Amazon launches $79 Kindle and $99 Kindle Touch eReaders
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Amazon.com’s Kindle Fire tablet wasn’t the only new Kindle introduced Wednesday. The retail giant also announced two new eInk eReaders -- a Kindle starting at $79 and a Kindle Touch starting at $99.
The Kindle Touch is, as you might expect, a touch-screen eReader. No buttons, no keyboard; the navigation and interaction take place via swiping, tapping or typing the device’s display.
A touch-screen Kindle had been rumored for months and was essentially assured to be on the way after Amazon’s eReader rivals, Nook maker Barnes & Noble and Kobo, released touch-screen devices.
The $99 Kindle is Wi-Fi only and runs advertisements from Amazon’s ‘Special Offers’ service on the Kindle’s lock and home screens. An ad-free version of the Kindle Touch sells for $139, the same price as the touch-screen Nook. The Kobo Touch sells for $129.
Amazon is also making available a Kindle Touch 3G model for $149 with ‘Special Offers’ and an ad-free version for $189. Both of the Kindle Touch 3G variations feature lifetime free 3G wireless service for downloading books in more than 100 countries around the world.
The company also is introducing a $79 Kindle with Special Offers, its lowest priced eReader so far, that loses the keyboard seen on every previous Kindle model, retaining only a few buttons for page turns and navigating around Amazon’s eBook store.
An ad-free version of the base Kindle sells for $109.
Both the Kindle Touch and the non-touch Kindle feature a 6-inch display that Amazon says is its best eInk screen so far.
The new Kindle Touch starts shipping Nov. 21 but can be pre-ordered now. The new $79 Kindle is shipping now.
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-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles