Kindle going nationwide in Target stores on June 6
By Paul Miller 
posted June 2nd 2010 12:34PM
posted June 2nd 2010 12:34PM
Still waiting to see a Kindle in the wild before you pull the trigger? Hate shopping online? Need to pick up some toilet paper and a huge barrel of pretzels? You're in luck, because Amazon's finally going to be spreading Kindles out in retail nationwide through Target stores. After a trial run in April that got the e-reader into Target's flagship store and 102 brightly lit retail paradises in south Florida, the $259 e-ink device will be available all over as of June 6th. The press release points out that the Kindle is still Amazon's bestselling product, and we can't see a retail push like this hurting its prospects -- though with rumors flying about an imminent Kindle update, it might not be the absolute best time to buy. PR is after the break. Target Launches Kindle Nationwide
Amazon's revolutionary wireless reading device available in all Target Stores on June 6
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Target® Corporation (NYSE: TGT) today continued its commitment to making Kindle, Amazon's bestselling product, available to its guests with a June 6 nationwide roll-out. Target is the first brick-and-mortar retailer to carry the reading device.
"Our guest's response to Kindle has been overwhelmingly positive," said Mark Schindele, senior vice president, Target. "We are thrilled to bring guests nationwide this incredibly light, portable, easy-to-read product that allows them to get all the news and books they want."
Kindle retails for $259 and is Amazon's purpose-built reading device that wirelessly downloads books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and personal documents to a crisp, high resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle fits comfortably in one hand for hours, has an e-ink display that is easy on the eyes even in bright daylight, two weeks of battery life, and 3G wireless with no monthly fees. Customers can read and sync their Kindle books on iPhones, iPod touches, PCs, BlackBerrys, Macs, iPads, and soon, Anroid devices. These features, paired with the massive selection of over 550,000 books available in the Kindle Store, have made Kindle the bestselling product across the millions of items available at Amazon.com.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,740 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week.
Amazon's revolutionary wireless reading device available in all Target Stores on June 6
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Target® Corporation (NYSE: TGT) today continued its commitment to making Kindle, Amazon's bestselling product, available to its guests with a June 6 nationwide roll-out. Target is the first brick-and-mortar retailer to carry the reading device.
"Our guest's response to Kindle has been overwhelmingly positive," said Mark Schindele, senior vice president, Target. "We are thrilled to bring guests nationwide this incredibly light, portable, easy-to-read product that allows them to get all the news and books they want."
Kindle retails for $259 and is Amazon's purpose-built reading device that wirelessly downloads books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and personal documents to a crisp, high resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle fits comfortably in one hand for hours, has an e-ink display that is easy on the eyes even in bright daylight, two weeks of battery life, and 3G wireless with no monthly fees. Customers can read and sync their Kindle books on iPhones, iPod touches, PCs, BlackBerrys, Macs, iPads, and soon, Anroid devices. These features, paired with the massive selection of over 550,000 books available in the Kindle Store, have made Kindle the bestselling product across the millions of items available at Amazon.com.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,740 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week.
June is positively lousy with product launches and new channels. I love it!
I think it's a little late for the Kindle to make its retail debut, but it's still a fine device. Especially if you read outside, it's way better than the ipad (and the Kindle doesn't overheat as much since it's white). I've only been using my ipad indoors, which really limits its usability.
@HotDog I hardly doubt it's too late. The only thing I would argue is that people reluctant to order things online (like from Amazon, but not specifically) are unlikely to want a Kindle, and would rather buy the paperbacks even if they are more expensive. This is good for instant gratification people, random purchases, holiday/birthday gifts, someone with Target gift cards, things like that.
@AndrewNeo Replace 'random purchases' with 'impulse buyers', that's what I meant to say :P
I'm curious.
Is an ebook on Amazon more expensive than the same book in paperback ?
@Threlly Typically, no. They tend to cost $9.95, which is usually less than the trade paperback version, though there are a lot of books that are free, and you can download Project Gutenberg books to them for free.
This may change a bit, as publishers have rebelled at Amazon's attempt to control the price of books for Kindle. I've seen quite a few books selling for more than $9.95 lately, especially new books.
@Threlly Usually it's less, most if not all books are priced at $9.99 or less.
@Threlly
I see.
I believe it's also possible for Amazon to delete books from your Kindle if they wish ?
@Threlly That happened last year when a book had been illegally published by a third party. Amazon pulled that book. It caused an uproar. Since then they have changed their policy and will no longer delete books.
If what you want is an electronic book replacement then the Kindle 2 (or better) is what you need. I turned the radio off on mine and I now get more than 10 days battery life.
The music player sucks and so does the browser but I have over 200 books on mine and have ditched many of my books. The space saved is already good.
This device is NOT an iPad but as a book replacement device it is brilliant.
Also it is not made by CrApple, which is why I have one.
@rederikus I own a Kindle 2, and while it doesn't see enough use I absolutely love it. I would not trade it for an iPad, even if someone paid the difference. It's not because I'm anti-Apple (the iPad is too expensive, and does too little, though) but just because of the size and the e-ink display. It does what it was built to do and it does it well.
@AndrewNeo
so the iPad does less than the Kindle, as in, less than one thing?
About time!!!
I have NO IDEA how Amazon sold its first Kindle online... if you've never seen e-ink type displays before you don't get how its different than another type of screen
(Steve Jobs is one of those people needing to visit a Target store this month)
@kapryt
The way he dresses, I thought he already did.
@brenro
LOL Seriously, good call
Where's the kindle DX love?? Are they going to carry that too? IMO the reading experience is so much better on the larger screen. I just bought a dx on ebay, and will probably buy a next gen dx if they make it available.
Can't you get toilet paper and pretzels on amazon?
FINALLY! I've been going round and round with the nook and Sony's eReader. Now I can finally get my hands on the Kindle and have a quick solution if I don't like it. I'm pretty sure I will but this is exactly why I only buy things locally... too much trouble dealing with shipping, etc.
@Stewie Vader - Actually, don't count on it. I was just at Target and like every other electronic device (EEE PC, etc) they have a disabled demo Kindle on display. While it actually shows the e-ink display, the rest of it is disabled - buttons don't work, you can't change pages, nothing. I never understood that about Target. All of their display items are disabled/fake demo units - even their alarm clocks! How can someone decide if something is worth buying if they can't test it?
Amazon needs a cheaper kindle ... maybe by the holidays ... they need to get one down below $150