Amazon Cuts Kindle Costs, Passes Savings On

It seems clear that Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos not only values the written word, given his drive to make a success of e-readers, he also listens well.

The e-commerce giant quietly dropped the price on its Kindle e-reader without even a press release just a few months after stating that he would be open to pricing changes if customers wanted lower prices. Bezos even went as far to say he's willing to consider a subscription-plan approach, similar to how mobile devices are sold by carriers, which would subsidize the Kindle's cost to nearly zilch.

But between now and then, though, he slashed about $60 bucks off the Kindle, which now sells for $299. There has to be applause in "want-a-Kindle-now" land.

Amazon spokesperson Cinthia Portugal, told Tonic.com that they've "been able to increase the volume of Kindles we're manufacturing and decrease the cost of doing so. Across our business at Amazon.com, whenever we are able to create cost efficiencies like this, we pass the savings along to our customers."

Nice going, Amazon. Every little bit helps when it comes to saving money these days, and I truly believe that once Kindle hits even a lower price, or is offered through a subscription plan, your e-reader wonder will take off big time.

And that, in turn, will mean more readers, more books read, and more knowledge gained by the masses. A literacy win-win all around.