44 ms·

All-New Kindle Paperwhite

89 points by rob-alarcon 13y ago

svtiger 13y ago
I see this product having multiple life cycles. In about five years it can easily be re-branded into the Paperweight.
devindotcom 13y ago
I'll be testing this out tomorrow... but personally, I'm holding out for a larger device with higher resolution. The Kobo Aura HD is calling my name, actually.
- desireco42 13y ago
  Yeah I have similar sentiment. I think Aura HD would be ideal with bigger screen, in fact I thought this could distinguish Kindle, 6" is really OK, but something between 7 and 8 would be really what would make me get another one. I have non-glow Kindle. Maybe even something size of Kindle DX, but I would prefer slightly larger Kindle/Nook/Kobo. BTW, Got Nook HD+ since they are so cheap, loving it!
chimeracoder 13y ago
I have owned the original Paperwhite since it came out, and I love it - can't recommend it highly enough. The frontlighting is wonderful. However, I really wish that this newer one had physical buttons on the side for turning the pages, like some of the other Kindle models. I find the touchscreen rather irritating when reading. It's much easier to have buttons on the side that you can press without moving your hand/finger. If they had included this, I would easily have laid down $120 for an upgrade immediately.
- adestefan 13y ago
  I have a Kindle 3 and the sole reason why I haven't upgraded to a Paperwhite is lack of page turn buttons.
- OrsenPike 13y ago
  God yes I miss those buttons on my paperwhite :( I also wish I could turn the backlight off completely rather than just lower it to the lowest setting.
  - nwienert 13y ago
    You can turn it off completely, the lowest setting is off.
    - gmu3 13y ago
      No. The lowest setting is still slightly lit: http://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle/ref=cm_cd_pg_pg1?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdPage=1&cdThread=Tx32COF8YL5D7R2 http://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle/ref=cm_cd_pg_pg1?_encodin...
      - tzs 13y ago
        I'd say it is more than slightly lit. It is lit enough to read by in a dark room--comfortably once your eyes are dark adapted.
- jwr 13y ago
  I checked for 1) buttons, 2) a lighter version. Found none of the above, so I'll stick to my Kindle 3. I don't think Amazon appreciates how important buttons are for reading in non-perfect setups. Sure, if you're on your couch or by the swimming pool, you might not care. But try reading on a subway or a bus. Or with gloves on.
  - smackfu 13y ago
    7.3 oz is too heavy for you? That's 1.4 oz lighter than your Kindle 3.
    - ericcumbee 13y ago
      I believe he means a lighter color.
- amenod 13y ago
  Apart from Nook, is there any other "glowing" alternative with buttons? Kobo Glo doesn't have them either AFAIK...
- MBCook 13y ago
  Did you own a previous Kindle before your Paperwhite? I got a chance to try one earlier this month, and compare it to my 3rd gen Kindle Keyboard. The backlight was nice, but I had a few problems with it. The lack of physical buttons for page changing and the menus drove me nuts. If I'm holding a Paperwhite in my left hand, then to change to a new page I have to move my thumb out far enough, tap, and them bring my thumb "back in" so it doesn't cover the page. I found this to be rather annoying, having the buttons on both sides was so much easier. The other problem I had was font rendering. The Paperwhite was supposed to have a sharper screen than my 3G, but I couldn't notice a difference in text. I'm guessing it's only obvious on pictures. But I did notice that fonts looked noticeably worse. There were little blobs where it looked like things weren't being kerned correctly. I could compare it directly to the same page on my old Kindle and see the difference. I found it quite distracting. Other than that they made some small changes I didn't like. The fact that you just have to 'know' where on the screen to touch for certain things was a little odd. I kept accidentally turning the page when I wanted to bring up the menu. I really liked that it could estimate I'd be done with the chapter I was reading in 15 minutes, but I missed having the progress bar available. I could probably survive the lack of physical buttons, but the font rendering issues really annoyed me. I'll happily keep my Kindle.
  - TylerE 13y ago
    I have owned a Paperwhite since release day, and a Kindle 2 for several years before that. My feelings are mixed. I do REALLY miss the next/prev page buttons, and would happily shell out the money for a Paperwhite with buttons. I don't really miss the keyboard at all though. I mostly read at night so the lit screen is a bigger deal than the buttons, honestly. Couldn't ever go back. But both would be killer.
  - gambiting 13y ago
    Few things. To change pages with your left thumb you don't have to move it all the way to the right - you can make a little swipe motion on the left side of the screen and it will skip a page. I used to have the Kindle Keyboard(Kindle 3) and my god, its resolution was driving me crazy, like it was never sharp. Paperwhite is a lot better in that regard. HOWEVER - fonts get really jaggy after a few page turns, and that's because the paperwhite only refreshes the entire page every 5 or so turns. You can go to settings and tell it to refresh the entire page every turn - then the fonts are always super sharp. From my personal perspective - I would NEVER trade my paperwhite back for the Kindle 3. I don't mind the lack of physical buttons, and the backlight makes it fantastic.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  You know, I had a Kindle 2 and I loved the buttons, but after a book or two with the Paperwhite I'm pretty much completely used to using the touchscreen. It felt risky, but I'm kind of glad now that I took the plunge and got one without any buttons at all- the bezel around the screen is so incredibly small now compared to my old K2.
- MichaelGG 13y ago
  I find it annoying because there'll be little specs of dust, dirt, or hair, and removing them requires careful movement or I'll page turn. Also, has anyone noticed that the rendering gets slightly messed up (bolder) if you bring up a prompt, like the built-in dictionary? After it disappears, the area it covers has different font weight from the rest of the page, making me turn back and forth to reset it. Rather annoying.
- pedalpete 13y ago
  My only issue with not having buttons is with links. I don't like to 'watch' where I'm pressing to change the page, but I am often reading a technical book that will link to footnotes and I accidentaly hit a footnote link and the book jumps to god knows where. Now I can't get back to the page I was on (no back button) and spend a bunch of time finding my way back to where I was reading. I've even given up on a book because I couldn't find where I had left off. Otherwise I find I prefer my paper white to my past kindles.
  - taejo 13y ago
    There's a back button in the menu.
- tzs 13y ago
  I've got a first generation Kindle and a Paperwhite. I definitely miss the buttons on cold nights. With the original Kindle, I could comfortably read with every part of me except my face ensconced in warm blankets. A lobster claw like grip through the blanket easily held it in the left hand, and a bonk on the right side either with the right hand, or against my chest, would turn the page. With the Paperwhite, I have to expose a finger (or bring the Kindle under the blanket) to turn the page.
  - zheng 13y ago
    I don't have any of these issues, but your description of how you used the 1st gen Kindle is hilarious. Thanks for an unexpected laugh.
misnome 13y ago
I just got a paperwhite a month ago as a present, having owned the last pre-paperwhite model - it's fabulous. This "All New" model seems to be... almost exactly the same? Anyone know how software updates tend to apply to older kindles? as a lot of the "Features" seem to be minor software tweaks....
- __mharrison__ 13y ago
  Sadly Amazon is notorious for not updating older models. (Owner of a paperwhite and original kindle fire). I guess that is a motivating force to upgrade (new purchase). I'm indifferent on the new hardware, but the software tweaks are really compelling...
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    Are you sure it's all marketing? I mean, what developer wants to target twenty different platforms?
  - mFixman 13y ago
    It took several months, but Amazon did a major update to the Kindle Touch to the Paperwhite-like interface. I think it's likely that the old Paperwhite get the new updates.
DanielBMarkham 13y ago
Got a DX size? Nope? Not interested. Seriously. It's 2013. Make something that feels and has the space of a full-sized book. It's not that hard. Hell, use it as a loss-leader if you can't make the numbers work.
- wandermatt 13y ago
  Not every product that loses money qualifies as a loss leader.
- devindotcom 13y ago
  What makes you think it isn't hard?
  - ergo14 13y ago
    Other companies that produce them ;-)
- runjake 13y ago
  > Got a DX size? Nope? Not interested. Wrong. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GYWHSQ/ref=fs_dx http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GYWHSQ/ref=fs_dx It isn't Paperwhite, as far as I know, but then again, people are mostly reading novels with them.
- ergo14 13y ago
  You can use some other 9-10 inch reader. Onyx has them, pocketbook too.
  - adiM 13y ago
    None of those are "paperwhite" with the new reflective screen.
  - abawany 13y ago
    True, though I had a Pocketbook (902) and it was quite a finicky beast; customer service tried their best to help though. Also, it didn't have a "Pearl" display in those days though that might have changed now. I recall discussions on Mobileread where people had issues with Onyx as well. I wish BN would make a large-form e-ink reader: I have the (rooted) Nook and it is the best e-reader that I have ever owned.
acabal 13y ago
How is this different from the last Paperwhite model? I see "improved screen" and "faster processor". It seems like there's also some new software features, but that's just software. Is that all that's new?
- rob-alarcon 13y ago
  I'm planning to upgrade my old Paperwhite just for the hardware update, Processor and battery basically, I feel my current kindle kinda slow, and the battery dies pretty soon if you're with airplane mode off.
  - gambiting 13y ago
    I have the wi-fi on permanently and it lasts more than a week of reading books every single day(backlight set to 12). I don't think I would upgrade just to improve that, it's plenty for me.
  - marblar 13y ago
    The hardware upgrade specifically mentioned processor speed. I would be mildly surprised to learn that Kindles are CPU-bound. I have always assumed the device was limited by the screen's refresh rate.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  To me it reads kind of like the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S. Most everyone who had an iPhone 4 didn't upgrade, but it gave the people with the iPhone 3 an extra nudge to upgrade, and also sends the message "hey guys, we're continually improving the device, even if the updates aren't always huge".
hack_edu 13y ago
Why don't they make the 'Papergold' or 'Paperpale?' An e-ink reader is supposed to be easy on your eyes, yet a stark white background honestly creates just as much stress as reading against a screen. And High-Contrast mode is even worse for most people.
- grandalf 13y ago
  It's quite readable, not quite pure white actually. Contrast is very much like reading newsprint, and the lighting is also easy on the eyes.
- riffraff 13y ago
  this is only a data point, but I own a kindle 3 and a paperwhite, and I used to read on my iPhone before that. The paperwhite is amazingly readable, and not at all comparable to a computer screen white.
- gambiting 13y ago
  I imagine you have never seen one then? The backlight on the paperwhite is actually a frontlight, so it doesn't strain the eyes, I find it a lot better than any old Kindle, or frankly - than reading an actual book.
  - alok-g 13y ago
    Why should it matter for eye strain whether it is a frontlight or a backlight? In both cases, it is some amount of light reaching your eyes. What should matter would be just the brightness/contrast and uniformity of it.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  In my eyes, it's called the "paperwhite" because when the light is on, the page is much closer to white than the unlit Kindles, which have more of a grey background. Not because the background is #FFFFFF and the brightness of the sun.
emp_ 13y ago
For those that have the original, does it have a black background option? I find that in the dark the white screen hurts to read after a while (iPad Mini) so I switch between dark and light for night/dim and day outside.
- cheald 13y ago
  Not AFAIK, but reading on a front-lit Paperwhite is a totally different experience from reading on an actively-lit tablet. I regularly read in the dark in bed, and I have no problem with it at all. When I read on my Nexus 7, I use the inverted scheme, but on the Paperwhite I just set the lighting to a comfortable level and off I go.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
ergo14 13y ago
I was counting for epub support... kobo aura it is then.
- VLM 13y ago
  I'm curious how popular (possible?) it is to use calibre for library management on the kobo.
hwh 13y ago
I would have wished for more details - or rather, more features. When they talk about a better light, this is hopefully a more even light across the surface. For the "old" Paperwhite, the LEDs at the screen's bottom had a visible "aura" (no pun intended). The first production series were notorious for their color-shaded light (rather than being pure white). There seems to be room for improvement. A 25% faster CPU is probably fine, however: what this device needs is a tad bit more RAM. Otherwise, this doesn't make a great improvement. What that "better contrast" means remains to be seen. As a Kindle hacker, I'm interested in what they did with the bootloader part. The Paperwhite is the first device since the Kindle DX(G) that cannot be put into "USB downloader" mode where you can re-flash the software. Given that even the original software is buggy and prone to get corrupted, that seems to be quite bad design - they can't easily refurbish units. Maybe today's pricing margins don't allow this anyway, though. As for competing with the Kobo flagships, this is not an impressive new device.
vijaykumar13 13y ago
Amazing to see this reach #4 rank. Good luck with the affiliate profit.
- hnha 13y ago
  Few things disgust me more on sites like reddit or hn than people sneaking in affiliate programs for monetary benefit. Would much appreciate it if mods could clean the url from this.
  - rsync 13y ago
    Even worse is the trend at boingboing, over the last 1.5 to 2 years, of putting in an obvious throwaway article just for the affiliate link. Here's a recent example: http://boingboing.net/2013/08/24/flash-gordon-1980.html http://boingboing.net/2013/08/24/flash-gordon-1980.html Add a little color commentary about how you like the Queen soundtrack, a bit about some related context, and then stick in the affiliate link.
- minimax 13y ago
  I'm a little bit surprised the HN software doesn't have rules to automatically scrub the links. Also there's no evidence the OP meant to post the affiliate link. He could have just got it off Twitter (or wherever) and pasted it into HN.
  - kyrra 13y ago
    Reddit has rules against affiliate links, though not through software.
mrbill 13y ago
Give me the last non-touch-screen model with the Paperwhite backlight and the page turn buttons on the sides, and I'll be in heaven. Will be interesting to see if they've fixed the "uneven backlighting at the bottom" problem on this model. I was very disappointed when I first got my Paperwhite, after all the hyping they did about working to make the backlight even.
- easytiger 13y ago
  In artificial light situations and low light situations the problem you describe was fairly distracting. I would assume the main point of this model is to silently remove that problem. If not, I can't for the life of me think as to what the benefit is. Sadly until someone gets their hands on one we shan't find out
drtse4 13y ago
A referral link, interesting.
- Raphmedia 13y ago
  Interesting indeed. Not that I would care if someone gets some money out of posting it on HN. Hell, that's the best kind of advertisement anybody could want.
frooxie 13y ago
Does anyone know how good the Kindle translation dictionaries are (e.g. Spanish-English, French-English, etc, dictionaries that you can bring up by selecting a word)? Sony apparently has the reputation for having the best dictionaries, but the PRS-T1 I bought is so buggy it's nearly unusable - if I press a word, it has a one-in-three chance of freezing up for several minutes, and updating the firmware didn't help - so I'm thinking of switching to Kobo or Kindle, but I don't know if they're any better.
- donw 13y ago
  This is something I'm working on with my next project. If you're interested, ping me -- my email is in my profile.
crymer11 13y ago
Non-affiliate link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWH595M/ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWH595M/
cdjk 13y ago
The hardware upgrade doesn't look that impressive - I'm happy with the current papewhite. The pageflip UI looks like it could be useful, as that's one of the few UI complaints I have with the kindle. Personally I find the FreeTime feature to be the most interesting, or maybe amusing. They're gamifying reading, but I suppose parents were doing that already (read X books, get Y). Now if only they'd fix hyphenation and justification, or make it easy to enable ragged right text I'd be happy. Currently I have to reformat everything in calibre before I read it.
kabdib 13y ago
Showstoppers: - Only 1.25GB of storage for books. I have many more than this on my K3. - As others have observed, the lack of mechanical buttons for page flipping. Oh well. I'll just keep replacing batteries on my K3s as long as I can.
- snikch 13y ago
  With Amazon's cloud storage for books, not just ones purchased through them, the storage should really be considered ephemeral. I don't think that having enough space to store a large library of books should be considered a showstopper, when you can download books you've sent to your kindle via email at any time. I do agree with the mechanical buttons. I love my PW, but miss the buttons.
drieddust 13y ago
kindles are extremely fragile devices. I broke my first one when it fell down from couple of inches. second time when I kept in car boot well packed inside padded laptop bag in its own cover. I not buying another one. whole point of having light ereader is to use it lightly, without cover.
sherbondy 13y ago
Hmm, do you think the new pricing of the Kindle DX on this page is just a typo ($139 as of visiting)? http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000739811 http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000739811 If Amazon lowered it to that over the next few days, I would actually consider purchasing the (3+ year-old) DX. The actual product page still says $239. Do any HNers have recommendations for large eInk readers suitable for viewing pdfs/textbooks? I mostly read textbooks these days.
- dalai 13y ago
  The DX is not very good for reading pdfs. It does not render them very well and the pdf viewer is lacking in features. This is remedied a bit with jailbreaking and using other software. Personally, I am still disappointed at the lack of official updates for it, especially considering how much I paid for it (shortly after it came out).
- Casseres 13y ago
  Send an e-mail to Jeff Bezos and ask if he'll honor that price :-) It doesn't hurt to try. I've had great luck in the past when I e-mailed him. Just tell him that you're ready to buy it right now for $139. I like my Kindle DX, but it the resolution is low and it makes it difficult to read magazine PDFs that I load on to it. It's great for reading regular books though.
adultSwim 13y ago
It looks like you can't buy an ad-free version anymore :(

89 points by rob-alarcon 13y ago

I see this product having multiple life cycles. In about five years it can easily be re-branded into the Paperweight.

I'll be testing this out tomorrow... but personally, I'm holding out for a larger device with higher resolution. The Kobo Aura HD is calling my name, actually.

desireco42 13y ago
Yeah I have similar sentiment. I think Aura HD would be ideal with bigger screen, in fact I thought this could distinguish Kindle, 6" is really OK, but something between 7 and 8 would be really what would make me get another one. I have non-glow Kindle. Maybe even something size of Kindle DX, but I would prefer slightly larger Kindle/Nook/Kobo. BTW, Got Nook HD+ since they are so cheap, loving it!

chimeracoder 13y ago

I have owned the original Paperwhite since it came out, and I love it - can't recommend it highly enough. The frontlighting is wonderful. However, I really wish that this newer one had physical buttons on the side for turning the pages, like some of the other Kindle models. I find the touchscreen rather irritating when reading. It's much easier to have buttons on the side that you can press without moving your hand/finger. If they had included this, I would easily have laid down $120 for an upgrade immediately.

adestefan 13y ago
I have a Kindle 3 and the sole reason why I haven't upgraded to a Paperwhite is lack of page turn buttons.
OrsenPike 13y ago
God yes I miss those buttons on my paperwhite :( I also wish I could turn the backlight off completely rather than just lower it to the lowest setting.
- nwienert 13y ago
  You can turn it off completely, the lowest setting is off.
  - gmu3 13y ago
    No. The lowest setting is still slightly lit: http://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle/ref=cm_cd_pg_pg1?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdPage=1&cdThread=Tx32COF8YL5D7R2 http://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle/ref=cm_cd_pg_pg1?_encodin...
    - tzs 13y ago
      I'd say it is more than slightly lit. It is lit enough to read by in a dark room--comfortably once your eyes are dark adapted.
jwr 13y ago
I checked for 1) buttons, 2) a lighter version. Found none of the above, so I'll stick to my Kindle 3. I don't think Amazon appreciates how important buttons are for reading in non-perfect setups. Sure, if you're on your couch or by the swimming pool, you might not care. But try reading on a subway or a bus. Or with gloves on.
- smackfu 13y ago
  7.3 oz is too heavy for you? That's 1.4 oz lighter than your Kindle 3.
  - ericcumbee 13y ago
    I believe he means a lighter color.
amenod 13y ago
Apart from Nook, is there any other "glowing" alternative with buttons? Kobo Glo doesn't have them either AFAIK...
MBCook 13y ago
Did you own a previous Kindle before your Paperwhite? I got a chance to try one earlier this month, and compare it to my 3rd gen Kindle Keyboard. The backlight was nice, but I had a few problems with it. The lack of physical buttons for page changing and the menus drove me nuts. If I'm holding a Paperwhite in my left hand, then to change to a new page I have to move my thumb out far enough, tap, and them bring my thumb "back in" so it doesn't cover the page. I found this to be rather annoying, having the buttons on both sides was so much easier. The other problem I had was font rendering. The Paperwhite was supposed to have a sharper screen than my 3G, but I couldn't notice a difference in text. I'm guessing it's only obvious on pictures. But I did notice that fonts looked noticeably worse. There were little blobs where it looked like things weren't being kerned correctly. I could compare it directly to the same page on my old Kindle and see the difference. I found it quite distracting. Other than that they made some small changes I didn't like. The fact that you just have to 'know' where on the screen to touch for certain things was a little odd. I kept accidentally turning the page when I wanted to bring up the menu. I really liked that it could estimate I'd be done with the chapter I was reading in 15 minutes, but I missed having the progress bar available. I could probably survive the lack of physical buttons, but the font rendering issues really annoyed me. I'll happily keep my Kindle.
- TylerE 13y ago
  I have owned a Paperwhite since release day, and a Kindle 2 for several years before that. My feelings are mixed. I do REALLY miss the next/prev page buttons, and would happily shell out the money for a Paperwhite with buttons. I don't really miss the keyboard at all though. I mostly read at night so the lit screen is a bigger deal than the buttons, honestly. Couldn't ever go back. But both would be killer.
- gambiting 13y ago
  Few things. To change pages with your left thumb you don't have to move it all the way to the right - you can make a little swipe motion on the left side of the screen and it will skip a page. I used to have the Kindle Keyboard(Kindle 3) and my god, its resolution was driving me crazy, like it was never sharp. Paperwhite is a lot better in that regard. HOWEVER - fonts get really jaggy after a few page turns, and that's because the paperwhite only refreshes the entire page every 5 or so turns. You can go to settings and tell it to refresh the entire page every turn - then the fonts are always super sharp. From my personal perspective - I would NEVER trade my paperwhite back for the Kindle 3. I don't mind the lack of physical buttons, and the backlight makes it fantastic.
sliverstorm 13y ago
You know, I had a Kindle 2 and I loved the buttons, but after a book or two with the Paperwhite I'm pretty much completely used to using the touchscreen. It felt risky, but I'm kind of glad now that I took the plunge and got one without any buttons at all- the bezel around the screen is so incredibly small now compared to my old K2.
MichaelGG 13y ago
I find it annoying because there'll be little specs of dust, dirt, or hair, and removing them requires careful movement or I'll page turn. Also, has anyone noticed that the rendering gets slightly messed up (bolder) if you bring up a prompt, like the built-in dictionary? After it disappears, the area it covers has different font weight from the rest of the page, making me turn back and forth to reset it. Rather annoying.
pedalpete 13y ago
My only issue with not having buttons is with links. I don't like to 'watch' where I'm pressing to change the page, but I am often reading a technical book that will link to footnotes and I accidentaly hit a footnote link and the book jumps to god knows where. Now I can't get back to the page I was on (no back button) and spend a bunch of time finding my way back to where I was reading. I've even given up on a book because I couldn't find where I had left off. Otherwise I find I prefer my paper white to my past kindles.
- taejo 13y ago
  There's a back button in the menu.
tzs 13y ago
I've got a first generation Kindle and a Paperwhite. I definitely miss the buttons on cold nights. With the original Kindle, I could comfortably read with every part of me except my face ensconced in warm blankets. A lobster claw like grip through the blanket easily held it in the left hand, and a bonk on the right side either with the right hand, or against my chest, would turn the page. With the Paperwhite, I have to expose a finger (or bring the Kindle under the blanket) to turn the page.
- zheng 13y ago
  I don't have any of these issues, but your description of how you used the 1st gen Kindle is hilarious. Thanks for an unexpected laugh.

misnome 13y ago

I just got a paperwhite a month ago as a present, having owned the last pre-paperwhite model - it's fabulous. This "All New" model seems to be... almost exactly the same? Anyone know how software updates tend to apply to older kindles? as a lot of the "Features" seem to be minor software tweaks....

__mharrison__ 13y ago
Sadly Amazon is notorious for not updating older models. (Owner of a paperwhite and original kindle fire). I guess that is a motivating force to upgrade (new purchase). I'm indifferent on the new hardware, but the software tweaks are really compelling...
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  Are you sure it's all marketing? I mean, what developer wants to target twenty different platforms?
- mFixman 13y ago
  It took several months, but Amazon did a major update to the Kindle Touch to the Paperwhite-like interface. I think it's likely that the old Paperwhite get the new updates.

DanielBMarkham 13y ago

Got a DX size? Nope? Not interested. Seriously. It's 2013. Make something that feels and has the space of a full-sized book. It's not that hard. Hell, use it as a loss-leader if you can't make the numbers work.

wandermatt 13y ago
Not every product that loses money qualifies as a loss leader.
devindotcom 13y ago
What makes you think it isn't hard?
- ergo14 13y ago
  Other companies that produce them ;-)
runjake 13y ago
> Got a DX size? Nope? Not interested. Wrong. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GYWHSQ/ref=fs_dx http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GYWHSQ/ref=fs_dx It isn't Paperwhite, as far as I know, but then again, people are mostly reading novels with them.
ergo14 13y ago
You can use some other 9-10 inch reader. Onyx has them, pocketbook too.
- adiM 13y ago
  None of those are "paperwhite" with the new reflective screen.
- abawany 13y ago
  True, though I had a Pocketbook (902) and it was quite a finicky beast; customer service tried their best to help though. Also, it didn't have a "Pearl" display in those days though that might have changed now. I recall discussions on Mobileread where people had issues with Onyx as well. I wish BN would make a large-form e-ink reader: I have the (rooted) Nook and it is the best e-reader that I have ever owned.

acabal 13y ago

How is this different from the last Paperwhite model? I see "improved screen" and "faster processor". It seems like there's also some new software features, but that's just software. Is that all that's new?

rob-alarcon 13y ago
I'm planning to upgrade my old Paperwhite just for the hardware update, Processor and battery basically, I feel my current kindle kinda slow, and the battery dies pretty soon if you're with airplane mode off.
- gambiting 13y ago
  I have the wi-fi on permanently and it lasts more than a week of reading books every single day(backlight set to 12). I don't think I would upgrade just to improve that, it's plenty for me.
- marblar 13y ago
  The hardware upgrade specifically mentioned processor speed. I would be mildly surprised to learn that Kindles are CPU-bound. I have always assumed the device was limited by the screen's refresh rate.
sliverstorm 13y ago
To me it reads kind of like the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S. Most everyone who had an iPhone 4 didn't upgrade, but it gave the people with the iPhone 3 an extra nudge to upgrade, and also sends the message "hey guys, we're continually improving the device, even if the updates aren't always huge".

hack_edu 13y ago

Why don't they make the 'Papergold' or 'Paperpale?' An e-ink reader is supposed to be easy on your eyes, yet a stark white background honestly creates just as much stress as reading against a screen. And High-Contrast mode is even worse for most people.

grandalf 13y ago
It's quite readable, not quite pure white actually. Contrast is very much like reading newsprint, and the lighting is also easy on the eyes.
riffraff 13y ago
this is only a data point, but I own a kindle 3 and a paperwhite, and I used to read on my iPhone before that. The paperwhite is amazingly readable, and not at all comparable to a computer screen white.
gambiting 13y ago
I imagine you have never seen one then? The backlight on the paperwhite is actually a frontlight, so it doesn't strain the eyes, I find it a lot better than any old Kindle, or frankly - than reading an actual book.
- alok-g 13y ago
  Why should it matter for eye strain whether it is a frontlight or a backlight? In both cases, it is some amount of light reaching your eyes. What should matter would be just the brightness/contrast and uniformity of it.
sliverstorm 13y ago
In my eyes, it's called the "paperwhite" because when the light is on, the page is much closer to white than the unlit Kindles, which have more of a grey background. Not because the background is #FFFFFF and the brightness of the sun.

emp_ 13y ago

For those that have the original, does it have a black background option? I find that in the dark the white screen hurts to read after a while (iPad Mini) so I switch between dark and light for night/dim and day outside.

cheald 13y ago
Not AFAIK, but reading on a front-lit Paperwhite is a totally different experience from reading on an actively-lit tablet. I regularly read in the dark in bed, and I have no problem with it at all. When I read on my Nexus 7, I use the inverted scheme, but on the Paperwhite I just set the lighting to a comfortable level and off I go.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

ergo14 13y ago

I was counting for epub support... kobo aura it is then.

VLM 13y ago
I'm curious how popular (possible?) it is to use calibre for library management on the kobo.

hwh 13y ago

I would have wished for more details - or rather, more features. When they talk about a better light, this is hopefully a more even light across the surface. For the "old" Paperwhite, the LEDs at the screen's bottom had a visible "aura" (no pun intended). The first production series were notorious for their color-shaded light (rather than being pure white). There seems to be room for improvement. A 25% faster CPU is probably fine, however: what this device needs is a tad bit more RAM. Otherwise, this doesn't make a great improvement. What that "better contrast" means remains to be seen. As a Kindle hacker, I'm interested in what they did with the bootloader part. The Paperwhite is the first device since the Kindle DX(G) that cannot be put into "USB downloader" mode where you can re-flash the software. Given that even the original software is buggy and prone to get corrupted, that seems to be quite bad design - they can't easily refurbish units. Maybe today's pricing margins don't allow this anyway, though. As for competing with the Kobo flagships, this is not an impressive new device.

vijaykumar13 13y ago

Amazing to see this reach #4 rank. Good luck with the affiliate profit.

hnha 13y ago
Few things disgust me more on sites like reddit or hn than people sneaking in affiliate programs for monetary benefit. Would much appreciate it if mods could clean the url from this.
- rsync 13y ago
  Even worse is the trend at boingboing, over the last 1.5 to 2 years, of putting in an obvious throwaway article just for the affiliate link. Here's a recent example: http://boingboing.net/2013/08/24/flash-gordon-1980.html http://boingboing.net/2013/08/24/flash-gordon-1980.html Add a little color commentary about how you like the Queen soundtrack, a bit about some related context, and then stick in the affiliate link.
minimax 13y ago
I'm a little bit surprised the HN software doesn't have rules to automatically scrub the links. Also there's no evidence the OP meant to post the affiliate link. He could have just got it off Twitter (or wherever) and pasted it into HN.
- kyrra 13y ago
  Reddit has rules against affiliate links, though not through software.

mrbill 13y ago

Give me the last non-touch-screen model with the Paperwhite backlight and the page turn buttons on the sides, and I'll be in heaven. Will be interesting to see if they've fixed the "uneven backlighting at the bottom" problem on this model. I was very disappointed when I first got my Paperwhite, after all the hyping they did about working to make the backlight even.

easytiger 13y ago
In artificial light situations and low light situations the problem you describe was fairly distracting. I would assume the main point of this model is to silently remove that problem. If not, I can't for the life of me think as to what the benefit is. Sadly until someone gets their hands on one we shan't find out

drtse4 13y ago

A referral link, interesting.

Raphmedia 13y ago
Interesting indeed. Not that I would care if someone gets some money out of posting it on HN. Hell, that's the best kind of advertisement anybody could want.

frooxie 13y ago

Does anyone know how good the Kindle translation dictionaries are (e.g. Spanish-English, French-English, etc, dictionaries that you can bring up by selecting a word)? Sony apparently has the reputation for having the best dictionaries, but the PRS-T1 I bought is so buggy it's nearly unusable - if I press a word, it has a one-in-three chance of freezing up for several minutes, and updating the firmware didn't help - so I'm thinking of switching to Kobo or Kindle, but I don't know if they're any better.

donw 13y ago
This is something I'm working on with my next project. If you're interested, ping me -- my email is in my profile.

crymer11 13y ago

Non-affiliate link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWH595M/ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWH595M/

cdjk 13y ago

The hardware upgrade doesn't look that impressive - I'm happy with the current papewhite. The pageflip UI looks like it could be useful, as that's one of the few UI complaints I have with the kindle. Personally I find the FreeTime feature to be the most interesting, or maybe amusing. They're gamifying reading, but I suppose parents were doing that already (read X books, get Y). Now if only they'd fix hyphenation and justification, or make it easy to enable ragged right text I'd be happy. Currently I have to reformat everything in calibre before I read it.

kabdib 13y ago

Showstoppers: - Only 1.25GB of storage for books. I have many more than this on my K3. - As others have observed, the lack of mechanical buttons for page flipping. Oh well. I'll just keep replacing batteries on my K3s as long as I can.

snikch 13y ago
With Amazon's cloud storage for books, not just ones purchased through them, the storage should really be considered ephemeral. I don't think that having enough space to store a large library of books should be considered a showstopper, when you can download books you've sent to your kindle via email at any time. I do agree with the mechanical buttons. I love my PW, but miss the buttons.

drieddust 13y ago

kindles are extremely fragile devices. I broke my first one when it fell down from couple of inches. second time when I kept in car boot well packed inside padded laptop bag in its own cover. I not buying another one. whole point of having light ereader is to use it lightly, without cover.

sherbondy 13y ago

Hmm, do you think the new pricing of the Kindle DX on this page is just a typo ($139 as of visiting)? http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000739811 http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000739811 If Amazon lowered it to that over the next few days, I would actually consider purchasing the (3+ year-old) DX. The actual product page still says $239. Do any HNers have recommendations for large eInk readers suitable for viewing pdfs/textbooks? I mostly read textbooks these days.

dalai 13y ago
The DX is not very good for reading pdfs. It does not render them very well and the pdf viewer is lacking in features. This is remedied a bit with jailbreaking and using other software. Personally, I am still disappointed at the lack of official updates for it, especially considering how much I paid for it (shortly after it came out).
Casseres 13y ago
Send an e-mail to Jeff Bezos and ask if he'll honor that price :-) It doesn't hurt to try. I've had great luck in the past when I e-mailed him. Just tell him that you're ready to buy it right now for $139. I like my Kindle DX, but it the resolution is low and it makes it difficult to read magazine PDFs that I load on to it. It's great for reading regular books though.

adultSwim 13y ago

It looks like you can't buy an ad-free version anymore :(