New and improved Amazon Kindle – new price, new colors, new features

by Scott Carmichael on

Our friends at Engadget have the scoop on some new and improved Amazon Kindle developments. Starting on August 27, you’ll be able to order the new WiFi only Kindle – and by dropping 3G, you bring the price down to a completely insane $139 – a whopping $260 cheaper than the introduction Kindle launched back in 2007.

A 3G version will still be available, for the current price ($189) and still offering international download support on almost any 3G/GSM network.

Other improvements can be found in a faster screen refresh, tweaked buttons, more storage space (4GB) and a new color – graphite. Battery life has also improved to a whopping 30 days standby and 10 days with wireless turned on.

There is no denying that the Kindle has completely transformed the world of books, competition has popped up from every major book retailer, and really made ebooks a very popular choice for travelers.

Being able to leave bulky books at home, and order books over the air without visiting the book store makes travel so much easier. In many cases, an ebppl reader can even replace travel guides and provide a quick way to visit web sites and other online services.

Amazon Kindle joins ebook price war – drops to $189

by Scott Carmichael on

The Amazon Kindle (and ebook readers in general) are perfect for travel – they offer instant, often wireless access to online book stores, can carry 100’s of books in a single device, and their e-ink displays are easy on the eyes.

When Amazon launched their Kindle back in 2007, it cost $399 (and I bought one right away). Since then, the device has gone through several redesigns, making it smaller, and adding international wireless support.

And as of today, the device has one more change up its sleeves – a price drop to just $189. The drop is most likely the Amazon answer to a similar price drop by Barnes and Noble on their Nook ebook device.

At this new price, any hardcore reader/traveler should seriously consider the investment – it really will change the way you read, and in many ways, the Kindle is the best travel gadget a reader could possibly buy. You’ll find the Kindle over at Amazon.com, where you can also browse the assortment of Kindle books in their store.

M-EDGE Guardian case brings sun, surf and sand to your Amazon Kindle

by Scott Carmichael on

Like most high-tech gadgets, the Amazon Kindle 2 is not really at home on vacation – which is a shame, because it means you’d need to switch to old school paper books for some poolside reading entertainment.

Thankfully, case designer M-EDGE has a solution with their new Guardian case for the Amazon Kindle – a case that goes well beyond the normal level of protection.

The Guardian case actually lets you take your Kindle into the pool, and because it floats, you won’t need to go diving if you let it slip off your floating seat.

The Guardian case is waterproof up to 1 meter, and it features an anti-glare screen film. Four closing latches keep your device protected, and special cutouts allow access to most controls.

The M-EDGE Guardian case is available directly from the manufacturer for $79.99. The case comes in black, blue and red.

Amazon Kindle 2 – making a great gadget even better

by Scott Carmichael on

It’s no secret that I love the Amazon Kindle – the electronic book reader made our top 25 lineup of best travel gadgets for 2008, and despite several minor shortcomings, most readers picked it as their favorite gadget as well.

The Kindle has been a massive success – and ever since it was released, it’s been fairly hard to get, with shipping often taking about a month.

That is probably not going to improve any time soon, as Amazon just announced the new Kindle 2 – thinner, smarter design, and a host of other new features make this $359 device a clear winner.

In fact, I’d say the new design is so good, that we’ll see the “iPhone effect” where many original Kindle owners upgrade to the new version.

The device has a better e-ink display, capable of displaying 16 shades of gray, a faster refresh of the screen, and the ability to convert text to speech for the new “read to me” feature. But best of all, they updated the page turning buttons, which were always a massive annoyance.

Needless to say, the new Kindle is probably going to be just as successful as the old one, and should help keep Amazon on top of the ebook market.

Daily deal – Amazon Kindle wireless reading device $50 off

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today comes courtesy of Oprah Winfrey! On Friday, Oprah announced that her newest favorite gadget is the Amazon Kindle. The Kindle came out almost a year ago, and is an electronic book reader with wireless access.

What this means to us travelers is that when you are stuck at the airport, you can wirelessly browse Amazon.com and order books directly to the device. The screen uses E-Ink technology, which looks a lot like regular paper, and is very easy on the eyes.

The Kindle usually retails for $359, but if you use coupon code “OPRAHWINFREY” at checkout, you’ll get an additional $50 off. The deal is only valid till November 1st.

One thing to keep in mind is that the Kindle will not be able to access wireless downloads outside the USA, the network only operates within the Sprint coverage area. If you are abroad, you can still purchase books using a computer, and you’ll be able to transfer them using a USB cable.

I managed to get my Kindle the day they were released, and it’s been a very impressive little device. No longer do I have to rush into the local airport book store to buy a book for my flight, and in addition to books, I’m also able to keep up with news and other publications like Time and Forbes. The Amazon Kindle even has a built in MP3 player for adding some background music to your book!

You can read more about the Amazon Kindle here.