Here we are, all tuned in to Amazon’s big media event in NYC, awaiting the announcement of their first Tablet device, when the online retail giant hits us with a surprise – Two new Kindle eReaders!
The first device comes as the biggest shock; a touchscreen Kindle. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has literally just announced the all-new Amazon Kindle Touch – a Kindle with no buttons or keyboard.
It features a glossy touchscreen e-ink display for reading your favourite digital books, yet no keyboard or buttons for turning the page. Amazon has built in a very clever way of page turning using the touchscreen, which they’re calling “easy reach”. Simply tap once on the left side of the screen to go back a page, and anywhere on the right side to go forward a page.
The Kindle Touch also features a cool new addition called “X-Ray”. This nifty little feature lets you tap on a word, phrase or section of your book and see a pop-up window containing interesting facts and tidbits. The way this works is when your book is downloaded, Amazon scans the content for anything that can be added to with facts and information from Wikipedia. This info is added to your eBook, and when you’re reading a section with extra information available, you can tap X-Ray and read up on it.
You’ll be able to get the Kindle Touch in both Wi-Fi and 3G models, just like with the current range of eReaders. Surprisingly, despite the addition of a touchscreen, the price has actually fallen. The Wi-Fi model will set you back $99, while the 3G model (which lets you download books just about anywhere) costs $149.
The 3G model uses mobile internet to allow you to download your books on the go. You don’t have to pay a monthly fee to use it, and you can get access to download books in 100 countries. Amazon are also offering an unlimited lifetime 3G internet package that will work in 50 countries for just $50, not bad.
You can pre-order both of the Kindle Touch models from today at Amazon and they will start shipping on November 21st.
Amazon also announced a new, more basic and even cheaper Kindle Reader. This one doesn’t have a keyboard or touchscreen, but does have page turn and menu buttons. It’s 18% smaller than the current range of Kindle Readers and is 30% lighter.
Amazon also say they have improved the page turn speed, so flicking through a book should be much quicker and smoother with this one. It will set you back £89, you can order it right now and the item will ship October 12th. What a bargain!
We’ll bring you more on the new Kindle Readers as we get it, as this news has been taken straight from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ presentation, onto our page and into your eyes! In the meantime, catch a look at the cheaper Kindle in Amazon’s official advert below.
Have you decided you’ll be buying one of the new Kindles already? Let us know by adding a comment!
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