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Refurbished Amazon Kindle Keyboard 6 Inch e-Reader $99 (Free Shipping BIGW)

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Hi all,

I was phoning around to my local Big W's and none of them had stock for the $99 kindle. Visited the BIG W website this morning and found that theyre now allowing online ordering of the onsale refurb model, with free shipping!

Edit: comes down to $89 after $10 paypal cash back

Personally I don't consider this a dupe as
1) there is stock
2) its not instore only
3) shipping is free

Based on the feedback from ozbargainers these are a pretty solid unit and seem like new. I ordered one :)

All the best!

p.s If anyone knows of a good value case let me know! I bought a shitty chinese knockoff case from ebay for my ipad and regretted it

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closed Comments

  • -1

    Yeah,I bought mine from Dicksmith. They are actually very solid and decent. (Consider the reaction of E-ink screen, it is better to have a keyboard equipped, that is why I chose it.)

  • http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/58046
    Previous deal. Linked for the comments.

  • There are a Lot of these refurbs for sale. Why would the be?????

    • +3

      These replies are from a previous kindle deal, might explain the large amount of stock. As for why they are all kindle keyboards im not sure - possibly trying to clear them here before touch/fire are released?

      "Refurbished is a broad term but if someone buys a product and returns it as not suitable the unit cannot >(by law) be resold as new. It is checked as being working and complete (including any manual, power supply, >leads etc.) and then sold as refurbished. Depending on what the prior owner did (just opened it, fiddled >with it for a day or two or gave it a workout for a week) there may be slight cosmetic damage. In the >extreme instance refurbed can mean that there was basically something wrong with the model, it was sent back >to the factory to correct and then sold as refurbed. This is highly unlikely with Amazon (or with most >things electronic these days… it's just too darn expensive)" - Cryptowiz

      and

      "Did a bit more research on my own, looking at UK and US refurbished units
      According to this thread
      "as already confirmed by amazon, these are units that have not passed quality control due to marks on the >case etc, they are not rebuilding faulty ones"

      source: http://www.amazon.co.uk/forum/kindle?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=…

      Seems like a few customers bought refurbish ones, some got 'minor' scratches. But a few got it as pristine >new!
      So I guess it's based on luck fingers crossed
      I am definitely buying one =)
      "
      - Cutechocobo

      • +1

        Bear in mind a large number of returns for non "faulty" items would indicate a possible low level of satisfaction with the device.

        As for duplicate - this is marginal - but it will stand as a separate deal. Same price same retailer but just now available on line so an update to the existing thread would have been just as acceptable

        • Exactly. I have bought 'refurbished' products, none of which has shown any cosmetic scratches ( i think that's the first thing we all check first) or faults, and you save heaps. Tbh, it's better to buy refurbished than buy a product that could possible be used previously (see: dick smith)

        • +1

          Based on feedback/reviews Ive read there arent any strong opinions either way on this device, at least not enough to suggest it would generate the most returns. Amazon would understandably keep a tight grip on stock control so its no accident that all these kindles are flooding the Australian market.

          Assuming that this is a strategic endevour by Amazon, then we should look at who is hurt by the refurb models. What comes to mind first is competing models from other brands which sell at a similar price point. Amazon could be attacking the market share of low-end readers to dominate different market segments.

          Also, refurb stock shouldn't be hard to come by. I mean, this month alone they churned out 5 million kindles (and lets say 1% were refurbs thats 50k kindles to direct where you wish).

          note: these are guesses and amy have no connection to reality

  • +2

    I find these better than the newer touch ones
    4gb memory vs 2gb vs 1.5gb on the sony
    the keyboard doesnt smudge the screen.

    however the touch ones a a little smaller

    deal extreme has good leatherette folders for about 10$ and the led booklights that look like a bookmark fit nicely behind the kindle in the folder

    Iv'e bought 4 of these from grays online before bigw had them , and you couldnt tell the difference to a new one

    • touch and this one have the same stats according to amazon… the new non touch cheaper ones have less stats… cant get the touch in AU yet unless you use a shipping company… (got mine though shipito)

      • Sorry your right, been playing with the sony touch ones as well and got confused. I meant the non touch models.

  • This is a great deal I got 3 weeks ago

  • +1

    Bought one from the previous Dick Smith deal via graysonline. This one is better because of the free shipping. The Kindle keyboard is better than the new Kindle touch as the keyboard will allow you better browser functionality. Great for travelling if you do not want to bring a laptop. These Kindle have full browser access and allowed me to check and send email from hotspots when I travel. Very light but you will need a light to read in the dark.

  • I got mine last week from the Big W online store. My unit looked brand new - if the packaging had been opened or the unit had been used before, it is almost impossible to find evidence of this.

    Interesting to note that my unit was listed as a 'special offers' unit so maybe this is Amazon just clearing out old stock for the Kindle 4/touch.

  • Special Offers unit is a term used in the US (& only applicable to the US). It is ad supported. They get "Deal of the Day" type offers as screen savers.

    I picked up 2 of the ïn-store" units the other day. Very nice solid unit. We also have iPhones and iPads that we read with. This is not as nice a reading experience as the ipad but is heaps lighter.

    Just needed to convert our epub collection to .mobi format for them to work. Downloaded calibre-ebook.com app which makes it all very simple.

    Highly recommended

    • +3
    • +2

      I prefer reading on the Kindle over the iPad…the iPad is great for the first 5 mins with its beautiful screen and scrolling pages, but it is just too heavy to be comfortable.

  • Hmm

  • +14

    Dont forget to combine with the $10 cashback from paypal - expires 31 Dec

    http://www.bigw.com.au/Offer/PayPalCashBack

    This brings it down to $89

    • +1

      Nice ill add it to the top - wish i saw this

      • +1

        Hi theworks, thanks for your deal!

        I'm not sure if you mean a case for protection whilst in use, or a case for protection whilst in transit.

        If you mean the latter, then I'd recommend the STM IPad Jacket, which is $32 with free shipping from DSE at the moment. (Assuming it's like the laptop version then it's quite flat, so the Kindle shouldn't move around even though it's smaller than the iPad.)

        http://dicksmith.com.au/product/XC6621/stm-ipad-jacket-bag-b…

        • Hi LS,

          Yeah meant in transit - i tend to mix devices with scratchy objects such as keys too often. Have you tried this with the kindle? Ipads seem to be a bit larger..

      • thanks for this :) and appreciate the positive votes guys

  • Thanks. Just ordered one and took advantage of the paypal cashback.

  • Really - $89 inc shipping for the keyboard Kindle is a bargain! Cannot go wrong.

  • Another + from me. Ordered one of these for the GF for xmas and it was perfect! Thinking of taking the plunge myself, $89 is great value.

  • sale started on 26.12.2011 and ends on 04.01.2012.

    http://catalogues.bigw.com.au/portal/offerdetails/kindle_wi_…

  • I have no idea about kindle, so why would I get the one from Big W vs this one:

    http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wi-Fi-Ink-Display-international…

    Honest question. The Big W one has the keyboard, but what are the other advantages?

    • +1

      Found this Amazon review - hope it helps!

      New $79 Kindle versus $99 Kindle Keyboard: Differences That Might Matter to You, September 28, 2011
      By Ellen Ripley (ILLINOIS, USA) - See all my reviews
      (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
      Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
      This review is from: Kindle, Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display - includes Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers (Electronics)
      I own a 3rd generation Kindle 3G with keyboard (now called Kindle Keyboard) and also have the NEW $79 KSO Kindle. Here are the main differences I see between the two models with some personal comments and thoughts at the end.

      AUDIO: New $79 Kindle has NO Speakers Or Audio Jack. The Kindle Keyboard has a 3.5mm stereo audio jack & rear-mounted stereo speakers.
      The new Kindle has no text-to-speech option or audio capability for audio books(think Audibles.com) or music. Kindle Keyboard has these features and at least gives you the OPTION to listen to audio books if you choose. If audio doesn't matter to you this is no real disadvantage for the $79 Kindle.

      PAGE TURNS: The Kindle Keyboard has SLOWER page turns and refreshes the screen with every page turn so you get more flashing and black-outs while reading. This can be a little annoying at times, at least for me. The new Kindle has FASTER page turns(due to a faster processor according to Amazon) and refreshes the screen ONLY every 6 pages so you get some ghosting but less black-outs while reading.

      PAGE TURN BUTTONS: The page turn buttons on both Kindles are on the sides. On the new $79 Kindle the buttons do not extend quite as far onto the front of the unit(only about half as far), but they work the same way as the previous models. You press DOWN to flip pages. Page turning does feel a little different on the new Kindle because the buttons are beveled. I have no problem with it and like that it will not longer accidently turn pages when held on the sides. My husband doesn't like the smaller buttons because it forces him to hold it with his thumb closer to the edge. This is going to be a deal breaker for a small group of people, but not for most.

      MEMORY: $79 Kindle has 2GB internal memory (1.25GB available for user content) & stores up to 1400 books. Kindle Keyboard has 4GB internal (approximately 3GB available for user content) & stores up to 3000 books.
      With only half the storage space of the Kindle Keyboard you may not be able to carry your entire library with you(if it is huge), but if you just want to store an average size collection of books, the 2GB will be more than adequate.

      KEYBOARD: The $79 Kindle has NO External Keyboard, just an Virtual On-Screen Keyboard. Kindle Keyboard HAS an external keyboard.
      With no external keyboard on the new Kindle you must use the 5-way controller at the bottom of the device to highlight letters to write with the keyboard that appears on the screen. This is time consuming and tedious to use if you need to write anything very long or access the internet. It does, however, have a dedicated button that brings up the virtual keyboard which has letter, numbers & symbols COMBINED on one screen so you don't have to keep switching between screens to type something like "[email protected]" as you must do on the Kindle Keyboard. For those who use Kindles just to read books and rarely use the keyboard the new Kindle is a cleaner, sleeker design. Not having a keyboard gets you around the problem some black Kindle Keyboards have with the letters wearing off the keys.

      5-WAY CONTROLLER PLACEMENT: On the Kindle Keyboard the controller was on the bottom right between the "Menu" and "Back" buttons, making it easy to use while gripping the lower corner of the device. Sometimes I accidently hit the "Back" button by mistake because it's pretty close. On the new Kindle the square controller has been moved to the center of the device. Aesthetically this looks great, but it does require a different hand positioning or a bigger stretch of your thumb to use.(at least with one hand)

      SIDE BEZEL WIDTH: The width of the side bezels on the new Kindle is quite small(about 7/16 of an inch) compared to the Kindle Keyboard. On the Kindle Keyboard the bezel is wider and it is very comfortable to hold the device with one hand and turn pages for nearly everyone. My hands are average size and I found the new Kindle just as easy to hold. My husband who has large hands and wider fingers tried the new Kindle and though it was harder to wrap his hand around and hold comfortably with one hand and found his thumb partially on the screen some of the time or slipping off the side when he turned pages. This may be a deal breaker for some people with larger hands unless they find a different way to hold the Kindle; a cover may be a simple remedy.

      BATTERY LIFE: 1 month for $79 Kindle, 2 months for Kindle Keyboard; with minimal daily use(30 minutes) and Wi-Fi turned off.
      Due to a 50% smaller battery, the new Kindle has only half the battery life of the Kindle Keyboard. Shorter battery life is never a good thing in an electronics product, but 1 month on the Kindle is still acceptable.

      POWER ADAPTER: The $79 Kindle DOES NOT INCLUDE a power adapter to plug into the wall to charge it. Kindle Keyboard INCLUDES a power adapter.
      With the new Kindle you must purchase a $10 power adapter separately like the Amazon Kindle US Power Adapter (Kindle, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle DX) which is 50% off right now. If you just want to charge it in a USB port on your computer you don't need this. Also, if you already own a last model Kindle you won't need this as you already have one that will work with this Kindle. The Kindle Keyboard INCLUDES a power adapter so you won't have to pay extra for one.

      INTERNET CONNECTION: Both models support Wi-Fi and access at AT&T hotspots.
      The new Kindle does not have a 3G wireless option like the Kindle Keyboard.

      TURNING ON/OFF: The $79 Kindle has a dedicated button at the bottom edge that you press to turn the unit on/off with a green indicator light. The Kindle Keyboard has a slider switch bar. Having an actual button to press on the new Kindle is nice. I like it better than fiddling with a slider. The new Kindle boots up faster than the Kindle Keyboard. Whether the button or the slider will work out better in the long run, well we'll just have to wait and see.

      E INK: Both Kindles have the same resolution and use the SAME latest pearl E Ink technology which is crisp and clear. I did not notice any significant difference between the two models. I have read that the E Ink technology cycle runs every two years so we should not expect an upgrade from "Pearl" until June-September of 2012.

      COLOR: New $79 Kindle is silver (not a real glossy silver but kind of a medium matte grey). The Kindle Keyboard comes in white or black(graphite). Color choice is very subjective and a matter of personal taste. The silver color may bother some people with sensitive eyes.

      WEIGHT: $79 Kindle is 5.98 ounces, Kindle Keyboard is 8.5 ounces
      Being 2.52 ounces lighter is a nice plus if you want to read for a long time and hold the Kindle in your hand.

      DIMENSIONS: $79 Kindle is 6.5" x 4.5" x 0.34", Kindle Keyboard is 7.5" x 4.8" x 0.335"
      New Kindle is 18% smaller with same 6" screen. Should fit better in pockets and take up less space in any bag/purse/briefcase.

      PRICE: New Kindle KSO is $79 or $109 with No Ads. Kindle Keyboard KSO is $99 or $139 with No Ads.
      The $79 KSO Kindle is $20 cheaper & KSO is a money saver if you shop a lot on Amazon and don't mind the ads. No Ads version is $30 cheaper.
      Note: KSO or Kindle with Special Ads take up about 1 inch of the screen on the Home page and appear as the screensaver. They do not interfere with your reading experience in a book at all.

      KINDLE COVER: You're probably going to want a lighted cover for the new Kindle. The new Amazon cover is priced at $59.99 which is 75% of the cost of the device itself and $10 MORE than the cover for the Kindle Keyboard ($49.99). Do the math, the difference in price between the two models with a cover is now down to only $10. New Kindle ($79 + $60 cover=$139). Kindle Keyboard ($99 + $50 cover = $149). Deal or No Deal? Consider instead a cheaper cover for around $10 and something like a very light Verso clip-on light combo.

      CONCLUSION: The New $79 KSO and $109 No Ads Kindle is targeted for those people who just want to buy some books and read them. It is a very minimalist e-reader that anyone can use. It will do more, but that is not what it is designed to do easily. It has the same nice rubberized feel of the Kindle Keyboard, is easy to hold with one hand for most people, and is solidly built. I think it's going to be a big hit and please lots of people.

      My personal preference between these two would be to keep using my 3rd Generation Kindle Keyboard 3G(black). I like to listen to audio books and this model doesn't provide that capability which doesn't make me very happy, but it may not matter to you. I like the option of 3G wireless if I'm not near a hotspot. I preferred the black(graphite) color of the Kindle Keyboard to the lighter grey of the new Kindle because it is easier on my eyes, but this will not matter to most people. If you already own a recent model Kindle Keyboard, this is no upgrade. It is rather inferior even if you just consider the reduced battery life. If you really like having an external keyboard you won't be happy with all the extra "click right, click right, click right, click down, select" iterations you have to go through to use the virtual keyboard. However, if you want an extra Kindle JUST for reading or for the kids, this is a Good Choice at a Good Price.

      If you have never owned a Kindle you certainly don't have an excuse for not getting one now. If you only have about $79 to spend this is an excellent first purchase. That is unless you want to use it to access the internet a lot, which is clumsy on this model because it doesn't have an external keyboard. Surprisingly it is pretty zippy at highlighting and selecting letters/symbols, but it will not be good for taking lots of notes. If you JUST plan to buy books and read them it should be VERY GOOD.

      In my humble opinion, first time purchasers who can spend more and want some versatility in an e-reader would be better off paying a little more.
      1) For an extra $20+ consider either one of the new Touch Kindles—IF you like touch screens, don't mind that the side page turn buttons are GONE replaced by a tap to the screen, and the text quality/clarity turns out to be as good as this Kindle.

      2) Consider the newly REDUCED $99 Kindle Keyboard Wi-Fi KSO (3G version if you need it) to have the same E Ink quality, keep the larger side page turn buttons, audio, better battery life, more memory & 3G option or pay yet a little more for one with No Ads(if that bothers you).

      While the new Kindle Fire looks amazing, it is in essence a Tablet for entertainment, not an E-reader. Of course it can be used as a casual e-reader, but it does not use the pearl E Ink technology that has made the Kindles so popular with serious readers because it reduces eye fatigue. The Kindle Fire has a backlit IPS LCD screen instead and no 3G wireless. I just mention this because I know people are trying to digest a lot of new information about the differences between the new Kindles in a short period of time so they know what order.

      I apologize for the length of this review. It just seems there are so many things to evaluate that I wanted to be as thorough as possible.
      (I am currently updating this review periodically with anything new that presents itself as I spend more time using the new Kindles.)

      UPDATE 10-2-11: There is a software update to 4.0.1 for the Kindle which will allow you to refresh the screen with every page like on the Kindle Keyboard.
      As is, the new Kindle ghosts with every page turn for 5 pages and then on the 6th page does a black-out and refresh. If you switch it to refresh the E Ink with every page turn it does a black-out and refresh with each page turn. Neither option is perfect, but at least you get a choice.
      (The link for the software update is on page 6 of the comment section of this review.)

      UPDATE 10-3-11: You are able to choose the dictionary of your choice to be YOUR default dictionary(of course you have to buy it). The new Kindle has two free dictionaries, the Oxford Dictionary of English and The New Oxford American Dictionary. There are also free dictionaries in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French and German and you can choose a default dictionary for each language.

      UPDATE 10-4-11: Warning: the small size, light weight and sleek look of this new Kindle will make some people giddy with delight to the point where you will have difficulty prying it out of their hands.

      UPDATE 10-6-11: The new Kindle just like it's predecessors still does NOT natively support the popular and widely used ePub book format. It sports a fast 800MHz processor but has a battery half the size of the Kindle Keyboard (which uses a 532MHz processor).

      UPDATE 10-8-11: Contrast, Readability and Glare Issues Reported.
      Despite the fact that the new Kindle and the Kindle Keyboard are supposed to be using the same E Ink and screen, a number of people are reporting that the contrast and crispness/darkness of text on the new Kindle screen is inferior to the Kindle Keyboard. The implication is that Amazon has either gone with a cheaper screen on this model -or- bad ones are being sent out due to poor quality control. I have so far counted 8+ people in either reviews or comments under this product description mentioning this—a fairly small percentage.

      Some people have commented that the screen has too much glare or is too reflective. A roughly equal percentage feel the screen is remarkable glare-free.

      Comment #1: The text on my new Kindle is crisp, sharp, and dark. If yours is not I suggest that it is defective and should be returned for a new unit ASAP.

      Comment #2: The background on my Kindle is ever so slightly darker(greyer) than on my Kindle Keyboard. For me this is offset by the text being darker so, in effect, proper contrast is maintained. The light grey color of the new Kindle itself, which more closely matches the background color of the screen, may create the illusion of lessened contrast for some people. This would make the contrast of the Kindle Keyboard look better, surrounded as it is by a black bezel. Note: some external websites have also reported the new Kindle as having a slightly darker screen.

      Comment #3: One person who returned their Kindle for a replacement due to these issues reported that the replacement was "SIGNIFICANTLY better" with "better contrast" and not "nearly as much glare either". He felt that getting a good or bad one might just be the "luck of the draw"—-from comment by A. Kan

      UPDATE 11-20-11: I highly recommend the Kindles with Special Ads, on any Kindle you buy. They do not interfere with your reading experience and will provide you with some nice discounts on Kindle books every month or so and if you shop a lot on Amazom you will be able to save $$ on other things as well.

      UPDATE 11-21-11: If you don't want to spend $60 on the Kindle Lighted Leather Cover, Black consider something like a combo of a $10 or less Poetic PU Leather Folio Case(not endorsing this, just using it as an example) and a separate clip-on light like the Verso. Just keep it LIGHT to take advantage of the new Kindles 5.98 oz. weight.

      UPDATE 11-22-11: If you think you want a Kindle Keyboard 3G(graphite color) they are on sale at BB this week for just $89—-EXPIRED
      UPDATE 11-24-11: Target has Kindle Keyboard 3G for $85 starting Nov 25, not sure it it's a Doorbuster Sale or not. Just says "Quantities limited, No rain checks." in the ad. Probably just a 2 day sale—-EXPIRED

      • Great review Stix, very comprehensive…kudos! :)

        • No worries…but it was just a copy & paste :)

        • Some of the best work starts with a Ctrl+C & winds up with a Ctrl+V! ;)

  • Snapped one up. Great price for the simple convenience.

  • We love this unit…it's like having a portable library with you, and most books/publications we can get are free. Fantastic deal! We can't afford the IPad just yet but this is great in the meantime. It's like the ALDI Espressi machine versus the Nespresso…:D but we all benefit Cheers!

    • +1

      Actually, IMHO these will be a far better ebook reader than any tablet (ipad inclusive).

      The e-ink screen is far easier to look at for long periods than backlit LCD. :)

  • +1

    Just received mine in the mail and I am charging it at the moment.

    Looks brand new

    • Excellent enjoy it

    • Yeah I got mine today. I didnt need to charge mine, has almost a full charge on it. Looks great, like new!

  • Anyone get the $10 paypal refund yet?

    • Haven't got mine yet, but it does say they will be processed by the 31/1/2012

  • I ordered mine on the 31/12/11. But I'm still waiting for it to arrive.

    Australia Post parcel tracing says:
    03/01/12 16:29 Article ready for despatch SYDNEY PARCELS BULK LODGEMENT
    04/01/12 15:52 Article Lodged SYDNEY PARCELS BULK LODGEMENT

    So ready for despatch on the 3rd but on the 4th it decided to Lodge itself in Sydney (I'm in Brisbane).
    It seems that it must be lodged PRETTY WELL because it hasn't move for the last 2 days!!

    • pretty sure that means that they havent picked it up yet…

  • $10 cashback received today 24.1.12 (check your paypal email)

    • Same

    • I haven't got mine yet.. Guess I need to complain.

  • The Big W in QV Melbourne had 20 arrive today. I bought 1. :)

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