Amazon has unveiled its first color Kindle, the Kindle Colorsoft, which will be priced at $279.99 and released on October 30th. This new e-reader will allow users to see book covers and interior pictures in color, as well as add highlights in color. The display will be 7 inches, similar in size to Amazon’s black-and-white Kindle Paperwhite device. Amazon is entering the color e-reader market later than its competitors, with companies like Kobo and Onyx already releasing their own color E Ink devices.
In addition to the Kindle Colorsoft, Amazon has also announced the second-generation Kindle Scribe writing tablet and e-reader. This device will allow users to take handwritten digital notes directly in the flow of e-books for the first time, through a feature called Active Canvas. Another new note-taking option is Extended Margin, which allows users to write notes in an on-screen side panel, with the ability to hide or show them afterward. An additional feature uses generative AI to summarize handwritten notes into bullets, in a format that can be shared.
The Active Canvas feature and AI summarization will also be available as software updates for users of the original Kindle Scribe. Active Canvas and AI features will be released later this year, while Extended Margin will be available in 2025. The new Kindle Scribe has upgraded displays and pens to mimic the experience of writing on real paper. The front-lit display is 10.2 inches, the same size as the original Scribe. The price for the new Kindle Scribe begins at $399.99 for a 16GB version with a basic pen, with shipments starting on December 4th.
Amazon also introduced updates to its Kindle Paperwhite and entry-level Kindle devices. The Kindle Paperwhite will be priced between $159.99 and $199.99, depending on the model, while the entry-level Kindle will be available for $109.99. There is also a $129.99 Kindle Kids version, which includes kid-oriented cover designs and six months of Amazon Kids+ access to books and audiobooks. The entry-level Kindle competes with products from companies like reMarkable, which recently released its Paper Pro color tablet and continues to sell its black-and-white reMarkable 2 device.
Overall, Amazon’s devices lineup includes the Kindle Colorsoft, Kindle Scribe, Kindle Paperwhite, and entry-level Kindle. These new devices aim to offer a more interactive and engaging reading experience for users, with features such as color displays, advanced note-taking capabilities, and generative AI summarization of handwritten notes. With Amazon’s entry into the color e-reader market and enhancements to its existing devices, the company is continuing to innovate in the e-reader space and provide customers with new ways to enjoy digital reading.
