Kindle Fire 2 release soon? Amazon says Kindle Fire is sold out, new model expected

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon has quenched the Kindle Fire, saying its first tablet computer is now sold out.

The Internet retailer has a major press conference scheduled for next Thursday in Santa Monica, Calif. It's widely expected to reveal a new model of the Fire there.

Amazon.com Inc. launched the $199 tablet last November. It was the first Kindle with a color screen and the ability to run third-party applications, placing it in competition with Apple Inc.'s iPad.

Amazon doesn't say how many Fires it has sold, but says it captured 22 percent of U.S. tablet sales over nine months. That would make it the second-most popular tablet, after the iPad. Based on iPad sales reported by Apple, Fire sales can be estimated at somewhere around 5 million units.