Kindle Fire sold out: Is new one on the way?

— -- Amazon on Thursday issued a cryptic notice that the Kindle Fire is sold out, a week ahead of a press event at which the online retailer is expected to unveil its jazzed-up replacement.

CEO Jeff Bezos was chintzy on details. "Kindle Fire is sold out, but we have an exciting road map ahead," he said in a statement.

It's the latest sign that the book-selling giant has emerged as a major player in other fields, especially in Web services, and is now developing and selling mobile devices, too.

Bezos' declaration covers only Kindle Fires sold online by Amazon. The touch-screen tablet and e-reader remains readily available at many stores that carry consumer electronics and can be found discounted at $179, from $200.

Amazon is expected to unveil a new Fire at a Santa Monica, Calif., press event on Thursday.

Much as Apple's Steve Jobs used to do, Bezos is fueling hype for new mobile devices launched in time for holiday sales. Also, on Wednesday, Microsoft and Nokia are expected to reveal features of an all-new Windows Phone 8. And Apple is expected to roll out out its iPhone 5, possibly by mid-September, as well as a new iPad model before Thanksgiving.

Hype and rumors, at this juncture, surround:

•Kindle Fire. Bezos must account for the likelihood that Apple will roll out a smaller, cheaper version of the iPad, which now runs $500 and up, says IDC research director Tom Mainelli.

The new Kindle Fire could have an 8.9-inch or 10-inch screen and might be priced at $300 or less. That compares with the 7-inch screen on the Kindle Fire now, as well as Google's Nexus 7 and Barnes & Noble's Nook. But Amazon could face "downward price pressure if Apple launches a lower-priced iPad," Mainelli says.

•Windows Phone 8. This new Lumia handset from Microsoft and Nokia, due on sale Oct. 29, uses interactive self-updating tiles, instead of static icons, to navigate the menu. The same interface will be on Windows 8 PCs and tablets.

"These are great devices, but there is a crucial step missing at the point of sale," says Ramon Llamas, IDC's senior research analyst for mobile phones. Salespeople are in the habit of pitching iPhones and Androids because they're easy to sell, he says.

•Apple iPhone 5. Apple made a big iPhone splash last year by introducing the Siri voice-activated assistant. This year the company likely will unveil a thinner, lighter iPhone 5, possibly with a bigger screen, Llamas says.