Kindle hits sales record, Amazon says

Amazon said Monday that it broke a sales record for its Kindle e-reader, which has fared consistently well among consumers in recent months. The company did not release exact sales figures for the Kindle, but said it expects sales to increase as the holiday shopping season lurches into gear.

The Kindle is "flying off the shelves faster than any other product Amazon sells,” Amazon's Ian Freed said in a statement. “We’re seeing lots of people buying from one to a handful of Kindles as gifts for friends or family, as well as many businesses and other organizations buying Kindles in large quantities for their employees or customers.”

News of the new monthly sales record comes as Amazon's rivals struggle to gain purchase in the e-reader market. Barnes and Noble has pushed back the release date of its new e-reader, citing "high demand." Meanwhile, Sony recently confirmed rumors that its much-hyped Daily Edition e-reader may not be ready in time for Christmas.

"Sony is doing everything possible to ship the devices for the holidays, but as Sonystyle.com states, we want to make sure consumers understand that due to overwhelming demand, we can't make a guarantee," a Sony spokesperson told the website ChannelWeb.

Last week, Amazon released a major firmware update for the latest edition of the Kindle. The update included extended battery life – it now gets seven days of use with the wireless turned on – and a PDF reader.

Read more: Amazon Kindle 2 review roundup.

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