Kindle (2016)

Amazon’s entry-level model is not only affordable, but also impressive. Here’s what sets the Kindle apart.

At a Glance

On this page, you’ll find a detailed description (including a test report) of Amazon’s most affordable eBook reader, simply named the “Kindle.” In addition, the retail giant also offers three other reading devices in its lineup, all featuring higher-resolution screens and built-in lighting.

Now, let’s get to the main description of the Kindle: For some time now, it’s been known that, alongside the Oasis (codenamed “Whiskey”), Amazon has also been working on a second eBook reader, codenamed “Woody.” Unlike the Oasis, however, this device was not intended for the high-end segment, but rather as an entry-level model in the Kindle range.

In June 2016, Amazon lifted the veil and officially unveiled the new Kindle. As expected, this is a new basic model replacing the previous “Kindle Touch 2” or “Kindle Basic Touch” (as it was sometimes called).

The technical innovations here are fairly modest, as the new Kindle uses the same screen technology and resolution as its predecessor: the device features a 6-inch E-Ink Pearl display with a resolution of 800×600 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 167 ppi. There’s no built-in lighting.

Bluetooth for VoiceView only in English

The biggest new feature is the addition of wireless Bluetooth connectivity. The Oasis supposedly already has a deactivated Bluetooth feature, but the new Kindle now officially brings it to the table—at least in the US for now. Amazon has designated this for the VoiceView function that was introduced a few weeks prior.

With VoiceView, the Kindle can be operated via touch and audio feedback for people with visual impairments, and it can read eBooks aloud using the built-in text-to-speech feature. The speech synthesis is powered by the Ivona TTS engine, which Amazon acquired some time ago.

To support the VoiceView feature, the device’s RAM has also increased, since the text-to-speech functionality reportedly wasn’t compatible with just 256 MB of RAM in the old model. The new Kindle now comes with 512 MB of RAM, just like the more expensive models—which is especially helpful for using PDFs as well.

It’s still unclear whether the Bluetooth function will become available on German devices, since neither the product page at Amazon.de nor the German press release mentions it. However, switching the system language to English might lift a potential restriction, as the test showed.

Thinner and Lighter

In addition to Bluetooth integration, users will appreciate the slimmer and lighter design. The new Kindle is 11 percent thinner and 16 percent lighter than its predecessor. In exact figures: it measures 160 x 115 x 9.1 mm and weighs just 161 grams.

At the same time, Amazon has reworked the shape of the device, making it much more comfortable to hold. The edges are now pleasantly rounded rather than sharply angular as before.

As a result, the eReader fits very nicely in the hand, so you can comfortably read for hours on end thanks to its low weight.

Note: All current Kindle models can now be jailbroken. This allows you to expand the software, for example, with alternative eReading applications. You can find all the details here

Summary

Even though the Kindle doesn’t bring any major technical upgrades, the more comfortable feel is definitely a big improvement. This makes the eBook reader a solid and affordable option for beginners in the world of eBooks.

Kindle (2016): Full Review

When developing the new Kindle, Amazon focused on two things: first, improving the often-criticized feel of the previous model, and second, making sure the recently introduced VoiceView feature also works with the base model.

How these changes play out in everyday use—and whether the most affordable Kindle is still worth buying—is what you’ll find out in the review below.

Build quality & features

One of the biggest criticisms of the previous Kindle (seventh generation) was without a doubt its uninspiring feel in the hand. You could clearly tell the housing used cheaper materials than more expensive models. The boxy shape, the thickness, and the relatively high weight (for this class) ultimately meant the old Kindle never really won me over.

Apparently I wasn’t alone, because Amazon has addressed all of these points with the new model.

What stands out most at first touch and in direct comparison is the revised shape of the casing. The new model is no longer as angular at the edges as its predecessor but pleasantly rounded. As a result, the Kindle sits great in the hand and feels noticeably better overall.

The new Kindle (top, white) is more rounded than the old one (bottom, black)

Although the plastic used appears to be virtually unchanged, the new shape makes the device feel more premium as a whole. The smaller dimensions (160 x 115 x 9.1) and the very low weight (161 grams) reinforce that impression.

Amazon has genuinely addressed all my complaints about the old model and put the new eBook reader in an all-round well-executed body. It’s now also available in white, a nod back to the company’s roots—Amazon’s first reading devices were white.

Feels good in the hand

Aside from these updates, it’s business as usual: You operate the device via the touchscreen, so apart from the power button there are no other keys. As is typical for Amazon (and by now many other manufacturers), there’s no microSD expansion. The internal storage offers 4 GB (3.04 GB available), which is still enough for several thousand eBooks.

USB port along the bottom edge

The most important technical update to the Kindle remains off-limits to the German market for now: in addition to Wi‑Fi, the eReader also has a new Bluetooth interface. It was added for the VoiceView feature. Since that currently only works with the English user interface, this form of wireless connection can’t be used with the German interface.

Of course, you can still use Wi‑Fi in Germany (and elsewhere) to buy eBooks directly on the Kindle.

Display & lighting

For the display, the new Kindle sticks with tried-and-true tech: like many predecessors, it uses E Ink Pearl. This makes it the last eReader in Amazon’s lineup with that technology. Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage, and Kindle Oasis all use Carta screens.

The Kindle also lacks a built-in front light. That remains reserved for the more expensive models.

The display resolution is 800×600 pixels, which yields a pixel density of 167 ppi on the 6-inch screen. That puts it on par with other entry-level models from Kobo (Touch 2.0) and Tolino (Page).

Easy to read

Legibility

In terms of contrast, you can expect good, completely trouble-free legibility. The screen’s background brightness is adequate and on the same level as the predecessor.

But in direct comparison with other (Kindle) models, it quickly becomes clear that Pearl is getting a bit long in the tooth. A look at a competitor underscores the point: while the Kobo Touch 2.0 also uses a Pearl display, the toughest German competitor—the Tolino Page—already sports a Carta display (see photo).

The Tolino Page’s E Ink Carta display (right) is brighter with higher contrast

Because the Kindle has no built-in front light, you’ll need an external light source in darker environments. If you want an eReader you can use at any time of day or night, you’ll need to opt for the Kindle Paperwhite, Voyage, or Oasis.

Touchscreen & ghosting

Like its predecessor, the Kindle uses an infrared touchscreen. With this technology, sensors are placed invisibly in the bezel around the display to register touches on the screen. The advantage is a completely unobstructed view of the display.

Because touch detection is handled by sensors, there’s no need for an extra plastic layer on the screen as with capacitive touchscreens. This makes the background a touch lighter and the edges of letters sharper.

Infrared touchscreen with sensors in the bezel

Ghosting is indeed visible on the new Kindle, but as usual it can be eliminated easily with a full page refresh. So this “ghostly” persistence of old text shouldn’t be an issue while reading.

Interim verdict: display

All in all, thanks to its solid display tech the Kindle again offers satisfying legibility. However, in direct comparison with the pricier models—and with the competing Tolino Page—the E Ink Pearl technology is starting to show its age.

Text rendering is identical to the predecessor (right)

Reading & usability

The Kindle ships with the interface that was revamped a few months ago, which looks more modern and airier overall.

If you’ve used a Kindle before, there are no surprises when it comes to operation—everything is where you expect it. Amazon moved to a unified system across the entire Kindle lineup some time ago, so using the new entry-level model is just as straightforward and intuitive as with the premium devices.

New home screen (left) vs. old home screen (right)

Initial setup is quick and easy: turn on the Kindle, enter your Wi‑Fi password, and you’re ready to read. If you order the eReader directly from Amazon.de, the device is automatically linked to your account, so you don’t have to enter your login details separately.

The interactive tutorial mode from older firmware versions has been replaced by a new quick guide. It’s no longer interactive, but explains the most important functions step by step with schematic illustrations. At the same time, your first steps on the device are accompanied by practical pop-up tips. The first time you open a book and turn a page, a small window explains how to proceed. Setup and getting started are still especially simple, so even non-techies will quickly understand how to use the device.

Home screen & library

With the introduction of the new interface, the home screen was slightly revised. Alongside your most recently read and recently added eBooks, there’s now a reading list. Below that are the usual store recommendations. If you wish, you can disable both the reading list and the store recommendations in the settings and use the classic library view.

Kindle home screen

Up to eight titles can be shown in list view and up to six eBooks in the cover grid.

You can sort books by date, title, author, or collection as usual. Content can also be downloaded from the cloud quickly and with just a few taps.

Advertising or “Special Offers”

Amazon still offers the Kindle with or without ads. The company calls them “Special Offers” because they don’t just show book ads but also price promotions (usually for accessories). And of course, the term “Special Offers” sounds better and less sensitive.

Ads only appear in two places: when you turn the eReader off, the ad shows as a screensaver. There’s no need to worry about extra power draw—once an image is on an E Ink display, it stays there without any additional power.

The second placement is a narrow strip (about 1.5 cm) at the bottom of the home screen (see above). There are no other ads, so you won’t be interrupted by advertising while you’re reading.

If you decide later that you don’t want the ads anymore, Amazon can remove them for a fee. Alternatively, you can choose the ad-free option right when you buy the device (+10 euros).

Reading

Open eBooks with a simple tap. Turn pages with a swipe or tap. Whichever you prefer, the infrared touchscreen is always fast and reliable.

You can adjust text size in eight steps, and line spacing and margins in three steps each. Aside from automatic rotation, you can also manually rotate the screen 90 degrees into landscape via the reading menu. There is no automatic rotation into landscape.

Text adjustments

With the tested firmware 5.8.0, the Kindle offers nine fonts:

• Baskerville (serif)
• Bookerly (serif)
• Helvetica (sans serif)
• Palatino (serif)
• Amazon Ember (sans serif)
• Futura (sans serif)
• Caecilia (serif)
• Caecilia Condensed (serif)
• OpenDyslexic (a special font to improve readability for dyslexia)

With the launch of the Kindle Paperwhite 3 in 2015, Amazon also introduced a new text engine. eBooks marked with “Enhanced Typesetting” (as shown in the product information on Amazon’s website) offer optimized character spacing, kerning, ligatures, support for drop caps, and the long-requested hyphenation (which cannot be turned off).

This significantly improved Kindle typography, and the difference is clearly visible compared to eBooks that don’t have enhanced typesetting.

Bookmarks, notes & dictionary

On top of typography improvements, the dictionary and note-taking functions have also been enhanced. That’s especially welcome since these features were already very usable.

Tap and hold on a word to open the dictionary pop-up. You’ll also see a context menu to create highlights and notes, share the passage via social media, or search in the book, in the Kindle Store, or across all texts.

Dictionary

Text input is via a virtual QWERTZ keyboard which, as Kindle users will expect, is very fast and accurate on this device too.

Notes are automatically saved in a text file, making them easy to reuse later. You can also view them on a dedicated website for an even better overview.

The Kindle’s bookmark function is also cleverly implemented and, thanks to the in-picture preview (see photo), lets you quickly check other pages without actually turning to them.

Clever bookmark feature

A range of different dictionaries is available again, with Duden and the Oxford Dictionary of English preinstalled.

The following dictionaries are available (more can be purchased):

• ABBYY Lingvo Comprehensive Russian-English Dictionary – ABBYY
• ABBYY Lingvo Большой Англо-Русский Словарь – ABBYY
• ABBYY Lingvo Большой Толковый Словарь Русского – ABBYY
• Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa – Priberam
• Dicionário Priberam de Inglês-Português – Priberam
• Dictionnaire Cordial – Synapse Développement
• Duden Deutsches Universalwörterbuch – Duden
• Groot woordenboek Engels-Nederlands (English-Dutch) – Van Dale
• Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (Dutch Dictionary) – Van Dale
• Groot woordenboek Nederlands-Engels (Dutch-English) – Van Dale
• The New Oxford American Dictionary – Oxford
• Oxford Dictionary of English – Oxford
• Oxford English – German Dictionary – Oxford University Press
• Oxford English – Spanish Dictionary – Oxford University Press
• Oxford German – English Dictionary – Oxford University Press
• Oxford Hachette English – French Dictionary – Synapse Développement
• Oxford Hachette French – English Dictionary – Synapse Développement
• Oxford Spanish – English Dictionary – Oxford University Press
• Priberam’s Portuguese-English Dictionary – Priberam
• el Diccionario de la lengua española – Real Academia Española
• lo Zingarelli Vocabolario della Lingua Italian – Lo Zingarelli
• Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary (プログレッシブ和英中辞典第３版) – Shogakukan
• 大辞泉 (Daijisen Japanese Dictionary) – Shogakukan
• Progressive English-Japanese Dictionary(プログレッシブ英和中辞典) – Shogakukan
• A Modern Chinese-English Dictionary (现代汉英词典) – FLTRP
• 现代汉语词典 (Xian Dai Han Yu Ci Dian) – Commercial Press
• Modern English- Chinese Dictionary (现代英汉词典) – FLTRP

Microsoft Bing’s online translator is also still available, offering numerous additional translation options. One advantage of the online service over the built-in dictionaries is that it can translate not just single words but entire passages. Machine translation is, of course, imperfect, but it usually gives you a good idea of the meaning if something isn’t clear.

You can also overlay Wikipedia explanations directly in the pop-up window if you prefer. Switch between the panes with a simple left or right swipe.

Taking a note on the Kindle

To use Bing translation and Wikipedia, you’ll need to be connected to the internet via Wi‑Fi. Without an internet connection (e.g., in airplane mode or without a suitable Wi‑Fi network), you can only use the regular dictionary.

It can be a bit annoying that the Kindle doesn’t remember the last lookup source. When you long-tap a word, it always opens the dictionary first—even if you last had Bing translation or Wikipedia open.

PDF display

PDF support still isn’t a top priority for Amazon & Co., but it’s still quite decent on the Kindle. You can zoom in and out with the familiar two-finger pinch-to-zoom gesture.

You can also adjust contrast. This is sometimes necessary because anti-aliasing can make text appear lighter at smaller zoom levels. Contrast enhancement boosts the PDF rendering so the text regains its usual depth.

The Kindle also supports the familiar column mode: double-tap to zoom the desired section, then swipe to move along. The zoom level and section selection are automatic. It’s not perfect, but overall it works surprisingly well.

The processor and a sufficiently large 512 MB of RAM ensure that navigating PDFs is quick. Performance is generally good even with large files, although image-heavy documents showed noticeable delays between input and response. To be fair, that’s true of the vast majority of competitors as well.

One drawback compared to many other current models is the low pixel density of just 167 ppi. As a result, large-format PDFs are hard or even impossible to read at original size. You’ll hardly get by without zooming here. On the upside, the lower pixel density reduces processor load, so navigation feels a bit snappier.

Miscellaneous

The Kindle’s web browser works very well despite its beta status. Thanks to fast load times and mostly accurate page rendering, you can comfortably use the eReader for quick trips online, do some Wikipedia research, or read other articles. The handy article mode helps by extracting a page’s main text and displaying it without the site’s design.

In addition to the browser, the vocabulary builder and Kindle FreeTime parental controls are available again

Handy browser

Vocabulary builder & Word Wise

A well-functioning dictionary has become standard for eReaders. It enables you to read foreign-language texts even if you don’t fully master the language. It only makes sense to add a vocabulary builder that saves looked-up words for later review.

All the more surprising, then, that no manufacturer other than Amazon offers such a feature. Naturally, the vocabulary builder is available on the new Kindle, too.

Vocabulary builder

You can find a detailed description of how it works in this article. In short, it’s an extremely practical feature—provided you read in other languages.

In addition to the standard dictionary and vocabulary features, there’s also “Word Wise.” When enabled, potentially unfamiliar English words are explained inline right in the text. To do this, line spacing is automatically increased as needed. Word Wise is currently available only for selected eBooks in English.

Kindle FreeTime & account linking

Another feature you won’t find with Amazon’s competitors is parental controls. Called Kindle FreeTime, it was designed specifically for parents. You can block certain eReader functions (browser, Kindle Store, cloud access) and record statistics to track reading progress.

It also helps that the Kindle’s price is comparatively low (so damage would sting less) and that it’s lightweight.

The Kindle Kids Bundle (eReader + cover + device insurance at a discount) that Amazon launched a few months ago with the previous model is no longer available.

Not too long ago, Amazon also added the option to link two Amazon accounts within one household. This makes it possible to share eBooks and avoid duplicate purchases or tedious USB copying.

Text-to-speech not available in German

With VoiceView, Amazon developed a feature that allows people with severe visual impairments to use the Kindle. But for now, this feature (like Bluetooth) is only offered with the English user interface.

You can find more information here:

• VoiceView feature overview
• DIY/homebrew adapter

Buying eBooks

As you’d expect from Amazon, buying eBooks on the newest Kindle is as simple as it gets. That’s partly thanks to the lack of Adobe involvement and partly to the aforementioned automatic Amazon account linking.

Amazon uses its own DRM, which the user typically doesn’t notice. You don’t need to register with an external service (Adobe); after the initial setup, you can start buying eBooks right away.

Purchases are made with a tap via your linked Amazon account. If you buy an eBook by mistake, you can return it. Don’t abuse this, though—Amazon reserves the right to suspend accounts in such cases, and has done so multiple times in the past.

Kindle Store

The eBook selection is, as usual, very large, with the self-publishing platform (Kindle Direct Publishing, or “KDP”) being a key part of the Kindle ecosystem. Independent authors can publish their works there, and for end customers those titles are often noticeably cheaper than eBooks from traditional publishers. Naturally, quality varies more as a result.

A downside of every Amazon eReader is the well-known closed ecosystem, and the newest Kindle is no exception. This closedness essentially means you can only buy eBooks from Amazon. Thanks to fixed book pricing, this isn’t a disadvantage for customers in terms of price (the same eBook costs the same everywhere). It only becomes a potential issue if you want to switch manufacturers, since you may not be able to read your already purchased eBooks on a new eReader without extra steps.

Conclusion

Amazon hasn’t reinvented the wheel with this Kindle; rather, it continues to refine proven technology and usability in the budget segment. The new eReader is a consistent but careful evolution of its predecessor.

The most important new feature—and likely the main reason for the launch—is VoiceView. In principle, it now works with all Kindle models, but it’s still unavailable to German-speaking customers for the time being.

Even so, as an interested reader and (potential) Kindle buyer, you can welcome the refresh because the other improvements are very welcome too. The slimmer, nicer-feeling, lighter body makes the eReader much more pleasant to handle. Plus, the doubled RAM makes for smoother operation—even with somewhat larger PDFs.

The Kindle is a good device for getting started with digital reading

The only real criticism here is the E Ink Pearl screen. While it’s perfectly readable (as with the predecessor), Carta technology has now reached this price segment with the Tolino Page. The Kindle, too, would benefit from the more modern display tech.

Ultimately, thanks in particular to its broad feature set, easy setup and operation, and improved feel, the Kindle earns a solid rating of 2.1.

Photos

Alternatives

The most attractive alternative to the Kindle is the Tolino Page. It also has a touchscreen and, like the base Kindle, no front light. The big advantage of the Tolino model is its E Ink Carta display, which delivers visibly better contrast and makes reading that bit more comfortable.

Predecessor

The current model belongs to the 8th generation of Kindle eReaders. The new one is 11 percent thinner and 16 percent lighter than the predecessor (7th generation). Legibility is very similar due to the same display technology. Otherwise, the differences are minor, and the built-in Bluetooth connection doesn’t matter much given the current lack of support on German-language devices (as of December 2016).

Kindle (2016): Technical Specifications

All information provided without guarantee.