Introducing Amazon’s New Entry-Level Kindle with Bluetooth and Thinner Design, Now Available in White
For some time now, it’s been clear that Amazon, in addition to the Kindle Oasis with the codename Whiskey, also has a second eBook reader in the works, codenamed Woody. Unlike the Oasis, however, this device isn’t intended to be in the high-end segment but rather in the entry-level category of the Kindle range.
Today, Amazon has unveiled the new Kindle officially. As expected, it is a new base model that replaces the previous “Kindle Touch 2” or “Kindle Basic Touch” (as the device was occasionally called).
The technical upgrades are limited, as the new base Kindle uses the same screen technology and resolution as its predecessor: The device has a 6-inch E-Ink Pearl screen with a resolution of 800×600 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 167 ppi. There’s no built-in lighting, so you’ll have to opt for the slightly more expensive Paperwhite.
With Bluetooth for VoiceView, not available in German
The biggest new feature is the addition of wireless connectivity via Bluetooth. The Oasis reportedly already has a deactivated Bluetooth connection, and the new Kindle officially launches it – but only in the USA for now. Amazon cites the VoiceView feature as the use case, which was introduced a few weeks ago.
This allows the Kindle to be used by people with visual impairments through touch control and audio feedback, as well as reading eBooks using the linked Text-To-Speech function. The speech synthesis program used is the Ivona-TTS engine, which was acquired some time ago.
Along with the VoiceView feature, it’s likely that the RAM has increased, as the TTS function wasn’t operational on the old model with just 256 MB RAM. Thus, one can assume that the new base Kindle, like the other models, comes with 512 MB RAM.
It’s still unclear whether the Bluetooth feature will be available on German devices, as the product page on Amazon.de and the German press release provide no hint of it. The VoiceView feature remains unmentioned as well. Switching the system language to English might remove a potential restriction, as testing has shown.
The internal storage size remains, as often with Amazon, unspecified. It’s assumed that there are 4 GB available, with about 3 GB usable.
Thinner and lighter
In addition to Bluetooth integration, the new Kindle comes with a thinner and lighter body. It is 11 percent thinner and 16 percent lighter than its predecessor. In absolute numbers: the dimensions are 160 x 115 x 9.1 mm, weighing only 161 grams.
The product photos also suggest that the somewhat unappealing hard plastic casing of the predecessor has been replaced with a more attractive material. Whether this is really the case will be revealed on July 20. From that day, the new Kindle will be delivered. Until then, the device can be pre-ordered in black and white options.
The price for the ad-supported version is about 70 euros, similar to its predecessor, but it’s still not exactly a bargain considering you can get a Kindle Paperwhite on sale for around 100 euros with a bit of patience.
Paperwhite in white, Oasis with Bluetooth?
Kindle Paperwhite in white (notice the larger bezel above the display)
Speaking of the Paperwhite: The popular illuminated eReader will be available in white starting June 30, just like the new base Kindle. The recommended retail price remains unchanged at around 120 euros for now.
With the introduction of the new entry-level Kindle and the Bluetooth support, the question arises again whether the Kindle Oasis will also get a Bluetooth update. The device supposedly already has the necessary hardware, but Amazon hasn’t incorporated support for it in the current software. This may change with the upcoming firmware update.
In the long run, one could certainly expect the entire Kindle portfolio to be equipped with Bluetooth. Currently, however, I doubt that, after two new releases this year, the Kindle Voyage and Paperwhite will get a refresh this year.
