Lets not distort the past. The ads were introduced a few years later with the Kindle Keyboard, which launched with an MSRP of $140 for the base model, or $115 with ads. That was a substantial discount on a product which was already cheap when it released.

All for ads which are only visible when you aren't using the device anyway. Don't like them? Then buy other devices, pay to have them removed, get a cover to hide them, or just store it with the screen facing down when you aren't using it.