It was so long ago now most people have probably forgotten about it, but Amazon used to sell a large Kindle with a 9.7-inch E Ink screen called the Kindle DX.
They first started selling it in 2009 and then they released an upgraded version in 2010. They continued to sell the Kindle DX for several years, but eventually they discontinued it and never replaced it with a newer version.
A lot of people have been hoping that Amazon would eventually release another large-screen Kindle.
Amazon took a step in that direction in 2017 by releasing the Kindle Oasis 2 with a 7-inch screen, but that can hardly be considered “large”, more like medium.
Several companies have started releasing ebook readers and digital notepads with larger 10.3-inch and 13.3-inch screens in the past few years, including Sony, Onyx and Boyue, and they’ve proven there is indeed a market for them.
The Remarkable Paper Tablet is another prime example. It currently sits at #13 on Amazon’s best sellers list for ebook readers, even though it’s more of a notepad than an ereader. And the Remarkable is from a small company that nobody has ever heard of. Just imagine how much more popular it would be with the Kindle brand name on it and the ability to display Kindle ebooks.
How long can Amazon continue to ignore the fact that there is a market for large screen Kindles?
How hard would it be to come out with a 10.3-inch Kindle with a notepad app? Granted it’s not going to be a mass market seller like the Kindle Paperwhite, but plenty of people (and potentially schools and businesses) would be interested in such a product.
It’s time for Amazon to finally release another large-screen Kindle, but will they?
It’s long past time! A note device would possibly tie into e-book textbooks-a market Amazon has shown some interest in(they tried something in New York). Even without note taking I would probably buy it on the first offer day.
Having once owned a Kindle DX, I find large screen reading preferable to 6″ sized readers.
Just like readers prefer a vast array of reading genres…e-reader preferences vary…just check to opinions in this forum. Lack of competition must be a factor in this glaring omission.
I totally agree with you Steve! I have my Kindle DX from 2009, and after enjoying the larger screen, I refuse to purchase a smaller Kindle. I would purchase a newer Kindle model with light, 10.3” screen, minus the keyboard. I’ve got a rather large library on my DX, and it still works perfectly, but I do wish that it was lit, as I purchase book lights in order to read at night, or I read on my Apple iPad. Kindle is loosing business from those of us who want and need the larger screen.
I agree that they need to release a larger Kindle however the most important pressing issue is for them to fix their software. They have absolute terrible font sizes, margins and line spacing options. There are a lot of fonts that I want to use as sideloaded options but have become useless on a Kindle because I can’t get the size right. Going from the font being too small to way gigantic in one single step is ridiculous.
I very much agree with you! My husband is visually impaired and uses the Kindle dx. I worry what will happen when it finally stops working. It’s not rocket science to know there is a huge market for large readers. Thanks for bringing attention to this.
I so agree. I owned it, and Sonys devices. Right now I have the Oasis 2, Kobo Forma, and the remarkable. Reading a text manual on Forma is better then the Oasis because with a smaller font there is so much more space to flip less pages. I have been meaning to try the same on the remarkable but the conversion pain is a pain ….
I could not agree more. I wish Amazon will listen and release a large Kindle.
I just bought a used DXG…Love it.
I wonder how many people are hoping for a larger Kindle…but, will then gripe about how expensive it is.
I just got a used one and like it as well….at the same time I’ve gotten the kindle oasis as well. They should just do a blending of those two versions with the better aspects of each in one machine.
Plz quickly release
I ve been using kindle dx for a long time and i am so hapoy with it. I have learned german language reading grammar and story books by it. And now learning french.
As the screen is large enough, i can easily read technical documents on it. Maybe books which are based on simple text are appropriate for 7″ ereaders but we dont always read such kinda reflowable text but fixed layout books also
And how exactly do we know that there’s a market out there? Just because *some* people want those bigger devices it doesn’t mean a thing. Meanwhile, the fact that they’re not generally available probably, just probably, means there’s really no great demand for them 😀
While it would never be as popular as a 129.99 Paperwhite,my guess it would be a fairly popular sku. The Old Kindle DX 9.7″ had more reviews than the Oasis 2 currently has and for a period sold for 399.99. If Amazon could somehow make downloadable textbooks, with note taking, relevant they might actually have a winner. There is a whole textbook market I am sure Amazon knows they are not cashing in on. Hopefully they will at least put out a limited run.
Of course much of it comes down to price.
Why would anyone want a larger e-reader? The Kindle Paperwhite is the perfect size. Fits in your pocket, and if you have vision problems, increase the size of the font. My iPad rarely leaves the house because of its size, but I never go anywhere without my Paperwhite.
It’s fine if you read on the go a lot, but what’s the point of having an ereader that fits in your pocket if you primarily read at home? And have you ever tried using the larger font sizes on a Kindle Paperwhite? Who wants to have to page forward every half sentence. It’s a very disjointed way to read.
I read literally everywhere I go and one of my gripes with the Oasis 2 is that it doesn’t fit in my pocket like the Voyage did. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is annoying.
You might try different pants! My Oasis 2 fits in my regular front pants pocket. Yes, the corner sticks out a bit, but not enough to be a problem. I even have a rigid cover on it. I never leave the house without my Oasis 2 in my pocket.
Pants options are limited. I daily ride a motorcycle, so I only wear pants that offer protection. Obviously it fits in cargo pants, but those aren’t appropriate everywhere (hardly anywhere.)
Because I’m over 6’2 and don’t have tiny woman hands. The little 6” Kindles are hard to hold on to; my thumbs have a hard time not touching the screen. Hell, I can easily palm a Kindle. Look at your palm… You want to read on something that size? We need a bigger Kindle now.
If you have macular degeneration and read fast the small kindle requires almost constant page flipping because you need a very large font.
Lifelong readers stop reading. A larger screen would solve that problem.
I think they are waiting for the color eink screens to be a serious thing. Then comix and maybe motion books would sell even more…. Plus us who use tech Manuel’s would have something to work with.
Totally agree. The education system is now heavily relies on iPad that cause the eyes strain and fatigue, considering that kids are still playing video games after school. It would make more sense to replace those with a paper white like tablets that will eliminate the necessity of carrying the books.
I was interested in buying Sony’s DPT-RP1, however, the price tag (800$) is a very unreasonable.
Hopefully this market will change soon.
Unless whatever Amazon releases is cheaper than the iPad it’s gonna be a no-go. Iirc, iPads start at $299 for education, likely cheaper with bulk orders.
For some districts, even the entry-level iPad is already too expensive and they opt for even cheaper Chromebooks.
I seems like it would make sense to release something like the Voyage that comes in a few sizes, say 6, 7.8, 10.3. Make software that scales to each version easily. Let the small portable device people have a premium option that fits in their pocket and a large version for reading at home or for those who have poor vision or simply prefer larger format. The cloud system they have is so great I’d buy more than one size.
I agree with everyone’s comments. But let us be careful of which Kindle we want in large size. It would be only too simple for them to tell us we can get large screen sizes with the Kindle Fires. That’s not what we want; we want Kindles we can read outdoors. A 10 inch Kindle Paperwhite would be wonderful, even if we have to be careful while using them that we don’t touch the screens, which are very sensitive indeed. Myself I would love for Amazon to bring back the Kindle DX.
I AGREE. I’ve purchased two Kindle’s, and ended up returning them both. I found them just too small, and hard to handle. Plus with trouble seeing the ‘dinky’ screen I finally had enough! AMAZON give us a LARGER screen; easier to see, larger fonts, better to hold. ITS TiME!!!!
I agree, too! I just bought my second Boyue eReader – this time the awesome Boyue Likebook Mimas – since I gave up on waiting for Amazon to ever release a decent larger size model.
I love the Boyue Likebook Mimas though. It has a 10″ Eink screen; an awesome light that you can set to ‘warm’ for night-time lighting that doesn’t disturb one’s sleep (I can’t believe Kindles still don’t have that option); speakers (which I don’t think Amazon has included since the Kindle Keyboard); page turn buttons; SD card slot; a great processor and long battery life; a nice cover; and awesome note-taking abilities with included stylus! And it was only around $435.
I would still like to get another Kindle some day (I still have the Kindle Keyboard)… but Amazon has fallen way behind their Asian and European competitors. At this point I would buy a crowdfunded MobiScribe before I’d buy any of the current Kindles.
The Oasis, without the strange shape, and at 7″ or 8″ with a warm light would probably make me open my wallet though.
A large color Kindle would be fantastic. I have been hoping for years that Amazon is just waiting for Color Eink or Liquivista or ClearInk or something. I would buy that too, but I’d want it to be at least 8″.
I owned both versions of the Kindle DX. Both of them have been lost over the years. I bought a Paperwhite and it sits in the drawer.
I am now 60 years of age and my eyes are not what they used to be. Therefore, I use an iPad Pro because of its size to read with.
I would buy two new Kindle DX’s (one for myself and one for my wife) and start using Kindle books again.
Just the added screen real estate of the 7″ over the 6″ makes a difference. Have tried both Paperwhite and Oasis: the 7″ is much nicer but personally disliked the asymetrical shape, plus metal construction that was uncomfortable. Waiting for the Paperwhite to come out in 7″–s otill small enough to tote around easily, but a better reading experience.
AMAZON, Please make Paperwhite in 7 or 8 inches!
It’s beyond time for Amazon to release a Kindle Dx successor. Based on larger e-ink devices for sale on Amazon, there seems to be a market.
Because I have impaired vision and also have two cousins with neurological problems that affect their being able to read small print, I flipped out when my Kindle DX page select button cracked. Fortunately my husband repaired it for the time being, but sometimes I just get so nervous thinking what if it dies? I love this thing. Please, please bring it out again, and make it one to fit my lovely red leather cover, which has worn well all these years, too.
“Scholars and businessmen” ??
So you have not heard of this new thing called “IT” ? They have to read about a book a month all through their professional career to stay current. And by book, I mesn BOOK (500+ pages) full of diagrams and code.
Which is impossible to read on a tiny 6″ screen. DX was a life saver not having to sit in front of computer to read text destroying your eyesight.
I was still using my DX year ago, now it (battry) finally died, I already considered to hacking it to add WLAN to help with the long a go discontinued free 3G connection that was only connectivity to the device. So need to pop it open to replace the build in battery. Might as well try hacking an WLAN radion into the device .
It is certainly sad, having entered 2020, that Amazon has continued to handicap its Kindle devices for readers; the Paperwhite is too small, and the Oasis is awkward (and still too small). When a device’s design is to present one page at a time, it needs to cover more text on that given page. Further, there are many readers who are visually challenged, so a larger text is essential. But the current products effectively limit such a person to a half-page of text at a given time. As so many have stated, Amazon needs to listen to customers… whether it be an 8, 9, or 10″ display, current technology should enable them to present a capable and affordable device.
Beyond this, I have been perplexed that Amazon never capitalized on the ability to create a tablet they could dub the Kindle Collegiate, or Academic… join forces with textbook publishers to provide student materials on a device that is not only an Outstanding Reader (first and foremost), and combined with the ability to accomplish highlighting and notes for study. Forgive me, but the standard screens on tablets are fabulous for graphic content, but they are miserable for extended reading; wouldn’t it be brilliant if we could offer our children a device that does not damage/strain their vision and frees them from the distraction of social media.
I would also jump on the opportunity to buy a 10 inch Kindle. Due to my eyesight, I use large text and have to frequently flip pages. There are a number of E-ink readers hitting the market, but imo they are not as nice as the kindle. I recently bought, then sold the Onyx Boox Note Air 10″ tablet. Imo it doesn’t hold a candle to the kindle.
The large screen kindle was the best. Amazon owns and sells everything-why not help seniors read more. The regular kindle is too small and need to make the fonts very large when trying to read. Come on Amazon- get on the stick😊