Kindle Paperwhite 3G and Kindle Fire HD 7 Now Available for 99 Euros Each in Limited-Time Amazon.de Sale

As previously announced, Amazon.de has today launched a new Kindle promotion. Two crazy prices were expected, but in the end, it’s not quite as crazy as I’d hoped, but still a good deal. The retail giant offers two older models at the promotional price of 99 euros each: the Kindle Paperwhite 3G and the Kindle Fire HD 7.

The 2012 model of the Kindle Paperwhite 3G was last available for 169 euros and had already been offered for 129 euros at Easter. Now Amazon is stepping it up a notch and letting the price drop even further—clearly, they want to clear their stock of the device. The old Wi-Fi model has been unavailable for some time.

Great 3G Offer

For the price of 99 euros, you get a very good device, but you should keep an eye out for the model’s known color cloud issue. While the defect rate was significantly reduced a few weeks after market launch, it wasn’t cut completely. So if you’ve ordered the Kindle Paperwhite 3G, you should check straight away to see if the received device has this problem and, if necessary, carry out (fortunately, simple) a replacement.

If you overlook this potential problem, there’s really nothing to complain about with this 99-euro offer. The older model does not differ in software from the current model thanks to an update and allows easy book purchases with the 3G module without prior Wi-Fi network setup. The 3G connection is provided by an Amazon partner and doesn’t require an additional SIM card, meaning no further costs arise for the user after purchase.

The contrast values of the E-Ink Pearl screen are excellent thanks to (aside from the color cloud issue) very good lighting and remain unmatched by competitors.

This is an especially good option for people who don’t have internet or a wireless network at home or who travel a lot and want to stay as independent of local Wi-Fi as possible. You probably won’t find a 3G eBook reader at this price again anytime soon.

Solid Tablet Price

The second device Amazon offers is the Kindle Fire HD 7 Tablet—also a previous model. For the 32GB version, you need to only put 99 euros on the virtual counter. You get a solid tablet that, in terms of specifications, doesn’t differ too much from other devices in the budget price range these days. Under the hood, there are a few nice bonuses like dual-band Wi-Fi or dual stereo speakers. Otherwise, the Kindle Fire HD 7 offers proven technology: a 1280×800 pixel display with a 10-point touchscreen, a front camera for video chats, brightness and acceleration sensors, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. There’s no GPS, though.

At 395 grams, the weight is quite high and is now significantly surpassed by many other 7-inch devices. Again, the 99-euro price is a good opportunity to get a tablet with these specifications, but you should be aware that the restrictions of the heavily modified Android interface are quite profound, making operation quite different from other Android tablets. Plus, there’s no access to Google services. The entire system is geared towards using the Amazon ecosystem for movies, series, music, eBooks, and apps.

All in all, in my opinion, the two crazy days at Amazon.de weren’t all that crazy. But then again, I’m likely spoiled by various promo deals (Kindle for 25 euros, Kindle Paperwhite at Shell), so I may not appreciate a really good offer right away. Or maybe Amazon was a bit too enthusiastic in their announcement. Clearly, though, the 99-euro price for both devices can be considered a bargain. The Kindle Paperwhite 3G stands out due to the lack of competition since no other company offers a UMTS-supported eBook Reader. And even typical Wi-Fi models with lighting aren’t usually cheaper.

The promotion runs until Monday (June 16, 2014), 10 p.m., or while supplies last. It’ll be interesting to see which limit will be reached first.

• Kindle Paperwhite 3G (2012) for 99 euros at Amazon.de
• Kindle Fire HD 7 (2012) for 99 euros at Amazon.de

UPDATE: The initial reactions, at least in the comments on ALLESebook.de and various other sites, were rather reserved. The promotion didn’t seem all that crazy from a customer’s perspective at first. To be fair, though, I still find the Kindle Paperwhite 3G offer quite attractive.

Or better said – I did. Because Amazon managed to sell the remaining first-generation Kindle Paperwhite 3G units to customers, so the device is already sold out before the official end of sale at 10 p.m. It’s clear that with the pricing, the retail giant hit a good mark, as the sale of the then 129-euro-discounted Paperwhite 3G around Easter was rather subdued.

Kindle Fire Jumps to Number 2

Now, the first Kindle Paperwhite from 2012 is officially no longer available, after Amazon offered it alongside the current model for quite a while. The Paperwhite 3G that has now been sold off also served as a replacement for the 2013 model for quite some time, which was available only with delivery delays for several months.

For all buyers of the 2012 model, the same advice applies as yesterday: check the eBook reader for the color cloud issue after receiving it, and if necessary, perform an exchange. If you’ve received a flawless device, you can enjoy a great bargain for what’s probably the most comfortable reading device on the market.

Now it’ll be interesting to see if Amazon can also sell out the Kindle Fire HD tablet, which is also reduced to 99 euros, before 10 p.m. Currently, it looks promising, as the device has climbed to number 2 in the Top 100 electronics charts—right behind the now unavailable Paperwhite 3G. The current Kindle Paperwhite model has slipped to the third place, after a long time in top spot.

Additionally, it’ll be interesting to see if the stock clearance is associated with the upcoming product presentation on June 18, or if it’s unrelated to the Kindle smartphone.

UPDATE 2: The tablet is now also sold out! (3:55 p.m.)