Until now, Amazon has set e-book prices with $9.99 as the default for new releases and bestsellers.
But last week, Macmillan changed how they want to price their publications, $12.99 to $14.99 for new released e-books.

On Friday, Amazon removed “buy” buttons from thousands of titles published by Macmillan, including recent bestsellers. Customers who wanted to buy print editions could do so only from third-party sellers. Digital editions made for Amazon’s Kindle device disappeared.

But yesteday, Amazon.com finally surrendered to Macmillan and agreed to raise prices on some e-books.

The Amazon Kindle team announced it on Kindle forum:

November was bestselling month ever for the Amazon’s reading device and December was a very good month sales for the Kindle, too.
Last January, Kindle was the #1 bestselling product on Amazon, again.
Congratulations!

Kindle DX (Global Wireless) can be purchased from Amazon.com for shipment to eligible countries. Visit the Kindle DX (Global Wireless) detail page to learn more. Select a country from the pull-down list to see if Kindle DX (Global Wireless) is available and to learn important product information for your country.

Signing into Amazon.com to Buy Kindle

Amazon.com recognizes most accounts established with our non-U.S. sites. You can sign into Amazon.com using the e-mail address and password for your existing account and see your existing addresses and payment methods. (Customers of Amazon.co.jp will need to create a new account on Amazon.com.)

Tip: If you need help setting up a new account with Amazon.com, please see Placing Your First Order.

Paying for Your Kindle

All prices listed in the Kindle store are in U.S. Dollars (USD). Amazon.com accepts most major credit and debit cards. You can view a list of payment methods we accept on the Paying by Credit Card and Check Card Help page. If you signed into Amazon.com using an existing Amazon account, you should see your existing payment methods already available if you are shipping to an address listed on your account. For credit cards denominated in a supported currency other than U.S. dollars, your bank or credit card company may charge foreign currency conversion fees.

International Shipping Options, Customs, Duties, and Taxes

For tracking purposes, all international Kindle orders ship Priority Courier. Click the link for your region from the choices in the Shipping Rates and Times by Geographical Region section of our International Shipping Help page and scroll down to the Priority Courier Shipping Rates chart to view applicable shipping charges.

You are the importer of record for your shipment and your international shipment may be subject to customs duties, import taxes and other fees levied by the destination country and carrier.

• If your selected country or territory is covered by our Amazon Global Program, import fees are estimated and collected as a deposit upon checkout.

• If your selected country or territory is not included in our Amazon Global Program, you’re responsible for paying any applicable fees upon delivery of Kindle.

These fees can vary widely from country to country. Please contact your local customs office for more information.

Warranty information for Kindle DX

Kindles shipped to destinations outside the United States are covered by the Kindle (Global Wireless) One-Year Limited Warranty. Extended warranty coverage is not currently available to customers living outside the United States.

Source: Amazon.com Help: Kindle DX

Transferring Files Via USB

Both Macintosh and Windows users can download and transfer Kindle content, personal documents, and MP3 and Audible files from their computers to their Kindles through the USB connection. When your Kindle is plugged into your computer, your Kindle will appear as a removable mass-storage device.

System Requirements

• Windows-based: Windows 2000 or later.
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.2 or later.
• USB port: An available port or an attached USB hub with an available port.

Making the Connection

The illustration below shows a Kindle and a laptop computer connected through the USB cable.

To connect Kindle to your computer:

1. Plug the larger end of the USB cable into an available USB port or a powered USB hub connected to your computer.
2. Connect the other end of the USB cable to the micro-USB port on the bottom of your Kindle.

When connected to your PC, your Kindle will go into USB drive mode and its battery will be recharged by the computer. Your Whispernet service is temporarily shut off and you will not receive any of your subscriptions while in this mode. Also, your Kindle is not usable as a reading device while you are in USB drive mode, but will return right to where you were when you undock the device from your computer.

Tip: If you’d like to continue reading your Kindle while its battery is being charged by the computer, you will need to release it from USB drive mode by undocking or ejecting the Kindle from the computer. Note that it is always best to use your computer to undock or eject your Kindle before disconnecting the USB cable. Consult your computer manual for details on how to properly disconnect a USB storage device.

To move files to and from Kindle:

1. Connect your Kindle to your computer as described above. Your Kindle should appear on your computer in the same location you would normally find an external USB drive.
2. Use your computer’s file browser to drag and drop files to and from Kindle.
3. When finished, using your computer’s undock feature to remove your Kindle.

Remember, Kindle will only recognize transferred files if:

• File types are listed in the Files Kindle Recognizes section below.
• File are transferred to the correct folder for their type.
• Files are free of digital rights management software.

If you’ve redeemed an Amazon Gift Card, Gift Certificate, or Promotional Certificate to your Amazon.com account, any available balance will be used for your Kindle store purchase before your credit or debit card is charged. Your Amazon.com account must list a valid 1-Click payment method even if you intend to pay for your purchase with a Gift Card balance. Your Gift Card balance cannot be used to pay for subscription content from the Kindle store.

To redeem a Gift Card to Your Account:

1. Visit www.amazon.com/youraccount.
2. Click “Apply a gift card to your account.“
3. Sign in with your e-mail address and password.
4. Enter your claim code and click “Redeem now.” Your funds will automatically be applied to your next order.

Don’t know which model of Kindle to give as a Christmas gift this year? Then you can buy a Kindle Gift Card with any value between $5 and $5000 from Amazon.

Amazon offers a lot of choice in the way you can get a Kindle Gift Card. You can choose one of the following options.

Mail a Kindle Gift Card: You can buy a Kindle Gift Card, and have it mailed to your friend or family member. This may take up to seven days, and shipping is free. The disadvantage of having a Kindle Gift Card mailed is that physical Kindle Gift Cards can’t be customized, and they just have a single design.

Email a Kindle Gift Card: If you don’t want to wait out the shipping period, — you can get the Kindle Gift Card emailed instead.

Print a Kindle Gift Card: If you want to present the card yourself, but can’t wait for it to be delivered, you can print it as well. Buy it online, and print it out to deliver it yourself, without having to wait the shipping period.

The gift card comes with Kindle branding on it, so it is specifically geared to entice or excite the recipient about maybe getting the Amazon digital reader, accesories and/or books.

November was the best sales month ever for the Kindle e-reader, even before traditionally heavy sales on Cyber Monday, Amazon.com said early today.

“Kindle is a great gift for anyone who loves to read and it’s flying off the shelves faster than any other product Amazon sells,” said Ian Freed, vice president of Amazon’s Kindle division.

The latest Kindle generation, released in October, sells for $259 and is available for immediate shipment, Amazon.com said.

The fact that the Kindle device is shipping immediately may be Amazon.com’s main reason for making today’s announcement, drawing attention to Kindles remaining in stock compared to e-readers from other device makers that are sold out.

For example, the $259 Nook from Barnes & Noble Inc., was due to hit bookstores today after several weeks of pre-sales, but was recently reported out of stock, with deliveries starting after Jan. 4. Sony also said on Nov. 18 that its Daily Edition e-reader might not make it to buyers before the end of the year.

Source: Computerworld.

The eReader market is growing faster than expected: Forrester published a report in May, “How Big Is The eReader Opportunity?”, that pegged 2009 US eReader sales at 2 million. Our new report ups that projection by 50% to 3 million for 2009, with 30% of 2009 sales occuring in the holiday season of November and December, and Amazon.com leading the ereader market.

There are a number of reasons why eReader sales are growing faster than we had expected, which we detail in the report, including falling device prices, more content availability, better retail distribution, and lots and lots of media buzz.

All these dynamics will compound to fuel more growth next year, and we expect more changes in the market that could push eReader sales beyond 6 million in 2010, bringing cumulative US sales to 10 million by year-end 2010.

With Nook & Sony readers out of stock, we can say next will be a Kindle Christmas.

Source: Forrester.