Need an eReader and would prefer it to be easy to read your books in low lighting? Amazon’s Paperwhite technology is expanding to more devices, with a new model bringing the cost down.
Electronic books have long had a budget model, and regardless of whether you opt for the Amazon option or one that runs a more open standard like ePub, you’ve been able to small amounts of money and larger amounts.
Like most gadgets, the more you tend to spend, the more technology you get, and one of those pieces of technology is known as front-lighting.
Exactly what the concept implies, front-lighting improves the reading experience by introducing a form of lighting that makes it easier to read an electronic ink screen, lighting the page and essentially lifting the reading experience from a digital that tries to maintain the flat look of a printed book, improving it so that it’s comfortable to read at night.
However, there has long been a catch: to get that lighting technology, you’ve needed to spend around $200 or more. That was one of the catches, as this lighting technology often rolled out to only mid-range or higher, leaving out folks keen for a budget option.
But Amazon is looking to change that, announcing an update to its standard Kindle — the entry level option — that includes front-lighting at a price of $139.
That’s how much a standard Kindle will cost, with the 6 inch screen netting an adjustable lighting technology at a cost that is lower than Amazon’s other Kindles with lighting built-in.
“Customers consistently tell us how much they appreciate having a front light on Kindle devices so they can read in any environment, from a sunny patio to their bed at night,” Amazon’s Kevin Keith.
“The team worked hard to bring this customer-favourite feature to our most affordable device, and we’re excited to introduce the all-new Kindle to Australia,” he said.
With the introduction of front-lighting to Amazon’s entry-level Kindle, it now means every currently available Kindle sports the technology, with the main differences between the $139 Kindle and the $199 Kindle Paperwhite sporting a higher resolution screen and water resistance, with subsequent models seeing improved designs.
Amazon’s newly refreshed Kindle isn’t available just yet, mind you, with the $139 Kindle arriving on April 10, so it’s possible the model just about to be replaced without the lighting could see a lower price shortly, too.
