So far, I don't have a tablet or an e-reader of any kind, but I do have an android phone. I have the kindle program on that, but it's a PITA, as only about a half paragraph shows up on the screen at a time. I don't read enough, and am hoping this will replace hopping on the laptop during those LONG commercial breaks, as well as be a more comfortable way to check out digital editions of newspapers and magazines. It costs more than $139 to produce, so Amazon is actually losing $ onn this deal. But being that the fire's strongest point is consumption of Amazon digital goods (games, movies, books, etc.), if you're not an amazon person, or if wifi is scarce in your area, it's not the best choice for you. The storage space is lower than on many tablet type devices, and the fire lacks the expansion slot the nook has. If you're using apps other than kindle, you'll only get about 6 hours of battery life; other kindles run about a month between charges. Also rumor has it that amazon is dumping gen 1 fires in preparation for the launch of a new and better kindle. Any of that make you feel better about it being sold out?
For those that got in and suffer buyer's remorse, remember, it comes with the standard Amazon return policy, and you could get rid of this on e-bay or craigslist in a NY minute and recoup your costs.
By the way, I did that same "do I need it" dance as you, but found myself clicking that "buy" button before it sold out. Then sat there for the next hour or so debating whether I should cancel the order. I probably don't "need" this either, but like I said, I've been wanting a tablet or e-reader for a while now, and have been debating dumping netflix (which I've had on hold for the last 5 months) for Prime. I have a feeling THIS purchase will push me over to Prime finally.