The big picture: Amazon has announced its first color e-reader, finally giving in to years of requests from Kindle users. The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition was introduced alongside a handful of other digital readers, expanding the popular lineup with the latest technology.
The new Kindle features a 7-inch display (300 PPI black and white, 150 PPI color) with an auto-adjusting front light. Amazon used an oxide backplane with custom waveforms to boost performance and contrast, while nitride LEDs and custom algorithms help enhance color and improve brightness without washing out fine details.
Colorsoft comes with 32 GB of on-device storage, which should be enough to hold thousands of books. You also get free cloud storage for all Amazon content. Battery life should not be concern, either, as a single charge can last up to eight weeks when reading for half an hour a day. A full recharge takes less than two and a half hours, we are told. Charging can take place over USB-C or wirelessly.
Amazon's latest supports 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz wireless connectivity, is IPX8 certified to withstand submersion in up to two meters of fresh water for an hour, and comes backed by a one year warranty. Amazon guarantees the device will receive security updates for at least four years after it is last available for sale as new, so no worries on that front.
The Signature Edition Colorsoft measures 5.0 inches wide by 7.0 inches tall and is 0.3 inches thick, tipping the scales at 7.7 ounces (219 grams).
Colorsoft will likely attract fans of graphic novels and comics, but the appeal does not end there. Amazon touts the ability to highlight content in multiple colors and revisit collections later by color. Others will no doubt find value in being able to browse covers in color in their library or on the Kindle store.
The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is available to pre-order now and is priced at $279.99. It is scheduled to launch on October 30, 2024.
Amazon introduces its first color e-reader, the $279 Kindle Colorsoft
