Amazon has announced a new addition to its Kindle e-reader lineup, introducing its first device with a color display. Since the Kindle’s initial release in 2007, all models have featured black-and-white screens. The newly unveiled Kindle, known as the Kindle Colorsoft, offers a display designed to maintain vibrant colors without distortion, even when users zoom in on images. Priced at $279, the Kindle Colorsoft promises “weeks of battery life” and is available for preorder, with shipping commencing on October 30.
In addition to the Kindle Colorsoft, Amazon revealed several other updates to its e-reader collection. These include a refreshed $399 Kindle Scribe, which incorporates new note-taking capabilities, an updated $159 Kindle Paperwhite, and a 12th generation Kindle priced at $109. During a press event in New York, Panos Panay, Amazon’s devices chief, described the updates as the “largest single refresh” of the Kindle lineup to date.
The Kindle Scribe, originally released in 2022, features a pen that enables users to annotate, create to-do lists, and write directly on book pages. Among its enhancements is the Active Canvas feature, allowing users to take notes on e-book pages while text automatically adjusts around them. Users can also make margin notes and conceal them when needed. Moreover, the Kindle Scribe introduces a generative artificial intelligence feature that summarizes notes, utilizing the Bedrock software tool. This technology enables access to large language models from Amazon as well as from companies like Anthropic and Stability AI. The Kindle Scribe is currently available for preorder and will ship on December 4.
The latest version of the Kindle Paperwhite boasts increased speed and a larger 7-inch display, compared to the previous model’s 6.8-inch screen. Amazon claims the 12th generation Kindle is its most compact e-reader yet and features a brighter display. Both devices have been made available for purchase starting Wednesday.
