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The Kindle DX is on Sale Today But That Doesn’t Mean New Kindles Are Coming Next Week

Amazon likes to put their gadgets on sale everyone once in a while, and today you can find the Kindle DX for $270, which is about $110 off the regular retail. That’s not a bad price, except for the fact that this is the 2010 model and hasn’t been updated in well over a year.

The age and lack of updates makes the Kindle DX a prime candidate to be killed off to clear shelf space, and that is what Gizmodo is reporting today. I’m going to put my money on them being wrong.

Leaving aside the fact that Amazon’s warehouse square footage is greater than the area of state of Delaware, I think Amazon is smart enough not to telegraph their future plans in such an obvious way. I don’t think they’ve made that kind of mistake before, not with any of their launches.

What’s more, the Kindle DX has gone on sale before. The last sale I can recall (for the new Kindle DX, not reconditioned) was during the Christmas season, right when you’d expect a sale. That’s an important detail, because right now we’re in the back to school period, which is another time you might see an expensive gadget go on sale.

Gizmodo is speculating that a complete refresh of the Kindle line is coming next week, and they’re pointing at other sales today as proof. For example, there are quite a few Lightening Sales scheduled for today for unnamed accessories for the Kindle Fire and various Kindle models. I’m sticking by my previous objection. They’re also pointing at the Kindle Touch 3G being out of stock as proof  that a change is coming. That would have some weight, except that all the other models are still in stock.  This could just be bad timing, not a sign of coming events.

Folks, I can give you a simple explanation for the sales today.  It’s not just that we’re in the back to school season; I wonder if Amazon lined up these sales today just to get attention. They are that clever, you know, and if that was their goal it worked.

I’m not going to get excited about the possible launch of the next Kindle Whatever until the invites go out.  I also wouldn’t recommend the Kindle DX even though it is on sale; a similarly priced Android tablet would likely be a better deal.

P.S. There’s a deal today on Ebay that Gizmodo seems to have missed. The K3 3G is listed for $120 (new), or $70 off retail. That’s a very nice price and I think it reinforces the coincidence argument. Update: A reader pointed out that the K3 on sale was a special offers model, not the ad-free one. That makes it not such a great deal.

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Comments


Timothy Wilhoit August 10, 2012 um 11:57 am

FYI, that K3 from Ebay is an SO model. They’re normally $139.

Nate Hoffelder August 10, 2012 um 12:06 pm

Thanks! I shoulda read the fine print.


Scott_T August 10, 2012 um 12:08 pm

I’d like a DX but they’re still not worth it. maybe if they were 200 or less.


Alvaro August 10, 2012 um 12:19 pm

I just checked Amazon’s website and the Kindle Touch with ads is shipping in 4 – 7 weeks, while the on without ads can only be bought through third party sellers. I thinks something is going on here. As you mentioned, Amazon is very smart. The Apple event where they will announce the next iPhone is rumored to take place on the beginning of September, perhaps Amazon want to get some attention to their Kindles before all the eyes in the tech world look to the next iPhone. Whatever the reason, it still seems odd to me that so many kindle-related products and kindles are on sale or unavailable at the same time…


Alvaro August 10, 2012 um 12:20 pm

Ups, I meant 4 – 7 days…


Jack W Perry August 10, 2012 um 1:44 pm

I just don’t understand why anyone wants a DX at any price.

Void August 10, 2012 um 4:23 pm

It would be good for textbooks and other things that are available in PDF only due to not being easy to reflow (due to pictures, equations, etc.). Except that the software sucks at the one thing the hardware would be good for. If they ever update the damn thing it might actually be worth it.


DavidW August 10, 2012 um 6:20 pm

I would like a DX, but I’m not willing to pay more than $200 for it. I don’t know if I’ll see that day, but if I do I’ll buy it then. A dedicated 10 inch eink reader is in today’s market not worth more than that to me. So the sale looks good, but not good enough.


Mike Cane August 10, 2012 um 7:04 pm

You’ve since posted that Sony’s new Reader might debut on Monday. What’s so special about new eInk Kindles that Amazon needs to hold an event for them any longer? Seriously, is a backlight worthy of that? They could trounce Sony next week just with a press release and putting up pre-orders for any new Kindle. They’d be better off saving a live in-person event for the new Fire models.

Nate Hoffelder August 10, 2012 um 7:08 pm

I think Amazon would want to make a spectacle of the launch – you know, like Apple does.

Mike Cane August 10, 2012 um 7:10 pm

I don’t think eInk is worth that. It’ll only be a Last Hurrah anyway. No new ones next year, post-iPad Mini.

Tyler August 11, 2012 um 12:01 am

They are holding on to the old Kindles because it is not Christmas season yet. Last year they released the new line of Kindles after the Kobo and Nook Touches were released. So they probably are not wanting to be first. See what the competition releases and the price points, then release.

DavidW August 12, 2012 um 10:38 pm

Agreed. Kindle 3 released around this time didn’t it (mid to late August)? I don’t think either the Kindle 3 or 4 received alot of attention from either Amazon or the press. Kindle Touch got a bit of attention but it paled in comparison to the Fire. And if Amazon is releasing several Fire models this Christmas, they might want to release the new ereaders early so as to minimize confusion (from having two many kindles come out at once). That is what they did with the three kindles last year, they staggered their release.


DavidW August 12, 2012 um 10:39 pm

That was a reply to Mike btw, it didn’t show up on the right level.


Rick Askenase August 13, 2012 um 11:16 am

I love my Kindle DX and certainly think it is worth the price. Quite frankly, and I am not a big guy, the larger e-ink screen is just perfect to read on., My wife’s kindle is just too small for me to feel comfortable reading. And I MUCH prefer the e-ink screens to LCD screens forlong term reading, which is what I do.


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