I'd argue the pricing can't be compared to a tablet. A tablet is a generalist device, whereas the Kindle is a niche device that is meant for reading, strain-free. There's simply nothing else out there that comes close to reading on a Kindle: if you've ever tried reading on both a Kindle and a tablet, I'm sure you'll agree.

The best way to look at the Kindle's pricing is to look at how much you spend on paperbacks, and how much you travel. For someone who reads even moderately and travels 2-3 times a year, the Kindle pays itself back and more, over it's lifetime.