Amazon Offering Slightly Cheaper Kindle with On-Screen Ads

Grrarrgh · Apr 11, 2011

https://www.amazon.com/?tag=absowrit-20

It's $25 cheaper. The screensavers on this one are sponsored by various companies, and the ads show up at the bottom of the home screen. They also send you offers - $20 Amazon gift card for $10, 6 Audible books for $6 (normally $68), etc.

Torgo · Apr 11, 2011

Interesting! How long before an entirely ad-supported service?

bettielee · Apr 11, 2011

hmm... I wondered what the snag was. And i would pay that price for offers. You can turn off your wi fi after all.

But too late. Already got $139 one

Grrarrgh · Apr 11, 2011

My 3G is turned off most of the time anyway, so I think don't think the ads would bother me. How much time do you really spend looking at the screensavers, anyway? And the banner is only on the bottom of the home page; it's not in the actual books. If they offered me enough of those $20 Amazon gift cards for $10, that would be enough for me.

Adam · Apr 11, 2011

I'll be grabbing a Kindle soon, and as long as there were no ads in the book itself, I'd be all for that. And the offers sweeten the deal.

Though only $25 cheaper? Hmm.

cameron_chapman · Apr 11, 2011

Adam said:
Though only $25 cheaper? Hmm.

That was my thought, too. Considering most people are going to keep their Kindle for at least 2-5 years (before upgrading, etc.), that's an awful lot of ads for not very much money...

Ludicrum · Apr 11, 2011

I don't see the point of this, frankly. Anyone who can afford the ad supported Kindle can scrounge up an additional $25 for an ad-free experience. If they were offering the 3g model for that price we'd have something to talk about, but even that would be a bit of a stretch.

kuwisdelu · Apr 11, 2011

Ludicrum said:
I don't see the point of this, frankly. Anyone who can afford the ad supported Kindle can scrounge up an additional $25 for an ad-free experience. If they were offering the 3g model for that price we'd have something to talk about, but even that would be a bit of a stretch.

I'd have to agree. I can understand ad-supported software, but hardware? For something that's already in the triple digits in price, $25 isn't really worth worrying about. And if it is, you probably shouldn't be spending that much in the first place.

Phaeal · Apr 12, 2011

I think the offers, if continuing, would be the main draw.

KTC · Apr 12, 2011

Why in the name of fuck would ANYBODY want to save $25 bucks and get force fed advertising! Holy shit.

shaldna · Apr 12, 2011

I think I would just spend the extra £25

tirial · Apr 13, 2011

shaldna said:
I think I would just spend the extra £25

I can't stand ads (particularly something that flickers or moves while I'm reading, or trying to get through a menu system). I'd scrounge up the extra $25 just to avoid it.

Gravity's Rainbow · Apr 16, 2011

I think Penny Arcade summed it up nicely

Amazon Offering Slightly Cheaper Kindle with On-Screen Ads

Grrarrgh

Not so new, not so much a kid

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

bettielee

I'm a sparkly fairy princess!

Grrarrgh

Not so new, not so much a kid

Adam

Not dead.

cameron_chapman

Makes Things Up

Ludicrum

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

tirial

Gravity's Rainbow