Kindle Fire and the End of Days ...

As anyone who isn't completely oblivious knows at this point, Amazon is now setting the world on fire by offering a new Kindle Fire e-reader device.

The sparks are bound to hit other e-reader devices.

Not only that, but according to today's Publishers Lunch headline news:

A UK version of the least expensive regular Kindle--the non-touchscreen model--is available for pre-order, for release on October 12, at £89 (or roughly $140). A German version is priced at 99 euros. Both are ad-free models.

Furthermore, Amazon is adding a Chinese-language bookstore. Good Lord! Talk about global domination! :)

Oh, but Amazon still does print publishing, too. In fact, here's one HUGE deal its Thomas & Mercer imprint made recently (as reported in Publishers Lunch):

Lee Goldberg and William Rabkin's THE DEAD MAN series, featuring a man resurrected from the dead to battle evil among us that only he can see, including re-release of FACE OF EVIL, RING OF KNIVES, HELL IN HEAVEN, THE DEAD WOMAN, and THE BLOOD MESA as well as forthcoming titles, to Thomas & Mercer, in a 12-book deal for publication in ebook and print, by the authors.

So ... do you think this doom and gloom scenario about print books and bookstores might be just a tiny bit overstated? :) I'm not one to make predictions. I'm just sayin'. You never know. Also, check the comments. I'm not the only one with doubts.

PS: The amazing Joe Konrath has set himself up as an ebook retailer with the help of this company. Awesome!