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Kindle Fire HD Users Can Opt Out of Special Orders for Just $15

Sep. 10, 2012 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Amazon confirmed this weekend that users of the Kindle Fire HD tablets will indeed be able to opt out of the Special Offers lock screen advertisements, just as they can today on existing Kindle devices. But there’s more good news: Doing so will cost just $15, far less than it costs to do so on today’s Kindles.

“I wanted to let you know that with Kindle Fire HD there will be a Special Offers opt-out option for $15,” Amazon told CNET over the weekend. “We know from our Kindle reader line that customers love our Special Offers and very few people choose to opt out. We're happy to offer customers the choice.”

Amazon had previously suggested to bloggers that there would be no way to opt out of the Special Offers on the Kindle Fire HD, giving Apple fanatics the one point they needed to push back against Amazon’s amazingly superior pricing. That short-lived point is now moot, though as I’ve written in my previous reviews of Kindle devices, I actually prefer, use, and recommend Special Offers.

Furthermore, the cost of opting out of Special Offers on the Fire HD tablets—just $15--is significantly less than it is today for existing devices. For example, on the base Kindle I currently use, you’d pay $20 to opt out of Special Offers, or 33 percent more.

And in case it’s not obvious, the $15 additional fee does nothing to alter the math on how well these devices compare to Apple’s overpriced iPads. For example, a base Kindle Fire HD 8.9 will set you back $299, or $314 with Special Offers removed. Apple’s comparable iPad? Yep, it’s $499, a $200-$215 premium. That’s enough money to buy a 7-inch Kindle Fire HD. Or a heck of a lot of content on Amazon’s services.


Discuss this Article 6

yoshipod (not verified)
on Sep 10, 2012
I can't wait until a price is announced for Surface and other Windows 8 / Windows RT competing tablets. Its going to be fun to watch Paul try and spin how those prices compare to these Kindles. My money is that Paul will compare the prices to iPads and ignore Kindles when that happens.
ianberg
on Sep 10, 2012
Yoshipost, If you're correct, it'll be easy to link this post to that future iPad vs Win8 tablet which ignores Kindle pricing.
yoshipod (not verified)
on Sep 10, 2012
Lol....Yoshipost.... I like it.
drnoelG
on Sep 10, 2012
He's not wrong though, Paul throws negativity down iPad's way but the Kindle Fire HD is great specs-wise and what else can you compare it to but the iPad. We'll see how Apple responds when/if the iPad mini comes out. Surface pricing is still intriguing to me, and looking at these Kindle prices I do not think the Surface will come in anywhere near that price. I'm guessing upwards of $499, which would still make it very attractive, being able to run Office and all. I want to see a Nokia tablet though, let them do a Lumia style tablet.
yoshipod (not verified)
on Sep 10, 2012
The iPad itself is not overpriced. What is overpriced is the upgrades for more memory and connectivity. It would be nice to see Apple increase the amount of storage for the extra $100 they charge. It is ironic that Amazon also charges just about the same amount when you increase the RAM or add 4G capability. The difference between an iPad and Kindle Fire, is that Amazon is selling at or below cost. They are not making any profit on sales of these devices. They are also heavily subsidizing the cost of the first year of 4G. Remember, its AT&T and Verizon, not Apple that sets the pricing for data plans. Apple has sold tens of millions of iPads and has a great user base. Amazon is not going to hurt Apple so much as the PC manufacturers who are trying to break into the Tablet market with Windows based devices. The race to the bottom is on again! Its also funny how Paul's math error also favors Amazon. Notice how the premium for the iPad INCREASED by $15, instead of decreasing when you consider that Amazon charges you NOT to receive advertising. "For example, a base Kindle Fire HD 8.9 will set you back $299, or $314 with Special Offers removed. Apples comparable iPad? Yep, its $499, a $200-$215 premium. " That should read "a $185-$200 premium." I'm sure that was totally unintentional :)
BananaJr
on Sep 10, 2012
And let's look at past quotes in light of the recents Amazon releases: "Anyone who believes this thing is a game changer is a tool. Im sorry, but thats just the way it is." -Oct 2010 So why are you talking about it two and half years later? and why is everybody including Google, Microsoft and Amazon trying to compete with it and Google saying "we were late to this market"? "I think this last bit explains why Apple really isnt making a netbook, by the way. This isnt a market that Apple can come along and just dominate. Its already full of PC maker players, and Apples entry, even if popular, would never rule the market." -Oct 2010 True, Apple didn't dominate the netbook market. Apple just made it irrelevant and it faded into obscurity. "iPad pricing starts at $499. Thats actually quite aggressive for Apple. In fact, thats pretty amazing. So good for them." -from "Apple drops an iDud" Jan 2010 So the one observation that Paul actually acknowledged as a positive he is now backing away from and is the only detraction he can come up with. All his other observations from the initial release look so ridiculous now that any observations about the iPad or the tablet market made today hold little to no credibility.

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