Amazon Kindle E-Book Reader Still In Short Supply
The idea of an electronic book-sized device that could be loaded with hundreds or thousands of different titles is just about as old as the modern computer. Many so-called e-book readers have been produced over the years, but none got much attention from the traditionalists who said they still liked their paper. Then came Amazon's Kindle, which appears to be doing to the e-book market what Apple's iPod did to the MP3 player market. But the Kindle may be a little too popular for its own good. Even months after its initial release, the Kindle is still experiencing shortages, which means you still can't order one and expect prompt delivery.
Amazon.com still features the Kindle prominently at the top of its front page, but click on in to buy and you'll see the following message:
Due to heavy customer demand, Kindle is temporarily sold out. We are working hard to manufacture Kindles as quickly as possible and are prioritizing orders on a first come, first served basis. Please ORDER KINDLE NOW to reserve your place in line. We will keep you informed by email as we get more precise delivery dates.That's the same message that popped up before Christmas and hasn't come down since. According to reports, the average wait time for a Kindle seems to be about 4-6 weeks, which isn't terrible if you're a patient person. (We are, after all, talking about a device for reading books here, people, which is typically only a past-time of the laid back.)
That said, if you need your gadget fix right away, prepare to pay a $50 - $100 premium on eBay. That's far better than the $600 markup over the $400 retail price we saw right before the holidays.
From USA Today
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