How many Kindles are out there? To date we’ve only heard the vaguest of anecdotes. Now some theoretical numbers: According to Asian tech pub Digitimes, the Taiwanese company that makes the display module for the Kindle and other e-readers is shipping 60,000-80,000 of them monthly and expects that number to hit 120,000 by the second half of the year. [via indiekindle]

Prime View International, which manufactures the Kindle’s 6-inch electrophoretic display (EPD), says 60% of those displays go to Amazon. That means Jeff Bezos is ordering up to 48,000 per month–and the number could approach 72,000 by year’s end, if PVI’s forecast is accurate.

 Also, the Kindle could contribute 3% of Amazon’s overall revenue in two years, argues Citi analyst Mark Mahaney, who has a born-again relationship with the device. Combining device and book sales in an iPod/iTunes-like model, Mark says, the Kindle could add $750 million to Amazon’s top line in 2010. [via alleyinsider]