Amazon has just updated the Kindle, giving the world’s most popular e-reader a much-needed facelift just in time for the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.
The new device is sleeker, stronger and faster than the previous Kindle. Its body is 21 per cent smaller and 15 per cent lighter at 8.7 ounces. It has double the battery life at one month, plus double the storage capacity — enough for 3,500 books.
At $139 for a wifi only version and $189 for 3G, the new Kindle puts e-readers firmly within reach of mainstream consumers. For those looking for a cheap way in to digital reading, the Kindle is a compelling package.
Having spent a bit of time with the new device, it is true that the smaller size makes for an easier reading experience. The previous model was just big enough to feel a bit cumbersome, while the new model is about the size of a paperback book and much less obtrusive in a bag or a hand.
The optional matte black finish looks better than the previously standard white plastic, which is still available. And the keyboard and navigational buttons have been overhauled and streamlined. Critically, the joystick-like toggle on the previous version has been replaced by a more intuitive four-way navigational button.
But while the new Kindle makes some incremental improvements and packs a punch for a device at that price point, it remains saddled with some decidedly low-tech features that make even the new version seem out of date.
While the new E-Ink screen has 50 per cent better contrast, it is still small at 6 inches, and lacking touch sensitivity. Compare this to the touch-sensitive, 9.7 inch, full-colour, high-resolution screen of the Apple iPad, and the Kindle looks a bit like the original Macintosh computer from 1984 .
Navigating the Kindle remains an arduous task, with a confusing mix of “home”, “menu” and “back” buttons. Nor is typing, let alone navigating to a text box, an easy feat given the Kindle’s minuscule keyboard. All of which is especially frustrating as we enter the era of touch computing.
Amazon’s answer to these criticisms is that the Kindle is, by design, no iPad rival. It is a standalone e-reader, not a multifunction tablet computer.
Moreover, these flaws don’t seem to be slowing Kindle sales down. Amazon says it is selling more than ever these days, with “millions” already in use. Amazon also offers access to an enormous amount of content through the Kindle, even if it is expanding that library through controversial means.
The new Kindle, with its killer price, will likely help make digital reading mainstream. But in 2010, the bar for gadgetry excellence has been set higher. An iPad it is not.
