Any news if Amazon plans on rolling out a Kindle 4.0 soon?

[Joonbug1]

Just wondering what people have heard. It would be a shame to pay so much for the K3 only for them to bring out a newer, better model.

[wallcraft]

There is no news, but in the past Amazon has been relatively successful at hiding their plans for new Kindle models.

There have been 10-11 months between 6" Kindle introductions, and the K3 was introduced on about Aug 1st. So I would not expect the K4 before the summer at the earliest. If Amazon keeps to their historical schedule, the next device will be a refreshed Kindle DX.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

There is no news, but in the past Amazon has been relatively successful at hiding their plans for new Kindle models.

There have been 10-11 months between 6" Kindle introductions, and the K3 was introduced on about Aug 1st. So I would not expect the K4 before the summer at the earliest. If Amazon keeps to their historical schedule, the next device will be a refreshed Kindle DX.

hmmm...i'm planning on getting a k3 soon, but would kick myself if the new kindles would come out just a few months after i get mine D: (planning on getting one this month)

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

i'm planning on getting a k3 soon, but would kick myself if the new kindles would come out just a few months after i get mine D: (planning on getting one this month)

Amazon has a one month return policy, so if a K4 comes out within a month of your purchase you can exchange it.

I would not hold off buying now, particularly because the Kindle is already 3rd generation and ebook readers are not like smartphones - new releases are not automatically better than last quarter's hot new device. The current Kindle and Sony models were major advances over their predecessors, but the Kobo (with hardware that is essentially 3 years old) is still selling well.

[Joonbug1]

I saw a Kindle 3 in Target the other day and was thinking about getting it, but just couldn't spare the expenses due to my current budget.

Do you think it's better (if buying one) to purchase at Target or an AT&T store instead of Amazon directly? Don't stores usually have a 90 day return policy?

[SensualPoet]

I strongly agree: the K3 WiFi is a great bargain and loaded with capability. The next DX might be colour; or perhaps the next Kindle will be touch screen -- but neither are critical to a good reading experience. Unless library books and ePub is of specific importance, I always recommend the K3.

[Dopedangel]

k4 or the next kindle most likely will be an android tablet and not an eink reader.
With Amazon investing in and making an android market that what I think would be the next
kindle device

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

k4 or the next kindle most likely will be an android tablet and not an eink reader.
With Amazon investing in and making an android market that what I think would be the next
kindle device

eeeeeh D: no eink? D:

by the way, your avatar drives me nuts

[Joonbug1]

But there's been some word on the street that a K4 is coming, right?

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

k4 or the next kindle most likely will be an android tablet and not an eink reader.
With Amazon investing in and making an android market that what I think would be the next
kindle device

Amazon would be crazy to do this. Amazon is not crazy. Therefore, Amazon will not do this.

[austinmitchell]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

Amazon would be crazy to do this. Amazon is not crazy. Therefore, Amazon will not do this.

No, I think it's the next logical progression. They now have loveflim in the UK, so why not a device to consume movies?

[sabredog]

I doubt it. An e-ink dedicated ereader with a charge cycle of up to two weeks vs a colour LCD with an 8 hour charge cycle?

Also, a tablet able to play HD movies would not retail for under $150

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by austinmitchell

No, I think it's the next logical progression. They now have loveflim in the UK, so why not a device to consume movies?

Amazon doing an Android tablet, likely or not, does not imply said device would be a Kindle or would succeed/replace Kindle.
My take is when/if Amazon puts out a tablet it *won't* muddy the waters by calling it a Kindle at all.

Now, as to the timing of the next Kindle, best guess would be late spring for a new DX and late summer for a K3-segment adjustment, which might be merely a price drop and not new hardware.

K3 is already state of the art and any new tech isn't going to add much value to their target market so I wouldn't be shocked if K4 doesn't show up till next year; what you see is what you'll get for a while yet. If you don't like the K3 price/features, look at one of its fine competitors.

[Barty]

They'll come out with a new kindle when there is a new e ink display. There's no new e ink display so far, except the triton, which looks crappy. I wouldn't call it a color display; more a colorized display.

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by Barty

They'll come out with a new kindle when there is a new e ink display. There's no new e ink display so far, except the triton, which looks crappy. I wouldn't call it a color display; more a colorized display.

But from what I have read on the market it is the only colour e-ink that is available. Mirasol are from reports going no larger than 5.7" (and AFAIK yet to be available to manufacturers), other manufacturers have mentioned their wonderful screens but yet to see them available. So from a practical sense E-Ink Triton seems to be the only option for colour e-ink in the interim if one wanted to go that way.