Yesterday Amazon unveiled a new Kindle Paperwhite with a 300 ppi E Ink screen. It’s a little out of character for Amazon to release a new Kindle this early in the year but not unprecedented.
Besides, the Paperwhite 3 is just getting an upgraded screen, (and double the RAM, according to reports) so it’s not the same as releasing an entirely new Kindle. But it’s fairly safe to assume the Paperwhite 3 is going to be around for awhile.
That only leaves the Kindle Voyage and entry-level Kindle as possible devices that could get updated to a newer model this fall when Amazon typically releases new Kindles (along with Fire tablets, of course, but that’s a different topic).
Amazon could also come out with an entirely new Kindle, but that’s unlikely. About the only new model they could come out with would be something with a larger screen, and Amazon has already shown that they have little interest in pursuing that market by discontinuing the Kindle DX, twice.
And if there were plans for an entirely new Kindle, we would’ve likely heard about it by now in the form of various leaks, like what happened with the Kindle Voyage (I’m convinced Amazon “leaks” early details on purpose to gauge and gain consumer interest).
The most likely scenario for 2015 is the release of a new Kindle Voyage with a couple of upgrades to help justify the large price gap between it and the 300 ppi Kindle Paperwhite. First generation devices often benefit from some changes, and the Voyage is no exception. The frontlight could be better, for instance, the various hues have been one of the biggest complaints. Perhaps Amazon will opt to turn the Voyage into a 6.8-inch ereader to make the $199 price work (they’re going to have to do something because not many people are going to spend $80 more on a Voyage now that the Paperwhite has the same screen).
It’s hard to say if Amazon will keep the current entry-level Kindle as is or if they will change it. The entry-level models often stick around for a couple years before being changed. But the $79 Kindle could definitely use a new design, as noted in my review. The cheap plasticky frame isn’t nearly as appealing as other Kindles, even some older models. And a lot of people would be happy to see page buttons return.
Either way, there’s bound to be at least one new Kindle released this fall. What kind of new Kindle would you like to see in 2015?
The DX was a failure because it was a monstrosity of a device with only a single purpose and a hefty price with a poor screen. To really justify a cost and label it premium you have to bring premium factors to the table.
– At this point a 6.8″ screen is almost a must to attract buyers at $199.
– An audiojack with audible intregration.
– Expandable SD Memory
– Waterproof
– Physical page turn buttons (not lame sensors)
– Offer a book cover similar to Paperwhite Onyx cover. Oragami cover is lame, or at least give options.
If Amazon incoprorates these things into the new Kindle Voyage they will have a hit on their hands. Its not just about the screen. If they fail at these factors the Voyage will fail no matter how “pretty” it looks. They really need to do something different.
Something that seems like it would be really simple for Kindle to do and that is a simple way to mark the books that you have read. How hard is it to put a checkbox in??? That seems to be one of the biggest complaints.
Agree with Rick’s post:
– An audio jack with Audible integration.
– Expandable SD Memory (or bump up the storage)
– Physical page turn buttons!!!!!
A friend, who is an avid reader, has yet to purchase an ereader because she needs a waterproof model.
After market water proof ereaders are available. http://waterfi.com/waterproof-kindle
-JD
An 8 inch kindle of possible, with flushed edges.
Concerning the DX – I finally bought one for my mom. She still hates ereaders. But I can’t find enough LP hard-copy books for her. She has neuropathy in her fingers and simply can’t manage touch-screen anything. Plus, she isn’t ever going to understand a kindle. The DX has no swipe screen for her to tap accidentally. She needs the clear page forward button. Occasionally she touches something wrong and I have to find her place again, but a touch-screen would cause MANY more problems.
오호~ 6″ 그만좀 하자..
9.7″ 다시 한번 ㄱㄱㄱㄱ
In the “not gonna happen” category….
One that runs open Andriod and reads epubs.
I have been thinking about replacing my rooted Nook ST with Glowlight, but except for a couple of readers that are hard to find in the US, nothing else will let me do what I want. “Ships from China” on a $150+ device makes me nervous.
I’ve had a Kindle DX since June of 2010 as my only ereader and I chose it for three reasons:
1) The screen is large enough to display PDFs legibly without zooming and panning.
2) I can fit an absurd number of words one one page with the smallest font — fewer page turns gives me longer battery life.
3) The Amazon selection of books and periodicals is simply unmatched.
I don’t mind the weight or size as it is still way better than carrying a stack of books or zooming in to read the technical reference books I have in PDF format. I did install the backported 3.4 version of the software to gain better PDF handling and installed an even smaller font. Unfortunately I still can’t find anything else that matches the full functionality with a minimum of fuss.
I’d love an updated version with the newer software features, touch interface, and a front light — and I’d buy it even if the price approached that of an iPad… Just as I did back in 2010. So far Amazon has shown zero interest in doing this and none of the other large screen ereader a on the market which can run a Kindle app have even a halfway decent experience while doing so. Could I make some compromises? Sure… But for the best and easiest fit for my usage profile I remain stuck in time here. 🙁