The Kindle service is, in a way, an Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) to Sprint.

The MVNO demise has been well reported (Amp'd, Disney Mobile, Mobile ESPN, etc).

Despite the rumored demands for Kindle, sales have potentially slowed to a point which Amazon is nervous to reveal.

While eBook sales have moved in the right direction the last couple of years, they are absolutely dwarfed by the advent of the Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) and especially the continued support for printed books (US 2007 sales were updwards of $13 billion).

As stated by Brad Stone in the NYTimes, "The Kindle, Amazon’s electronic book reader and online service, represents a major commitment [emphasis ours] by its chief executive, Jeff Bezos, ... to help shape the future of books. So it stands to reason that there will be both software upgrades and new versions of the device."

This is a prediction that Amazon will do something drastic to either revive the concept, or kill it altogether by abandoning the service completely by the end of 2008.

For this prediction to be judged favorably, one of the following must occur by Dec. 31, 2008:

• The Kindle will undergo a major redesign, which may include a bigger screen with color screen and/or a a touchscreen. For this option to be accepted, the product must be available for sale on the amazon site prior to the end of the year. Pre-orders for a product to be shipped in Q1 2009 will also be considered a favorable judgment.
• Amazon will announce the discontinuing of service for the Kindle. The official announcement need only occur before the end of the year. The specific date of discontinued service need not be in 2008 for this to be judged favorably.

Bets will close on Dec. 25, 2008. Judgement will occur the first week in January, 2009.

(Ed. Note: This prediciton has been slightly modified by The Standard to clarify the prediction's rules).