Amazon is bringing its popular Kindle wireless electronic reader to Britain, as it expands into more than 100 countries.

Kindle allows users to wirelessly download newspapers, books, magazines, and personal documents to a high-resolution 6-inch electronic ink display that "looks and reads like real paper".

The Daily Telegraph is among the international newspapers Amazon has signed for the launch. Amazon plans to begin shipping the e-reader on October 19.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder and chief executive, said: "Our vision for Kindle is every book ever printed, in print or out of print, in every language, all available within 60 seconds."

More than 200,000 English-language books from a host of publishers as well as more than 85 international and US newspapers and magazines will be available on the device.

Separately, Amazon said it would cut prices for its US-only Kindle by 13pc to $259, bringing its cost closer to its rivals. The new price is $100 lower than it was a year ago.

The company is working on making Kindle digital books available on more devices. Besides the Kindle, those books can now be accessed on the iPhone or iPod Touch.

"We want you to read your Kindle books on laptops and smartphones, anything with an installed base," Mr Bezos said.

He said he was not "in principle" against making the works available on rival devices like Sony's, but was focused on platforms with "large installed bases".

E-readers are expected to be one of the must-have gifts this Christmas.

Telegraph.co.uk