

• 5PM/2PM - Reduce glare, fingerprints, and smudges on your Kindle Fire (not compatible with HD models)
• 6PM/3PM - Give your Kindle, Paperwhite, or Touch some international flare with this popular case from Verso
• 7PM/4PM - Save on a great Belkin standing case for your Kindle Fire HD 7"
• 8PM/5PM - Save on a genuine leather case for your Kindle Fire (not for HD)
• 9PM/6PM - Great deal on highly reviewed iPad stand - great for gifting!

New Kindles can now be Pre-ordered

Amazon has finally unlocked the ordering system and you can now pre-order any of the new Kindles and reserve your place in line. I've updated the links in my original post and am including a quicklist both in this post and on the main blog page, at the top-right corner of the page.

I've already placed my orders and noticed that a mystery $30 credit had appeared in my account - it came off of the Kindle Paperwhite that I ordered, but don't ask me where the credit came from (I still have a mystery $200 credit, too, but don't know what I have to order to get it to be used).

New Kindle Family

• Kindle
• Kindle Paperwhite
• Kindle Paperwhite 3G
• Kindle Fire
• 7" Kindle Fire HD
• 8.9" Kindle Fire HD
• Kindle Fire HD with 4G LTE wireless

New Kindle Fire HD Commercial

New Kindle Paperwhite Commercial

New Kindles Sneak Peak

Amazon's big announcement is scheduled for later today, but you can get an early glimpse at what appeats to be both the new eInk Kindle (with front/edge lighting) and the new tablet taking the place of the Kindle Fire (it's much thinner) on this Kindle commercial, which has been posted into the private area of YouTube:

Kindle and eBook News

The Kindle Fire is now sold out and not coming back, along with the Kindle Touch. Both have been removed from the Kindle Family menu pulldown (although they do still show on the banner when you click on Buy a Kindle) menubar). So, those rumors from China of a new tablet, are, it seems completely true ... or, at least some of them are. There should be new eInk and tablet Kindle editions at the end of this week, which is when the big announcement/press conference is scheduled for.

On the Agency publishing front, the lawsuits have been settled in 49 states (sorry Minnesotans) and some type of compensation will be offered to every person who purchased one or more titles from an Agency publisher during the last two and a half years. You can read the press release from the Connecticut Attorney General for some of the details, but it appears that each store will handle things differently: some will send you a check, others send out an email asking if you prefer that or a store credit. Don't expect anything just yet, the settlement has to be approved, but once it is, watch your email as you should start getting contacts within 30 days. I'd also be very careful to make sure that any email you get about this is legit - seems like a good opportunity for the scammers/phishers out there to try to get your passwords with a fake email about the settlement.

The big news in the settlement, though, is that all Agency publishing arrangements that Hachette, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster have with retailers – such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble – will be terminated and pricing of books will go back to the retailers. Two publisher, Penguin and MacMillan, haven't opted in to the settlement and cases against them and Apple are still pending.

On the Amazon publishing front, it appears that Amazon has purchased Dorchester Publishing (although the press release isn't on the Amazon page, yet). Not only will they be paying Dorchester's authors in the future, they will be making good on the unpaid royalties from the past few years, so you don't to boycott them anymore (or feel bad if you didn't in the past). Dorchester joins Avalon Books and Marshall Cavendish US Children’s Books (both recent Amazon purchases), along with the Amazon founded imprints, which may mean that they will be Amazon exclusive publishers (if only because other retailers decline to carry their titles, as B&N has been known to do).

Kindle DX $269!

Today only, the Kindle DX, Free 3G, 9.7" E Ink Display is $110 off, for a total of $269! In addition, it looks like most of today's Gold Box deals are Kindle related (mostly Kindle Fire accessories), so you'll want to keep an eye out on those today, tool.

This model includes 3G cellular service at no charge, including web browsing (which has been limited to WiFi mode with the Kindle Touch and that trend will no doubt continue). The promotional price will continue until midnight in Seattle or while supplies last. The dropdown will let you try to order up to 999 of these at the special price, but I didn't actually place them in the cart to see if it would really work.

Description
With a large, easy-to-read 9.7" E Ink display that reads like real paper and adjustable font sizes Kindle DX is the ideal e-reader for Dad. With free 3G wireless (no monthly payments or annual contracts), Dad can shop, download, and read right out of the box--no need to worry about Wi-Fi connections, passwords, or internet charges.

High Contrast E Ink Pearl Screen: Our graphite Kindle DX display uses the latest generation E Ink Pearl technology with 50% better contrast for the clearest text and sharpest images

Beautiful Large Display: The 9.7" diagonal E Ink screen is ideal for a broad range of reading material, including graphic-rich books, PDFs, newspapers, magazines, and blogs

Read in Sunlight with No Glare: Unlike backlit computer or LCD screens, Kindle DX's display looks and reads like real paper, with no glare. Read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room

Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Books In Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Free 3G Wireless: No monthly payments, no annual contracts. Download books anywhere, anytime

Goodbye Kindle Touch?

If you've been thinking about buying a Kindle Touch, you may have waited too long. Specifically, the 3G edition is now marked as Currently unavailable, which usually indicates a Kindle model has been removed as an active item (although you can still buy some refurbished units, at least, for now). The WiFi only model appears to still be available, with Ads, but is on a 8-9 day backorder (the no-Ads model is gone and no refurbs appear to be available, either).

Rumors have been swirling for some time of a new Kindle model, perhaps in reaction to the nook Glow (which I've seen comments on returns and hassles with the lighting - I'm not surprised, as my Sony with edge lighting wasn't that great, either and it caused glare on the eInk screen due to the added glass layer). In the Kindle Store, you'll see the new picture above, which claims the Kindle family has only two entries now - the low end Kindle and the high end Kindle Fire. Left out are the Kindle Keyboard 3G and Kindle DX 3G, both of which are still available. I expect that sometime this month, that family will grow again, with a new eInk Kindle that is WiFi only and has some type of side-lighting (Amazon often reacts to a perceived lack of product features, even if it does mean the new model is less desirable by current customers, pandering to press reviews, rather than it's customers). I do know one thing - it most likely won't be called the "Kindle Glow", not only because the NOOK already is using Glow in it's name, but also because there is an outdoor space heater of that name (which, I suppose, you could use to read your current Kindle while staying warm outside, at night).

There are also rumors of a new, larger Kindle Fire. I'd love to see it; I already see that Amazon now allows us to view their new Kindle Textbooks on Android, not just on Apple's proprietary devices. Now, we just need to be able to view our Enhanced Content Kindle Books, complete with the embedded music and videos, on our Fires and I'll have one less reason to upgrade to Apple's new iPad. Hopefully, too, Amazon will add both a camera and the ability to add an SD/microSD card to their new tablet - the 8GB Fire is extremely limited (especially if you have a large library, as it wastes space on thumbnail cover images for every book in your library, space you can't get back if you keep any Kindle books on it). It would put them one step up on features vs. the iPad, but just keep them even with all the other Android Tablets out there (most of which are far superior to Amazon's device, but lack the integration with Amazon's content, something the iPad has been catching up on, since you can now watch Amazon Instant Videos on it).

I do know that one of Amazon's cover vendors, M-Edge, is in on the secret - they have already announced the new Kindle on their Facebook page (if it hasn't been pulled) and are running a sign-up list for the date the new covers are available for sale. Their contest ends TODAY, so the release must be imminent.

Did you know a new Kindle device is coming soon? What do you think will be the new, prime feature?

Answer in the comment box below for a chance to win any one FREE product from our website! Contest ends Thursday the 9th 5 pm EST.

Also, sign up here to be notified when your favorite M-Edge accessories hit the market:
http://app.medgestore.com/promos/newamazondevices.psp

Update: One rumor mentions that the current $47.40 price on the Kindle (see coupon code on right sidebar) will end on Aug 15. It's very unlikely that a new Kindle model will ship before then and we may even see the 16th as the date that pre-orders begin. It will be a long time without a touch model available, but the mini-Kindle will fill the void for those that don't want to step all the way up to a Kindle Keyboard or who don't want the heavier and less reading-friendly Kindle Fire tablet.

Get a Kindle for $47.40

For those that have an Amazon Rewards Visa, you can use promo code KINDLE40 during checkout and you'll get 40% off on the purchase of a Kindle (no ads) or Kindle with Special Offers and any Amazon accessories for Kindle on the same order, up to $100 total credit. You can combine two or more Kindles on the same order and get 40% off of each, up to that $100 limit per order or just get accessories only.

The Kindle with Special Offers works out to $47.40 using the discount. If you add the Kindle US Power Adapter (which no longer ships with the Kindle) to the same order, you only pay an extra $2, as you get both the 40% off discount ($8) and a $10 discount for purchasing both at the same time as the Kindle.

Note that the discount doesn't work on the Kindle Keyboard, Kindle Touch, Kindle DX or Kindle Fire. Still, this is a great discount on the entry level Kindle, which works perfectly well for most people who only want to be able to read.

It's not a coincidence that this sale comes as everyone is preparing for heading back to school. The Kindle is now a great choice for kids, as Parental Controls (including limiting access to the store, archives and web) were added with the last firmware update. I believe it is the only Kindle that currently has this option and, although it isn't mentioned on the product page, you can find out how it works in the online help pages.

At under $50, you may find that just getting access to free classics means you pay less total versus buying the paper copies of required reading for classes this year. And if the Kindle you are buying with the discount isn't for the kids, you can get a great start on your library with the $1 books I posted earlier this morning.

Be sure to use the full checkout process, not one-click, so that you can enter the KINDLE40 promo code and switch to your Amazon Rewards Visa for payment (the discount won't apply for other payment methods). You'll see the discounts in the summary box in the upper right corner of the final preview page, before placing the order. Those that don't have the Amazon Rewards Visa yet can apply for it first, then use it for the purchase (if the instant approval process goes thru).

Since I didn't actually place an order when testing how the discount works, I can't tell you if you can make multiple purchases and get the discount each time, but most of this type of promo code have allowed multiple orders, in the past. You may be limited, though to a single order, so I'd try to maximize the savings on the first order, before trying for a second order and discount.

Managing My Kindle Libraries

This is a good time to mention my new strategy with my Kindle Library, which (as most of you know) is so large it causes all the Kindle 3's on the account to constantly reboot, if wireless is left on (apparently only in WiFi areas, from my experimentation). I have set up second account (some of you may want more than one) and I am "repurchasing" all the zero cost books there, as they pop back up as repeats, and deleting them from my main account. You might even want one for "free - indie author" and "free - commercial publisher", although I don't think I'll go that far. Those with kids may want to set up a separate account just for their books, as that is the best parental control method I've seen for Kindle - only have kids books in that account (paid or free, since there aren't that many free books in this category, from what I've seen).

It'll take a while to fix my main account, to be sure (it appears I need to get to around 3,000 books or less to fix both the rebooting issue and the inability to access the full archive from my Kindle). Another thing I'm doing to get there faster is that I've backed up all my Kindles to my hard drive, then imported all the AZW books into Calibre (using a new, labeled Library for this purpose). I then set it to convert to MOBI - those with DRM will fail, those without will succeed; I then deleted (from Calibre only) those that ended up without MOBI editions - what's left is all DRM-free books, which I'm removing, a few at a time, from my main Kindle account (to make it go faster, open up several tabs on your library - delete a book, switch to another tab while it refreshes).

Amazon lets you move your Kindle freely between accounts - you first deregister from the account it is on, then register to the new account. Make sure you do this with a wireless connection on - you Kindle must see that it has been deregistered or it won't properly register to the new account. It is often easiest to do this from the Kindle itself (at least, with a K3 or the Touch). Nothing gets wiped from the Kindle when you do this (unlike the nook tablets, which must be wiped clean to change accounts), so you can move your Kindle, grab a book or two, then move back to the "default" account. While you have no physical Kindles attached to an account, purchases just go to the CloudReader, so you don't even have to worry about this process when buying from the web. To make it easier for me to remember which account I'm buying in, I use two different browsers, with my default browser on my main account and a second browser (Chrome, in my case) logged into my "free books" account and that account has no payment methods, so it can't buy something by mistake (the only downside is that I can't add free pre-orders on this account, until they actually release).

You can also register your Kindle to the account from the web page - this is handy if you just want to download a book to your computer and transfer via USB (emailing might work, since it will have that Kindle's serial number in the DRM, but I haven't tested this yet). You do still have to deregister from the first account to start (it won't let a Kindle be registered to two accounts at once), but you can cut/paste the serial number from the first Manage Your Kindle Page and the entire process of de-register/register to 2nd account/send book/deregister/register to 1st account only takes about 1-2 minutes, with two browsers and a bit of practice. Amazon remembers all your settings for email and Kindle name on the first account and I haven't seen that this even impacts subscriptions (although all I have are a few blogs).

Kindle DX w/ Case $299

The Kindle DX, with free 3G and it's larger, 9.7" eInk screen keeps hanging in there and today's Deal is just as good as the $259 sale late last November. By putting Amazon's Kindle DX Leather Cover ($40) into your cart at the same time and using the checkout process, you'll automatically get $120 off the order. That's $299 total for the combo and a net price for the DX of $259, which is about the same as the lowest used price (from a 3rd party seller).

This model includes 3G cellular service at no charge, including web browsing (which has been limited to WiFi mode with the Kindle Touch and that trend will no doubt continue). The promotional price will continue thru Father's Day, June 17, 2012, or while supplies last (limit 50 per order!).

Want an even better deal? Grab any one of these 16 reading lights at 25% off, if on the same order (the DX cover qualifies you for the discount).

Description
With a large, easy-to-read 9.7" E Ink display that reads like real paper and adjustable font sizes Kindle DX is the ideal e-reader for Dad. With free 3G wireless (no monthly payments or annual contracts), Dad can shop, download, and read right out of the box--no need to worry about Wi-Fi connections, passwords, or internet charges.

High Contrast E Ink Pearl Screen: Our graphite Kindle DX display uses the latest generation E Ink Pearl technology with 50% better contrast for the clearest text and sharpest images

Beautiful Large Display: The 9.7" diagonal E Ink screen is ideal for a broad range of reading material, including graphic-rich books, PDFs, newspapers, magazines, and blogs

Read in Sunlight with No Glare: Unlike backlit computer or LCD screens, Kindle DX's display looks and reads like real paper, with no glare. Read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room

Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Books In Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Free 3G Wireless: No monthly payments, no annual contracts. Download books anywhere, anytime

$30 Off a Kindle Fire + $5 Instant Video Credit

Just in time for Father's Day and while they last, Amazon has a $30 off Kindle Fire voucher that you can pick up over at AmazonLocal:

Free Voucher Worth $30 Off a Kindle Fire ($169 After Discount) Plus $5 Amazon Instant Video Credit

This isn't a credit on a refurbished unit (although I've always found these to be identical to new ones), but on a brand-spanking new Kindle Fire. First, you "buy" the voucher at AmazonLocal (at no cost), then access the Your Vouchers tab to find your deals. Click on the View Code button and use the promo code there on the checkout page, after placing a Kindle Fire into your cart (no one-clicking to use the voucher). As soon as you apply the code, you should see a $30 drop in the summary total (upper right) and can check out. That will then trigger an email for the $5 instant video credit to be added to your account (and once you have your Kindle Fire, you can sign up for a free month of Amazon Prime (with free Prime videos), if you haven't already taken advantage of a trial offer.

Some Deal Details
• Kindle Fire voucher must be redeemed by June 15, 2012
• Ships only to U.S. addresses
• Limit 1 voucher per customer. Limited quantities available
• $5 promotional code for Amazon Instant Video credit expires August 31, 2012
• Voucher is valid for $30 off the regular price of $199 for a Kindle Fire purchased only from Amazon.com...
• Within 72 hours after your purchased Kindle Fire is shipped, you will receive an email that includes a $5 promotional code for Amazon Instant Video ...
• The promotional code for $5 Amazon Instant Video may not be used for certain titles....
• The Kindle Fire voucher and the $5 promotional code for Amazon Instant Video may only be redeemed by customers who are located, and have billing addresses, in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and who have a U.S. bank-issued credit card associated with their Amazon.com account
• Kindle Fire orders are eligible for Prime and Super Saver Shipping

Refurbished Kindle for $49

Get a free $20 off voucher from Amazon Local and use it to buy a Certified Refurbished Kindle ($69). Net cost after entering the promo code: $49! This is the Special Offers version of the Kindle, but at a great price and it includes the same one-year warranty as a new unit, since you are buying it direct from Amazon.

If you are new to AmazonLocal, you sign in using your Amazon account information. You'll need to use a credit card to secure the voucher (but it won't be charged); presumably it is used to verify that you are in the US. This particular offer is listed in the Boston area, but you can use it no matter where you are in the US. Once you've signed up, you'll get an email on how to use the voucher, but essentially you look under "My Vouchers" (click link in upper right corner) and just enter the promo code at Amazon. You have to wait a bit, for the order to be 'processed' before you can get the code, but it usually doesn't take too long for that to happen (mine took less than 2 minutes)

The Fine Print

• Voucher must be redeemed by May 29, 2012
• Ships only to U.S. addresses
• Limited quantities of vouchers are available. One per customer
• Voucher is valid for $20 off the regular price of $69 for a Certified Refurbished Kindle with Special Offers from Amazon.com; customer will be responsible for $49 payment to Amazon.com, plus applicable taxes and shipping charges
• Includes Certified Refurbished Kindle with Special Offers wireless e-reader and USB 2.0 cable; power adapter sold separately
• Certified Refurbished Kindle orders are eligible for Prime and Super Saver Shipping
• Voucher is available for use immediately after purchase
• Voucher not redeemable via 1-Click ordering
• Amazon.com account with valid credit card required to get this voucher

Harry Potter Joining Kindle Lending Library

If you are tired of waiting for the Harry Potter books in your library (or they don't have them, at all), are in the US and somehow resisted buying the set the instant they were released, rejoice! Not quite in time for Mother's Day, but early enough for summer break and beach reading, the entire Harry Potter collection is coming to the Kindle Lending Library, just one of the many benefits of being an Amazon Prime member (although, of course, you'll need seven months of lending privileges to get thru the series).

Kindle Fire $139

Just in time for Mother's Day and while they last, Amazon has Refurbished Kindle Fires at $139, as today's Gold Box Deal. This was a very popular sale a couple of months ago and Amazon sold out before the end of the day.

In addition, there are Kindle Fire accessories all day as part of the Lightning Deals, so you'll want to check back thru the day to see what other bargains there are. The Marware cover that was $5 off is the exact type of cover I have mine in, so I can prop it up in landscape mode. That offer has expired, but I see another "standing cover" coming up later today, along with a number of other cases and a "desk stand" by Kensington (not on the lightning deals, but very interesting, is this desk stand that lets you keep the charging cord plugged in while using your fire).

Notes on refurbs from Amazon:

These units are usually impossible to tell from brand new (although the Keyboard unit often doesn't ship with the wall charger, buy you can pick one up for under $10 or just charge via your computer) and come with the same warranty from Amazon. You generally can't get the Amazon extended warranty on their refurbished units, but Square Trade has traditionally let buy their extended warranty for refurbs (although I generally recommend against getting a warranty on items like these that are relatively inexpensive and often end up getting replaced by newer technology after a couple of years).

Deal Description
Just in time for Mother's Day, save $30 on a Certified Refurbished Kindle Fire. Kindle Fire is the most-wished-for, most-gifted, #1 best-selling product on Amazon. Each Certified Refurbished Kindle Fire is a pre-owned Kindle Fire that has been refurbished, tested, and is certified to look and work like new. They come with the same one-year limited warranty as a brand-new Kindle Fire.

This offer is valid today only, May 2, 2012, when sold by Warehouse Deals. Offer good while supplies last.

Limit 5 per customer.

Kindle Fire $139

While they last, Amazon has Refurbished Kindle Fires at $139, as today's Gold Box Deal. Perhaps it's another sign that they are soon to be replaced or just that a lot of people returned them within 30 days and grabbed an eInk Kindle, instead. Barnes & Noble is still clearing out their original NookColor (over on eBay, if you buy one refurbished, they'll throw in a Simple Touch for only $20 more).

These units are usually impossible to tell from brand new (although the Keyboard unit often doesn't ship with the wall charger, buy you can pick one up for under $10 or just charge via your computer) and come with the same warranty from Amazon. You generally can't get the Amazon extended warranty on their refurbished units, but Square Trade has traditionally let you get them thru them (although I generally recommend against getting them on items like these that are relatively inexpensive and often end up getting replaced by newer technology after a couple of years).

Deal Description
Save $30 on a Certified Refurbished Kindle Fire. Each Certified Refurbished Kindle Fire is a pre-owned Kindle Fire that has been refurbished, tested, and is certified to look and work like new. They come with the same one-year limited warranty as a brand-new Kindle Fire. Kindle Fire: great for web, movies, apps, games, and more.

This offer is valid today only, March 29, 2012, when sold by Warehouse Deals. Offer good while supplies last.

Limit 5 per customer.

Kindle Fire $169, Kindle Keyboard 3G $129

Refurbished units of both the Kindle Fire ($169) and Kindle Keyboard 3G ($129.99) are back in stock at Amazon (but I don't expect them to last for long). These units are usually impossible to tell from brand new (although the Keyboard unit often doesn't ship with the wall charger, buy you can pick one up for under $10 or just charge via your computer) and come with the same warranty from Amazon. You generally can't get the Amazon extended warranty on their refurbished units, but Square Trade has traditionally let you get them thru them (although I generally recommend against getting them on items like these that are relatively inexpensive and often end up getting replaced by newer technology after a couple of years).

In general, seeing a listing for refurbished units happens a bit more often if a product is getting ready to be dropped by Amazon (something I expect with the Keyboard unit, eventually, which is a shame as it is MUCH better than the two later models); with the Kindle Fire, they likely have had a number of returns by those who decided they preferred eInk; there are now persistent rumors of a larger Fire this fall, but I don't think the smaller unit will be entirely replaced (although I could be mistaken).

Get a Kindle Fire for $169

Amazon has refurbished units of the Kindle Fire for $169 today (while they last). I've bought a refurbished Kindle units in the past (and had a couple of Kindle replaced in the last few years) and can never tell any difference between the new and refurbished ones, other than a code on the outside of the boxes and there is no charger block with the eInk Kindles (there is with the Kindle Fire). You can't get the Amazon 2-year extended warranty on these, but last I checked, Square Trade was offering their warranties on refurbished units.

Each Certified Refurbished Kindle Fire is tested, certified, and repackaged like new. Comes with the same one-year limited warranty as a brand-new Kindle Fire. Learn More

Kindle Keyboard on the way out?

Since I first wrote about the holiday sellouts of the $99 Special Offers Kindle Keyboard, another changes has come over the Amazon Kindle Family photo. On any Kindle device page, you usually get a lineup of all the Kindle editions, but now there is another one missing (the DX has been missing for some time). - the Kindle Keyboard, Wi-Fi has completely disappeared. When I first started this post, there were actually a few still in stock (new and refurbished, sold by Amazon), but now those are gone, as well (although you can still get a refurbished Kindle Keyboard, Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers for $89.99, at least right now, you can). Rumors of deep discounts on the Kindle Keyboard, 3G+Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers at various Target stores are all over the Amazon forums, as well, which leads me to believe that the Keyboards are going to be quietly retired.

If you've wanted one for a family member to upgrade or as a backup for reading or web access (the 3G Kindle Keyboards have free 3G web access, while the newer Touch models are all limited to web access via WiFi only), you better act fast. If you are buying for Christmas, you technically have until tomorrow to place your order, but that presumes that they stay in stock. Apparently they have been gone from the UK store for some time, so I don't think it'll be long before we don't see them here anymore, either.

The good news is that Amazon has managed to not sell out of any of the new models of Kindles this year (although it appears a few models are only being shipped to the US right now), unlike in previous years. With them confirming on one of their Twitter feeds that they are selling a million units a week (over three million in the first three weeks of December), that's a welcome change.

• Kindle Keyboard, Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers out of stock; refurbished $89.99
• Kindle Keyboard, Wi-Fi out of stock
• Kindle Keyboard, 3G+Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers $139
• Kindle Keyboard, 3G+Wi-Fi $189; refurbished $129.99
• Kindle DX, 3G+Wi-Fi $379; refurbished $244.99
• Kindle, Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers $79
• Kindle, Wi-Fi $109
• Kindle, Touch, Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers $99 (*)
• Kindle, Touch, Wi-Fi $139 (*)
• Kindle, Touch, 3G+Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers $149 (*)
• Kindle, Touch, 3G+Wi-Fi $189 (*)
• Kindle Fire, (Wi-Fi only) $199 (*)

(*) Order now. Orders are prioritized on a first come, first served basis. U.S. only

Kindle Keyboard Holiday Sellouts Begin

Update: 12/8/11 I just noticed some new shipping info on the Kindle pages at Amazon : Ordering for Christmas? To ensure delivery by December 24, choose Two-Day Shipping at checkout.


The holiday sellout of Kindles has begun at Amazon, with the $99 Special Offers Kindle Keyboard being the first to disappear this year. This means the least expensive Kindle with a Keyboard is now $139, unless you grab one of the refurbished units (while they last), although you might still find these at some local stores. I keep seeing rumors that the Keyboard versions are being run out of stock and will drop off the catalog, but nothing from Amazon has confirmed that. It is more likely that they have simply sold out of stock and rather than have a bunch of pre-orders that can't be filled by Christmas, they elected to remove the buy button from the model in question. The KindleDX is also still available (but back to full price), but you really have to search for it, as it doesn't appear on the Kindle Family banner any longer.

For those who are considering picking up a Kindle for a gift, I'm going to list the models and their status below, with any refurbished ones linked in, if available. Remember, you can opt in to Special Offers with an eInk model, and then opt out again, at no charge (as many times as you want); if you purchase a Special Offers version up front, though, you do have to pay the discounted difference in price the first time you opt out of the Offers (but can then switch back and forth at will with these, as well). Not all refurbished units are heavily discounted, but two are, so I've bolded them, below. Also, some of these appear to be more limited in stock, as they are showing a message that orders are prioritized on a first-come-first-served basis in the US (I've marked these with an asterisk), although that may just be some text left over from when you could pre-order these models..

• Kindle Keyboard, Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers out of stock; refurbished $89.99
• Kindle Keyboard, Wi-Fi $139
• Kindle Keyboard, 3G+Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers $139; refurbished $129.99
• Kindle Keyboard, 3G+Wi-Fi $189; refurbished $129.99
• Kindle DX, 3G+Wi-Fi $379; refurbished $244.99
• Kindle, Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers $79
• Kindle, Wi-Fi $109
• Kindle, Touch, Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers $99 (*)
• Kindle, Touch, Wi-Fi $139 (*)
• Kindle, Touch, 3G+Wi-Fi, includes Special Offers $149 (*)
• Kindle, Touch, 3G+Wi-Fi $189 (*)
• Kindle Fire, (Wi-Fi only) $199 (*)

(*) Order now. Orders are prioritized on a first come, first served basis. U.S. only