Online retail giant Amazon.com announced the pending release of an international edition of its Kindle ebook reader device, enabling consumers to wirelessly download content at home or abroad in more than 100 countries. The international Kindle, priced at $279, begins shipping Oct. 19. According to Amazon, the device promises to download books and periodicals within 60 seconds of purchase via 3G network connections. Amazon's Kindle Store now features more than 350,000 books, including 104 of 112 New York Times bestsellers, along with U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and blogs; bestsellers and new releases are $9.99, unless marked otherwise. Amazon will apply an additional $1.99 fee for international travelers downloading books from the Kindle Store or their Archived Items cache.  

In related news, Amazon.com slashed the price of its existing Kindle with U.S. wireless service to $259, down from $299. Amazon adds that the Kindle is now the bestselling device across its entire virtual storefront.

For more on the international Kindle:
- check out the Amazon.com site [1]

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