Amazon finally announced a color ereader, Kindle Colorsoft, priced at $279.99, releasing October 30. They are also revamping the rest of the Kindle device line, with their “thinnest and fastest ever” Kindle Paperwhite, and an entry-level Kindle “in a fun new Matcha color.” In the announcement, vp of Amazon Devices Kevin Keith notes, “[ebook] sales last year hit a decade high with the majority of purchases going to first time Kindle device owners.” He added, “We are excited to bring our customers a completely new Kindle lineup, including our first color Kindle and a re-imagined Kindle Scribe with even better in-book […]
eReaders
TikTok Lifts Kindle Sales, Too
It’s not just for books. TikTok readers have discovered ereaders and self-proclaimed “Kindle girlies” are fueling device sales, particularly for Amazon. The WSJ speaks to vice president of Amazon Devices and Services Kevin Keith, who says in that vague happy Amazon way that “Kindle sales have grown in double-digit percentages for each of the past two years and are on track for similar gains this year.” Keith reports that a good portion of that growth — approximately 60 percent — comes from people who have never owned a Kindle ereader previously. (On the other hand, that also means that about […]
Kobo Plus Subscription Services Add Audiobooks
In Canada, Kobo is expanding their Kobo Plus subscription ereading service to include an option for unlimited use of over 100,000 audiobooks. A single format — reading only, or listening only — costs $9.99 a month, and the combined reading and listening subscription is $12.99 a month. In a separate report on ebook reading and sales in 2022, Kobo says reading time on their platform in Canada declined “a slight seven per cent” compared to last year, “understandable given relative freedom from lockdowns and an easing of pandemic restrictions.”
BN Launches New eReader
Barnes & Noble will launch a GlowLight 4 ereader on December 8. CEO James Daunt insists in the announcement, “Barnes & Noble is now investing significantly in our Nook line of products. The GlowLight 4 is the second Nook device to launch this year as we set about to bring a new family of devices to our customers and to reinvigorate Nook in the coming months and years.” He added, “The team is working steadfastly to develop new NOOK products, and we are delighted to see such a strong pipeline of innovation into 2022.”
Earlier Kindle Models Will Get Bricked As Carriers Drop Older Networks
Cellphone carriers are sunsetting their 2G and 3G (and CDMA) networks, which means that a number of older Kindle ereaders will lose their cellphone connectivity. The earliest models will lose their internet connectivity entirely as a result. A number of other models, “from the third-gen Kindle Keyboard all the way to the 8th-gen Kindle Oasis,” will lose their cell-based service but at least retain wifi capability. Amazon notified customers of the coming changes by email and is providing a $50 credit towards a new device and and $15 in ebook credits.
Back to the Future: Kobo Launches Writeable eReader
If you remember the Newton and the early days of dedicated ereaders, Kobo’s new product announcement is a trip down memory lane. Their Elipsa reader, launching June 24 is oversized — a 10.3-inch screen — and writeable. It comes with a stylus and lets you annotate ebooks and PDFs (depending on the DRM permissions). You can also “create your own notebooks, where you can instantly convert your notes to clean typed text, and export them off your device as needed.” With students finally converting to digital textbooks, the $399 Elipsa is positioned as a better dedicated learning reader. In other […]