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Kindle Fire HD 7-inch hands-on (update: video)
As expected, the big news at today's gadget-filled Amazon event is the successor to the Kindle Fire, which was launched in New York, roughly this time last year. It's not the Fire 2, however -- this is the Kindle Fire HD. It's clear the minute you grab hold of it that Amazon wanted to start over with this device in a number of ways. There's none of that OEM build quality from the first go-round. This is a nice, slim device that really feels as though it can stand up to some of the nicer Android tablets out there -- we'd certainly put our initial impressions of build up there with the Nexus 7, which just happens to share the same screen size and 1280 x 800 resolution. The corners of the tablet are more rounded than its predecessor, with a glossy bezel going around the display -- a little bit of the rubberized backing creeps out on top of this. There are no buttons here, however. If you want to effect the screen, give it a tap and you get a small virtual menu on the side. As advertised, the display is quite vivid. Amazon talked up the decrease of glare, though it was a bit hard to tell just how successful the company was, given the fact that we're indoors. The device has a matte rear, with that stereo speaker going down a line in a middle, vents on either side. Performance-wise, this seemed pretty snappy running off a heavily-skinned version of Android 4.0, and we got the pre-loaded (at least on Amazon's own tablet) Hunger Games movie to load quite quickly, thanks no doubt to all of the investment the company put into the WiFi side of this device. Interestingly, there was a little lag as we were flipping through the pages of a book, with the Fire doing a little loading every few pages or so. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
Self-published Kindle author breaks one million in sales, legs might have something to do with it
Our big, bad digital era's been caught red-handed overturning media industry business models before, so it comes as no surprise that publishing houses have a new headache on-hand. Straight outta sunny Seattle comes word that Amazon has welcomed its first self-published author to the "Kindle Million Club." John Locke (so this is where he wound up after going to that quasi-'heaven') is the lucky dude who gets to claim the prize, and that's not all -- Mr. independent-author-from-Kentucky now shares bold-face status with the likes of Stieg Larsson and Nora Roberts. By churning out action / adventure novels on the $0.99 cheap and making heavy use of some leggy lady models, Locke easily blew past the one million mark, and even has a book to tell you how he did it. Take that evil publishing overlords. Hit the break for Amazon's official PR spiel.
Engadget's back to school guide: E-readers
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have e-readers in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Yes, it's the next round of buying advice for those of you condemned to start hitting the books at the end of the summer. But, with one of these e-readers, you might just have fewer books to hit -- or at least lighter ones. Sadly most schools are still dependent on texts of the pulpy variety, but that doesn't mean an e-reader can't make your life a lot easier at school, and possibly even save you some money if you're reading the classics.
Amazon's Kindle conveniently falls to $189, Nook looks stunned and bitter
Oh, snap! Merely hours after Barnes & Noble came out swinging with a $149 WiFi-only version of its Nook and a price-reduced $199 3G Nook, along comes Amazon to rip a massive hole in B&N's billowing sails. As of this very moment, the $259 Kindle 2 -- complete with global 3G and the 6-ink E Ink display you've come to know and love (or hate) -- is now the $189 Kindle 2. Oh, and there's also free 2-day shipping. Looks like the undercutter just got undercut, huh? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Slim Amazon Kindle 'Shasta' to be first with WiFi?
You know what Amazon's Kindle doesn't have? No, we're not talking about color, the other thing. Right, WiFi. That looks set to change when the rumored slimster -- codenamed "Shasta" -- launches in August. The screencap above displaying the results of an internal Amazon device query shows entries for "Shasta" and "Shasta WiFi." That would seem to indicate that Amazon's next reader will launch in two flavors: WiFi + 3G and 3G-only (our source isn't sure). There's even an outside chance that one could be a WiFi-only device. Another grab after the break. Oh, and here's an interesting footnote: the original Kindle was apparently codenamed "Fiona" after Fiona Hackworth in Neal Stephenson's novel The Diamond Age. Many of the names in the device list above -- Nell (the protagonist), Miranda (mother figure to Nell), and Turing (i.e., Turing Machines) -- are all related to that very same story. What we can't figure out is how the word "Shasta" fits into all this so lay it on us Cyberpunks if you know. Update: Freddo411 seems to have nailed it in the comments: Shasta, Lassen, and Mazama are all volcanoes in the Cascades.
E-Ink Shocker! Amazon CEO says color Kindle is 'still a long way out'
Well, if it isn't a surprise to end all surprises. Amazon's head honcho Jeff Bezos recently grabbed a mic at the outfit's annual shareholder meeting in Seattle, and when speaking about the "millions" of Kindle e-readers that he's sold, he pointed out the obvious when questioned about the possibility of a color version. In addressing concerns that LCD-based tablets may seem more attractive due to their ability to showcase color images and video, he noted that developing color electronic ink remains a challenge, and while he's seen things "in the laboratory," the prototypes are simply "not ready for prime-time production." He also stated that these lust-worthy, mythical displays were "a long way out," but that the Kindle would remain focused as a dedicated e-reader moving forward. Hear that, Mirasol? That's the ear-piecing sound of a market opportunity waiting to be exploited.
Amazon's Kindle 2.5 software update begins to roll out
We knew it was destined for a late-May release, and it looks as if Amazon's going to make its deadline after all. Following a preview of the 2.5 software update a few weeks back, we've got pictorial proof that the new code is being pushed out as we speak. This particular unit is a Kindle DX, and it's not hesitant in showing off the social networking features we were promised. Feel free to poke around in the gallery below, and then fire up your own Kindle to see if you've received an OTA surprise. Let us know either way in comments below, won'tcha? [Thanks, Andreas] %Gallery-93553%
Kindle coming to Target on April 25?
We've always wondered if and when Amazon would get the Kindle into brick-and-mortar stores to counteract the see-it-with-your-eyes marketing advantage held by competitors like Barnes and Noble, and it looks like we just got our answer -- this is a shot of a Target inventory handheld showing a listing for Amazon's e-reader. We're told that the in-store date is April 25, so we'll be keeping an eye out -- and we're definitely curious to see if Amazon's retail packaging for stores is any flashier than the current Kindle box. [Thanks, zeroleonheart]
'Millions of people' now own Kindles, says Amazon in its most non-vague sales statement yet
Amazon has been notoriously and aggravatingly mum on releasing concrete sales figures for its Kindle series. Last tidbit we heard was that it was the most gifted item in the retail company's history. Or maybe there was some indication by AT&T's note today that 1 million non-phones have been activated, which at this point includes newer Kindles, Nooks, and Sony Readers. At any rate, CEO Jeff Bezos let out the tiniest smidgen of Kindle's sales today in its fiscal report, saying that "millions of people now own Kindles." If we're lucky, next earnings call we'll get to play a "higher or lower" guessing game. Maybe.
iPad or Kindle: will our wallets decide?
In quite a few ways, Apple's iPad and iBooks announcement today was a shot across the bow of Amazon's Kindle. Sure, Apple played nice, even saying that Amazon has done a "great job of pioneering" the e-book space, but you can't help but think that Apple thinks of itself as the evolution of the Kindle, not mere competition. Steve Jobs says that Apple is going to "stand on their shoulders," and that doesn't sound quite as benign as perhaps he meant it. So, how do the devices stack up, specifically as book consuming devices? Well, for starters, one of these things costs a whole lot more than the other... let's break it down after the break.
InstaPaper for Kindle now more Kindle-like
InstaPaper's "read later" bookmarking service was already a pretty handy way to get any article or web page onto your Kindle, but it looks like the company's now taken a considerable leap forward in usability with its latest update. Nothing's changed in the way you actually get articles onto the Kindle (via wireless delivery or .mobi files), but once they're loaded up you'll now have a decidedly more Kindle-like experience. That includes being able to tap left or right between articles downloaded from a site and, perhaps most notably, you'll also now get a convenient table of contents that can be accessed from any article by pressing the back button. Those using wireless delivery will also now see old InstaPaper files moved to the "Periodicals: Back Issues" folder as new ones come in, rather than see them fill up their home screen. Sound like just the thing you've been waiting for? Hit up the link below to get started.
Kindle most gifted item in Amazon's history, e-books outsell physical tomes on Christmas Day
We're still not about say the e-book reader industry has branched out beyond the infancy stage, but one of its flagship products certainly has reason to celebrate. Amazon has announced it's hit some pretty big milestones with the Kindle. The two bullet points it's currently touting loudest is that the reader has become "the most gifted item" in the company's history -- quite an achievement given the size of the online retailer, but what's missing here is any quantitative sales data to give us even a ballpark of the number of units sold. The other big news is that on Christmas Day (we're guessing not Christmas Eve, else the press release surely would've mentioned it, too), e-book sales actually outsold physical books. Those brand new Kindle owners needed something to read, right? It'll be interesting to see if that momentum is maintained through next year, especially with some major publishers starting to show some teeth with digital delays. The Kindle bits were all part of Amazon's annual post-holiday statistical breakdown, so in case you're wondering, besides Kindle, the company is claiming its other top-selling electronics were the 8GB iPod Touch and Garmin nuvi260W, and in the wireless department the honor goes to Nokia's unlocked 5800 XpressMusic, Plantronic's 510 Bluetooth headset, and AT&T's edition of the BlackBerry Bold 9700. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Amazon beefing up Kindle's functionality for vision-impared users as B&N's Nook stays silent
While the Amazon Kindle's text-to-speech functionality might seem like a gimmick for some, it's anything but for blind, vision-impaired and dyslexic users. Unfortunately, the device's accessibility so far hasn't extended to the menus. That's set to change next year, however, with Amazon promising to release an audible menuing system for navigating the unit look-free. Amazon's also prepping a new "super size" font, that doubles the current largest font in height and width. It all sounds great, but it also seems like a subtle dig at Barnes & Noble, whose brand new Nook reader is skipping out on text-to-speech (for this generation, anyway). Barnes & Noble claims that it's due to the sub-par experience on "other devices," but for now that means the Kindle might just be most accessible dedicated e-reader around -- at least once this new software rolls out, supposedly by summer 2010.
Kindle 2.3 software update available, generation 1 owners need not apply
We gadget nerds have to endure unspeakable atrocities in order to slake that early adoption jones: first-run gear shipped DOA, buggy pre-release software, and months of waiting after a product leaks only to be greeted by a jacked-up price premium at launch. So we feel your pain, original Kindle owners, after Amazon announced a major firmware update that brings native PDF support to the 6-inch Kindle 2 and DX readers with the promise of a staggering 85% increase in battery life to all Kindle 2 devices -- if you haven't already received it OTA, the 2.3 software update is now available for download and installation via USB tethering. At least owners of "some earlier versions of Kindle" (quote from the press release) will receive native PDF support whenever the 1st generation firmware update (currently at version 1.2) is released. It's worth noting that Amazon's PDF reader lacks a zoom function which makes many PDFs entirely unreadable on the device. Good thing Amazon's store is chock full of easily zoomable books in a proprietary format then, huh?
Kindle firmware update promises 85 percent battery boost, native PDF reader
We're not quite sure what sort of black magic it's worked to make it happen, but it looks like Amazon is really taking the art of firmware updates to a new level with the latest upgrade for the Kindle. Not only does it finally add native PDF support (which would have gotten folks rightly excited on its own), but it promises to boost battery life by a full 85 percent. That translates to about seven days of use with the wireless on, and is apparently the result of a six month firmware improvement and testing program -- can we get these folks working on other devices? Naturally, the latest firmware will be shipping on all new Kindles right away (just not the DX, it seems), and it will be pushed as a free update to existing Kindle 2s via Whispernet, although there's no ETA on that just yet.
Kindle coming to the UK in October? Amazon might just tell us next week
Wanna know what we love? Authoritative sources. That fine breed of people who don't like keeping important secrets is back with another hit, this time suggesting that Amazon has finally tied up all the loose ends and is ready to bring the Kindle to Blighty. This implies Qualcomm has done its rumored job of putting together a 3G and WiFi connectivity package with one of the UK's mobile operators, and all that remains to be done now is the old dotting and crossing of i's and t's. An official announcement -- which should tell us whether the Kindle 2 will be joined by the chunkier Kindle DX -- is expected some time ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair, which commences on October 14. [Via Pocket lint]
Study finds Kindle more eco-friendly than actual books, maybe
A mass-produced piece of plastic and electronics more environmentally-friendly than a simple book? Possibly, at least according to a new study released by the Cleantech Group. While the group found that the Kindle's upfront environmental impact was indeed fairly significant, they also found that the numbers can change dramatically over the course of the device's lifecycle -- depending largely on the users' reading habits, of course. More specifically, they say that the Kindle can produce a potential savings of 1,074 kg of CO2 if it replaces three books a month for four years, or a whopping 26,098 kg of CO2 if the Kindle DX is used to its fullest capacity. They also found that the Kindle would still break even if it replaced just 22.5 books over its lifespan, although they're quick to point out that its impact can turn to a negative if folks continue to buy books and print periodicals in addition to e-books and don't recycle them.
Engadget's Kindle design contest: we have winners!
The votes are in, dear readers, and you've spoken loud and clear: from our original 23 finalists, your votes have boiled it down to five well-deserved winners who've clearly put time, effort, thought, determination, and old-fashioned elbow grease into their designs for gracing the metal back of Amazon's 6-inch Kindle. So what happens next? We'll be working with winners and coordinating with the good folks at Adafruit Industries to turn these designs into reality thanks to some insanely high-powered precision lasers -- picture that scene in Goldfinger where the film's namesake tries to cut 007 in half to get an idea of just how high-powered we're talking about here -- and rest assured, we'll be posting plenty of pictures as they come out of the workshop! Follow the break for the lucky five (presented in order with the most votes first). A huge word of thanks to Amazon, Adafruit Industries, everyone who submitted entries, and the voters who figured out where these Kindles belong!
Student sues Amazon after Kindle eats his homework
It seems we have yet another reason to volley complaints in Amazon's directions. 17-year old high school student Justin Gawronski had apparently been taking electronic notes and annotations on his Kindle for a summer assignment on George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Yeah, you can probably guess where this is going -- after the retailer remotely pulled the plug on that particular version of the book, Gawronski's notes were lost in the ethers, rendered useless. The suit, which is seeking class action status, asks that Amazon be legally blocked from improperly accessing users' Kindles in the future and punitive damages for those affected by the deletion -- and if he asks nice, we're pretty sure Jeff would write his teacher a note. [Warning: read link is a PDF] [Via Trading Markets]
Amazon Kindle design contest: now it's your turn to decide who wins!
Our Kindle contest that we're running in cooperation with our good friends at Adafruit Industries and Amazon has drawn to an epic conclusion, and there's simply no other way to put it -- we're blown away. We received literally dozens upon dozens of incredible, art gallery-worthy entries and it was all but impossible to narrow them down to a group of finalists -- but after an entire weekend of mulling, debating, and hand-wringing, we've done the dirty work and narrowed it down to a group of just twenty-three. Now, dear readers, the fate of five Kindles lies in your hands and your hands alone. The laser awaits. So here's what we need from you: pick your favorite by 11:59PM ET on Monday, August 3rd. That's it. We'll take the five top vote-getters and award each with a 6-inch Kindle engraved with their design -- and of course, we'll post pictures of the finished products before they go out to their lucky owners. Follow the break to see the entries (which you can click to see in larger form). Below each design, you'll see a number -- these correspond to numbers in the poll, which you'll find directly below the entries. Just choose your favorite by number and we'll take care of the rest. Good luck, contestants -- and good luck picking from all of these amazing entries, readers! Update: The contest is now closed. No votes have been counted since August 3rd at 11:59PM ET. Stay tuned for the winners!
