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Amazon sells Kindle at $114, but with Ads

Q: Key Point 1: Amazon is now offering their Kindle e-reader at a subsidized...

Amazon is now offering their Kindle e-reader at a subsidized price of just $114, down from the regular $139 (about an 18% discount).

Abe Olandres April 12, 2011 · 1 min read

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Amazon is now offering their Kindle e-reader at a subsidized price of just $114, down from the regular $139 (about an 18% discount). The catch? Amazon is putting ads on the device.

The ads will be in the form of a screen saver (when the Kindle is on idle) or as a banner ad on top while you’re reading your ebooks. Amazon promises that the ads will not be intrusive and not ruin the reading experience.

Buyers can still get the ad-free variants at the regular $139 price for the WiFi-only and $189 for the 3G. This is probably the first time I’ve heard that a device is being subsidized by advertisements. However, I think the right price point for the ad-supported Kindle should be $99. Who knows, maybe some day it will be totally free.

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Abe Olandres

Editor-in-chief

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

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21 Comments

NKRX · 15 years ago

The ads can be pretty useful as I was able to get a $20 giftcard for $10 and I was also able to buy a lighted cover for 50% off :)

I have extra Kindle units with and without ads in case anyone is looking. Thanks!

jaweee · 15 years ago

hello, i need one. but im in philippines and i dont have paypal. i wonder when it will be sold locally

SeanFaris · 15 years ago

They should set a stable dimensions for the ads because as for me, I wouldn’t mind purchasing a Kindle with ads as long as the advertisements/banner ads would not interfere with my reading.

http://www.forums.wcbcomputers.com

Vince · 15 years ago

how long til a hack is discovered or adblock is ported?

Jonaflormicfren · 15 years ago

Every product deserves to have the appropriate price. http://learner-spot.blogspot.com/

h · 15 years ago

that would probably be annoying, seeing ads popping on your screen from time to time. if the ads will be updated through the internet, it would be a bit better. imagine seeing pre-installed adds again and again, kakasuya.

Iyan Sommerset · 15 years ago

Are these available locally? I mean, normally-priced, not the arm-and-a-leg-priced ones at Infomaxx.

benchmark · 15 years ago

FREE? Nah, that can’t be. If you are familiar with Edsamail, free email for everybody who has a telephone line and a computer. Its nice to have it free, but in the end, the “FREE” became 360 annual payment, then 600 annual…then GONE.

FREE doesn’t last in our world.

But I agree with you, Kindle should cost for $99. Imagine, you are reading ebook while ad banner keeps on changing on top of your book, that can be an eye-sore.

deuts · 15 years ago

Oo nga dapat $99 n lng yan.

Paul · 15 years ago

> This is probably the first time Iâ€™ve
> heard that a device is being subsidized
> by advertisements.

All those really-frickin-hard-to-peel stickers on laptops and netbooks count for something. They are mandated by Intel and the video card makers, if you put them on your laptop or netbook the OEMs get a discount.

Apple doesn’t participate in this so their computers cost a lot, but on the other hand they don’t get stickers glued on them.

See also: carrier-installed apps on some Android smartphones, Ferrari/Lamborghini branding on Acer, Disney branding on Lenovo, etc.