Not content with changing the way we buy books, in November 2007 Amazon launched the Kindle e-reader, allowing people to download books and read them all on one compact device. Initially on sale for $400 (equivalent to $600 or £462 today), some reviewers criticised its high price, although that didn't stop it from selling out in a reported five and a half hours.

The Kindle has undergone a transformation over the past 17 years, doing away with the keyboard from earlier models and opting for a touchscreen, launching a frontlight feature, and improving the resolution of the display. Today, Kindle prices start at $99 (£76).

Amazon then and now: from tiny garage to tech titan