The Kindle Fire wasn't the only new product to launch during this week's Amazonfest. The company went all-out by introducing a whole slew of new products, including a $79 keyboard-less Kindle, a touchscreen-based Kindle and a renamed "Kindle Keyboard," with a lower-than-ever-before $99 starting price point. In a nutshell, Amazon finally pushed the price points on their e-readers down to a point where many folks may consider picking one up just to have one, even if they don't have a serious need for an e-reader at the moment. Impulse buys, and all that jazz.


The new bottom-end Kindle lacks a keyboard, but starts at just $79 for the ad-supported model. If you need a bit more, the new Kindle Touch (which includes a reimagined user interface designed specifically for touch) is available for $99, though that also includes ads. The Kindle Touch 3G is a real boon for travelers, as the 3G service is supported globally with no extra roaming fees; that model is priced at $149.


Will Barnes & Noble step it up and slash the price of their Nook family, or introduce new models to compete? Only time will tell, but it's looking like e-readers might just be the stocking-stuffer-of-the-year come Christmas 2011.