On August 25, Amazon's new Kindle 3 e-reader began shipping to North American and UK customers who had been among the first to order the device. Early positive reviews call the e-reader "everything the iPad will never be" and "a winner that shoots to the head of the pack."

Amazon has been offering its Kindle devices since 2007 and has managed to hold onto a large portion of the e-reader market despite increasing competition. On the day it began shipping the newest devices, Amazon announced that the Kindle 3 was its fastest-selling device yet -- a feat likely due in part to a rise in digital reading driven mainly by the Kindle itself.