So the big news this past week is that Amazon sent out invites to a press conference on September 6th where they are expected to unveil new Kindle ereaders and tablets.
Rumors have been floating around all year about Amazon releasing a Kindle Fire 2 and a new E Ink Kindle with a lighted screen, much like the Nook Touch with GlowLight. Details on these potential new devices haven’t surfaced yet, at least nothing substantial or credible, so we are left to speculate.
Here are my predictions on the new line of Kindles that Amazon is about to release:
1. Kindle Touch with GlowScreen. I doubt that’s what Amazon will call it but you get the gist. This one seems like a lock to me. All four Kindle Touch models have slowly disappeared from Amazon, with the exception of refurbished units and used ones. Given that fact, there’s a good chance Amazon will start shipping the new Lighted Kindle Touches when they announce them on September 6th like they did last year with the Kindle 4.
Aside from a light layer added to the screen, I expect the new Kindle Touch to remain 95% the same as the old Kindle Touch. It would be nice if they added physical page buttons on the side like the Kindle 4, but it’s unlikely they’d change the whole design just for that. The light will be the main change, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Amazon keeps the prices the same as before too, with the usual options for 3G and special offers.
2. Kindle Fire 2. I’m predicting that Amazon will release a Kindle Fire 2 that will be very much like the original but it will have an upgraded higher resolution screen, a slightly faster processor, a slimmer design, and maybe even a front-facing camera. Basically it will be a lot like the Google Nexus 7, perhaps minus the quad-core processor to keep cost down. I doubt it will have a memory card slot or HDMI port or a rear camera; those will be on the new 10″ model.
3. 10″ Kindle Tablet. This is where it gets interesting. I don’t care what any of the rumors have to say, I think it’s basic common sense that Amazon is going to release a tablet with a larger 10″ screen. Considering how successful the Kindle Fire has been, Amazon would be foolish not to get into the larger tablet market too.
I think the 10″ Kindle Tablet will have a lot of nice features, such as front and rear facing cameras, a micro HDMI port, Bluetooth, and hopefully a memory card slot, although that hasn’t been Amazon’s MO in the past so I won’t hold my breath.
I also think the 10″ Kindle Tablet will be geared more toward education markets.
Over the past several weeks, Amazon has been heavily advertising their Kindle Textbooks on the Amazon.com homepage. In fact nearly every single time I visit Amazon’s homepage (except today because they have a message up), the big prominent ad at the top is for Kindle Textbooks on the iPad. I bet that focus is going to quickly change to Amazon’s new large tablet instead.
Those are my predictions of the new set of Kindle devices. What are yours?
I believe at least one of the new color kindles will sport a color screen with both LED and e-Ink combined seemlessly, so that moving objects such as movies and stuff would use the LED tech, while none moving objects like text and pictures would use the e-Ink tech. I’ve been saying that for almost 6 months now…
Does that technology even exist? Is it even possible?
Oops. Commented in the wrong place.
That’s not possible, no way is combining LCD and e-ink into one screen going to happen, get outa here with that nonsense.
Technology exists for backlit color LCD and reflective B&W LCD ~ a reflective layer is begin the backlight which is transparent when off. Since the reflective B&W LCD treats each color LCD pixel as an individual B&W pixel, it has three times the B&W pixel density.
If you combined that with both a backlight for color mode and a lower power front light for B&W mode, it would be have much longer life when reading.
Having a eInk screen behind and an LCD in front would be both more expensive than just an LCD layer, add to weight, and I’d expect that the LCD would tend to obscure the eInk.
There were rumors regarding this technology being experimented about two years ago. Nothing came out of it so far, but if any one company can and should pull it off, it’s Amazon.
Maybe that’s what Barnes and Noble’s new “revolutionary screen technology” will be.
I’ll be disappointed if the 7″ Kindle lacks a rear-facing camera. I carry my Kindle Fire everywhere – I have large pockets – and would like a camera. I don’t have a phone with a camera.
I’m also curious to see if Amazon keeps the Fire UI or makes the UI more tablet-like, as other reviewers have called essential. Personally, I like the Fire UI. I think it is added-value and sets the Fire above the other tablets.
I just got my Fire 6 months ago, but I’m excited about the new model.
Also I’d like to be able to plug a keyboard into the USB.
If it doesn’t have a rear facing camera or an SD slot, it’s a no starter just as the Nexus 7 and the first Kindle Fire was…
I’m waiting for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 to come out…
Dang CAPCHA 🙁
Can’t wait to see how this turns out!
My prediction. If Amazon had any sense. Real Android not the “forked” one.
Won’t happen ~ the Kindle App is no. 2 on Google Play book & reference free apps, and Amazon is perfectly happy to sell books through their Kindle bookstore to any Android devices out there, but the purpose of the Kindle Fire is to connect to the Amazon ecosystem … the Kindle bookstore, Amazon Plus and Amazon media stores for media, and Amazon app store for apps.