Maybe Amazon's mindreading technology does work. While many of the recommendations that I'm used to getting from the e-tailing giant are less than precise, one showed up in my in-box this morning that might be worth exploring.
We've been talking about buying another tablet so the youngest member of the household won't have to borrow from the adults. We haven't pulled the trigger because we've been getting by without one and prices, even on entry-level tablets, are high. Today, however, in rides Amazon.com on a symbolic white horse with an e-mail offer to take a bit of the sting out of buying its Kindle Fire 7" Tablet — monthly payments starting at $27.80.
According to Amazon, customers who want to take advantage of the offer will be charged 20 percent of the device's price up front, plus applicable tax and shipping charges. The remaining 80 percent will be broken down into four monthly payments charged to their credit card. Amazon will not charge interest or finance charges and there are no hidden fees. Because the sale is being put on a credit card, there is no need to fill out an application or for a credit check to be conducted.
Amazon's Kindle e-mail follows yesterday's announcement from the company that its Prime members will begin paying $20 a year more for their annual subscriptions — currently at $79 — when they renew.