I am unable to really express how often over the last year or two I have heard from people the idea that the Kindle will never hit it big until they get their pricing under the hundred dollar mark. This has not stopped the Kindle from becoming overwhelmingly popular, but it makes a great talking point for people who want to argue for discounts or claim Tablet PC superiority in eReading. Finally, however, we can have an end to the idea’s repetition. There is now a Refurbished Kindle available for just $99. There are other factors involved that might make this a deal worth waiting on, though.
The $99 pricing seems appealing and probably will sway a few people. I seem to recall that discounted refurbs toward the end of the Kindle 2’s life cycle did the same. Still, before you jump on it, it is important to keep in mind what this move is likely to imply. Rumors abound, both substantial and completely speculative, about the upcoming next generation of Kindle products. We can be almost 100% sure that they will be showing up in the next three months, but beyond that there is little total certainty due to the expected overlapping release of the first Kindle Tablet and the difficulties inherent in trying to pick through the bits of information we have to determine which bit goes to which device. Given competition in the eReader marketplace alongside some business moves that Amazon has made lately, though, we can make some pretty solid assumptions.
Amazon will, it can be assumed, be releasing a new touchscreen Kindle. It is very, very likely that it will run Android in some form. There are certain to be several incarnations of it to allow for choice between WiFi, 3G, ad support, and the combinations thereof that we have become accustomed to. It is very unlikely that the new Kindle baseline model will cost more than the $114 currently being asked for the cheapest brand new Kindle on sale right this minute.
The question potential customers have to ask, then, is what factors matter in their choice. If this is meant to show Amazon that you will not support Kindles over $100, then it is a good way to put your money into making your point while still getting a great product. If you are in a hurry and don’t feel like waiting to get the new Kindle, then it makes sense to pick up one of these. Never any harm in grabbing a refurbished product from a company that is known to have excellent customer service. If you don’t have a point to make and aren’t in a rush, however, I can’t see that holding back to see how well the Kindle 4/Kindle Touch/Kindle Whatevertheycallit stacks up compared to the competition. There’s no reason to believe that there won’t still be Kindle 3 refurbs and back stock sitting around by then anyway, probably discounted even further or sold through Woot.com. While there are rumors going around that many customers will be getting brand new Kindles labeled as refurbished in order to be sneaky about their official new product announcement, it is hard to see Amazon running out completely in the next couple weeks.