Amazons Prime service began as a way to get your books and deodorant shipped to your door faster.
Now, its turned into a cornucopia of digital everything: movies, TV, books.
And as its grown, its turned into something else: the smartest digital ticket around.
Amazons decision to give outfree loaner Kindle bookssolidifies something weve been mulling over: Prime is a killer deal.
Of course, this isnt a sale or some font of generosity: Amazon is a business.
Luckily, we can welcome these pushers to our street corner.
Their war is our gain.
Pliers, socks, Blu-rays, speakers, lightbulbs, a new TVAmazon is the internets Wal-Mart.
Minus, you know, a Wal-Mart.
Pay just four bucks.
Primes shipping component is a very small revolution, obviating the need to leave your home for trivial buys.
No more big box, no more pharmacy, no more Best Buy ripoffsconsolidated commodities, clicks away.
Caveat: inflated carbon footprint guilt.
But the shipping is the old news.
Amazons clearly up to a lot more, turning Prime into a diverse media membership.
All this video is baked into a ton of TV models, plus the excellent Roku line.
And your box, of course.
That said, Netflix still has its library whipped.
Amazons free-with-Prime Instant Video offerings just dont have as much good stuff to watch, period.
Its competes, but barely.
Still, Amazon is constantly expanding its catalog, injecting itself with big names likeFoxandPBS.
Its not enough to snatch the crown, but its momentum.
https://gizmodo.com/amazon-prime-streaming-adds-fox-tv-shows-and-movies-5843779
And then there are the books.
Of course you do, because you have a Kindle and books are suddenly exciting again.
Yep, every month youll get a gratis Kindle loaner from a selection of over 5,000 titles.
Keep it for as long as you want.
Amazon can be miiiighty persuasive.
Think of it this way: Netflixstreaming-onlyis $8 a month.
Lets say the cost of a new book every month is $7.
How about buying with expedited shipping?
Thats usually around $8.
Add that up, and youre spending $276 per year on the low end.
Primes got you covered for a lot less.
And this is about a lot more than just buying shit.
It might be premature now, but Apple has its iTunes, and Amazon will have its Prime.
And Amazon wants to lock you in just as badly as Apple does.
https://gizmodo.com/this-is-the-new-amazon-kindle-fire-color-tablet-and-its-5844623
So weigh your options.
Prime is lacking, yes.
In some places, pretty glaringly.
But Prime isnt Amazons bonus side projectits the future of the company, its ramrod.
Its going to get better, because it has to.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
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