I just ordered a low end Kindle 4, for delivery tomorrow, because I wanted to see how these "special offers" work. I also wanted a spare, small unit to carry around on those times where electronics are subject to the chance of breakage. It's interesting that Amazon's new pricing turns this into a purely impulse purchase. In checking out the features on the new unit I came across this: Free Access at AT&T Hotspots Enjoy free Wi-Fi access at AT&T hotspots across the U.S. for shopping and downloading Kindle content — no AT&T registration, sign-in, or password required. Amazon is looking...

It turns out that the Kindle is getting another retail outlet. Amazon issued a press release this morning announcing it was going to begin selling the 3G version of the device in AT&T’s retail stores nationwide. These stores currently sell feature phones, smartphones, and other devices that work with AT&T’s network, so it’s not too surprising they would decide to add the Kindle. (The 3G version, at least. The wifi-only version was not mentioned in the press release.) Though it’s a little ironic that, unlike every other product AT&T stores sell, the Kindle comes with free 3G for life rather...

We reported in May on rumors of a possible Blackberry tablet device flying around. Lately, those rumors seem to have solidified. Our sister blog Gadgetell reports that Research In Motion, makers of the Blackberry, has acquired the domain name “blackpad.com” from the previous owner, who had owned it since 2002. CNet ties together some other reports, including a post from Bloomberg in which anonymous sources claim the device is going to be Blackberry’s crack at killing the iPad, having similar specs and pricing to the wifi-only version, and will launch by November. The tablet...

Dan Frommer at Business Insider’s “SAI” section reports that AT&T activated 400,000 to 500,000 3G-enabled iPads last quarter, compared to “roughly 900,000” other devices. The “other devices” listing, Frommer notes, would include the Kindle, the Nook, and literally hundreds of other Internet-capable devices of all descriptions, from e-book readers to digital photo frames. There’s no telling what percentage of those were Kindles and Nooks, but as Frommer points out we can likely assume it was fairly high (and of course it doesn’t include wi-fi only devices, such as the new $150 Nook model). For comparison, Apple sold 3.27...

If refurbished $109 Kindles aren’t your thing, perhaps you might be interested in a penny Blackberry. TechDealDigger reports that Amazon is offering the normally-$200 Blackberry Bold 9000 for one cent when you sell your soul to activate a new service plan with AT&T. Though the Blackberry has largely become an “also-ran” to the iPhone, I gather that there are still a number of e-book apps available for it (including Kindle, eReader, and the official MobiPocket reader that is still missing from the iPhone). Of course, compared to the amount you would be shelling out over the life of...

Starting July 1, Starbucks is joining fellow AT&T-wifi-hotspot-users McDonalds and Barnes & Noble in offering free wireless Internet access to all comers. Presently, the AT&T hotspots at Starbucks locations require that users pay a fee for access (except for AT&T iPhone subscribers, who get access free) or else register for a Starbucks card. But its plans go farther than just free wifi—in the fall, Starbucks is also rolling out free access to paid content such as the Wall Street Journal, and other exclusive material, for those who surf the Internet from its locations. Wi-Fi Net...

Would you like to be able to move e-books from your computer to your iPhone wirelessly? Of course, if you use the Calibre Stanza server and/or the Calibre/Dropbox method, you already can, at least with Stanza, but what about iBooks which loads by hotsync? If developer Greg Hughes has his way, you’ll be able to do just that. He’s submitting a wireless sync app to Apple for approval, which would let you sync your iDevice via wifi just as you can over USB. Of course, as TechCrunch points out, if Apple wanted you to be able to...

Last month, I wrote about using mobile hotspot solutions to “retrofit” 3G coverage to wifi-enabled devices such as the wifi-only iPad or third-party wifi-equipped e-book readers. It would seem like the ideal solution: not as difficult as tethering, compatible with any wifi-enabled device, and remarkably convenient to wherever a user might be. However, Kevin C. Tofel reports on GigaOm that sales of personal hotspots such as the MiFi fell 28 percent in 2009 over the previous year, according to a recent Infonetics Research Report. The report does expect sales to return in 2010 and beyond. One problem Tofel cites is that...