Just like the least-expensive versions of the current Kindle e-readers, Amazon’s recently announced updates to the Kindle Fire tablet line will have “special offer” ads as screen savers, as a way to subsidize the devices’ lower retail prices. But while the earlier e-readers were sold specifically as “Kindle with Special Offers” at the discounted price, allowing customers to purchase the slightly more expensive version if they chose, the only way to get around the new Kindle Fire special offers is to buy the device and then pay a fee.

“We know from our Kindle reader line that customers love our special offers and very few people choose to opt out,” Amazon tells the Wall Street Journal. “We’re happy to offer customers the choice.”

So rather than sell a version of the Kindle Fire with ads and one without, the company says that users can buy the item at the discounted price and then pay the $15 to remove the ads.

The current special offer version of the Kindle retails for $20 less than the ad-free iteration.

We want to know what the Consumerist hive-mind thinks about this deal. If Amazon were to only release one version, would you rather pay higher retail and have the option to get a discount by allowing the ads? Or do think the default should be the special offer version?

And is Amazon missing out on a better way to get rid of the ads? What if, rather than simply charging an extra $15, users were allowed to opt out of the ads once they purchased a certain dollar amount in apps, music, books, movies, etc., from Amazon?

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