OK – I know the population of this poor benighted isle always has to wait a while longer for new technology to arrive from the US – we’re kind of used to it now, with the iPad and Kindle. But come on Amazon… How can you announce four new products on your US site and only one in the UK?
The all-new Kindle (sans keyboard, but including 5 buttons – woohoo – now that’s radical) looks like a retro version of the Sony e-reader. How is that progress? When are we going to get our hands on the Kindle Touch (Touch – is that allowed? Amazon are already in trouble with their ‘app store’), Kindle Touch 3G and Kindle Fire? Is it at all likely to be this side of Christmas?
If all that wasn’t bad enough, what about the pricing policy?
US
Kindle $79 ($109 w/out ads)
Kindle Touch $99 ($139 w/out ads)
Kindle Touch 3G $149 ($189 w/out ads)
Kindle Fire (all singing and dancing new full colour Android tablet) $199
UK
Kindle (a la Sony e-reader) £89
Yes – more in £££ than the basic model in the US costs in $$$ (although that does include annoying ‘special offers’ on screen). But even the version without ads should cost less than £75, given the current exchange rate.
The digital revolution may take a tad longer to come to these shores if hardware prices remain artificially high. I want to purchase a Kindle, but now, given the continued UK technology lag, I think my best bet is to hang on. How many other potential Kindle customers will come to that conclusion?
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