Amazon apparently underestimated the success of its newest e-reader. The company just updated its shipping estimate, pushing back the delivery date to four to six weeks after ordering. Both models, with or without 3G, are experiencing the same delay. And it’s no surprise — the device is more than an incremental improvement.

With a new lighting system, a screen with a higher resolution and a more responsive touch interface, the Kindle Paperwhite has enough new features to convince new buyers as well as existing Kindle owners. After using the device for a few days, our own John Biggs qualified it as a reader’s dream.

Yet, one of the major improvement over past Kindle models is that the screen is now a traditional, more responsive capacitive touch screen instead of an infrared-based screen. Navigating the interface or even just turning a page is therefore much quicker.

Amazon now refines its e-reader flagship device every year in order to integrate the latest E Ink technologies while perfecting the overall user experience. While the Kindle Touch was the first touch-based Kindle, it was very slow for many users who opted for the simpler and cheaper Kindle model with traditional buttons.

With the new screen and the notable improvements in responsiveness, customers seem to have responded unambiguously. Even though Amazon’s supply chain isn’t as efficient as other successful companies, such as Apple, the shipping estimate news should be considered a good sign for the Kindle ecosystem. If Amazon’s success continues with its e-readers, the company should stay committed to the e-book space.

[via Me and My Kindle]

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Amazon is a company that just cannot stop leaking information about its new products. Before the live coverage of Amazon’s press conference on TechCrunch at 10:30 in Santa Monica, it is now a good time to write down what we know about Amazon’s lineup.

New Kindle devices are highly expected and the major focus of the conference should be on hardware. The Nexus 7 has proven to be a beautifully-designed cheap 7-inch tablet and an update to the Kindle Fire would be a welcomed announcement. The Kindle Touch has lost its edge in the e-reader landscape with the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight. Moreover the Pearl E Ink screen has not been updated since 2010. Lastly, there are some rumors that Amazon might finally be ready to release a Kindle-branded phone.

Kindle Fire

Even though Amazon claims that the Kindle Fire is now sold out, what it really means is that Amazon stopped production of the current Kindle Fire — a device cannot be sold out because it is the company that decides to stop production. Seeing how Amazon is desperate for attention, a new Kindle Fire is therefore very likely.

Some pictures of the device leaked. It still sports a 7-inch display with a narrower matte bezel and maybe a front-facing camera on some models. Amazon could choose to only offer the camera on the higher-end model to keep the entry price very low.

A 10-inch device could be introduced as well but we are much less confident about this rumor as the price has always been an important selling point for Amazon over the years. And of course it would put that purported tablet in direct confrontation with the iPad.

Talking about prices, in order to keep its edge in the race to the bottom, Amazon may adopt a similar strategy as its ereader strategy. In other words, Amazon may lower the price by showing ads — also known as special offers — when you turn on the device. A $149 device sure looks attractive when it is just a click away to add to your virtual cart.

Engadget received some logs that could indicate that the new Kindle Fire operating system will be based on Android 4.0.3 instead of 2.2 — a much needed improvement for third-party developers and even users. A bump in specs would be logical as well, with for example an improved processor and a screen with a better resolution.

And then there is the Firedock. Amazon trademarked the brand, probably for an accessory. Will it be unveiled today?

Kindle Touch

While we are not sure about the entry-level Kindle, the Kindle Touch is likely to receive an update. It is currently unavailable on Amazon.com. It did not receive the same PR treatment as the Kindle Fire, but the Kindle Touch is in need of an update as well.

Yesterday, the new Kindle Touch was teased by Amazon in an ad. The home button is gone and the bezel is now black.

Competitors such as the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight or the just-announced Kobo Glo have a screen that glows in the dark. Contrarily to what it looks like, those devices are front-lit and not backlit. It uses small LEDs in the bezel to project light on a transparent film. The Kindle Touch should probably use the same technology due to the characteristics of E Ink screens.

Another improvement would be a new E Ink screen. The current Pearl screen has been used in Kindle e-readers since 2010. The company E Ink stated that a generation is supposed to last two years. Screen contrast between the text and the background should be improved as well as screen refresh rate for faster page turns — it depends on the processor too. But the more important improvement would be a bump in resolution. The Kindle has had the same 800

Well, Barnes and Noble seems to be in a giving mood today. The company revealed earlier this morning that eager customers can nab themselves a 16GB Nook Tablet for $199 — $50 off its original price. Meanwhile, the 8GB Nook Tablet now goes for $179 (down from $199), and aging Nook Color can how be had for the relatively low price of $149.

As for why Barnes and Noble has suddenly decided to slash prices — well, there are a few reasons why the move makes plenty of sense.

We’re already knee-deep in August for one, which means the back-to-school buying frenzy is starting to heat up considerably. Students (with parents in tow, naturally) will be trawling their local big box stores and online retailers for gadgets to accompany them to school, and a little price break makes the Nook lineup just a bit more palatable.

Perhaps more important here is the issue of competition. B&N’s line of e-readers are right up there with Kindle series, but its Nook Tablets have plenty of strong rivals to contend with and a lower price tag couldn’t hurt. After a bit of a rough start, Google’s impressive little Nexus 7 is endearing itself to those watching the low-cost tablet space, and it shouldn’t be long before Amazon releases something new to stymie its rival. In fact, recent rumblings indicate that Amazon may make its move sooner rather than later.

Barnes and Noble isn’t the only e-reader peddler that has recently futzed with product pricing — Amazon slashed the price of its aging (and hefty) Kindle DX earlier this week, and astute observers were quick to point out that models like the Kindle Touch 3G were curiously unavailable from the online retailer.

Gizmodo took the news as potential proof that Amazon was trying to burn through existing inventory ahead of a long-rumored Kindle announcement they believe will take place next week. While multiple sources have pointed to a new Kindle unveiling in the third quarter, I’m not quite convinced the timing is right just yet — each previous crop of Kindles were on the market for over a year before its successors were revealed. Amazon’s most recent Kindle announcement was also preceded by an invitation that went out to the press a week prior to the event, and so far as I know nothing like that has hit anyone’s inbox yet.

That’s not to say Amazon won’t make a move next week, but I’m not quite onboard with the notion yet. Then again, I wouldn’t mind being wrong this time — my 2nd generation Kindle is getting a bit long in the tooth.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Amazon’s $79 Kindle may be the least flashy of the the bunch, but the Seattle company is starting to push out a new software update that adds some much-needed functionality to their cost-conscious e-reader.

One of the biggest additions to the mix is support for Kindle Format 8, Amazon’s relatively new e-book file format. The $79 Kindle seems to be bringing up the rear in that respect, as the Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch, and most of the Kindle mobile apps have already been updated to play well with those newer KF8 files.

It may sound like a minor enhancement, but it affords content creators and publishers (among other things) much finer control over the styling and layout of an e-book. As such, it also opens up the $79 Kindle to content like comic books that lean heavily on the Kindle Panel View feature, as well as children’s books that use fixed layouts and text popups.

If that wasn’t enough, the update also packs improved parental controls to keep the young ones out of the Kindle Store or the device’s experimental web browser. Also on board is a new, slightly crisper font that Amazon claims will make for a more “paper-like reading experience,” and a new grouping meant solely for dictionaries within the main book listing to help clean up some of the clutter.

All thrilling stuff, no? You can expect your Kindle to get the update via WiFi within a few weeks, but you can always download and install it yourself if you’re the impatient type.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

For all the benefits that come with living in Europe — sharing a unified currency, easy access to medical care — getting timely access to Amazon’s popular line of Kindle e-readers isn’t one of them.

Amazon begun rolling out their WiFi-only Kindles in a few new markets this past December and followed up by shipping their Kindle Touch to new markets as well. At long last though, digital bibliophiles in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy will soon get their chance to curl up with the online retailer’s touch-friendly e-reader — starting on April 27, the Kindle Touch will officially launch in each of the countries’ respective Amazon stores.

If you were perhaps hoping for an explanation for the delay, I’d advise you not to hold your breath. The BBC posed that same question to Amazon European Vice President of Kindle Jorrit Van der Meulen, who offered no insight into what caused the five month delay between the Kindle Touch’s U.S. release and its debut in Europe. Devin laid out a few credible possibilities when the news first broke, but the official rationale is still under wraps for now.

Whether or not the Kindle Touch will actually sell is another question — the WiFi-only Kindle Touch will cost users £109/€129, while the tricked-out 3G model will retail for £169/€189. Meanwhile the bog-standard non-touch Kindle has been readily available in all those markets since December, and its €99 price tag has endeared it to many a thoughtful shopper over the holidays. Amazon also faces competition from players like Sony and Kobo, whose own touchscreen e-readers have been on the market for quite some time.

While a total of two modern Kindles (three if you count the 3G model) are definitely better than none, there’s still no word on whether or not Amazon’s wallet-friendly Kindle Fire tablet is slated to take a similar trip across the pond. Here’s hoping it makes the transition soon, though considering Amazon’s track record, European Fire fans should probably settle in for a long wait.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Seattle-area startup Puzzazz began as a creator of online, mobile, and e-book puzzles. But they’ve established a new core technology that might end up being a bigger draw than their Sudoku apps. They call it TouchWrite, and it lets you draw letters and numbers directly on the screen instead of tapping them on the on-screen keyboard.

A modest achievement in some ways — basic handwriting recognition goes back decades — but the fact is that the ability to draw a B or 7 right on the screen is handy, and more natural to puzzle-doers than the alternative. But more importantly, it’s a fundamental method of interaction that none of the touchscreen e-readers have implemented, and Puzzazz is in a position to make their solution the official one.

The company received around $400,000 in funding last year from a group of investors, and has clearly been spending it wisely. They analyzed a great amount of handwriting samples and developed TouchWrite, which recognizes many styles of writing, though the inability of the user to see what is being written (the passive screen doesn’t refresh fast enough) limits its applications somewhat.

Right now it’s only available on touchable Kindles in their new Sudoku e-book, Sudoku Unbound Volume 3. Speaking to GeekWire, Puzzazz founder Roy Leban declined to comment about expanding the technology into other areas of the Kindle Touch ecosystem. He also did not mention anything about bringing the technology to other devices, like the Nook or Kobo Touch.

With luck they’ll have interested parties knocking down their door, but they’ll have to move fast: the field is full of imitators who will gladly seize the opportunity if Puzzazz wavers. Amazon or another might even develop it internally. And beyond that, the half-life of an e-reader is getting shorter; before long a new generation of devices might make this new method of input obsolete. In the meantime, though, it looks a lot more convenient (for Sudoku at least) than existing methods with d-pads and on-screen keyboards.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

Last minute Christmas shoppers, take notice. Amazon has your back. The online retailer announced free expedited shipping on many items. Stop procrastinating and get your Christmas shopping done. Or wait a bit longer. The cut-off is tomorrow night anyway.

Order by 8 pm PT on December 21 for free two-day shipping on the $79 Kindle, $99 Kindle Touch, $149 Kindle Touch 3G and $199 Kindle Fire. Amazon is already selling the product family at a rate of more than 1 million units per week and this offer will likely up that count. To take advantage of the offer, shoppers simply need to add the desired Kindle to their shopping cart.

But if the Kindle isn’t on your shopping list, Amazon has an even more tempting offer involving free one-day shipping. The offer only applies to a limited selection of items, but if the order is placed by 11:59 pm PT on December 21, Amazon will throw in free one-day shipping. The expedited shipping will mostly likely get the item to its location with plenty of time for wrapping before Christmas morning.

I say you put off buying your significant other’s gift just a little bit longer. You’ve already waited this long so why not wait a bit longer? Thankfully both of these offers expire tomorrow evening. That leaves plenty of time for more procrastination, right? I mean, you have plenty of time to take advantage of these offers. 36 hours is, like, forever.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

It’s Black Friday in the United States, but Amazon this morning revealed a couple of deals that it will be running from Cyber Monday and/or the next few days (specifically, starting at midnight on Sunday, November 27, through the end of next week).

The company will be selling a $79 Kindle, a $99 Kindle Touch, a $149 Kindle Touch 3G and a $199 Kindle Fire – it reiterates that the latter device is “currently the best-selling item across all of Amazon”. Good thing they’re prepared for the rush.

Also see: Apple’s Black Friday Deals Go Live: Up To $61 Off On iPad 2, $101 Off On Macs

On Cyber Monday, Amazon says it will also introduce new deals on other popular products, and the company was kind enough to offer a ‘sneak peek’ at some of the deals you can expect. Those that I assume will interest you the most are listed below:

- Sony Cybershot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP Digital Camera: $199 (save $150)
- Pentax K-5 Digital SLR (Body Only): $999 (save $200)
- Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Bundle (includes Fable III and Halo Reach): $199 (save $100)
- Nokia N8 (Unlocked): $299.99 (save $249)
- Monster Diddybeats Headphones: $59.99 (save $89)
- Save up to 50% off select VTech electronic toys

Amazon says last year’s Cyber Monday was its absolute peak day last year, with more than 13.7 million items ordered worldwide (or 158 items per second).

Note that there are other gadgets that we think you should look for on Black Friday.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

If you were thinking of laying out the cash for one of the new touch-based e-readers, now would be a good time. Kobo is dropping the price of its Touch e-reader device, which I reviewed here, to $99 if you’re willing to see ads when the device is sleeping.

That puts it at the same price as the Kindle Touch and the Nook Simple Touch, which really was an essential step considering the aggressive price war between Amazon and Barnes & Noble right now. But let us not forget that the Nook is going for $79 on Black Friday. That’s a solid deal.

At the normal price, it really is kind of a difficult choice. I haven’t used the newest Kindles, but between the Nook and the Kobo I preferred the latter; I just prefer Kobo’s design, and the format support is a little better, too.

But would I recommend it over a $79 Nook? I can’t say I would, because the Nook is a solid device too (John prefers it) and it’s hard to say no at that price. But if you can’t get one on Black Friday or Cyber Monday (there are no guarantees, of course), take a good look at all three options before taking your pick. You can’t go wrong, but one of them might be a little righter than the others.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch

The reviews are in: The Kindle Fire is a dog. Mostly. But don’t tell those that jumped on the bandwagon early because Amazon is shipping the Fire a day earlier than expected. The device was supposed to ship tomorrow, but the retailer just announced that it’s hitting shipping channels today. The Kindle Touch is also shipping earlier than previously announced. The new touchscreen Kindles will leave Amazon fullfillment centers tomorrow, six days early.

Amazon announced the Fire in late September and instantly won the Android tablet race. Even with the poor initial reviews, the Fire will still be a winner thanks to a smart content ecosystem that puts substance before specs. Even prior to its release, the Fire managed to become Amazon’s top selling item. But that title might not last long. The first round of reviews hit today, stating that the Fire’s custom Android build isn’t polished, unoriginal and sluggish in operation.

“We’re thrilled to be able to ship Kindle Fire to our customers earlier than we expected. Kindle Fire quickly became the bestselling item across all of Amazon.com, and based on customer response we’re building millions more than we’d planned,” said Dave Limp, Vice President, Amazon Kindle in a released statement today. “Customers are excited about Kindle Fire because it is a premium product at the non-premium price of only $199.”

Some analysts pegged the Fire to even outsell the iPad this holiday season. It still might even with negative reviews from such heavyweights as David Pogue as Amazon knows marketing and product distribution. Besides Amazon, the Fire is available from Best Buy, Staples, Office Max, Target, and Radio Shack; that’s more retailers than sold the original iPad. Combine the available retailers with the Kindle brand and Amazon will likely sell more than few Fires.

Article courtesy of TechCrunch