Amazon Kindle is back in stock

Get 'em while they're hot. Amazon has its Kindle e-book reader back on sale, finally following up on that 5.5 hours of stock available the first time around. Of course, that $399 pricetag isn't budging, so if you were looking for a cheaper way to get into this racket, you'll have to look elsewhere. Or just squint really hard and pretend those two nines are zeros.

[Via GizmoScene]

[L @ Apr 20th 2008 4:12AM]

Drunk? On drugs?

[j3oomerang @ Apr 20th 2008 10:15PM]

i dont like the idea of the kindles proprietary format

http://thepiratebay.org/tor/3541990/Economics_-_Freakonomics_-_A_Rogue_Economist_Explores_the_Hidden

[King Mook Mook @ Apr 20th 2008 4:14AM]

Yes, but does it play Crysis?

[smh @ Apr 20th 2008 4:17AM]

And there's our "but does it play...?"/"will it run...?" douchebag comment of the day! Thank you Mook.

[King Mook Mook @ Apr 20th 2008 4:18AM]

That's a badge I wear with pride smh.

[silverblackvoid @ Apr 20th 2008 4:50AM]

oh no...the crysis troll

[Patriks7 @ Apr 20th 2008 4:59AM]

can YOU play crysis m8?

[gabe @ Apr 20th 2008 4:14PM]

will it blend?

[Bondtastic @ Apr 20th 2008 4:20AM]

That's pretty much how the skit played out. It was partially funny the first time they spoke, but got exponentially less so as it went on ..

.. fierce...

[SPOOOOCK! @ Apr 20th 2008 4:32AM]

If this was only $150-$200 I would totally get this. Having all my Terry Pratchett and Wikipedia on the go would be great for college, but I don't have the spare change to drop the money on this and THEN spend even more on books for it.

Cool gadget nevertheless.

[Hardcore @ Apr 20th 2008 6:28AM]

You know what else can accomplish this and more - a $99 Palm Centro - I don't see the point of this product, what can it do that any Smartphone hasn't been able to do in the past 5 years?

[LC @ Apr 20th 2008 8:32AM]

"what can it do that any Smartphone hasn't been able to do in the past 5 years?"

It can be viewed on a much larger screen.

E-ink, which is much more comfortable to read than a backlit lcd.

One touch book, magazine and newspaper purchases on the free EVDO connection.

Way better battery life.

While the Kindle does have some physical flaws, most e-ink readers like the Kindle, the Sony PRS 500/505, Cybook, Iliad, etc make a far superior reading experience than that of a tiny PDA screen.

[enneract @ Apr 20th 2008 12:58PM]

Honestly, I own a sony PRS-500, and I adore it. Being able to carry around a significant majority of my library, the books are cheaper, and the readability of the screen compared to a backlit LCD are incredible traits.

I honestly that many of the people in this thread who are attacking this product are not heavy readers. And that is a shame, because studies have shown that heavy readers are better people (fabrication, joke, but I agree with the sentiment).

I will say that, while the ev-do connectivity of the kindle, and the associated ability to buy books on the fly is an innovative and potentially useful attribute, the way the device is crippled to using amazon proprietary formats is rather annoying, and frankly counterproductive.

[Tod @ Apr 21st 2008 11:34AM]

Not sure why you guys are all getting up in arms about proprietary formats. I have about 100 books that I downloaded from Gutenberg. org on mine. I also have a bunch from manybooks. net as well. The kindle reads mobi format as long as they are not DRMed and it reads .txt as well. I plug in with the usb cord and move it directly over into the documents folder on the kindle drive (which shows up in my computer under XP). Sure the books I have bought from Amazon are in the kindle format, and they are DRMed, but the ease of getting them wirelessly and the fact that the books cost me about 10 bucks less for a newly released book make it pretty nice. I am sure at some point the publishers will get over the DRM fears that they have and make them non DRMed. Its not like I am going to share a book that I paid for to a bunch of freeloaders.

[Ken @ Apr 20th 2008 4:37AM]

Anyone figure out how to tether it's unlimited wireless broadband account to a pc yet? That's when I'll consider selling my Sony Reader for this bulky thing..

[paragraph @ Apr 20th 2008 5:28AM]

That will be my breaking point too.

I have many e-books, and e-paper makes me wet, but unless i can abuse the hell out of the free cellular data on in, i'm not in (unless it dropped $300 ;))

[Garst @ Apr 20th 2008 4:53AM]

Nope! That did work! It made the two 9's look like three 9's. I must be too tired to try that trick.

[bl0nde @ Apr 20th 2008 4:58AM]

Freakonomics FTW.

[考生 @ Apr 20th 2008 5:06AM]

i prefer an e－pc

[directive0 @ Apr 20th 2008 12:27PM]

Have fun using it outside in direct sunlight.

[Jim @ Apr 20th 2008 5:11AM]

Looks like I am going to need to get a stronger pair of glasses

Pete
http://www.theprintedbagshop.co.uk/cotton_bags.html

[Fraggle.Rock @ Apr 20th 2008 5:44AM]

I really wish it had a color screen... the Mac SE30 screen is old skool and all, but not as fun given that it's 2008 :-|

[daInvincibleGama @ Apr 23rd 2008 5:38PM]

Yeah. How many books have color pages?

Granted it would be nice for comics and such, but the technology to do that in e-ink simply isnt there. It would probably end up being light-sensing OLED for color in the future, seeing as how e-ink is limited.

[Hibiki Rush @ Apr 20th 2008 5:45AM]

420 much?

[nxtiak @ Apr 20th 2008 6:09AM]

Wonder if it'll still stay in stock now.... I doubt it.

[nxtiak @ Apr 20th 2008 6:11AM]

Crap I meant. Probably.
I don't think this will sell out anymore.

[foxxx @ Apr 20th 2008 6:12AM]

OK, here comes some calcualtions. According to Taiwanese technology papers: http://www.digitimes.com/displays/a20080418PD204.html, PVI provided 60% of its e-ink modules for Amazon Kindle, and PVI produced 60,000 to 80,000 monthly, that means from November, which was Kindle's release month, there're around 21,000 pieces shipped for Kindle. Maybe this is the maximum sale amount for Amazon Kindle in this five months. By the way, one e-ink module is about $70 to $80. Usually in OEM/ODM industry, the total BOM cost is half of the sale price, display costs $70~80 plus other components, like PCB, EVDO chip...etc. and the most important it's free to browse via Sprint. So I think for now it has limited space to cut the price down to $200.

[mymaclife @ Apr 20th 2008 6:46AM]

You need to get out more!

[foxxx @ Apr 20th 2008 6:53AM]

Ooops, correct one thing, add one digit, it's 210,000 units for Kindle.

[Austin @ Apr 20th 2008 6:45AM]

While we're in the habit of explaining why we're on here at this godforsaken time of night, "Hello everyone, my name is austin and the reason I'm up at this hour involves a regular dosage of Immodium AD." Seriously, This is a professional website and it's much more funny for all of us for you to drunk dial your ex-girlfriend instead. Or impulse-buy a kindle.

[Greenreefer @ Apr 20th 2008 7:08AM]

Overpriced,under-featured.
just like the iPod was.

Wait...

What I do not need are more formats,more proprietary closed systems.
Not for me,or any self-respecting gadget guy,
until it is hacked.

Simple USB Mass Storage access,
and no proprietary file limitations.
note /doc capability are no brainers.

Unlimited web access to read Time magazine?

Such a deal.

[El Taco @ Apr 20th 2008 2:32PM]

full sentences.

They help.

trying to comprehend what you said

[DrXym @ Apr 20th 2008 7:10AM]

Kindle would be a good idea if it was MUCH cheaper to reflect that it is horribly proprietary and tied to Amazon, or if $399 got you a device capable of reading .doc, .pdf, .html, .rtf and a raft of other common formats without using some stupid converter.

At the current price, I wonder what on earth is going through people's minds to buy this junk.

[DiscoCat5 @ Apr 20th 2008 7:28AM]

what is it? what is its purpose? and what is with that loser who wont shut up about tranny's?

[Smacksmackums @ Apr 20th 2008 8:54AM]

I'm guessing he was watching SNL. Either that, or he was watching Project Runway - which the skit was based on.

[Frank Furter @ Apr 20th 2008 8:14AM]

Yes, when you only stock 20 units initially, it'll run out immediately. Try to create a buzz, stock a few more, blah blah blah. Yawn.

BTW, is that picture in color? Holy crap, it looks like something from the 1800's. Poor Amazon. Gotta give 'em credit for trying.

[LC @ Apr 20th 2008 8:36AM]

Considering that Amazon is selling the Kindle as a means to sell books, it wouldn't make much business sense to only sell 20 devices and make a false shortage to create a buzz.

E-ink readers are a tiny market. The last thing they would want to do is not sell these things, considering part of the cost of the device and the books is paying for the Whispernet they provide.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Apr 20th 2008 8:17AM]

Back in stock and it will sell out immediately. Overwhelming demand? No. They only produced about 200 units this time. So when this stock of Kindles runs out, Jeff Bezos can say the demand is so high, we can't keep them in stock. Sounds good to me.

I think I'd rather go with an EeePC, too. Those computers are looking pretty good to me lately.

[sinjinn @ Apr 20th 2008 8:40AM]

dont think eeepc is an alternative here umless you are at a pwer outlet for an hour every 3 hours.

[LC @ Apr 20th 2008 8:41AM]

This isn't the Wii or PS3. The general public isn't demanding this or any ebook reader in high demands. Creating a false shortage would only push people towards Sony's e-reader. It would make no business sense for Amazon to eat the cost on the free EVDO and the e-books it has if it is deliberately not selling them.

If any of these companies could stock enough to meet demand, they would.

[Frank Furter @ Apr 20th 2008 9:50AM]

Then they should've made 201.

[Andrew @ Apr 20th 2008 10:02AM]

Answering the critics who say this cant do anything a smartphone cant. You can use a kindle outdoors in bright conditions. Try doing that with a palm or any phone with a normal LCD screen.

http://pixblix.com

[Marvin Quach @ Apr 20th 2008 10:31AM]

hahaha this is news?!?

no, seriously though... I am almost as surprised as anyone else is, that Kindle is FINALLY back in stock after like.... 4 or 5 weeks? O_O;

This is gonna sell like HOT CAKES!

[Mark @ Apr 20th 2008 10:48AM]

Will it BLEND!

Freakonomics was a good read,
I'm not buying this thing yet.

does anyone have it and love it
even at this price?

[KindleFanBoi @ Apr 20th 2008 11:11AM]

Are you guys crazy? Look at the sales at Amazon it is the best selling electronics product at Amazon better than the iPod, Nintendo Wii, and any single digital camera and gps unit. So there cranking out alot of these units, just look at the customer reviews. It is price right when you consider that you have a wireless connection that you don't have to pay a monthly fee as of yet.

[Jordan @ Apr 20th 2008 1:20PM]

If it's so popular why haven't I seen it? Anywhere. Ever. In real life.

I do believe I have seen more iPods, more Wiis, and other devices.

[pfromg @ Apr 20th 2008 11:20AM]

but,
its so "80's / Battlestar Galactica"
its so "Luke skywalker pocket device"

its so, old fashioned already.

[michael @ Apr 20th 2008 11:45AM]

It is still in stock after 6 hours. If it was such a bestselling it would be gone by now. Wii sells out on amazon within 5-10 min. Most people who wanted Kindle already get it shipped beacuase they pre-order it on amazon. Don't get me wrong, the product is great but way overpriced.

[bob e @ Apr 20th 2008 11:56AM]

Does anyone know if you can change the font face with Kindle? My girlfriend has the Sony reader, unfortunately it has an ugly serif - times font.

I hate times font - the menu's are a nice clean arial but the actual book text is times...I can not go back to times new roman ever again.

[Karl Viklund @ Apr 20th 2008 12:18PM]

Who cares. It's shit...