Starting today, Kindle users on the lookout for quick and cheap reads can purchase Kindle Singles, Amazon’s short-format ebooks, which were first announced in October.

According to Amazon, each Single is “intended to allow a single killer idea — well researched, well argued and well illustrated — to be expressed at its natural length.” Like every Kindle ebook, Singles will be available to read on Kindle devices, as well as Kindle apps on the iPhone, Android and other platforms.

While it’s questionable that every idea is naturally intended for a short format, the addition of Singles is undoubtedly a wise decision for Amazon. Now it will be able to cater to users with shorter attention spans, as well as those who just don’t feel like committing to a full-length book.

Kindle Singles range in size from 5,000 to 30,000 words, or about 15 to 90 pages. They’re priced between $0.99 and and $4.99 — significantly less than a typical Kindle ebook, which cost between $8 and $14.

The first Singles ebooks include original reporting, essays, memoirs and fiction, Amazon says. The company is also working together with TED, the popular innovation conference, to launch the first run of TEDBooks for $2.99 each.

Amazon made a killing over the holiday season with its $139 third-generation Kindle, and it reportedly sold over 8 million Kindles last year. The addition of Singles will likely give it a leg up over its competitors, including Barnes & Noble’s Nook ereaders, Apple’s iBooks and Google’s ebook store.