Amazon Kindle Going, Going, Gone (The $139 And $189 Models, At Least)

The lowest-price Kindle sold out just days after Amazon revealed it would sell a non-3G model for $139.

"Due to strong customer demand, Kindle is temporarily sold out. Shipments will be prioritized on a first-come, first-serve basis," Amazon said in a statement posted on its Web site on Monday. According to Amazon, orders placed for the $139 Kindle today will receive the devices starting September 4.

Amazon introduced the $139 Kindle last week, just hours after the company revealed that it had sold out of the $189 version of the e-reader. The cheaper version was available a day after the announcement.

The discounted e-reader offers Wi-Fi support, but no 3G connection. It also offers a high-contrast screen and what Amazon billed as a month of battery life.

Along with the new $139 version, Amazon last week also added a $189 Kindle model to its roster that supports both Wi-Fi and 3G. That model also remains sold out, making the high-end DX the only the Amazon Kindle model currently shipping.

The great e-reader price war of 2010 was kicked into high gear in June when Barnes & Noble dropped the price tag on its original Nook e-reader to $199. Within hours, Amazon upped the ante slashing the price of its Kindle to from $259 to $189. With the addition of the $139 Kindle, Amazon's closed price competitors are now the Borders Kobo, which runs $150, and Barnes & Noble's non-3G version of the Nook, which also comes in at $150.

The Kindle has been a sales catalyst for Amazon. Last month the company said that it is the "No. 1 best selling product on Amazon" for two years running and the sales have continued. Amazon also noted that it now sells more e-books for the Kindle than it does hardcover books.