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Amazon Makes 9.7-inch $489 Kindle DX Official
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Shane McGlaun / DailyTech
May 06, 2009
‘Kindle DX offers larger screen and much larger price tag.’ -
Amazon.com has been making news with its Kindle reader since the original debuted last year. The device has a nice screen and a free 3G connection that allowed users to download books without a PC very quickly.
A few months back, Amazon.com announced the follow-up to the original Kindle called the Kindle 2. DailyTech reported yesterday that Amazon was set to launch another new Kindle with a larger screen aimed at allowing users to more easily read newspapers and magazines. The two previous kindles were optimized for reading novels.
Today marks the launch of the new Kindle DX with a larger screen and other new features for digital reader fans to enjoy. Consumers who only recently purchased the Kindle 2 have to be angry right now. Amazon says that newspapers have been the best seller on the Kindle Store by far, so a larger screen device optimized for newspapers makes sense.
Amazon reports that over the summer three newspapers including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe will be trialing low price, long-term subscriptions on the new Kindle DX. The NYT says that the Kindle DX will be offered to subscribers in areas where deliver of the print paper is not available, but doesn’t elaborate on the plan.
The official announcement of the Kindle DX confirms the many rumors that have been reported over the last few weeks. The device has a larger screen, a built-in PDF reader, and promises to allow users to read papers without ever needing to scroll, zoom, or pan around a page. Pages will automatically adjust to portrait or landscape orientation like the iPhone as well.
Amazon has signed up three of the top textbook publishers meaning that students at colleges using the textbooks will be able to buy digital versions of the book rather than carrying around the real paper versions.
The hard specifications of the device are a 9.7-inch E-ink screen with a resolution of 1200 × 824 and 16 shades of grey. The Kindle DX is 1/3 of an inch thick with overall dimensions of 10.4-inches x 7.2-inches x 0.38-inches. Internal storage is 3.3GB, capable of storing 3,500 books. The battery life is said to be long, but Amazon doesn’t go into details. The navigation buttons for the DX are on the right side of the screen only and the device still offers the free EVDO connectivity for downloading books.
The downside to the DX is that the thing is downright expensive at $489. The DX is set to ship this summer and can be pre-ordered now.
© 2009, DailyTech
deanmyrick
5 months ago
38 comments
In this economy who is going to buy an e-book reader for $489 when you can go to Barnes & Noble and buy the book for 10 - $25, get a good cup of coffee, sit in a comfy over-stuffed chair and get a little atmosphere? I am predicting really low sales for this product.
digioz
6 months ago
112 comments
I just don't get the appeal of a device like this. What's wrong with buying an ebook and reading it on a Notebok?
artzman
6 months ago
4 comments
This is about the price of 25 books, and you still have to buy the books as files. It's more expensive than a net book, and only does this one thing. Doesn't really seem like it's worth the price. Think I'll stick with the Netbook.
jhardy93
6 months ago
4 comments
I like the idea of the kindle, I do not think the bigger screen is worth the price increase though.
themigrant
6 months ago
18 comments
When is the color one coming out? I can't see much use for it unless it's got color. Doesn't take much to think that Apple will sell a larger iphone-style tablet pc that will do all that kindling offers plus a whole lot more.
bukas0069
6 months ago
12 comments
I want one, I've been waiting for it, I was going to get one thank god there's a new one came out. Can it download book for IT's stuff.
TimC
6 months ago
586 comments
I think this is a good idea, like an ipod but to read books,etc.. instead of listening to them. If I was a reader I'd probably consider getting one.