Kindle ads - Pay 30-50 bucks or see ads?

[Scott]

Almost all the Kindles come with two options, you can either pay about $30-$50 extra for an ad-free version or you can save that $30-$50 but have advertisements displayed on your Kindle screensaver and homepage. I have set up a poll for everyone to answer the question of whether they would prefer to get a discount at the price of having ads permanently installed in their device. Here is a breakdown of the current prices as of this post (subject to change or error of course):

The basic Kindle is $79 with ads and $109 without, a $30 difference ( 27.5% savings).
The Kindle Keyboard without 3G is $99 with ads and $139 without, a $40 difference (28.8% savings).
The Kindle Keyboard 3G is $139 with ads and $189, a $50 difference (26.5% savings).
The Kindle Touch without 3G and the is $99 with ads and $139 without, a $40 difference (28.8% savings).
The Kindle Touch 3G is $149 with ads and $189 without, a $40 difference (21.2% savings).
The new Kindle Fire does not have an ad option as far as I know.

What do you think of this offer overall? Do you prefer to have the option of getting a discount in return for allowing ads to be installed on your device, do you dislike the idea of commercialism going so far as to require per-installation of adware on physical devices, or do you not care either way? It is not that unusual of a concept. Over-the-air TV is often free but with ads, whereas you can pay for premium, ad-free channels such as HBO or buy an over-the-air TV show on DVD ad-free.

Is anyone familiar with the exact rules and methodology of these ads? I do not have a Kindle, but I assume the device can be fairly easily rooted and then have the ads removed presumably at the expense of giving up the warranty; is that true? If it is true, is it legal? If it isn't legal, how do you feel about being so legally limited with what you can do with something you bought in the privacy of your own home?

[the doctor]

Ssshhhhh
Keep it quiet, but I hacked my kindle to remove ads.

[ClarityJules]

I paid extra to have no ads. I read somewhere that we are exposed to about 3000 ads in any given day. From television to billboards and more. The day I saw an advertising poster on the back of the door of a public ladies toilet, I lost it. Seriously, even in here you can't leave me alone?????!!!!

[CharlesFudgemuffin]

I don't mind ads so I'd go for the cheaper version. I'm travelling at the moment but I'm probably going to buy a kindle when I get back to the UK, so does anyone know if the discounted ad version of the kindle is also available in the UK, or is it only for sale in the US at the moment?

If I did get the version with ads though, I'd prefer it if ideally amazon could choose which ads to feature based on books I've previously downloaded. Like I say, I don't mind ads but prefer I prefer them to be relevant.

[Jess Schmidt]

Honestly, the ads don't bother me at all. I only really notice one when I put it on sleep mode, so it's not a problem.

[Katy Isodo]

I'd go for the cheaper version because I've seen the ads and they aren't that annoying, but I'm fairly sure that with a little tech work they can be removed though you'd probably be voiding your warranty at that point. We are advertised to a lot on a daily basis, to the point that for the most part I don't even see ads or remember them, they just get tuned out. This wouldn't really be all that different.

[BrittanyEdwards]

I dont really mind the ads and i'd rather spend that $30-50 on books.

[Totoro]

I participated in the pole and stated that I choose an ad free kindle. Really my kindle is so old, there was no choice. I think if I bought another I would still choose ad free. I read enough that I would not want it interrupted by ads.

[SandlingAllDay]

I use kindle on my pc, and have never noticed an ad... but I'd rather have my cake and eat it too!!!

[Gloriannes]

I have had some very good suggested books on my ad's and some apps I didn't know about so sure the ad's can be good. also Amazon has several times given me money $$ to spend on items I wanted through the ad's.

[Tigania]

I paid extra for ad-free. I think the ads would have annoyed me too much.

[kaylahar6]

I have a kindle fire and have never had any ads.

[Bfrisco]

I was able to buy my Kindle with a pretty decent discount, so I bought an ad-free one with more memory. Definitely worth it to me!

[Reading lady]

I wasn't aware of the choices when I bought mine. I have the Kindle 3G with keyboard ( lucky choice to have 3G) and I don't have the ads, thank goodness. But a didn't pay that much money. I paid $161 including taxes etc. ( I am Canadian)

[cathy1958]

I have a kindle fire so I did not get an ad option. I would have definitely paid more to have no ads if it were necessary. Reading is my time for myself.