Competition Spurs Amazon to Slash Kindle 2 Price

Amazon has lopped $60 off the price of its Kindle 2 ebook reader in a move that looks like an effort to gain iPod-like dominance in an increasingly crowded market, Melissa Perenson writes in PC World. The Kindle is way ahead of the competition, but Sony's ereaders are gaining traction, and rivals are emerging at the lower end of the market.

The $299 price is likely to spur sales, but the dedicated ebook reader may never be more than a niche market, she argues, noting that many users—including herself—increasingly use their iPhone 3Gs to read Kindle content. "The more frequently I do so, he more I wonder about the future of the ebook I have sitting at home," she concludes.
(More Kindle stories.)