Kindle News: Paperwhite at $99 thru' April 30 at 11:59pm (Little doubt, U.S. only)

Amazon has a rather hidden promo for $20 off Special-Offer models of the Kindle Paperwhite through 11:59 PM (PST) on Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The promo page was mentioned by TechnoBuffalo, but the promo code didn't work for me.  They also didn't reply to my question of where the rather hidden actual promo page could be found.  Commenters, though, let us know where we can find the brief promo page.

  HOWEVER, the promo code of " KINDLEPW " still might not work for you, as it was initially sent some via email and probably targeted certain customers.

 What some people have done, if they have a problem, is to just contact Kindle Help (as described below) and choose to have them chat with you.  The Chat feature entails typing with them.

  LessthanZach, who happens to be a Sales Manager for AT&T, advises the following, which worked for him:

' Ok guys. Here's the wrap.  The offer is only available for the Special Offers edition[s] of the Kindle.  As of right now, the code doesn't seem to work.  Simply go to "help" then "contact us" and click the option to chat about "payments or promotional codes".  I chatted with a very helpful representative who had me place the order without the code and then he manually applied the discount.  It only took about 5 minutes to get it taken care of.  It is a bit of a shame you have to live with the ads, though.
@David Nguyen I appreciate your suggestion of chatting with them and I can confirm it indeed works just fine. '

This would work with the Special-Offer edition only, remember, and the promo doesn't mention at all the 3G model BUT it also does say "Add any Kindle Paperwhite device to your shopping cart..." so the links to both are WiFi only or WiFi+3G models with Special Offers.  Again, they don't specifically show the 3G model as eligible for the discount, but they did say "any Kindle Paperwhite device."

  My guess is that it's limited to US customers (as are most brief Kindle device promos) but they don't say.

  Reminder of a few other rules (full rules are at the promo page)
. Promotion applies only to new Kindle Paperwhite devices sold and shipped by Amazon Digital Services. It does not apply to the same products sold by other sellers or to Certified Refurbished Kindle products.
. If you do not purchase Kindle Paperwhite prior to April 30, 2013 11:59 PM (PST), the promotion will not apply.
. Each promotion code can be used only once
. The promotion code is not transferrable and may not be resold.
. Limit one promotion code per customer.
. Does not apply to orders placed with 1-Click.
. Offer good while supplies last.

An answer to what happened here found after I wrote the above.
At the Amazon Kindle Forums, flipoid writes the following:
  "I called Amazon Kindle CS and was told by the CS rep that the code was sent out in emails to non-Kindle owners who purchase lots of print books from Amazon.  He told me that if you didn't receive an email, you can't use the code.  So it seems that they're trying to get non-ebook purchasers/readers to get on the digital train. (-: "

And my answer to that is that apparently Amazon is allowing people who call them about this, to buy it, because the promo in no way holds language limiting this offer to people who don't already own a Kindle, and there are many who have older Kindles and DO want a Paperwhite, and it seems only fair that they could get the benefit of the promo if they know about it (which is what has been happening).

The ones that were allowed to go through with customer service chat help were bought many hours after the forum member's phone call got a negative for current Kindle owners.

  And, the promo code entry validation is no doubt programmed to work only for those who don't already own a Kindle device, which is why the automated discount would work for some people but not for others.

  Normally, if they want only a subsection of customers to be eligible, they'll add the language "For new Kindle [device] customers only" but they didn't.

So, this will be your call. Customer reps, in chat mode, have been asking customers to go ahead and buy one and they will issue a refund after the purchase process.  Those were allowed to be purchased with discount half a day or more after the morning explanation to a Kindle owner by phone.

Please let me know if any customer rep does not allow this to be done after you've let them know that manual purchases with customer service rep help on the promo have been going through.  It's a dilemma of sorts for two more days :-)



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Kindle News: Kindle Paperwhite goes to Canada. Earlier reviews and updated information included.

CANADA GETS THE KINDLE PAPERWHITE

The Latest generation Kindle, the basic NoTouch version (lightest and smallest Kindle ever offered), was made available in Canada in December, but Amazon announced today that the front-lighted Kindle Paperwhite for Canada is finally available there as well.

The WiFi+ free 3G Wireless Kindle Paperwhite, for downloads of Kindle even where WiFi is not available and with free 24/7 access to Wikipedia from almost wherever you are (with no need to hunt for WiFi spots), is CDN$199 and the WiFi-only Paperwhite is CDN$139.

Amazon's press release for Canada added, "Canada Kindle Store on Amazon.ca offers the largest selection of the most popular books, including the most best sellers from the Globe and Mail and Le Devoir best seller lists, winners of the Giller prize, and over 50,000 French-language titles."

They say that "In addition, Canadian customers now access the Canada Kindle Store directly from the Kindle...  The Canada Kindle Store has over 1.5 million Kindle books, including over 250,000 exclusive books customers won’t find anywhere else, over 35,000 free books, and [as mentioned] over 50,000 French-language titles."

  I am here only briefly today but to make things easier, I will add here some info from the earlier blog article on Kindle Paperwhite reviews, which includes updates.  The earlier article on reviews, which many haven't seen since it was posted in early October, includes updates that explain the light panel, as there were questions on how it works and what to expect from the new technology.

From the earlier article covering Paperwhite reviews in the U.S.
 Early customer reviews mentioned the responsiveness of the capacitive screen   (made by Touchco, owned by Amazon) vs an infra-red one (the latter type of screen is on the current Nook Glowlight and the Kindle Touch). [See updates on this further down.]

  On the left or just above  is an image from the video I took of a very good demo of what it's like to use the Paperwhite, and if you didn't see it earlier, it'll help to take a look.  I had just tried out a few menu options and asked a Kindle Team member to show some of the features and functioning for the blog.

  OK.  What do the Net Tech Sages have to say?

Gizmodo's Kyle Wagner - "Forget Everything Else, This Is The E-Reader You Want" is the headline.

  Description:  "The Kindle Paperwhite is a pivotal step forward for the technology of ereaders.  It makes previous generations feel like a pulpy paperback held up next to an ornately illustrated tome.  In short: this is the best ereader you can buy."  Wagner is one who has loved the Nook readers.'

  I'm pausing here as, one of his many points is fairly key.  I wrote, on Sept. 21, that the the screen would probably be "less fragile" than an earlier front-lit one.

  Kyle Wagner was the one who had accidentally dropped something onto his Glowlight, causing a "light tunnel" to form and he blamed himself but warned that people should not drop things on it, and his column was followed by Nate Hoffelder's story on his key-drop tests.

  At the Amazon announcements, I asked a Kindle Team member about the strength of the screen, because I was concerned the Paperwhite might have the same problem, and the Kindle rep said they had, in fact, done several tests on this, dropping even a brass object on it, without bad effect  (no warranty on that, of course).  We're talking relative strength.  That was reassuring -- but I was talking to what I thought was a knowledgeable salesman with a technological bent.

Sidenote and Update:
I later discovered it was Amazon's Director of Product Management  at Lab 126, Laurent Sellier.  No wonder he was so immediately responsive about the drop-on-screen tests.
  [End of Side note and update]

  Wagner, who'd dropped a remote control on his Nook Glowlight and probably read about Nate's series of dropped-keys tests (from 4 ft), has this to say on that topic:

' We tossed a set of keys onto the screen a few times from about three feet  (don’t tell Amazon), and didn’t wind up with any light pillars shooting out of the display.  So it’s sturdy.'

Be sure to read Wagner's full review as it's VERY detailed.

  Other Reviews

 Chicago Sun-Times' Andy Ihnatko - "Industry-best e-reader gets better"
  [Although he refers to a "backlight" (as many still do), he knows it's front-lighted but continues to refer to "backlighting" throughout his story.]

  [Ihnatko says the unit is  "noteworthy" because Amazon]

 " added the illumination to the Kindle in a smarter way... its true function is to make the apparent contrast of the display even greater...the Paperwhite’s background truly looks as white as a sheet of paper.

 "... At the end of five hours of reading...my brain still thought it was paper.  My eyes had none of the complaints that often come at the end of a long session staring at a conventionally backlit tablet or notebook screen.

: ... The backlighting doesn’t seem to affect the device’s battery life in any way that was obvious during a week of use."

  [Ihnatko mentions that the 3G model lets you download books and content when away from WiFi but he probably doesn't know about an important feature that most reviewers won't run across:

    With the 3G model, you get 24/7 Wikipedia on Free 3G -- that's from anywhere that an AT&T phone works, and this feature also works outside the U.S. when you're on vacation.]

Read his full review.  Fun last line.

Endadget's Brian Heater really likes the added contrast and adds,

  "The Nook Simple Touch, on the other hand, loses contrast when bumped up to the GlowLight version, offering fairly uneven text throughout...

... On the whole...the light distribution is far, far more even than on the GlowLight."

  Engadget's photo is a bit dark but gives an idea of that.  Here's the full article.


Slashgear's Cory Gunther - "For those worried about this new light and capacitive touch technology to hinder the reading experience, it’s safe to say that isn’t the case.  Reading is simply awesome and we’ve loved our limited time with the new Paperwhite — and you will too.

"... the concave back on the NOOK is still something we favor

"... [Amazon has] even added a few awesome additions to make things even better. We have time to read, x-ray, and tools for readers all available with ease. X-Ray lets you instantly find any and all details of any character, place, or moment in a book. Amazon explains this as letting you explore the “bones of the book” with a detailed breakdown, and so far we love it.  Seeing and jumping to exact points in a 400 page read with ease is an awesome new feature for those diehards...

.".. We also have instant translations by simply highlighting a section for easy translation.

 "...So far I’ve read a little daily for the past week and a half and haven’t seen the battery meter drop one bit — so take it as you will..."   Full article here.


TIME's Harry McCracken - "The Screen Makes It the Best E-Reader Yet"

"... The Nook with GlowLight’s light-up screen is good.  But the one on the Kindle Paperwhite?  It’s spectacular — the best thing to happen to e-readers since the original 2007 Kindle came along.

"For one thing, it’s the first e-reader with illumination that’s designed to stay on all the time, not just when it’s absolutely necessary. It turns on every time you press the Paperwhite’s power button. In dark rooms, it makes the display readable when the previous Kindle would have suffered a blackout. But it also helps in brighter environs and even outside in direct sunlight, largely eliminating the unappetizing greyish look of E Ink."   Full article here.


TechCrunch's John Biggs - "The Kindle Paperwhite Is A Reader’s Dream"

"...To be fair, the Paperwhite does have an absolutely beautiful screen when backlit and it looks almost perfectly white while the Nook still has a tinge of grey.

"My recommendation, as well, is to pick up the 3G version, as it makes it easier to grab books on the go than the Wi-Fi-only model...

"...I’m wildly impressed with the simplicity and beauty of this device.  If ever there was anything similar to the fabled Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, this is it."   Full article here.


CNet (group review) -

"...for the moment, the Kindle Paperwhite has jumped to the head of the e-reader pack.  It may not be perfect, but it's definitely the Kindle a lot of people have been waiting for."


  CNET's David Carnoy - An Update November 30 to add this one by Carnoy, as I missed it in the original blog article (and saw it referenced today on the Kindle forums), but it's the most detailed I've seen insofar as features are concerned, indicating he had already used the device in depth (this is unusual in mainstream reviews) by Sept. 12.  It's very well written too, which is why I looked, this late, at who had written it.

  Titled "Kindle Paperwhite shines," his bottom line is that "With an excellent built-in light and Amazon's best-in-class e-book selection, the Kindle Paperwhite rises to the top of the e-reader pack."
  Carnoy describes, in detail, reading features that many others miss and he points out some that are missing from this model although they were included in previous e-Ink models.  The pros and cons of hardware and software elements are given good context.
  Caution, I normally have extra pop-up blockers on (tech sites talk about Amazon ads, but these are really In Your Face, so I had not known most are greeted with these huge ads, which I saw, going in via a tablet w/o sufficient pop-up protection.  I really like ads to be more subtle instead of the 'BUY HERE' type.  What happened to CNET?

That should give a pretty good idea of what the reception is like.  If I see any unusual ones, I may add more later, but there have been so many rave reviews since this was first posted, that I felt the above would do unless there was something new being said.  If you've received a Paperwhite and would like to add your thoughts, pro or con, to the reports, that'd be helpful.


UPDATE2 and 3 - The Light Panel - Some have mentioned that the bottom-most slice or row has uneven lighting that's noticeable when the room light is very low.  That's where the four lower-power LEDs are, underneath the bezel, where they're the light source for the fiber optic sheet of the display.

  The light travels about 1/2 inch, as it is, before it becomes evenly diffused, and you'll see some darker portions at that lowest space.  This is not very noticeable in daylight but is seeable in the dark and is to be expected (but not mentioned in the early marketing materials, and so people had wondered if it's normal).

  Amazon explains that their design uses "nanoscale optical diffractive patterns" to enable 'fine-grain control" over the direction of the diffused light.

  Here's a very good video of this bottom area, with explanation, by phototristan, shot in a darkened room.

Updated to include the portion showing the same Paperwhitein normal room lighting before he turned the lights off.

  The patents involved with this are an interesting read (for some).  Considering the light guide layer is above the touch screen (front-lighting it), it's impressive that the screen is as responsive as it is.

      UPDATE 3a
Some reported pale discolorations in very dark rooms.  Prismatic in look, they have seemed to disappeared, for many (but some will want pure-white, even in the dark), or are not noticeable after a few days.   For questions on any Kindle purchased, one can contact Amazon Kindle Support who are very responsive.

I noticed some muted or pastel color areas if I looked for them, in a room without any light at all, where you normally cannot read an e-Ink Kindle at all, but they have virtually disappeared on my own Paperwhite, and in a darkened room I'm happy to be able to read the Kindle without attaching a light.  [End of Reports plus Update 2 and 3]


The upshot
That includes (1) mainstream reviews when the Kindle Paperwhite was released and (2) some updates I made to the U.S. Paperwhite reports, so that you don't read only external reviews or product marketing information on any Kindles of interest.  I hope that's been useful.

---

Current Kindle Models for reference, plus free-ebook search links.
NOTES on newer Kindles.

US: Updated Kindle Fire 2 Basic  7" tablet - $159 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB - $199/$249 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 16/32GB - $299/$369 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G 32/64GB - $499/$599 Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $69/$89 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $119/$139 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi+3G - $179/$199 Kindle Keybd 3G - $139/$159, Free slow web Kindle DX - $379 $299 Discontinued

UK: Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £69 Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - ~£89 Refurb'd Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - £109 Kindle Paperwhite 3G, UK - £169 Kindle Fire 2, UK -  £129 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB, UK - £159/199 Canada - Kindlestore, CDN-$ Kindle Basic, NoTouch - $89 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $139 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi+3G - $199

OTHER International Kindle NoTouch Basic - $89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $139 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB France Boutique Kindle Deutschland - Kindle Store Italia - Kindle Store Spain - Tienda Kindle Brazil - Amazon Brazil China - Amazon China Japan - Amazon Japan

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

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Kindle Tips: Inexpensive, highly-rated cases for Kindle Paperwhite. New Utility Kit app. KBook about beating stage-4 cancer, free through Sunday

Moko Cover Case for Kindle Paperwhite with Auto Sleep/Wake and a Lifetime Warranty

Had to post this one.  These prices fluctuate quite a bit.  But at this time, the price for this one is $5.99 and it's eligible for membership shipping which, if you are a member, means free delivery to arrive within 2 days in most places in the U.S.  Canada has other rules for Prime shipping, and I'll go into that this week also.

  This cover has 188 customer reviews with an average rating of 4.6.

 The MoKo also comes with some kind of "Lifetime Warranty" although I haven't seen the fine print.

  I've bought Moko products before and liked them.  I already have the official Amazon Kindle Paperwhite case, which though I thought it expensive is beautiful and thin, the Kindle edges framed perfectly by the recessed case.

RooCASE Ultra Slim
 However, I found that I prefer to read the Paperwhite without using a cover as it's really light that way and it's an ordeal to TRY to take it out of the Amazon case!  So I wound up also getting an inexpensive one from which I can remove the Paperwhite easily.

  In this case, so to speak, I bought a rooCASE Ultra Slim Vegan Leather Folio Case, which has AutoSleep.  I do love the thinness and flexibility of the cover.  This one looks a bit like a photo frame in that the Kindle screen is somewhat recessed in it.  The front cover bends back easily.  In a way, the Kindle is easier to hold in this in that you can slip a thumb or other finger behind the Kindle if you're holding it in your left hand, which makes it seem lighter to hold while reading.

  However, this one, which I had considered inexpensive relative to the $50 Amazon regulars is $14.88 currently.  It also is a product, with the 2 days free shipping in the U.S.

With all of these faux leather cases, there is initially an odor out of the box, and I put any of these by a window for 2 days and the problem goes away.  This one has 132 customer reviews and an average 4.5 stars.  It has no pocket on the left the way the Moko does.  Otherwise it looks exactly the same, up to the opening for the power cord connector and power-on button plus look of the faux leather.


Kindle Fire Hd 7 and 8.9 Inch Standby case w/ autosleep/wake feature
The CaseCrown Ridge Standby Case for the 7" and 8.9" Kindle Fire HD models is currently $20.21 for the 7" (with ) and $15.23 for the 8.9" today (again, these prices fluctuate), BUT there is a shipping cost of $5 on the larger one for the Kindle Fire HD 8.9".  That's right, the price is essentially the same for the cover for the considerably larger 8.9" model as for the one for the 7" model.

 Though there was no Prime shipping eligibility for the larger model, that case came just as quickly, but the $5 shipping was added of course.

 This one uses velcro to hold the screen in place, in either horizontal or vertical mode.  It works reliably for me so far.  It's NOT an ultra-slim case though, but this particular case, unlike another CaseCrown cover, has three solid placement indents so that you can change the angle of the display  More important for me is that it stands up on its own and has flexible angle viewing.

The Amazon cases are more elegant and thinner, but these are more affordable alternatives for those wanting that.


EARLIER blog articles on recent Kindle accessories
The blog article on December 20 includes info on three other cases that have been highly-rated economical options plus info on three wireless bluetooth keyboards that work well with the Kindle Fire HD models.


A new e-Ink Kindles app that's a Swiss knife for Kindle eReaders


Utility Kit, by Metalgrass Software - with 7 Applications for Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Touch, and Basic (NoTouch) Kindle.

  Tools include: Calculator, Stopwatch, Countdown timer, World clocks, Calendar, Units conversion, and a Notepad.  Metalgrass prices it at $1.99.




The C Card and Me - How I beat stage IV cancer (to a pulp)

2nd Edition, by Ali Gilmore, illustrated by Bradley Keen.

  $0.00 through Sunday Jan 20, 2013.  Described as a very short, conversational and "irreverent" guide to getting through treatment for Stage 4 colon cancer, at first written for another person she heard was having to start the process.  A guide "designed to be read in a day."
  Text changes from the 1st edition were "made to Chapter 3 and to the Epilogue."
  "About the book" page
  I saw the PR release and have not read the guide, but it's free, is on a topic that'll be of interest to some facing a tough time, and it's a no-risk 'buy' -- the sample will give an idea though.

---

Current Kindle Models for reference, plus free-ebook search links.
NOTES on newer Kindles.

US: Updated Kindle Fire Basic  7" tablet - $159 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB - $199/$249 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 16/32GB - $299/$369 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G 32/64GB - $499/$599 Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $69/$89 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $119/$139 Kindle Paperwhite, 3G - $179/$199 Kindle Keybd 3G - $139/$159, Free but slow web Kindle DX - $379 $299, Free, slow web

UK: Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £69 Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - £89 Refurb'd Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - £109 Kindle Paperwhite 3G, UK - £169 Kindle Fire 2, UK -  £129 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB, UK - £159/199 Canada - Amazon Canada Kindle Basic, NoTouch - $89

OTHER International Kindle NoTouch Basic - $89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $139 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB France Boutique Kindle Deutschland - Kindle Store Italia - Kindle Store Spain - Tienda Kindle Brazil - Amazon Brazil China - Amazon China Japan - Amazon Japan

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button
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Notes - on New Kindles. From the Amazon press conference, with UPDATES 9/8/12-4/11/13 - Links to Flash workarounds

These began from raw notes that I expanded as I gathered info and received confirmations.
  So it can be confusing to read, and is here as raw-form reference for those interested.

Updated to put all Kindle Fire HD info in the same layout for details and to add other notes, including Kindle Fire in Europe now as well as listing several features not found in other 7" tablets


Notes added chronologically, 9/8/12-4/11/13:
  1)  Kindle Fires are arriving in Europe: Links to those below also.
  2)  Kindle Fires are partially ad-supported unless an opt-out (for $15) is chosen.
  3)  Kindle Paperwhite has no audio/text-to-speech.
          This reduces cost of hardware and mp3 licenses, but those using an earlier Kindle
           to read with auto-page turns using text-to-speech should keep those models if
           buying the Paperwhite.
  4)  The Kindle Forum FAQ mentions that the  Adobe® Flash®  Player function
           is no longer supported on the new Kindle Fires nor on Google Nexus.
           Adobe is no longer supporting Flash on mobile browsers, but I was told that
           YouTube is using a different video implementation and that
           it works well on Kindle Fire HD in 'automatic' mode.
  5)  While the Kindle Paperwhite has no speakers for text-to-speech,
          The Kindle Forum FAQ confirmed it IS available in the new Kindle Fires
          where enabled by the publisher (along w/ new voice-sync feature).
  6)  Added several special features not found in other 7" tablets
  7)  Added general information re workarounds for Adobe's now dropped Flash support for
          advanced mobile devices like the Google Nexus and Kindle Fire, w/ network tv full-episode video.
  8)  Added links recommended by Amazon Kindle forum members for
          the Flash workaround. (See #21 below instead.)
  9)  Added a link to an alternate file manager and to the now
           ~18 Kindle classics being offered w/free audio temporarily
  10) Added a footer that includes older Kindle models as well.
  11) Paperwhite: First reports & reviews
  12) Paperwhite: Bottom-area unevenness in the dark - Is it normal?
  13) My videos Sept 6 of a Paperwhite demo and Kindle Fire 8.9" magazine feature demo
  14) Reviews that compare 7" Kindle Fire HD vs Google Nexus
  15) Amazon advisory on Paperwhite limitations and recommended light settings.
  16) Paperwhite video comparison wth Nook Glowlight
  17) Step-by-step: How to install Flash Player on Kindle Fire HD
  18) Features Comparison table - Kindle Fire HD 7", Google Nexus 7", iPad mini
  19) More comparisons on iPad mini and Kindle Fire HD
  20) Using the KFire camera and Video, Panorama mode, Time Lapses
  21) How to download Youtube videos to be played on your Kindle Fire
  22) Getting non-Amazon apps
          when not connected to the Net.  Includes a free video player
          that plays almost every video format w/o problems.
  23) Google Maps, Street View and other apps on my Kindle Fire,
          via enabling one device setting
  24) Add Wi-Drive pocketable storage & streaming for Kindles and other devices,
          Or, Portable wireless 320G Patriot Gauntlet drive/stream'g for many mobile devices.
  25) Showing Kindle Fire content on your HDTV
  26) WiFi Explorer Pro for WiFi file transfers to/from PC w/o cable.
  27) Lookout Mobile Security app, for Kindle Fire HD.  A free app - anti-malware,
          can "scream" to help you find it.
  28) Kindle Fire HD 8.9" Reviews, thoughts.
  29) Two favorite Kindle Fire apps for downloading from Youtube and
          for playing almost any video format
  30) The Kindle Fire is a popular tablet choice in survey.
          Gets a multi-player gaming hub system before GooglePlay does.
  31) Lowered pricing on Kindle Fire HD 8.9" now produced for Europe and Japan also.
  32) The Kindle Fire HD 7" 32G model is $229 ($20 lower) eff. 4/11/13.

---

The Updated Kindle Basic (No Touch, No physical keyboard)
  Now $69 and $89 rather than $79 and $109
  15% faster page turns and darker fonts


Kindle Paperwhite
  $119, $139 w/o special offers on sleep-screens.  No audio/text-to-speech (see Note #3 above)
    Has 25 levels of extremely even, diffused lighting, it's said to have 25% more contrast.
   212 ppi (pixels per inch) -- 62% more pixels for better readability in the smaller font sizes
       and the ability to make more complex fonts
   New capacitive touch screen. (Earlier models used infrared.)
   ~8 weeks on a battery charge w/ Wireless Off , with lighting at level 10
   A new feature estimates how many minutes it'll take to finish the current chapter.
      The estimate will be at the left-bottom of the page.
   To be released Oct. 1.   Can be ordered now.

  Things buyers should know
  The Paperwhite has less storage space than the Kindle Keyboard and Kindle Touch -
  2GB vs previous 4GB.   1.25 GB for user content.

  Why? I suspect that lowest possible price for top quality product was a focus.
    Another, stronger reason - The more books people placed on the Kindle,
      the slower it ran, due to indexes of keywords for each book and handling arrays in memory.

   At that, it can hold "up to 1,100 books," they say. That will depend on how graphics-intensive a book is.  But any book removed from the device is always downloadable again at any time when it's wanted, which is similar to finding and taking a book from your shelf and putting it back when you've finished reading it.

    The ability to organize your books via Collections feature.  Besides a reassuring screenshot circulating from a video on the Paperwhite, Amazon confirmed that the Collections feature IS included for Paperwhite and they updated the product page.

Kindle Paperwhite 3G
  $179, $199 w/o special offers on sleep-screens.  No audio/text-to-speech
   See all the info above for Paperwhite without 3G.
     3G version allows free downloading of books from Kindlestore via cell phone networks,
        which is convenient when you're away from WiFi network access.
     3G models have always also included  free 3G access to Wikipedia - a great feature.
         The Paperwhite product page didn't mention this free 3G Wikipedia access at first,
          but Amazon confirmed it's still included, and they updated the product page.
     To be released Oct. 1.   Backordered.
   Also see Amazon's advisory on light-setting recommendations and some limitations.



The Updated Kindle Fire Basic
  $159. Released Sept 14
  The memory has been increased from 512 MB to 1 GB
      40% faster with longer battery life.
  Storage space is 8GB as before.
  Can be ordered now.  I guess they can all be pre-ordered, actually
    so, no more notes on pre-ordering.


7" Kindle Fire HD 16/32 GB storage
  $199   16GB KFireHD  Released Sept. 14
  $229   32GB KFireHD  to be released Oct. 25. [ 32G reduced by $20 4/11/13 ]
  7" HD display, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Dual-Antenna Wi-Fi + MIMO
  Battery lasts about 11 hours with Wireless Off
  1280 x 800 display in up to 720p high definition display - duo core processor
  216 ppi (pixels per inch)
  Front-facing camera for use with Skype
  An HDMI port for direct connection to an HDTV.
  Bluetooth
  X-ray for Movies -- Pause a scene, see the actors' names, brief bios, movie history.
  X-ray for Books -- See a character's bio, appearances in chron order in the book
  Whispersync for Voice -- Read a book on KFire, Continue on associated,
    discounted audio book w/ professional narration
    ~18 Free Kindle Classics w/ Free Audible audio - Amazon promo offer
      Immersion Reading -- see highlighted text while listening to Audible.
  Basic text-to-speech is also available

  Despite a dual-core processor rather than a quad-core like Google's Nexus, this is said to have:
  "High performance 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor with Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core for fast and fluid performance
  Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for 40% faster downloads and streaming"
    (compared to iPad 4)

  Has "an advanced polarizing filter" applied "directly to the LCD panel.
    This results in a display that shows the same deep contrast
    and rich, detailed color when viewed at any angle."

  ALL Kindle Fires come with Dolby Digital Plus and Stereo speakers with virtual surround sound.

  Adobe's new lack of Flash support for mobile browsers - a workaround
  The new Kindle Fires (and Google Nexus) don't support the Adobe Flash<® Player function.  When I saw this in the Kindle forum FAQ, I asked how this might affect YouTube sessions and network TV re-runs.   The answer was that Adobe is no longer supporting Flash on mobile browsers but that YouTube's video implementation works very well on Kindle Fire HD.

  Kindle forum regulars have found an easy workaround for this, also used for the Google Nexus and other advanced Android-system tablets -- Here's the step-by-step guide.

  I stick with the Kindle Fire's Silk web browser ('Web' on the top menu) for everything else (especially Amazon's excellent 'Article View' feature for Web articles -- it presents more readable web-article text devoid of ads (when you tap the eyeglasses icon at the top), and the tablet gives us a choice between browsers for activities like videos.

  Forum members, including Kindle Forum Pros explain that those who want to use these two files, should FIRST get, from Amazon Apps store, the file manager, ES File Explorer [or File Expert], used to manage files and install an Android app file.

  A Setting that must be done before doing any of this
  Amazon allows users to choose to install apps from "unknown sources" and you can "enable" that (do this only with files recommended by people you trust) by going to 'Home' screen and swiping down (lightly pressing and pulling down) from the top of the screen, to see the Quick Settings Menu; then click on "More" at the right, and go down that Settings list to "Device" to Check the box to allow installation of applications from 'unknown sources.'

  Also, when Android devices don't have rights to view some video material, the Dolphin browser has a "user agent" setting and you can then be seen by the video webpage as using an iPad or a Desktop instead, which usually solves the problem.  Remember to switch back to Android later.

  I switch between the Dolphin browser and Amazon's "Silk" browser, using Dolphin when Flash is needed, and can now see the videos that require Flash.   (B&N does not allow 'unknown source' app files on the Nook tablet, so Amazon is just more open re non-company-store apps, although obviously they prefer users to use their store's apps if they have the file.  Someday, websites still using Flash will catch up and have to use another method to show videos, as Youtube now does for most of its offerings.

  NOTE: When you're browsing YouTube using Amazon's Kindle Fire "Silk" browser, make sure the Web menu-setting for "Requested website view" is set to "Automatic," rather than "Desktop, to get all the YouTube videos w/o requiring a flash player.

The most helpful customer review - "You get what you pay for" includes points many have found useful vs reading only the marketing materials.

  Reviews that compare 7" Kindle Fire HD vs Google Nexus 7" tablets



8.9" Kindle Fire HD 16/32 GB storage
  $269/$299.  To be released Nov. 20 Started shipping 11/15/12.
      (the equivalent iPad 10-inch tablet is $600 for 32GB storage
      while the Kindle Fire 8.9" 32GB model is ~$300.
  8.9" HD display, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Dual-Antenna Wi-Fi + MIMO
  Battery lasts about 11 hours with Wireless Off
  1920 x 1200 display in up to 1080p high definition - duo core processor
  254 ppi (pixels per inch -- Retina range)
  Front-facing camera for use with Skype
  An HDMI port for direct connection to an HDTV.
  Bluetooth
  X-ray for Movies -- Pause a film, see the actors' names, brief bios, movie history.
  X-ray for Books -- See a character's bio, appearances in chron order in the book
  Whispersync for Voice -- Read a book on KFire, Continue on associated,
    discounted audio book w/ professional narration
    ~18 Free Kindle Classics w/ Free Audible audio - Amazon promo offer
      Immersion Reading -- see highlighted text while listening to Audible.
  Basic text-to-speech is also available

  Despite a dual-core processor rather than a quad-core like Google's Nexus, this is said to have:
  "High performance 1.5Ghz dual-core processor with Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core for fast and fluid performance
  Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for 40% faster downloads and streaming
    (compared to iPad 4)"

  Has "an advanced polarizing filter" applied "directly to the LCD panel.
    This results in a display that shows the same deep contrast
    and rich, detailed color when viewed at any angle."

  Here's the resolution on an image from the Kindle Fire HD Jeff Bezos was using
    as seen when projected onto the large screen in the hall.

  All Kindle Fires come with Dolby Digital Plus and stereo speakers with virtual surround sound.


Kindle Fire HD 8.9" w/ "ultra-fast 4G LTE wireless" 32/64 GB storage
  $399/$499.  To be released Nov. 20 Started shipping 11/15/12.
(See above for the features that apply to all Kindle Fire HD 8.9" models.)

For $399, what does the basic Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G/LTE have?
  It has 32 gigs of storage plus 3G/4G cellular network capability.
  The $499 iPad4 has only 16 gigs of storage and NO 3G/4G capability.

  Apple charges an additional $130 for that 3G/4G capability, making the Apple iPad cost $629 for the 16GB storage space model,
    before the cost of a monthly data plan for an iPad 4.
  Apple's iPad -- when you add 16 GB to equal KFire HD 8.9" -- costs yet another $100. $729 total.

  Minimal Data Plan: 250MB with 20GB Cloud Storage and $10 Appstore Credit
    The Kindle Fire's basic low-cost plan for 250 MB etc. costs $ 50 total for the first year.
    The Apple iPad's basic low cost plan for 250 MB etc. costs $230 per year.

  3G/4G LTE models (Using basic 32GB for Kindle Fire and iPad)
  Year 1 Total Costs:   iPad4 - $959     Kindle Fire 8.9"- $449


  An added Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE feature: 20GB of additional Cloud Drive storage "for your photoas and more, plus a $10 Amazon Appstore promotional credit."

How much data will 250MB per month cover though?
  NOTE - They say you wouldn't have to rely on WiFi and could use the 4G that comes with a plan at $50/yr, but it's important that you know it's extremely limited data and would be good mainly for checking text email while away or reading text. That's when you wouldn't need to rely on WiFi without using all your 3G access in a day or two, because in no way would it be nearly enough for one normal video of course.

  Their product pages mention elsewhere that a STANDARD definition video is around 500 MB and an average HD movie is 2GB (I've seen higher figures than these though).

  But again, it  would help for reading pure text in a book, from time to time while out where there's no WiFi available.  At $50/year, for mainly quick e-mail and some book-reading, this is VERY good.  Apple has a minimum plan for the 250MB of data but charges $230 per year for their plan, while Amazon somehow is offering that for $50 per year.

---

ALL KINDLE FIRE HD's
  Audio -
  Re the exclusive Dolby Digital, "Dolby Digital Plus includes technology used to adjust volume, create virtual surround sound, and deliver easier-to-understand dialogue in movies and TV shows.  Kindle Fire HD is designed to automatically optimize the audio profile based on what you're doing."

  They tuned them to reproduce deeper bass, with an emphasis on no hearable distortion (there's always a small amount).

  A Kindle Fire HD was used to drive some large speakers during the presentation.  I'll eventually upload video from the live audience perspective.

  Speed
The following is worth quoting from the product page.

' The TI OMAP4470 processor in the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" has 40% more memory bandwidth than Tegra 3, enabling faster web browser JavaScript performance.
  ' And Kindle Fire HD 8.9" has an Imagination SGX544 3D graphics core that can process over 12 billion floating-point operations per second, so even graphically intensive games run smoothly and render stunning scenery.
  ' We also tuned the graphics pipeline and touch handling software to eliminate delays between when you touch the screen and when the application responds.  This means the home screen scrolls more smoothly, videos start playing faster, and games respond nearly instantaneously.

  Audible audiobooks sync'd with Kindle books
  ' Kindle Fire HD can now synchronize Kindle text with companion Audible audiobooks with real-time highlighting... ' called "Immersion Reading." This feature is part of Whispersync for Voice -- so far, ~15,000 Kindle/Audible combos include the sync'd text highlight, but it's not available on all Audible audio with Kindle books.

  Also, Amazon also said customers can add available professional narration of a book for a reduced price of $3.95 on certain books when you buy the Kindle book.  [Somewhat like bundling, but at a discount rather than free]

    While Amazon currently offers a few free examples of Kindle books with Audible Audio Whispersync for Voice, the average pricing of a limited set of combo purchases when available is $3.95 or less, per Amazon's product pages.  The regular offerings are more expensive.


NOTE:  Kindle Fire HD tablets are partially ad-supported with "Special Offers" (unless you opt out) in that:
  "Your offers display on the lock screen and the lower left hand corner of the home screen -- they don't interrupt use of the device."

  Many have actually preferred to get the special offers/Amazon discounts, which can be considerable, but the idea is anathema for many.  Initially, there was no option available,  probably because they went for best hardware & processes this time and, apparently, are relying on advertiser revenue to help support the cost.  I had this added caution here in case, but Amazon has quickly decided to offer an opt-out choice for $15, which can be chosen at the Manage Your Kindle page.


Whispersync for Games
  "GameCircle titles with Whispersync automatically store your progress in the cloud, so you'll never lose an unlocked level or saved game, even if you delete the game from your device."

Audible books using Whispersync
  Add the professional narration of [whatever book] for a reduced price of $3.95 after you buy this Kindle book. [Somewhat like bundling, but at a discount rather than free]

  There are also free narrations for free Kindle books.   See details on Whispersync for Voice


UK, Italy, France, Germany to get Kindle Fires
The first to get these outside the U.S..   These will start at £129 In UK, €159 In France.

  TechCrunch added: "Along with Amazon’s big tablet announcements earlier today, it’s finally also unveiled the first markets to get the Kindle Fire tablets — both the new Kindle Fire and the HD version — outside of the U.S. The news first trickled out in a forum announcement on Amazon.co.uk, which also announced availability of the new Kindle e-reader."

  [Update 9/10 - These were announced as available in the Uk, France, and Italy last night.]
Links to those stores: Italia, Deutschland, France

Canada and China Amazon-stores were quietly launched in Dec. 2012.
  See Current Kindles - Listing



RESOURCES
Excellent Live Blogs of the announcements with pictures and good details.
TechCrunch's Live Blog with commentary
Their Event coverage
All Things D's Live Blog, narrative style


Video
Excerpts or highlights of the Amazon presentation (WSJ)
Video of full presentation

  My videos Sept 6 of a good Paperwhite demo and a Kindle Fire 8.9" magazine feature demo

Also, My Photo Log of points made at the announcements will be enlarged later to show more of the atmosphere and crowd at these events, for anyone interested.


More detailed reports
  CNet's Danny Sullivan explains Amazon's parental controls (AKA parental support) and the multi-user aspect of it.


And in one Amazon Singles book, Len Edgerly of The Kindle Chronicles describes the entire launch event in an entertaining and very informative way with unusual context and depth and has links to further reading and media.
  Details here.  The book is also available in the Prime Lending Library.

  Len also had a 20-minute interview with Jeff Bezos in Seattle, in July 2012, which is a fun read and reassuring in many ways for avid readers.

  I've listened to his podcasts for 3 years and communicated with him in email but had never met him until the media event Sept. 6.  Despite the gray in his hair, he is a mass of youthful energy that belies the calm you hear when he speaks.
  But most of all he brings an intense thoughtfulness to his research and reports and is one of the most balanced reporters I've read.

---

Current Kindle Models for reference, plus free-ebook search links.

US: Updated Kindle Fire 2 Basic  7" tablet - $159 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB - $199/$249 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 16/32GB - $269/$299 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G 32/64GB - $399/$499 Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $69/$89 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $119/$139 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi+3G - $179/$199 Kindle Keybd 3G - $139/$159, Free slow web Kindle DX - $379 $299 Discontinued

UK: Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £69 Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - ~£89 Refurb'd Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - £109 Kindle Paperwhite 3G, UK - £169 Kindle Fire 2, UK -  £129 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB, UK - £159/199 Canada - Kindlestore, CDN-$ Kindle Basic, NoTouch - $89 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $139 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi+3G - $199

*OTHER International* Kindle NoTouch Basic - $89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $139 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Paperwhite WiFi - $139 & 3G/Wifi - $199 France Boutique Kindle Deutschland - Kindle Store Italia - Kindle Store Spain - Tienda Kindle Brazil - Amazon Brazil China - Amazon China Japan - Amazon Japan

  For daily free ebooks, check the following links:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics USA: by:    Publication Date      Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular The Kindle Daily Deal What is 3G? and "WiFi"?       Battery Care Highly-rated under $1,  Newest: $1-$2, $2-$3

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. USEFUL for your Kindle Keyboard (U.S. only, currently):   99c Notepad 1.1,   99c Calculator,   99c Calendar,   99c Converter

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Kindle News: Kindle Paperwhite video comparison with Nook Glowlight. Kindle Touch internat'l page info. Throw in the Vowel, on Paperwhite

GoodEReader's Michael Kozlowski has put together an effective video comparison showing, side by side, the differences in display and features of the Kindle Paperwhite and the Nook Glowlight.

FIRST, the Kindle Touch e-Ink eReader situation
[Corrected the confusing typos that had 'Nook' in place of 'Kindle'
  Just had Nook on the brain, obviously.]
The Kindle Touch situation has been of interest to many, as this model has/had the Text-to-Speech feature (as does the Kindle Keyboard  See Int'l).  The Kindle Touch disappeared from Kindle 'family' headers and comparison charts for the U.S. Kindle pages once the Paperwhite was announced September 6.

  The old pages for 3G and WiFi-Only models say "Currently Unavailable" -- normal wording but it's in contrast to the Kindle DX page, which shows only Used models and Trade-In values.  NO pretense of possible later availability for the big Kindle DX.

  UK
  For awhile, the Kindle Touch WiFi was showing as available on UK product pages until it was announced that the UK is getting the Paperwhite November 22, 2012.
  Then, that Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi, UK model became "currently unavailable," with a note that Amazon UK doesn't know when or if it will be back in stock.

  International model of the Kindle Touch
  At the same time, there is an "International" model product page which has a "sign up" box for availability notices, which is quite out of the ordinary.
  The Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi version shows "currently unavailable" in the way these things are usually done.
  However, the Kindle Touch WiFi-Only int'l model shows something out of the ordinary.
  In both the main content and buy-box areas, it has this, in Red:
    "Sign up to be notified when this item becomes available."

  It could be that Amazon is leaving its options open on the International model of the Kindle Touch WiFi. "International" models are sold from Amazon U.S.




BACK to the Kindle Paperwhite model

  The GoodEReader video by Michael Kozlowski covers more than the usual comparisons I've seen, so rather than discuss that more, I recommend a visit there.


An excellent, thorough video of the Kindle Paperwhite plus written review
This thorough video, by MobileTechReview's Lisa Gade, covers almost every feature.  Here's the accompanying written article.

  The video is very clear, and the only problem for some could be that she speaks so fast that some of the words are totally lost, with no gaps between sounds at times.  Otherwise, it's visually the best Paperwhite DEMO I've seen, as she explains most of the features in detail.
  Toward the end of the video, she shows the Nook Glowlight side by side with the Kindle Paperwhite and then the Paperwhite in daylight alongside the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD, a novel comparison that should be useful to those trying to decide between the two.

An excerpt from her Conclusion:

' If you're happy with Amazon's huge selection of well-priced books or you use Calibre to convert ePub eBooks to Mobi format for use on the Kindle, then this is the best eReader on the market.   I personally find that 1.25 gigs of storage is more than adequate to carry a vast library of books with me, so I don't miss the card slot. I prefer the thin and modern Paperwhite design to the bulky Kindle Touch and Nook GlowLight design. But those of you with large hands and a hankering for hardware page turn buttons will disagree. The display and frontlighting are the best on the market, and that's arguably the most important feature on a single purpose digital book reader. '

Another review from NewsObserver's Paul Gilster agrees, calling the Paperwhite "the best ebook reader I've yet encountered."


Throw in the Vowel

Throw in the Vowel is a popular word game for all e-Ink Kindles except the Kindle 1 (the latter has no direct access to the screen), and I'm mentioning it again, as it's newly available for the Kindle Paperwhite too.

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Kindle News: Kindle Paperwhite e-reader display-light and glass system said to be less fragile than earlier front-lit reader

Kindle Paperwhite intro	Glimpses of font darkness	Paperwhite book covers projected onto hall screen
Paperwhite, WiFi (no 3G)	Five Generations of Kindle	Showing "9 mins left in chapter" estimate

This time, a bit about the coming Kindle Paperwhite, which was to ship Oct 1, but current product page ship time is Oct 22, partially because of demand.  I've included some photos I took at the press event, as these illustrate some of the points they stressed.

  Much has been written about the Paperwhite, because few of us expected the light to be so evenly distributed, with a soft, diffused quality.  It's easy on the eyes, with no obvious source for the lighting system and no unevenness like what we've sometimes seen with the Nook Glowlight.

  However, my own concern with what the new e-Ink Kindle model would be like has been a result of two disappointments (for some) with the Nook's front-lit reader:

  1.  possibly lowered contrast relative to older e-Ink Kindles.  Even the Nook reviews that were very positive tended to mention there was a loss of contrast as a result of the additional layer that houses the eight LED lights at the top edge of the e-Ink display, resulting in "certain lines of text looking slightly darker or lighter than others."

  2.  many reports of fragility of the lighting portion of the display so that a very light scratch on the surface, although not producing an indentation, can cause what Nook fan Kyle Wagner of Gizmodo describes as a "frightful little light tunnel that popped up" after he accidentally dropped a TV remote control about six inches onto the screen, and he excoriates himself for doing that.  The title of his piece was the sane advice that "You Really Don't Want to Drop the new Simple Touch."

The concern over fragility of front-lit eReaders
    Then TheDigitalReader's Nate Hoffelder drew attention to Wagner's article, and titled his take a bit more severely.

  Most of us have inadvertently dropped our readers or tablets a short distance to carpeted areas or even onto harder surfaces.  Hoffelder decided on a casual test (but one matching real-life scenarios), dropping his keys on his Nook Glowlight from a height of four inches.  Then he posted his photo of the results, with 4 points on the surface that now have bright light coming through, not very pleasant for reading.
  With the front-lighting off, the screen doesn't show any sign of damage otherwise.  Only the lighting system is harmed.

  There are 50 comments to Hoffelder's article.  One pointed out that this is not a reader meant for young ones.  Others at first felt he was too harsh.

  But quite a few are confirmations by readers that their Glowlights have seen this damage to the light display more than once, even while protected.

  And others expressed dismay with Nate's testing methodology.  So he decided to do another test, this time dropping his keys "from a height of 5 to 6 inches on the following devices:  Asus Transformer, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Kindle DX, Innosoul Android tablet, Kindle Touch."

  His results: "None were damaged in this experiment."

  A suggestion was made to use a screen protector, but another commenter said he'd tried that but it made the touch screen much less responsive.

  That's probably because the Nook Glowlight's display screen uses an infrared touch screen, while the Kindle Paperwhite has a capacitative touch display

  Commenter fjtorres presciently muses that

' Of course, now everybody will be doing their own “Hoffelder test” *before* releasing their product so the Nook glow might just be the end of *that* experiment. '

  In fact, I asked Kindle Team Staffers at the press event about my concern over fragility of a 2nd layer that houses lights over the text display, as I'd read so many reports on mild encounters of the screen with even-soft surfaces that resulted in damage to the lighting mechanism.  I mentioned reading information from Nook owners at Barnes and Noble's tech support site.

  One Kindle Team member actually gave me an answer (blow me down! as they tend to be so non-commital about everything).

He said that the Paperwhite light-system layer (it has only 4 Led lights) is "strong" and can handle quite a bit.   I asked if they had done tests that involved dropping objects onto the screen of a Paperwhite, and he said that they had, and that it had survived all manner of drops onto the surface.  I asked him if they'd dropped anything heavy on it, and he said, yes, and mentioned a rather heavy "brass" object and that it survived that too.

  So, Nate, if you're reading, you've probably had an effect (along with Wagner).

  Now, this is just off-the-cuff information received casually at the post-announcements demo-stations, and they'll not be guaranteeing their Paperwhites against this type of drop!  But obviously they would want to distribute something stronger than we've seen with the Glowlight so far and actually did do this type of drop-test.

  I'm interested in why the Paperwhite lighting layer would be stronger -- maybe its physical properties?  Or something about the lighting system that is more resistant to breakage?  At any rate, he was quite proud of the degree of resistance to damage from drops onto it.  Again, they won't be likely to do any kind of warranty on this, but it was reassuring to hear they were concerned with the strength of the lighting mechanism.

Other aspects
I'll be writing more about the Paperwhite, but this blog article is already too lengthy,as usual.

A few things to remember
  Like the Kindle Touch, the X-ray feature (in X-ray enabled books) gives you -- for characters mentioned on a page -- a bio plus excerpts from, and hyperlinks to, those characters' appearances in the book.

  The battery life is said to be about 8 weeks, "even with the light on."
    It's worth noting that Amazon used to base battery life on one hour of reading per day, but Barnes & Noble used a half-hour basis in their marketing and reviewers started saying the Nook had double the reading time.  I don't know any book type who reads only 1/2 hour per day though.

  The new "Time to Read" feature 'uses your reading speed" to let you know when you're likely to finish your current chapter.

  With 62% more pixels than on the last e-Ink model, it has the highest resolution of any 6-7" e-reader currently and the fonts are hand-tuned to present even complex fonts clearly at smaller sizes.   Having tried these a few times at the demo stations, I can confirm the unit is really clear and the touch screen very responsive.  The black flash page-turn of e-Ink has a default setting of one per 6 pages and I didn't notice any ghosting of the last few pages of a series.

&nbps; For families with students or for the curious of any age, the Paperwhite 3G model not only allows downloading of Kindle books anywhere but also has AT&T cellphone access (so that you don't need to rely on finding usable WiFi spots), and you can also access Wikipedia for free, 24/7 using that 3G cellular network access.  This is one of my favorite features, and it isn't found on any e-reader from other makers.

---

Current Kindle Models for reference, plus free-ebook search links.
NOTES on newer Kindles.

US: Updated Kindle Fire Basic  7" tablet - $159 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB - $199/$249 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 16/32GB - $299/$369 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G 32/64GB - $499/$599 Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $69/$89 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $119/$139 Kindle Paperwhite, 3G/WiFi - $179/$199 Kindle Keybd 3G - $139/$159, Free but slow web Kindle DX - $379, Free, slow web

UK: Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £69 Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - £109 Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB

OTHER International Kindle NoTouch Basic - $89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $139 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB

  For daily free ebooks, check the following links:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics USA: by:    Publication Date      Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular The Kindle Daily Deal What is 3G? and "WiFi"?       Battery Care Highly-rated under $1,  Newest: $1-$2, $2-$3

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle Keyboard (U.S. only, currently):   99c Notepad 1.1,   99c Calculator,   99c Calendar,   99c Converter

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