NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- In its latest move in the e-reader wars, Amazon slashed the price on the supersize version of its Kindle by more than $100 on Thursday.
Seattle-based Amazon (AMZN, Fortune 500) said it will sell the next generation of its Kindle DX -- the 9.7-inch large-screen version of its portable reader -- for $379, a deep discount from the original $489 price tag. It's releasing the new version July 7, with pre-sale orders starting online today.
Like its smaller Kindle cousin, the DX offers free 3G wireless. The new version displays graphics and text 50% more clearly than its predecessor, Amazon said. It also comes in a graphite color, instead of the original white.
The announcement comes soon after rivals Amazon and Barnes & Noble (BKS, Fortune 500) sharply cut prices on their flagship e-readers. Barnes & Noble cut its Nook e-reader price tag to $199 last week and introduced a low-cost, Wi-Fi-only version for $149. Hours later, Amazon reduced the price of its regular Kindle -- which has a 6-inch screen -- to $189, down from $259.
But some savvy shoppers scored one even cheaper.
Deal-a-day site Woot.com, which on Wednesday announced it will be acquired by Amazon, offered the regular-sized Kindle for $149.99 on Thursday. The site had just under 5,000 units available, and sold out of them in less than nine hours. 
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