The newly-announced Kindle Fire and Kindle price reductions mean Amazon is offering more choice in its e-book reader range than ever. The Fire tablet and the other new models can only be pre-ordered by US customers at this stage, but even so, that could be bad news for Woolworths, which has recently begun selling the device through its Big W and Dick Smith brands.
The fact that it’s only selling a small percentage of the total Kindle range does not work in Woolworths’ favour, nor does the lower pricing for buying models direct from Amazon (this morning, the basic 6-inch model is $136 including shipping from Amazon, compared to $159 from Big W). As well, if you’ve been contemplating a Kindle and know new models are due soon, buying one at all might seem less appealing.
With that said, the lack of a confirmed international release date does mean that if you’re thinking of buying someone a Kindle for Christmas, the existing range (rather than the new models) is all you have to work with in any case. Thoughts?
Jason Oakley
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 8:55 AMI was going to buy one from Dick Smith or Big W but now I have second thoughts.
Of course, if they are shipping to Australia it’d be a no-brainer but I think we can still only get the old Kindle at all…
Stephen Collins
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 9:08 AMInternational re-shipper. Fake US address.
Problem solved.
Stu
Monday, November 21, 2011 at 4:50 PMAmen brother. Comgateway ahoy!
Nick
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 9:17 AMYou can order the new base, non touch model from amazon today ~$110
tristan
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 9:37 AMI’d be interested to know whether the new Kindles w 3G, which are US only (eg, Kindle Touch) will work in Australia, or whether Whispersync will realise these new models aren’t released here and then stop working.
TSH
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 10:27 AMI just keep my Vodafone Pocket WiFi gadget in my bag, for when I want to go online with my WiFi only Kindle. I paid $99 a year ago, you can get it (with 5GB data) for $40 ( http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/09/lunchtime-deal-5gb-vodafone-wireless-broadband/ ) as of yesterday. I’ve found it quite handy to have around, and means I don’t have to pay a premium for anything to have 3G as long as it has WiFi.
Just a thought ^_^
Chris
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 1:39 PMI like the idea of the whispernet service, if you are OS its an easy way to access your email.
One of my first programs relearning to program will be a simple email program designed to work for the kindle (web based)
Drew
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 5:14 PMThey work overseas, for the sole reason that US residents can still use them outside the USA. The reason they aren’t shipping outside the USA is because they don’t want to piss off their (I assume) primary market buy not having enough Kindles for them.
Drew
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 5:16 PMAlso they have local retailers with the 3rd Gen Kindle, they will probably try to expand that with the new model and not want to piss off their retail partners by selling direct.
Scott
Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 1:12 AMI have a Kindle 2 with 3G whispersync. Amazon thinks I live at my sisters in SF. I can confirm whispersync works fine here*.
(*with that device at least, ymmv)
kalshort
Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 4:23 PMI imagine the 3G would work here with the Touch given that its the same TECH in the Kindle keyboard model with 3G, available in Aus from BigW and DSE.
But are there any charges?? Generally the 3G connection is free but I did read somewhere that when used overseas on roaming an expense can be incurred!! If you buy it in the US registered to a US address you’d probably be picked up as roaming while you’re using it here in Aus.
Stove
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 10:40 AMIf you’re getting an e-ink kindle, the new models bring precisely two things to the party: lower prices and a touchscreen option.
Touchscreens on e-ink devices are a bit hit and miss. You don’t get the intuitive response due to the slow refresh rate of the screen – The big benefit is really the space you save by getting rid of the physical keyboard (with the downside that now your books will get as fingerprinty as your phone)
For us existing kindle users; the new versions use the same screen as the kindle 3 and we’ll probably get a software update soon.
What’s not mentioned in the article: They’re selling the ad-supported versions of the kindle (ads on your homescreen and screensaver, not in the book) for a fair discount. Nobody else has tried this yet, so I’m very interested to see how it goes.
Justin Scott
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 4:22 PMHi Guys,
Recvd a tweet for Dick Smith today advising new Kindle wifi will be on sale prior to Christmas, Kindle Fire just after.
Aliasalpha
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 6:57 PMAny indications as to the expected price?
Justin Scott
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 10:50 PMNo, but given the current model is about as much as the old model was (including postage) I’m assuming it will be approx the same.
Stu
Monday, November 21, 2011 at 4:49 PMDon’t know why WOW would sell the Fire when the Amazon ecosystem it depends on (mp3, cloud, prime) is largely unavailable in Australia.
It’d be a $300 brick.
Jarrad
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 8:19 PMI was at Dick Smith Maroochydore QLD and they have the kindle for $219. And is not even the touch version. WHAT A RIP!
Justin Scott
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 10:51 PMThat’s about the same as the online price from Amazon was, after postage and handling is included…
Tan
Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 5:01 PMAmazon is $189 including post for the 3G keyboard.
P’d off that even tho our dollar is strong we are still getting screwed over (when you can get a kindle fire for $199!!)
Andrew
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 9:53 PMBought kindle 3 wireless on Amazon $169 delivered
Ambert Xie
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 12:12 PMGet a kobo touch. Problem solved.
Jellybean
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 8:50 PMEww. I would never desert amazon!! kindle is THE ORIGINAL and THE BEST :)
Chris
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 8:13 AMRecently purchased a Kindle Wi-Fi. But I have absolutely no Wi-Fi available in my location – 40 kms from Brisbane. I wanted the wi-fi for books, but with the etra costs I now have to spend just to get the Kindle to work, this is not a cost effective choice. Lack of information and support is a major problem
Angus Kidman
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 8:31 AMThe assumption is that people have Wi-Fi connectivity to their home broadband.