Amazon takes Kindle global, lowers price

Amazon plans to start selling its Kindle reader in over 100 countries and territories on Oct. 19.

Amazon is selling the Kindle with U.S. & International Wireless to customers in Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America, for US$279 for a reader with a 6-inch display and the ability to wirelessly download books and other content globally, the company said on Wednesday.

The Kindle will not be sold in China because Amazon is unable to ship the Kindle and offer Kindle content to Chinese customers, the company said.

Bestseller books will cost $11.99 or more for international customers, with about 100,000 other titles available for less than $5.99, Amazon said. These prices are higher than in the U.S. where most bestsellers sell for $9.99.

Amazon also said that it is lowering the price of the 6-inch display Kindle in the U.S. to $259 from $299. The Kindle DX, which has a 9.7-inch display retails for $489.

The Kindle with U.S. & International Wireless is 0.36 inches thick and weighs just over 10 ounces, Amazon said. Its 2GB of memory holds up to 1,500 books. The device features an experimental text-to-speech feature, Amazon added.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.