Amazon's new Kindle is under $100 and lets you read in the dark

[DPennington]

Recap: Amazon is set to release its new Kindle, the base model of the titular Kindle family. The 2019 Kindle features a backlight for the first time, although the price has increased from $50 to $90.

Amazon has announced a new base model Kindle which features a front light, the first time the illumination technology has ever been implemented in an entry-level reader from the company.

The new Kindle will replace the previous Kindle, and will increase the price to $89.99. The previous Kindle cost only $50, but did not include a backlight.

Brightness on the new Kindle will be adjustable on-screen, allowing readers to find their comfort level based on their surroundings. Other features of the 2019 Kindle include Bluetooth connectivity, allowing wireless headphones for audiobook playback, a sleeker design, and a 6-inch e-ink display. The device still offers weeks of battery life from a single charge.

The display, at 167ppi, isn't nearly as sharp as the 300ppi screen on the Kindle Paperwhite, which costs twice as much. Still, the addition of the backlight gives the baseline Kindle a much better experience. As a Kindle aficionado myself, I can say from experience that the Kindle without the backlight is borderline-unusable when reading in less-than-perfect lighting conditions. After getting one for Christmas in 2016, I very quickly replaced it with a Paperwhite. If you're looking to try out an e-reader for the first time, the new Kindle is a much better option than the previous version.

Beware though - the Kindle isn't waterproof like its pricier siblings. If you plan to read by the pool, check out the aptly-named Kindle Oasis.

You can pre-order the 2019 Kindle starting now, with a release date set for April 10th.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/79285-amazon-new-kindle-under-100-you-read-dark.html

 

[rrwards]

This will cut down on the absolutely ridiculous amount of 1-star reviews on the base model because "I can't see the screen at all in the dark, USELESS".

 

[theruck]

It is front light not back light, you should know as this is supposed to be a technology dedicated web site...

 

[EClyde]

I read with the light on

 

[kapital98]

I love my Kindle Paperwhite. Awesome for light nonfiction or almost any non-graphic novel.

Still, it seems like Amazon is just replacing the base model with a slightly cheaper Paperwhite (lower resolution in favor of $30 less).

All of the new base 'features' already exist on the paperwhite [except the bluetooth]. Even the dimensions are the same.

So, great news that a cheaper paperwhite is available. Bad news that the $50 base model will no longer exist.

 

[Thrackerzod]

It still can't read epubs, so no thanks. I don't like being locked into a proprietary marketplace.

 

[rrwards]

It still can't read epubs, so no thanks. I don't like being locked into a proprietary marketplace.

Except that you absolutely can sideload any ebooks (of most any file type) using software like Calibre. Heck you can use that same software to strip Amazon DRM from your purchased titles and read them anywhere too.

 

[Thrackerzod]

Except that you absolutely can sideload any ebooks (of most any file type) using software like Calibre. Heck you can use that same software to strip Amazon DRM from your purchased titles and read them anywhere too.

I still like my Nook. Supports epub natively, no need to use other apps or jailbreak anything.