If you want a quick read while on the train or bus there’s a big chance that you’ll pull out an e-book reader instead of a paperback. In just a few short years e-readers have revolutionized the way people read and buy new books and magazines. Amazon’s Kindle is probably the most well-known and popular e-reader, and the company is poised to release a new version of the bestselling e-reader. The Kindle Touch is scheduled to be released on November 21, 2011 and you can get it for as low as $99.
Kindle Touch Features at a Glance
- E-Ink Pearl Screen is optimized for easy reading even in sunlight
- Simple to use touchscreen lets you do things more quickly; page turns are noiseless
- 6-inch screen with 600 by 800 resolution
- Comes with audio, text-to-speech, audio books and mp3’s
- Built-in Wi-Fi allows you to download books in 60 seconds
- Massive book selection with over 800,000 titles
- Solid battery life
- Now offers Library Book Support
Compact and Ergonomic Design
The Kindle Touch is light and compact, measuring 6.8” by 4.7” by 0.40”. It weighs a mere 7.5 ounces. The e-reader is easy to hold while the e-Ink Pearl Screen makes it easy to read even in bright sunlight. The device’s advanced e-Ink touchscreen eliminates glare and reads like real paper.
With its full touchscreen display, you can turn the pages, navigate, or take notes more easily. To turn the page, simply tap on most of the screen area. Tap on an area near the left edge of the e-reader to go back to the previous page. If you encounter an unfamiliar word, tap on it to call up definitions. Tapping on the top part of the touchscreen brings up the toolbars, allowing you to do other things such as search or shop for books.
What You Get
- The $99 price is for the Kindle Touch with Special Offers. This means you get ads on your Kindle home page as well as ads instead of screensavers. If you do not want ads, expect to pay $139.
- This e-reader uses the latest e-Ink technology. It’s easy to read even in sunlight but does not come with a backlight.
- The touchscreen makes the Kindle Touch easier to use.
- Offers faster page turns.
- A built-in Wi-Fi allows free Wi-Fi access at AT&T hotspots. Wireless download of books over WiFi can be done in 60 seconds.
- Long battery life up to two months if you read for 30 minutes a day with the wireless connection off.
- Kindle Store has over 800,000 titles at the best prices, as well as free book offers and deals.
- 4 GB of memory allocates 3 GB for your use. You can store up to 3,000 books.
- Unlimited Free Cloud Storage for Amazon content.
- Text to Speech is available unless disabled by the Publishers
- One-time lending to one person, unless disabled by the Publishers.
- Offers Library Book Support.
- Comes with experimental browser.
WiFi and 3G
The Kindle Touch comes in two models: the Kindle Touch which comes with WiFi and Kindle Touch 3G which comes with free 3G + WiFi.
Kindle Touch is ideal if you have a high-speed internet connection with a wireless router at home.
Kindle Touch 3G comes with both WiFi and 3G connectivity. The built-in 3G connectivity is free and uses the same wireless signals as your cell phone. There are no monthly fees to be paid. The e-reader’s 3G connectivity allows you to download books anytime while you are on the go, without having to find a WiFi hotspot.
No Web-Surfing over 3G
Surfing the web using the Kindle Touch 3G’s experimental browser can be done only in WiFi mode. The e-reader allows users to connect to the Kindle Store, download books and magazines, and access Wikipedia over 3G or WiFi. However, web-browsing on the Kindle Touch 3G, outside of Wikipedia, is available only over WiFi.
Most people, anyway, will prefer to access the web on their smartphones and the WiFi-only web-surfing limitation is not expected to be a deal breaker. Some people, however, are bound to be disappointed that the free 3G is not as useful as they expected.
Kindle Touch Review
The $99 price tag on the upcoming Kindle is what everyone expected, knowing that Amazon would aim for a sub-$100 e-reader. However, no one was expecting a Kindle Touch. At the price, this e-book reader is good value for the money. Lots of people are expected to go for the Kindle Touch at this customer-friendly price. On top of that, Amazon’s newest e-book reader comes with awesome features, including a touchscreen, text to speech capability, advanced e-Ink technology, and easy access to the Kindle Store, all for the magical price of $99.
To purchase the Kindle Touch be sure to visit Amazon.com.
Wow, $99 sure is an attractive price! A few years ago I purchased the Sony touchscreen e-reader for about twice as much and it doesn’t offer nearly as many features. But then again, I guess that’s how it is with all electronics. They become obsolete so fast. *sigh* I think the built in wi-fi that allows you to easily download books directly to the reader is a great convenience. It’s a drag connecting my e-reader to my laptop with a usb cable. I also like the unlimited cloud storage for items purchased at Amazon. It’s an effortless way to keep a backup of your books and music. The main downside as I see it is being locked into buying books from Amazon. I shop at Amazon all the time and have no issues with them, but I still would prefer if they sold readers that used the open standard ePub format that Sony uses. I like to have a choice where I shop, plus most libraries use the ePub standard.
I agree with you about the open standard ePub format. I guess Amazon wants to ensure that they get sales by using their own proprietary format.
I am torn between the new Kindle Touch and the new Kindle Fire. The Fire is twice the price, but it also offers a beautiful color screen and allows you to browse the web like an iPad and check e-mail. On the other hand, my frugal side says — you already have a laptop (and a netbook) and semi-smart phone and you don’t need another device that offers limited connectivity to the web! If the main goal is to read books on the device, these other features may prove to be a distraction. Also, is color really needed to read a book? For centuries the printed page standard has been black and white. Decisions, decisions ….!
Hi Diane, I choose kindle to be my ebook reader because it’s use e-ink screen technology. I can read ebook for a long time. I dont know about kindle fire. but with amazon support, kindle fire can be a good choice for ebook reader
I have the Original Kindle with e-ink as well. I love the idea of the Fire, but not sure how easy it will be to read.