New Kindles, Support GWJ

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The tech world caught fire today with Amazon announcing their new Kindle devices. A 6" screen e-ink reader for as little as $79 ($109 without ads). A touchscreen Kindle Touch for $99 or $139 if you want one without any ads. Finally, the Kindle Fire is a $199 Android tablet with a ton of custom software that gives you access to all of Amazon's services. It looks pretty damn good.

Kindle e-Reader
Kindle Touch
Kindle Fire

If you're planning to get on that pre-order bandwagon, please use the links in this post and GWJ will get a kick-back on the proceeds. It won't cost you anything extra and you can use it justify your impulse purchase. Win win! Note: this only works for the US Amazon store.

Comments

Katy wrote:
Nevin73 wrote:

So doest this mean that e-ink is dead?

Four of the five new devices are e-ink only (or e-ink + touchscreen).

Seems to me the only new devices were the Touch and Fire, which are both touchscreens. The others are just re-priced. I know my Kindle has been re-branded as the Kindle Keyboard 3G.

Personally I would love a display that could switch between e-ink and backlit touchscreen, but I am sure that is physically impossible (for now).

I still want a Fire.

polq37 wrote:

Would have been nice if Amazon had these new Kindles for sale right when they got everybody all excited about them. What's the point in drumming up feverish excitement for a product that isn't going to be on the shelves for a month and a half?

You can pre-order it now. I'm sure that's what they want you to do.

[nitpick]
Also, it won't be on any shelf in a month and a half. It will simply begin shipping from their warehouses.
[/nitpick]

I finished watching TWiT's (recorded) live coverage of the event, so I know a little more about the device than I did before. The Fire has some cool things going for it, and if I didn't already have a rooted Nook Color running Gingerbread, I would be tempted to get the Fire. That said, I'm now very interested to find out details on the full-sized tablet that Amazon is rumored to be releasing next year.

Nevin73 wrote:
Katy wrote:

Four of the five new devices are e-ink only (or e-ink + touchscreen).

Seems to me the only new devices were the Touch and Fire, which are both touchscreens. The others are just re-priced. I know my Kindle has been re-branded as the Kindle Keyboard 3G.

Personally I would love a display that could switch between e-ink and backlit touchscreen, but I am sure that is physically impossible (for now).

I still want a Fire.

There are 4 new devices (or 3 with one of them having 2 different models, if you want to look at it that way).

1. the new basic Kindle (no physical keyboard) - $79
2. Kindle Touch (e-ink with single touch screen) - $99
3. Kindle Touch 3G - $149
4. Kindle Fire - $199

Note: the prices for the 3 e-ink devices are all the ad-supported models (ads displayed on the menu screen and during screensaver mode). It's about $20-$30 more for each to get them with no ads.

Am I the only one here using Calibre + Kindle and NOT using Amazon (much)?

Nevin73 wrote:

Seems to me the only new devices were the Touch and Fire, which are both touchscreens. The others are just re-priced.

Touchscreen and eInk aren't mutually exclusive. The Kindle Touch is a touchscreen and eInk.

MeatMan wrote:

Kindle Touch (e-ink with single touch screen)

The Kindle Touch has a multi-touch screen like the Fire.

Been waiting on the Kindle Touch for awhile. Knew they had to have something in the works to combat the Nook Touch. If I didn't already have an iPad I would most likely go the Fire route. Looks to be an excellent device at a very appealing price point. I'm sure it will sell like mad and likely be the best selling Android tablet after the holiday season is over.

The touch is my leading contender so far since I'm really just looking for an e-reader, not a tablet. I don't have an Ipad or anything, but while I'd like to get a tablet someday I'm fine with my netbook and smart phone for now. I don't do much on-the go video watching or net surfing.

The biggest problem I'm seeing with the Touch right now is that they took away the side buttons for page turning. Seems like it would be more of a pain in the ass to actually have to put my fingers in the way of the words and touch the screen every time I want to change a page. I like how the nook still has off screen button press areas for that.

I really wish I could try before I buy the touch. I may actually just end up going the cheaper route with the new $79 kindle as I don't think I'll really use it for anything other than reading books. I have zero interest in annotations and highlighting while I'm reading, and I've already got an mp3 player if I want audio.

Cancelled my old orders and placed the new ones with the affiliate links.

Much appreciated!

I wish that there were some affiliate links to Canadian online stores.

le sigh

Pawz wrote:

Am I the only one here using Calibre + Kindle and NOT using Amazon (much)?

Nope, over here!

kaostheory wrote:

I wonder if Amazon frowns on canceling your pre-order only to immediately pre-order again with one of these links.... hmmmm

Don't know, don't care; I just did.

Dominic Knight wrote:

I'm trying so hard to not impulse buy this. Must resist the enabling.

One of us! One of us!

Nevin73 wrote:

So doest this mean that e-ink is dead?

Not for me. I'm buying a Fire, but keeping my Kindle 3 for use as a dedicated e-Reader. Fire is for everything else.

Preordered via the link, and just received SO confirmation that I get to keep it . My kindle gets more use than any other device I own.

ClockworkHouse wrote:
MeatMan wrote:

Kindle Touch (e-ink with single touch screen)

The Kindle Touch has a multi-touch screen like the Fire.

My bad. I misunderstood.

tagging, so i can support best come christmas seasons.

MeatMan wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:
MeatMan wrote:

Kindle Touch (e-ink with single touch screen)

The Kindle Touch has a multi-touch screen like the Fire.

My bad. I misunderstood.

Bad touch?

The hype of the Kindle announcement pushed me over the edge. I had already been looking to get one. But, after reviewing all in the pipeline and available today, I ended up pulling an Irongut and sticking with what I know (from the gifts to my parents) and got the ad supported 3G w/ keyboard.

For a guy who loves videogames, I really am not that adventurous am I.. geez.

I almost went for the 79 dollar model, but decided I wanted 3G access to my archive, the potential for audiobooks and the keyboard over the multi-button. I also wanted a lighted cover for night reading.. which is really the only quiet time I get and I dont believe that is available yet for the 79 dollar model. So there was some logic going on there... just very non-adventurous 'go with what I know' logic.

I couldn't see mention of what software the Fire uses to manage audio & video podcast subscriptions - are we going to able to listen our favourite podcasts while using it for something else?

I'm usually immune to gizmo-hype, but this seems to be exactly what I'm after, assuming it has a decent podcast manager...

While I completely understand the reasons why, it bothers me that from what I was reading my understanding is that you won't be able to use the Google Market with the Fire. The limits what apps you can and can't have access to. It's kind of anti-android in its own way.

To any iPad2 users out there, do you actually use the camera? I'm wondering if the lack of a camera really would prevent me from doing anything that I would actually use?

Nevin73 wrote:

To any iPad2 users out there, do you actually use the camera? I'm wondering if the lack of a camera really would prevent me from doing anything that I would actually use?

With < 1mp on the iPad2 camera, it's nothing I try to take pictures with. Video is decent, but it's an awful big device to use for video, so... nope.

In a pinch, I was able to use the iPad 2 camera in place of a mirror.

wordsmythe wrote:

In a pinch, I was able to use the iPad 2 camera in place of a mirror.

Were the screen fractures that appeared after abusing it like that covered by the Apple Warranty Replacement Policies?

I haven't asked, but my part was a little crooked.

Wow, just noticed that the difference between ad supported and non ad supported versions is up to $40 now. Does anyone with a special offers one find the ads to be that big a deal or annoying?

$40 seems a bit much to pay for control of my screen savers.

Thurgrim wrote:

Wow, just noticed that the difference between ad supported and non ad supported versions is up to $40 now. Does anyone with a special offers one find the ads to be that big a deal or annoying?

They're not annoying at all IMO. Very unobtrusive.

Thurgrim wrote:

$40 seems a bit much to pay for control of my screen savers.

You actually don't have control of your own screen either way. On the non-ad supported models you simply get a random image from a library of literature and author inspired images.

Arise!

Mine just showed up. I turned it on, connected it to my network, and it spent a few minutes downloading an update. After the reboot, it auto-synced to my Amazon account (the info was put in prior to it being shipped to me), and bam, everything is there. Have all my music on the Cloud instantly available, plus anything I've bought from the App Store. Installing Peggle now.

So far, this thing is VERY slick. Quite impressed.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Arise!

Mine just showed up. I turned it on, connected it to my network, and it spent a few minutes downloading an update. After the reboot, it auto-synced to my Amazon account (the info was put in prior to it being shipped to me), and bam, everything is there. Have all my music on the Cloud instantly available, plus anything I've bought from the App Store. Installing Peggle now.

So far, this thing is VERY slick. Quite impressed.

Have you tried Prime streaming yet?

Been watching movies on there recently and enjoying it, but mobile could be really sweet.

Stele wrote:
MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Arise!

Mine just showed up. I turned it on, connected it to my network, and it spent a few minutes downloading an update. After the reboot, it auto-synced to my Amazon account (the info was put in prior to it being shipped to me), and bam, everything is there. Have all my music on the Cloud instantly available, plus anything I've bought from the App Store. Installing Peggle now.

So far, this thing is VERY slick. Quite impressed.

Have you tried Prime streaming yet?

Been watching movies on there recently and enjoying it, but mobile could be really sweet.

Mine also showed up today, and I've been very unproductive since.

Initially, I had some troubles with the streaming, but I think it was largely because I was also downloading Bejeweled (Amazon App of the Day today, btw) and an audiobook.

I tried it again a little while ago and it seemed to work just fine. Didn't watch more than a minute of Super Troopers, but it was certainly streaming.

I also downloaded the Netflix app.

Since pre-ordering the Fire, I've been using the company iPad a bunch. The Fire is MUCH smaller (maybe 2 inches less wide and 2 inches less tall, while being just a tad thicker).

I still want to use it a bunch more before I make any formal decisions on it. I don't immediately love it with all my heart, but I didn't immediately love my e-ink Kindle either.

Stele wrote:

Have you tried Prime streaming yet?

Been watching movies on there recently and enjoying it, but mobile could be really sweet.

Just tried. Six seconds from selecting to start streaming an episode of DS9. Very easy.

Also, first post from its web browser. Woo!

I've had my Fire since Thursday and have also been very impressed. I don't much need a camera in it, or microphone or any of that. 8GB memory hasn't been an issue at all; I've got 3 versions of Angry Birds installed, the Netflix App and 15ish books and still have 5.5GB left. Beyond that, as Milkman said, Prime Instant Watch is very quick and responsive, the UI is very nicely done, and overall, the experience feels solid and polished. So if you're looking for a functional tablet that does what it does well, I don't know that anyone out there is competitive given the price point.