Amazon Partners With AT&T to Introduce Kindle with Global Wireless Coverage

[Unspeaked]

LINK

Amazon Cuts Kindle Price to $259, Unveils International Version

From The Business Insider, Oct. 7, 2009:

Amazon is improving two weaknesses with its Kindle e-book reader: Its price and its inability to download books overseas.

• Amazon is cutting the price of its Kindle 2 to $259, down from $299, it announced.

• It's also selling another Kindle that supports international roaming in over 100 countries, which will cost $279 and will ship on Oct. 19. When roaming internationally, books will cost an extra $1.99, as will downloads from your "archived items."

The GSM-based international Kindle will use AT&T's network in the U.S. This means AT&T will likely be able to report new Kindle units activated in the U.S. as wireless subscribers. (And it likely means Sprint-based Kindles will be phased out.)

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos told the New York Times that Kindle books now represent 48% of total book sales when both Kindle and paper versions are available, up from 35% in May and 13% in February.

Bought a Kindle within the last month? You'll be able to return it for the international version if you want, Bezos tells Wired.

 

[MacRumors]

Amazon Partners With AT&T to Introduce Kindle with Global Wireless Coverage



Amazon today announced that it is dropping the price of its basic Kindle e-Book reader from $299 to $259 and also partnering with AT&T to introduce a new version offering global wireless coverage in over 100 countries and territories. The new global version is priced at $279 and will begin shipping on October 19th.

Kindle wirelessly downloads books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution 6-inch electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle utilizes the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so you never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot or sync with a PC. Readers can wirelessly shop the Kindle Store, download books in less than 60 seconds, automatically receive newspaper and magazine subscriptions, receive personal documents, and read from their library -- now in over 100 countries and territories.

The new version will also enable Amazon to offer the Kindle for sale in over 100 countries. The international Kindle Store catalog will offer over 200,000 books, slightly more than half the number currently available on the U.S. store.

Apple's much-anticipated tablet computer has been claimed to be focusing on e-Book capabilities, but described as attempting to redefine print media into an interactive experience not currently possible through dedicated e-Book readers such as Amazon's Kindle.

Article Link: Amazon Partners With AT&T to Introduce Kindle with Global Wireless Coverage

 

[akadmon]

Wow, a second price drop in a month!. You've heard about phantom pain? Well, this looks like a case of phantom pressure. Amazon is feeling it from something that's not actually there (the Apple tablet).

 

[Unspoken Demise]

download books in less than 60 seconds

Your results may vary.

 

[ventro]

Avalible in Congo, but not Canada??? Lame.

 

[notjustjay]

Canadians are always last to the party

Edit: I wouldn't be surprised if it's because our single GSM/3G provider isn't willing to share their toys. Hopefully that will change soon.

 

[Andronicus]

Apple needs to hurry up!

 

[Dwalls90]

This basically guarantees that the netbook/tablet will definitely be Verizon "powered", since it would be suicide for it not to have 3G/4G.

Hopefully that means when the contract for the iPhone with AT&T ends, the iPhone will too.

 

[*LTD*]

Amazon might as well enjoy the party until Apple's tablet shows up. Then it's back to the drawing-board for the also-rans.

 

[rush0]

This is stupid. Why does this thing cost more than NetBooks?

 

[Mudbug]

so does that mean that you get unlimited lifetime 3G connectivity on this thing without a service contract from AT&T? Essentially unlimited 3G forever for a $20 surcharge?

 

[Unspeaked]

This is stupid. Why does this thing cost more than NetBooks?

E-ink?

Free wireless?

I dunno, most netbooks don't have much to them, so it doesn't surprise me at all that this would be priced higher.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Is there a monthly fee involved? Or is at&t just letting Kindle users use their network free of charge?

 

[BryanLyle]

AT&T huh. "More books in fewer places"

 

[spillproof]

so does that mean that you get unlimited lifetime 3G connectivity on this thing without a service contract from AT&T? Essentially unlimited 3G forever for a $20 surcharge?

I smell a tethering hack!

 

[TheIguana]

I have to say, it certainly is bizarre that they didn't include Canada in that announcement. Maybe when Bell/Telus launch their new HSPA network we will hear more on that front.

 

[3247]

Is there a monthly fee involved? Or is at&t just letting Kindle users use their network free of charge?

Amazon pays for the traffic if you download purchased books. For other network use, you'll pay Amazon.

 

[xsecretfiles]

maybe this is a sign of an end to the at&t/apple iphone marriage?

Maybe verizon was offered the apple tablet....

 

[iOrlando]

currently reading a book now (not like right now...but now as in October).

1) i like to just kind of leave it wherever...near the stove...outside...under the couch... If it gets wet, dirty, messy...I dont mind.
2) I like seeing how much I have read and how much I have to go to read
3) I like easily writing little notes

until a device can satisfy/solve these three things for me..i have no issue continuing to buy actual books.

 

[nickXedge]

so does that mean that you get unlimited lifetime 3G connectivity on this thing without a service contract from AT&T? Essentially unlimited 3G forever for a $20 surcharge?

My thoughts exactly! This leads me to think that maybe a Verizon iPhone is possible. Apple can't be happy with this news, whether their tablet is real or not. If/when AT&T finally come out and announce tethering for iPhone and it's $30 on top of the current data plan, I will be livid. I may actually switch both iPhones on my account to Verizon if this all comes to pass.

In closing, this is some bull****!

 

[njfuzzy]

I'm confused. AT&T can offer unlimited wireless with this device, but it costs $100 to check my email on my iPhone overseas?

 

[pmjoe]

Global? Are there international roaming charges?

 

[kitenski]

does this mean the Kindle iPhone app will be international as well?

 

[rme]

Books and newspapers are more expensive for international customers, transferring PDFs to the Kindle costs 99 cents per meg, and there's no free Wikipedia and blogs (the webbrowser is disabled).

 

[NightFox]

In what way can AT&T be involved in making this international? Surely it'll be using local mobile providers for the Internet link?