amazon kindle
Latest
Kindle Scribe update adds new brushes and better organization
Amazon is adding new features to the Kindle Scribe, including new brushes, subfolders and the ability to navigate to specific pages.
Amazon's Kindle will finally add ePub support
Amazon’s e-reader will support the ePub format.
Amazon's Kindle is on sale for $55 with three months of Kindle Unlimited
Amazon's Kindle is $35 off right now, bringing it down to $45, and you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with it.
The Kindle Paperwhite drops to a new low of $80 for Prime Day
The standard Kindle and Kindle Oasis are also on sale.
A look back at the triumphs and stumbles of the original Kindle
Amazon released the original Kindle back in 2007. In the years since, the devices have managed to peak, go mainstream and then get largely replaced by tablets and smartphones. Amazon's first Kindle was 7.5 inches tall with a high-contrast screen, an SD slot for additional storage and a 3G connection that permitted users to access its "Whispernet" data network to download books on the go. It sold out in less than six hours, quickly cementing its position as the leading e-reader on the market. About two months ago we asked readers to look back and review the first-generation Kindle, more than a decade after its release. Here's what they said about the device, from the hardware to the book selection.
Twelve years later, how do you feel about the first Kindle?
This past Tuesday marked the 12-year anniversary of the first Amazon Kindle, which was praised at the time as an evolutionary step forward for e-readers thanks to its high-contrast screen, SD slot and built-in 3G or WiFi. However, now it just seems clunky and cluttered in comparison to this year's minimalist, streamlined version.
Amazon's Fire tablets and Kindles are on sale for everyone
Last month, Amazon introduced some hefty discounts on its Fire tablets and Kindle e-readers, but those discounts were only available to Prime subscribers. Now, the company has made those savings available to all customers in the US, with up to $40 off its range of electronics.
Amazon releases a sub-$100 Kindle you can read in the dark
You don't have to shell out over $100 for a Kindle Paperwhite if all you really want is to be able to read your ebooks in the dark. Amazon has announced a new entry for its basic Kindle line, and unlike its predecessors, it comes with adjustable lighting. Simply called the "all-new Kindle," the $90 device also has an updated e-ink screen with better contrast and a glare-free capacitive touchscreen display like its more expensive cousins. Amazon has also freshened up its design, giving it more rounded corners and making it available in two color options: black and white.
Amazon 'Instant Previews' let friends peek at what you're reading
It's been a busy day for Amazon, with announcements about its voice tech efforts and, wait for it, a Treasure Truck that offers on-the-go deals to people. But there's more where that came from. If you use Kindle for Android, you'll now notice the addition of some handy sharing features to the application. In this new version, released today, you can start sharing book quotes with friends across social and messaging platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Hangouts and over text or email. Most importantly, thanks to what Amazon's calling Instant Previews, people who don't have the app installed are able to read a free preview of the book you're reading -- directly from a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. Amazon says that feature works seamlessly, since it doesn't require anyone to sign up, sign in or to have the Kindle application on their device.
The top tech gifts of holidays past
Remember the mad rush to secure a Teddy Ruxpin under the tree? Or how about how badly you begged your parents for the Nintendo DS as a year-end treat? As we head into another hectic, yet hopeful holiday season, we look back at some of the geeky gadgets and technological toys that stormed the charts (and stole young hearts) over the years.
Gadget Rewind 2006: Sony Reader PRS-500
Sony may not have been at the forefront of the digital music revolution, but when it came to e-books and e-readers, the company was certainly a pioneer. It all started in the '90s with Sony's first chunky, flip-topped Data Discman. This two-pound, paperback-sized player came bundled with a selection of reference books on disc, each capable of storing up to 100,000 pages of digital text. When that cumbersome early e-book solution failed to gain traction, Sony went right back to the drawing board and returned in 2004 with the Japan-only LIBRIé e-reader. This particular device used an innovative E Ink display and relied on an e-book loan program -- a distribution model that proved unpopular with consumers at the time.
Goodreads on Kindle Fire OS (hands-on)
Someone on the Kindle team was undoubtedly a bit broken-hearted when Goodreads integration failed to roll out in time for both the new Paperwhite and Kindle HDX launches. The acquisition certainly made a good deal of sense when it was announced back in March. After all, the service is well-positioned to bring recommendations and a sense of community currently lacking in the Kindle ecosystem. For users, it means more engagement and better tailored recommendations. For Amazon, it means the potential to sell more content - which, let's face it, is kind of the whole bottom line for the company here. The feature finally arrived today for HD and HDX users, as part of a larger upgrade to Fire OS, which also brings along the Second Screen video feature and added enterprise support. It'll be coming over-the-air soon enough, but if you want to jump the line, you can download it from Amazon right now. To get started (once you're all finished downloading, dragging and dropping Fire OS 3.1), you'll need to open up the Goodreads app. We were a bit surprised Amazon didn't make integration feel more baked into the experience, given the time it took to roll out the product. Instead, the offering feels a bit siloed, not unlike the FreeTime parental monitoring available on the tablet at launch. Once fired up, you'll be asked to create a Goodreads account or login with a current one, tying it to your Amazon account. I had one already, which has long since been dormant, but the official integration with the Kindle ecosystem seems as good an excuse as any to blow a little bit of dust off the old virtual bookshelves.
Amazon discounts select Kindles in celebration of recent FAA decision
You just know Amazon's been waiting forever for this cheeky product discount. But heck, if it means not having to buy a $20 Dan Brown book before rushing to catch a flight, we'll take it. In celebration of the FAA easing its personal electronic device restrictions (not to mention Delta and JetBlue), the mega-retailer's offering a nice little discount on a trio of Kindles. Enter "ThnksFAA" during checkout and you'll get a discount on the Kindle Fire HD, HDX seven-inch and the entry-level Kindle e-reader -- sorry, no Paperwhite or Fire HDX 8.9 today, kids. Still, $59 for low-end Kindle seems like a perfectly reasonable way to celebrate the recent FAA decision.
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX review (7-inch)
There was surprisingly little fanfare surrounding the announcement of Amazon's latest Fire tablets. Where last year's unveiling involved renting out an airplane hangar at the Santa Monica airport, the new tablet trio was quietly shown off to a small gathering of journalists at the company's Seattle headquarters. Asked why Amazon opted for something so low-key, a rep answered, that CEO Jeff Bezos "just likes to mix things up." (Those wacky billionaires.) Indeed, there was little rhyme or reason to the scaling back. After all, the new HDX tablets, available in 7- and 9-inch sizes, bring a number of key upgrades to the Kindle Fire line on both the hardware and software fronts. And that's a good thing: between the Nexus 7, iPad mini and a seemingly endless parade of pocket-sized tablets, Amazon has more competition to contend with than ever. But while the company's acknowledged that its tablets are basically just content delivery vessels, it's chosen to compete on specs as well, with a 1,920 x 1,200, 323-ppi display, a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and new software features that include baked-in video customer support and a "Second Screen" TV feature. So is that enough to keep the Kindle Fire competitive?
Amazon's Fire OS 3.0 'Mojito' arrives just in time for those new tablets
New hardware without a software refresh? Don't make Jeff Bezos laugh. Today's arrival of three new slates also marks the unveiling of the company's latest tablet operating system. And this time, it even has a name. See, Amazon's been using "Fire OS" internally to describe the software powering its tablet line, and now we get to use it as well, with the arrival of version 3.0. As ever, Bezos and Co. have based the OS on Android (Jelly Bean, this time out), with this year's codename being "Mojito" -- a move from candy names to sugary cocktails. The operating system will ship on the new HDX and HD devices. We weren't able to confirm that it will roll out to older devices, but an Amazon rep we spoke with implied that there's a good chance of that, given earlier precedents. First thing's first: there's still no Google Play access. No surprise there, of course. After all, the company's in the habit of subsidizing the cost of its hardware based on future content sales. Still, as ever, the company was quick to point out the speed with which its proprietary app store has grown in recent years. UI-wise, things look familiar. Content is still king, with the home screen built around a river of apps, games, movies, music, et cetera. The company did respond to customer concerns, however, by adding a more familiar grid-style layout that you can access with a swipe up, which should appease all you Android users out there. Swipe from the right, and you'll see Quick Switch, which lets you switch between different recently used pieces of content.
Christie Golden's Tides of War on sale for $1.99 on Amazon
If you're looking for reading material, you're in luck -- Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War is on sale today in Amazon's Kindle store for a mere $1.99. The latest offering by Christie Golden, Tides of War takes place just prior to the events of Mists of Pandaria, including the fateful attack on Theramore that decimated the city. I can't really stress how much I recommend this book, particularly for those wanting to know more about the Theramore scenario -- the book explains it in detail, along with the first glimmers of the internal Horde conflict that have since risen to a head in Mists. Beyond that, it's just a really good, heart-wrenching read. Golden really outdid herself with the book, and at $1.99, it is absolutely worth picking up. Don't have a Kindle? No problem -- you can read the Kindle version of the book on the web, on your computer, or even on your phone using one of Amazon's Kindle apps. But if you're interested, jump on this deal fast -- it's a daily deal, so it'll be gone tomorrow!
Christie Golden's The Shattering on sale for $1.99 on Amazon
Looking for some light reading for the weekend? You're in luck, because Christie Golden's pre-Catacylsm novel The Shattering, which digs into the chaos and political turmoil caused by the Cataclysm, is on sale today in Amazon's Kindle store for a mere $1.99. It's no secret that we're fans of World of Warcraft novels in general and Christie Golden's work in particular, and at a price like this The Shattering is a heck of a bargain. So why not spend the weekend dipping your toe into World of Warcraft's extended universe? Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can read the Kindle version of the book on the web, on your computer, or on your phone using one of Amazon's Kindle apps. But if you're interested, jump on this deal fast: it's one of Amazon's daily deals, and as such, will be gone tomorrow.
Kindle Paperwhite and two Fires up for pre-order in Japan, Kindle Store opens there tomorrow
Amazon's just announced that it's bringing the entire Kindle family to Japan. The basic Paperwhite is now available to pre-order for 8,480 yen (around $106) from the online retailer, with the 3G version arriving at a slightly pricier 12,980 yen (approximately $162) -- both will start shipping November 19th. Obviously you're going to need stuff to read, so the Kindle Store is opening its doors tomorrow and shelves are stocked with over 50,000 Japanese language books (including 10,000 for free) and more than 15,000 manga titles. Amazon's tablet range is heading to Japan as well, with the Fire costing 12,800 yen (approximately $160) and the 7-inch Fire HD setting wallets back 15,800 yen (almost $200). You'll have to wait a bit longer for these two, however, as shipping is slated to begin December 19th -- hopefully arriving in time to fill those stockings.
Switched On: Android's tablet troubles
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. If Google had to pick a device category in which it wanted Android to dominate, it would certainly be mobile phones for many reasons. Indeed, the original band of Android backers was dubbed the Open Handset Alliance. However, a strong position in tablets would not only have helped to round out the Android ecosystem, it would also have created a beachhead from which to take on Microsoft prior to the launch of its tablet strategy. Alas for Google, sales of Android tablets have been lackluster and several PC-centric licensees -- including Acer, Dell, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba and even Android standard-bearer Samsung -- are hoping to improve their standing in the tablet market with imminent products based on Windows.
Bezos: Amazon breaks even on Kindle devices, not trying to make money on hardware
Amazon makes a pretty good case for its Kindle Fire HD and Paperwhite with prices as low as $199 and $119 respectively, but it turns out there's more at work than just special offers to keep them affordable. In an interview with the BBC, the company's head honcho Jeff Bezos revealed that they can keep the price tags reasonable since they don't turn a profit on the devices. "Basically, we sell the hardware at our cost, so it is break even on the hardware," Bezos said. "We're not trying to make money on the hardware." Instead, Amazon banks on making a buck when owners of the slates and e-readers purchase books, movies, games and other content through their digital storefront. This doesn't exactly come as a surprise, but we're glad that Jeff's confirmed our suspicions.
