With the Next Generation Around the Corner, is it a Bad Time to Buy a Kindle?

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By Lindsay Sakraida, dealnews Features Director

On Friday, Amazon dropped the price on its factory-refurbished, 8.5-oz. Amazon Kindle 3 Wi-Fi eBook Reader to just $99.99 — the best deal we've seen for any 3rd-generation Amazon Kindle. Huzzah!

But hold on. The folks over at TechCrunch speculate that this could signal the heavily-rumored release of a next generation Kindle, since it follows the occurrences right before the release of this current model — and if you care about the potential new features, maybe you shouldn't pull the trigger on any Kindle 3 right now.

On July 12, 2010, dealnews noted a price drop on the refurbished Wi-Fi Kindle 2. And at $109.99, it was also the lowest price we had seen for that model. About two weeks later, Amazon announced its new version, the Kindle 3, available with Wi-Fi for $139. Consumers could preorder it for delivery on August 27.

And now the Kindle 3 has received a markdown. If we follow the above schedule, as TechCrunch suggests we do, there's a possibility that Amazon will announce its anticipated "Kindle 4" on or around August 22, with a potential release about a month later. As the blog points out, this is in line with the existing rumored schedule for the new device.

So is it a "bad time to buy a Kindle," as TechCrunch declares? There are rumors that the refresh will include both high- and low-end models, with potentially upgraded E-Ink technology and a touchscreen (in the high-end version only). And even though two models will bring two separate price points, keep in mind that the last upgrade was only $29 more than the previous-generation refurb. So dealnews readers, what say you?

DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).

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2 comments
NickA
I am a huge technology nerd, I always love having the newest greatest thing. I purchase my Kindle 3 only 2 days ago, and on most electronics this news would land on me like a ton of bricks, this is not the case with the Kindle 3. E-Books readers are meant to perform one task, let you read digital books, and the Kindle 3 performs that task very well.

Some people may desire a touchscreen, but I did not as I felt finger prints on the screen would only hinder the reading experience, and a color display is nice, but would limit the battery life. I opted to get the Special Wifi advertising edition, or whatever the technical name is, and for the price I couldn't be happier. The ads are handled extremely well, only appearing on main screen, and not during reading, and many of the ads are worth looking into.

Overall, if you're wanting a Kindle, and you can do without a touchscreen, or a color display, pick up the kindle 3 at this great price, you will not be disappointed.
August 9, 2011
luvsdeals
I already took the plunge and bought myself the Kindle 3G/Wifi with special offers a couple of months back, after reading many different reviews and weighing my options. I'm glad I did, I have gotten so much enjoyment out of it in this time, and with all of the free ebooks offered, (posted on dealnews!), I have downloaded many of the freebies, as well as some other inexpensive ones. I would have had to find a new bookshelf if I had gotten the actual hard copies. The current Kindle fits my current needs just fine, so it's my opinion that if someone has been on the fence about getting one, due to price constraints, they should seriously consider getting one now or in the near future while they are at an all-time low. The "Special Ads" feature is non-intrusive, and some of the offers truly are "special." I have had lots of great deal offers, coupons, etc. with mine. All in all, if you wait long enough, most electronic devices drop in price, as newer ones are released. As with many electronics, one has to ask themselves if the current one will fit their needs, and if so, is the price right? For me, the answer was "yes" for this particular model, even before these latest price cuts. Thanks as always, dealnews, for keeping me up to date on all of the latest deals and related news!
August 8, 2011