In today’s Morning Links, there was a full report on the new Amazon Kindle lineup. Some of it interested me and some of it didn’t. Here were some key points I took out of Amazon’s news, and some commentary on why it either hit the mark for me or fell flat.
1) Updated iOS apps. I was not clear on whether the app required iOS 8 or was merely a refresh in anticipation of it, but I am looking forward to having cut and paste options at last. I often paste favourite quotes into Evernote for future reference, and this will make it much easier. I actually was keeping iBooks installed just for this function. I can go 100% Kindle now!
2) The basic Kindle is now $79. This personally does not interest me since I have and like my current Kindle and don’t want to upgrade, and since I do tend to like the bells and whistles of the higher-end model. But I think it is fantastic that Amazon continues to offer a budget model for newbies, and a competitively priced one at that. This model will sell well, I think.
3) Budget-priced Kindle Fire tablets. Meh. The Kindle Fire is much less useful in Canada, and the Kindle Freetime Unlimited for kids, which theoretically interests me, does not work here at all. Use and enjoy, America. Nobody else will much care for these.
4) The new Ultimate Supreme Paperwhite. Shiny, but not shiny enough for me to upgrade. You reach a point of diminishing returns with this, I think. How much smaller/lighter/more souped up can these things really get at this point? I have the version 2 Paperwhite. It’s fine. If it broke and I had to get a new one, I suppose I would buy this since it is available. But nothing about this screamed ‘must buy now’ to me.
What does everyone else think of the new lineup? Are any of you planning to buy one of these?
Still disappointing. Adding Bluetooth keyboards and WiFi to epaper Kindles would be trivial. The chip used for WiFi can also manage Bluetooth.
The keyboard would make searches and note taking much easier. The buttons on a Bluetooth mouse could turns pages. That’d be really helpful for those with disabilities.
And I wish someone–anyone–would come up with an epaper reader that’ll fit into the pocket of jeans and take abuse. The market has nothing but thin, frail readers with almost identical-sized screens. It’s like the only car anyone makes being a four-door sedan.
I see nothing in their new line up to get too excited about. I would like to see them upgrade there software to have more multimedia capabilies in the eBooks like we see in the Apple and Kobo devices eReader software.
My original Paperwhite 1 is still going strong, but I’m upgrading to the Voyager 3G without ads, mostly because I can, and don’t want to get too far behind the technology cycle. Going for a new Kindle every other generation seems like a good pace. Perhaps I’ll switch to every third generation as I did with my iPhone.
I thought about skipping the 3G as I rarely (if ever) really need it. But like mountain climbers and mountain, it’s there, so why not get it.
Almost Greg M. here. My Kindle PW 1 still works fine, but I would like to have a look at that new shiny screen which looks nice to me. If the tech has improved enough to my taste, I will jump into the hype wagon. If not, there will be a refund.
So here, I am skeptic but still willing to try this new one.
@Michael Perry – take a look at the Kobo mini.
Even with a hardshell case, it would still fit in your back pocket.
Its main selling point is that it’s pocket-sized.
My Paperwhite 2 is perfectly good, and I’m sticking with it. I find myself oddly attracted to the 6″ Fire, but I’ll probably pass because I know I’ll get frustrated quickly by being limited to the Amazon App Store.
I love my current paperwhite, but I’ve really (really) missed the physical page turn buttons from the kindle keyboard, so I have already pre-ordered a Voyage. It seems to bring the best of both worlds, and the upgraded screen resolution will be a nice bonus.
What Michael said above. Also, a larger size option per Kobo’s 6.8″ H2O
Michael W. Perry says:
“Still disappointing. Adding Bluetooth keyboards and WiFi to epaper Kindles would be trivial. The chip used for WiFi can also manage Bluetooth.”
I was waiting for a new Kindle DX. I am dying to buy eReader with 13 inch display – Kindle XL.