Exclusive: meet the Amazon Kindle with 'Paperwhite' backlit display

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

Tablets use capacitive and are not blurry. Sony's screen was resistive, which is different.

Tablets are not eink, tablets are lit from behind, not in front.

[nobylspoon]

Only 2GB internal memory for Paperwhite

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by nobylspoon

Only 2GB internal memory for Paperwhite

How many books are you planning on bring with you? Now granted, if you store a lot of audio files this could be an issue... but I think Amazon definitely wants to steer people to the Fire line for uses other than pure reading.

--
Bill

[ucfgrad93]

The Paperwhite Kindles do not have TTS. Amazon is definitely steering people who want audio capabilities toward the Fire line.

[MovieBird]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

How many books are you planning on bring with you? Now granted, if you store a lot of audio files this could be an issue... but I think Amazon definitely wants to steer people to the Fire line for uses other than pure reading.

--
Bill

This fills up fast when the producer of the book doesn't know what the f*ck they're doing. I recently tried a couple of books from The Spook's Apprentice series, and they weight in at over 40 MB a piece. This is due to the number of illustrations inside, but the point is, 2 GB ain't sh*t as producers cram more and more stuff other than text into their offerings.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by MovieBird

This fills up fast when the producer of the book doesn't know what the f*ck they're doing. I recently tried a couple of books from The Spook's Apprentice series, and they weight in at over 40 MB a piece. This is due to the number of illustrations inside, but the point is, 2 GB ain't sh*t as producers cram more and more stuff other than text into their offerings.

And '2 GB' is really only 1.2 GB free space. And if they ever really support fixed-layout for eInk Kindles..

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by ucfgrad93

The Paperwhite Kindles do not have TTS. Amazon is definitely steering people who want audio capabilities toward the Fire line.

And I see no mention of TTS support being added to the Fire reading app. They want to sell audiobooks (okay but at least give me a deal on the bundle). No doubt the whispersync voice is cool, but TTS is just fine, particularly if you get to replace the stock Android TTS engine (which Fire has not allowed thus far). The Android reading apps I use for ePub and PDF all support TTS.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Audiobook Whispersync. Wonder if Kindle can participate in that and if it works with iOS/Android apps.

Wonder if they'll be updating the original Fire software.
.

Unless there is a mistake in the Paperwhite promo page at Amazon, the KPW doesn't have audio. (Big bummer. I suspect the Kindle Touches will fetch a pretty penny on ebay if it's true.)

Bezos comments at the tail end of the conference about the "upgrade treadmill" suggest the Fire V1 will get at least some of the new software features.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Audiobook Whispersync. Wonder if Kindle can participate in that and if it works with iOS/Android apps.

Someone posted a thread mentioning that CS said the K3/Keyboard was getting support (and the Fire 1) in a new update. Maybe the KTouch as well?

[copyrite]

Originally Posted by tomsem

And I see no mention of TTS support being added to the reading app. They want to sell audiobooks. No doubt the whispersync voice is cool, but TTS is just fine, particularly if you get to replace the stock Android TTS engine (which Fire doesn't allow).

They don't mention TTS on this comparison page of the current models being offered (including the K3K), and it's not listed in the specs of the K3Keyboard lower on the page.

Ah, well maybe I need a new PW for general reading, and save the K3K for the ride.

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Someone posted a thread mentioning that CS said the K3/Keyboard was getting support (and the Fire 1) in a new update. Maybe the KTouch as well?

The KTouch appears to be history. Looks like they plan to sell the Keyboard for a while yet?

I can't listen to TTS for long periods of time, but it works well for my 30-40 daily commute.

[fjtorres]

Re: capacitance - I've noticed that both my mother's KT and my PRS-T1 are prone to bouts of spurrious "ghost touches". With the T1 I can make it respond (unpredictably, alas) by holding it too tight. (The plastic case is nice and light but it does flex more than some are comfortable with.) The odd ant or dust spec when reading outdoors does the same.
Given the increased resolution, hand-tuned fonts, and several years of technology development since the days of the Sony 700, I wouldn't assume the KPW will have degraded image quality because of the use of a capacitance film. At a minimum, I would wait for reviewers to start carping.

[dukesilver]

did they say that the K4 will also be getting additional fonts? I would think that it should since it's the same device as the new $69 kindle.

If so, surely they'll give the Kindle Touch updated fonts as well, right?

[vxf]

I am excited about the Paperwhite. Despite the name. Just placed a pre-order for a 3g one. Now, I wait.

Still waiting...

Still waiting...

[LovesMacs]

The Paperwhite Kindles as shown on Amazon's website look like they have black frames instead of the previous generation's dark gray. I'm sure the darker frames contribute to better perceived contrast above and beyond any improvements in the screen technology itself.

Will I buy one? Probably not. My Kindle Touch does the job just fine. But oh does that built-in light look tempting...

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by LovesMacs

The Paperwhite Kindles as shown on Amazon's website look like they have black frames instead of the previous generation's dark gray. I'm sure the darker frames contribute to better perceived contrast above and beyond any improvements in the screen technology itself.

Will I buy one? Probably not. My Kindle Touch does the job just fine. But oh does that built-in light look tempting...

Trade-in!