Kindle Scribe Colorsoft: Two-minute review

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft delivers everything you could want from an e-reader (mostly). Amazon packed this device with all of the key features of its other Kindles, but unfortunately, it commands a much higher price as a result.

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft nails all the e-reader basics, and that chunky upcharge brings some color into the mix so you can experience comics and the like. You also get a fancy pen to annotate and take notes. Those features function well overall, but they're not perfect.

Despite combining the “Scribe” and “Colorsoft” portions in the Kindle, you actually can't use them in tandem. You can't annotate or take any notes when you're reading comics or manga, which is ironic considering this is meant to be an all-in-one solution.

However, the 11-inch display is large enough to mimic the size of some graphic novels. That means you have plenty of room to take notes, too. The screen also captures images in strong detail.

So, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is a great e-reader, but unless it's on sale, I'd only recommend it to folks in a higher tax bracket.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: price and availability

• From $629 / £569 / AU$999
• Launched in the US and UK on December 10, 2025
• Launching in Australia on June 10, 2026

No. I simply cannot recommend the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft to the average Kindle user. It’s just too damn expensive. Adding color and a pen to your Kindle is a luxury that I would only recommend to those invested in Amazon’s eBook ecosystem or someone with significant disposable income.

At its starting price with 32GB of storage, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft costs $629 / £569 / AU$999 (it will launch in Australia on June 10). For 64GB of storage, that price jumps up to $679 / £629 / AU$1,099. As someone who just wants to read a book, that makes my wallet cry. But keep in mind that this is the peak premium Kindle device.

You can break down the features of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft into three categories — Kindle, Scribe, and Colorsoft — and it's quite simple to pick apart its value proposition as a result. The Kindle is just your traditional Paperwhite device for $159 / £159 / AU$199, and then the Colorsoft adds a splash of color to that for $249 / £269 / AU$399, and finally, you’ve got the Scribe for $399 / £379 / AU$649, which is like the Paperwhite, except you can write on it. Combine all that, and you get the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

If, for some reason, you need all three features packed into one device, then obviously, your only option in the Kindle ecosystem is the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. But focusing on one key feature will save you some decent coin, so I recommend doing just that before committing such a princely sum to this all-in-one device. Not to mention, there are cheaper color e-readers out there, like the Kobo Libra Colour ($219 / £199 / AU$359).

• Value score: 3 / 5

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: Specs

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: design

• Slightly less portable, but more reading room
• Pen placement is awkward

The 11-inch Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is almost as big as some of the taller graphic novels I have on my shelf, which seems appropriate considering its purpose. It does make it somewhat more difficult to carry around than the 7-inch Kindle Colorsoft, but it feels more authentic. And despite the larger 189 x 245mm body, it weighs only 400g and is 5.4mm thick, so it’s still more portable than some hardcover books.

As far as the overall design goes, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft looks exactly how you imagine a Kindle would look, except without that chunky bottom bezel. The bezels are still large enough for your hands to grip the device without getting in the way of the screen.

I reviewed the Graphite model with the white pen, but you can get the Fig colorway, which also comes with a Fig-colored pen. I usually don’t say this about tech, but I think I prefer the black model, only because the Fig colorway might be a little distracting while reading.

At the bottom, you’ll find the USB Type-C port for charging, and the power button is located on the top-right side. Just below that is the space where the pen attaches.

If you’re thinking that the pen might get in the way while attached to the right side, you’d be correct. It’s a silly design choice, especially when the pen is small enough (155 x 8.8mm) to easily fit on top of the Kindle.

Overall, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is sleek and inoffensive. It’s thin and light, albeit a bit harder to carry around than previous models, but who doesn’t want a little more reading and writing space? However, I am frustrated by the pen placement.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: display

• There’s color, but it’s not colorful
• Text and images are sharp

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft covers the black-and-white spectrum at 300 ppi and adds a splash of color at 150 ppi. There isn’t much the 11-inch display could do to elevate the average book reading experience, but it didn’t have to. Text looked clear and crisp, and the 36 white LEDs and 34 amber LEDs made it so I had a more comfortable reading experience depending on the setting I was in.

Like with other e-ink displays, the LEDs do create a layer of color (white or amber) that warps the image on the screen a little bit. With black text, it’s perfectly fine, as the difference is negligible. However, when introducing color, it’s more noticeable.

The problem is that, while it’s nice to have color, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is just not as colorful as I’d like it to be. I read “Hellblazer Vol. 1,” and when John Constantine heads to Africa, there are supposed to be these bright and bold pink and yellow hues, but they are muted on the Scribe Colorsoft’s screen. Even when set to “Vivid” mode, the color doesn’t pop. Honestly, this is to be expected from an e-ink display. But it doesn’t change the fact that you won’t get the same experience as looking at a real graphic novel. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that we can experience color at all, but at this wild asking price, it’s definitely not worth it for the color alone.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: performance

• Relatively smooth
• The response times you expect

You’re not looking at a racehorse here; this is a little pony, and that's OK. You don’t need all the performance in the world to run an e-reader.

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is relatively smooth across the board but still suffers from slightly slow response times during navigation. This isn’t a huge turn-off, since most of the experience comes down to turning a page. I did have to restart my Kindle once because it simply refused to connect to Wi-Fi no matter how many times I tried, but it resolved itself afterwards.

When doing more involved things like annotating or taking notes, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft kept up with all of my movements and demands with little issue. Zooming in around the pages also looked and felt smooth, although there’s still a slight awkward delay for the image to refresh, as I could clearly see the ghost of an image from the previous screen.

• User experience score: 4 / 5

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: software

• Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
• Smooth zooming, whether color or black and white

All of the important bits of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, or any e-reader, come down to the software experience. I am generally happy with what this Kindle provides, and it’s not that much different from other e-readers.

You’ve got the essentials that allow you to adjust the layout, font, spacing, etc. There are little things like the “Popular highlights” and “About this book” info, which are neat. Then there’s Word Wise, which defines unfamiliar words but also still needs a lot of work — it identifies overly simple words even at its lowest setting instead of exclusively honing in on the university-level vocabulary that most people would struggle with.

One of my personal favorite software features is being able to isolate comic panels. Double-tapping on a comic panel will make it full screen, and then you can flip through the following panels with ease. When it gets to a new page, it’ll show you the full page and then break down each panel at full screen. This is super cool because you don’t have to zoom in to get a closer look at what’s happening. However, it’s not perfect. I noticed an issue when reading “Attack on Titan” where, when there are two panels and text sprawled across them, sometimes the Kindle won’t combine the panels, and it cuts off the text.

Another cool feature is being able to simulate page turns, which I love in theory, but it doesn’t look the best in practice. The problem is that it’s a fade-in and -out effect instead of an actual flipping animation. It looks a bit more natural when reading a book because it’s a quick fade between texts, but it’s a much uglier transition with comics because there’s a lot of ghosting happening. It looks like it fades in chunks, and it was visually unsatisfying to the point where I turned it off.

To highlight the “Scribe” portion of this Kindle, the notetaking and markup process is rather smooth. The pen is equipped with an eraser on the back and a shortcut button on its side (defaulted to highlight). When reading a standard book, there are two important icons, one on the left and right. The leftmost icon is for all of your pen settings to customize the look, change between highlighters and erasers, and even insert notes and canvases between the text.

The right side of the screen is where you take your notes; it can expand and either split the screen with the text or hover over it, and wherever you write notes, it’ll attach a note symbol next to the closest text. That’s pretty intuitive, since you can change the layout of the book, so naturally it would move the space of your notes. You can even expand the size of notes to take up the full page if you want, so there’s plenty of room to write.

There are a lot of features for folks interested in the “Scribe” portion of things, and they operate pretty seamlessly overall. There’s even a workspace section where you can take full notes unrelated to what you’re reading. In that workspace, there are two AI features, one of which can summarize your notes, and the other can “Refine writing,” which basically transforms your notes into a text font that you can customize.

The only absent feature I noticed is that you can’t take any notes in comics. That means no drawings, notetaking, or even highlighting.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review: battery

• Light readers can go for weeks
• Heavy readers can go for days

According to Amazon, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft can survive for eight weeks if you're reading for 30 minutes at just under half brightness. I'll save you the math: that's 28 hours of reading time. For light readers, you could probably stretch that for a few weeks. Heavier readers will likely kill that battery in a few days.

I spent several weeks with the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, reading roughly an hour every day, and I didn't need to reach for a charger until toward the end of the month. That gives credit to Amazon’s battery life claim.

The reading time you experience will vary heavily based on the brightness of your screen. If you're someone who reads at close to zero brightness, you're going to get a lot more longevity out of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

Unfortunately, the battery does not charge fast. When I first got it, the battery was completely drained, and I had to wait quite a while before the Kindle showed any signs of life. It'll make you think it's broken, so I do not recommend letting it die.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

• Review test period = four weeks
• Testing included = books, comics, manga

I spent a month bouncing around between books, comics, and manga. I read “The House Witch,” “The Time of Contempt,” “Hellblazer Vol. 1,” and “Attack on Titan,” most of which were available on Prime Reading. I spent roughly an hour a day reading. Logging into my Amazon account and getting them on the device was easy. Downloading comics and manga takes a little longer than books, but not significantly so.

For the “Scribe” portion of the review, I highlighted portions of dialogue and wrote little notes to myself to come back to later because the text was either written impeccably well or it was just a funny line. I also drew canvases between the text — just silly doodles right in the middle of the book.

First reviewed: May 2026

• The Zerowriter Fold is a new word processor with simple features for distraction-free writing
• It has an e-ink display, similar to Kindles
• It's currently taking pledges on Kickstarter, with first-wave shipping set for January 2027

Have you ever thought to yourself, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if the next Kindle had a built-in keyboard?’ The Zerowriter Fold is a new device with an e-ink display, and it’s the closest thing to it — well, sort of.

While Kindles are perfect for reading, the Zerowriter Fold is a modern typewriter and word processor developed in Canada with a display that’s similar to the best ereaders. However, it’s purpose-built for writing text instead of reading books, and the best part is that there are no subscription catches. It’s one device, one payment.

At the moment, the Zerowriter Fold is being crowd-funded on Kickstarter, and the shipping for the first wave of orders is scheduled for January 2027, which includes the Zerowriter Fold, a charging cable, a handbook, and a keycap puller for switching out the keyboard. It’s currently accepting pledges of CAD$355 (around $256/ £192) for the next wave of devices, which are set to be shipped in March 2027.

Admittedly, this is quite a bit of time to wait, but looking at the demand for the first round of pledges (it was capped after hitting 500), this is something that consumers are actually passionate about.

The Zerowriter Fold’s main aim is to eliminate as many distractions as possible, ensuring that 100% of your focus goes into your writing. Unlike desktop word processors, you're not getting advanced features and settings, as they can easily welcome distractions.

Instead, the Zerowriter Fold sticks to the basics: a 6-inch e-ink display and a low-profile mechanical keyboard that can be replaced, so it’s easy to customize to suit your level of comfort. It offers two different writing modes: Drafting Mode for an always-forward, distraction-free experience, or Word Processing Mode, which gives you access to more editing tools such as amending text types and sizes and bookmarks.

As for its exporting functions, you can either save texts to SD cards as you would with a digital camera, scan a QR code to export to your smartphone, or use a USB-C cable to manage texts directly — but the stand-out feature is its impressive battery life.

Its built-in battery can run up to 100 hours in a single use, mainly because the Zerowriter Fold uses a low-power-consumption e-ink screen. Realistically, no one is going to be writing for four days straight, so the Zerowriter Fold can last for weeks before it needs another round of juice.

The company behind the Zerowriter Fold only started its journey in 2024, but has come a long way since. Prior to its latest Kickstarter campaign, the team developed the Zerowriter Ink, which is essentially the Fold but without its laptop-like enclosure. The company describes its latest word processor as “the first fully-realized Zerowriter”, as it states on its web page.

• Amazon's next Kindle lineup could come with user-replaceable batteries
• The company could also start selling its own replacement kits
• Support for older Kindles is ending on May 20, and users have started jailbreaking their devices

Amazon could be hiding something up its sleeve, and its next lineup of Kindle e-readers could be getting an upgrade every bookworm would be thankful for — replaceable batteries.

In the MobileReads forum, a handful of users sparked a discussion that pointed to messages found in Amazon’s Kindle 5.19.4 firmware update referring to user-replaceable batteries, as well as replacement kits and instructional guides. The firmware was then pulled, but eagle-eyed users managed to share it before it disappeared.

Though it’s speculation for now, one user in the forum shared they believe that “it is very likely”, who also shared the following messages found in the firmware release:

“This battery cannot be recognized and may not perform as expected. Charging has been limited to protect your device.”

“To return your device to its original performance specifications, we recommend installing a battery that complies with Amazon specifications.”

“Go to Settings > Device Options > Battery for battery troubleshooting guidance and support.”

“Scan the QR code below to purchase a battery replacement kit and view instructions for replacement.”

The move would align with a new EU regulation that will enforce tighter requirements on consumer electronics. As of February 2027, gadgets such as smartphones and tablets will need to have easy-to-repair batteries that don’t require specific tools, making it easier for users to replace certain hardware parts themselves.

In addition to replaceable batteries, it’s likely that Amazon’s next Kindle range could come with design upgrades to make switching out batteries easier. Most older models are sealed with adhesive, making it difficult for users to pry open their e-readers, while some Kindle batteries are glued into the device.

It would be a welcome upgrade for avid e-readers everywhere, but whether it’s enough to make up for shutting down support for pre-2012 models is another question.

Is Amazon doing this because it has to?

From May 20, Kindle devices released prior to 2012 will lose support meaning that, while you’ll still be able to read books already downloaded to your device, you’ll no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or download additional books on them after that date. Not only that, but the company also unveiled it would be pulling the plug on its Send to Kindle function — which allows you to wirelessly transfer ebooks you bought elsewhere, as well as documents and other files, to your Kindle.

To say this upset owners of these models would be underplaying the response it got from avid readers, but despite Amazon’s attempt to force users to needlessly upgrade to pricier devices, the jailbreaking bug has hit bookworms everywhere. With Amazon’s cease of support looming, users on Reddit aren’t being quiet about how they’re modifying their devices to download third-party apps such as KOReader to continue purchasing books and for most, it’s the best thing they’ve ever done.

You should note that jailbreaking your device isn’t recommended, and it comes with a handful of risks. For starters, it could lead to bugs, battery life deficiency, and other performance issues, and then there’s the matter of piracy. But for those who are dead set on avoiding having to upgrade their device, it’s become a common practice, as has sideloading books.

Amazon hasn’t been giving readers much of what they want, but now that replaceable batteries could be its next hardware upgrade, perhaps this will redeem the series of poor choices it's made lately.

It was exactly a week ago, to the date, that I suggested you not wait for the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft if you're in Australia as I didn't think Amazon would release it before July. Well, I'm eating my words now as all three new 2025 Kindle Scribes that were first announced in October last year are now available for pre-order.

These are the 2025 Kindle Scribe without a frontlight for AU$699, the new Kindle Scribe with frontlight from AU$849 (32GB) and the highly anticipated Kindle Scribe Colorsoft with a starting price of AU$999 (32GB). All three will begin shipping from June 10.

NB: These will also ship to New Zealand staring June 10, with prices from about NZ$890, but will incur a shipping fee of NZ$11.60.

That might explain why the 2024 Kindle Scribe dropped back to its lowest price, but I'd be real sad when Amazon finally discontinues it as I think it's fabulous value given the prices of the newer models.

The 16GB Scribe without a light is a lot more expensive than the AU$649 RRP of the 16GB edition of the 2024 model which features a frontlight, but has dropped to an all-time low price of AU$449 for the 16GB model. I suppose the ongoing RAM crisis and inflation could explain the higher prices, but one thing's for sure: Kindles are no longer the 'good value' ereaders and digital notebooks we've come to love.

Worth the upgrade?

I've been eagerly awaiting the launch of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft myself, but its starting price of AU$999 for 32GB of storage is making me baulk! The reMarkable Paper Pro has a starting price of AU$929 with the basic pen and 64GB of storage, plus it uses a display technology no other brand has adopted yet (it's a custom version of E Ink's Gallery 3 screen).

However, with 11 inches of screen real estate, as well as Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive support, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is arguably more versatile.

Then again, the Boox Note Air5 C costs AU$919 in Australia and its Android-based operating system makes this colour digital notebook far more versatile than either its Kindle or reMarkable counterparts. It is heavy, though.

So you can perhaps see my conundrum — I can (kinda, sorta) justify the Colorsoft's price tag, but I'd be hard-pressed to recommend it at full price. But considering my colleague Lance has been using it since its launch and loving it to sketch on, I'd be sorely tempted to upgrade from my 2024 edition if it gets its first discount when Prime Day 2026 comes calling.

Then again, I find it hard to recommend a colour digital notebook at the best of times and would still say a monochrome version is far more economical for most users. After all, E Ink screen technology just isn't there yet, and most of us read and write in grayscale and wouldn't make the most of the colour display.

But the higher prices of the two new monochrome Kindle Scribes is definitely hard to justify, RAM crisis and inflation notwithstanding. Given Amazon has previously rolled out new features to the original 2022 Kindle Scribe after the launch of the 2024 model, I suggest grabbing the 2024 Kindle Scribe now while it's discounted back to its lowest price — honestly, it's worth it even without the new features, but Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive support would be very welcome indeed.

• The Xteink X4 ereader has gone viral for its compact size
• It's 4.3 inches, weighs under 80 grams and can be attached to Qi2-compatible smartphones
• It's the first non-Amazon ereader to make the top 10 list

Amazon has been the reigning champion of the best ereaders and its range of Kindle devices continue to dominate the market — but this viral mini ereader has taken social media and bookworms by storm.

The Xteink X4 is the latest gadget that users online can’t get enough of, and it’s all because of its compact size. Coming in at 4.3 inches and weighing 2.72 ounces (which is just under 78 grams), the Xteink X4 is small enough to fit comfortably in your pocket and can even be attached to Qi2-compatible smartphones such as newer iPhone models and Google Pixel phones.

Besides offering the features of a regularly-sized ereader but in compact form, its reasonable $70 price mark is another big selling point — a decent budget option compared to newer Kindle models which can be quite the investment. But following its popularity surge thanks to its online hype, it’s become a new rival for Amazon’s own ereader brand, and it could ring alarm bells for the retail juggernaut.

In a rare turn of events the Xteink X4 has ushered its way into Amazon’s top 10 best-selling ereaders, making it the first non-Amazon device to make the list. It currently sits in the number six spot, surpassing the Kindle Colorsoft and the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, the former which still takes one of the top spots in our list of the best Kindles.

Despite the positives, reviews of its software have been a bit of a mixed bag as Trusted Reviews puts it, with some owners highlighting that its software offerings can be quite basic. But even then, this isn’t a massive setback that’s pushing away prospective owners, and it still offers an adequate casual reading experience, which could be even more of a threat to Kindle devices — especially given Amazon’s latest Kindle crackdown.

Just a few weeks ago Amazon announced it would be pulling the plug on older devices despite them still being used, which frustrated users believe is a way for the company to get you to needlessly upgrade to a new and thus pricier Kindle. The decision affects Kindle devices released in 2012 and before, meaning that as of May 20, you’ll no longer be able to purchase or download new books to your device, but you’ll still have access to read content that’s already downloaded.

• Pre-2013 Kindles will soon lose Send to Kindle support
• This follows news that they'll lose access to the Kindle Store
• The changes are set to happen on May 20

It’s fair to say that a lot of Kindle owners aren’t particularly happy with Amazon right now, as the company recently announced that pre-2013 models will no longer be supported from May 20.

The support page detailing this change initially just mentioned that these devices would no longer be able to access the Kindle Store or use Kindle Unlimited, but now — as spotted by GoodEreader — the page has been updated to say that Send to Kindle will also stop working.

Send to Kindle is a feature that lets you wirelessly transfer ebooks you bought elsewhere, as well as documents and other files, to your Kindle, but from May 20 the only way to get content onto affected Kindles will be via USB cable.

So it’s a change that makes these older models even more useless than they were previously set to become.

Unhappy readers

There haven’t been many reactions to this Send to Kindle news yet, but in the days since Amazon first announced that these older models would lose access to the Kindle Store there has been no shortage of annoyed responses to that.

On Reddit this includes things like “I hate this”, “screwing the most loyal early adopters is extremely not cool”, and “this is a revolting waste.”

Amazon is offering a 20% discount off new devices, but given that the same fate might eventually befall those too, this could end up pushing users to rival services like Kobo, or perhaps to something with direct access to multiple ebook stores, like a Viwoods or Boox device.

Another week, another seven days of some seriously big tech news, and we're here to help you catch up on what you might have missed.

From Mac shortages to Artemis II iPhone photos, we have recaps of the seven biggest news stories of the week below for you.

When you're finished, make sure to also check out the eight new movies and TV shows you should watch this weekend.

7. Pebblebee built an excellent AirTag rival

This week, personal safety device company Pebblebee launched its new Halo tracker, a new AirTag rival but with added functionalities.

Built on that ‘what if something goes wrong’ feeling, the Halo tracker can be registered on Apple’s Find My app or Google’s Find Hub, so no additional app is required. When activated, the tracker signals a 130dB siren when activated to attract attention from passersby in the area, and will also emit a flashing strobe of light (which doubles as a 150-lumen flashlight), all while sharing your real-time location with up to five trusted contacts called your Safety Circle

It’s retailing now for $59.99/ £55.28/ AU$87.88, and each device comes with a free 12-month subscription to Pebblebee’s Alert Live plan, which is required for live location sharing.

• Read the full story: Pebblebee’s new personal tracker is an AirTag crossed with a safety siren

6. We tried DJI's robovac

The people at DJI know a lot about drones, but it turns out they’re no slouches when it comes to robot vacuums, either. We tested the new DJI Romo P, with its funky transparent case that lets you see its cleaning components while it works, and its obstacle detection and navigation blew us away.

The Romo P surpassed expectations in our vacuuming tests, too, getting right into the corners of the room, and did an admirable job mopping up messy spills on hard floors. It’s expensive, yes, but it’s one of the best robot vacuums that has ever roamed our floors, and we highly recommend it.

• Read the full story: DJI’s first foray into the pantheon of home cleaning

5. We experienced Sony RGB TV

We've been waiting for Sony's formal entry into RGB TV, and this week we got a first look at what the TV giant has dubbed True RGB. It's an eye-catching name amongst the crowded RGB TV space, with Samsung, TCL, and Hisense all already taking up space.

Our early first impressions of Sony's True RGB TV tech proved good, though, with punchy colors, high brightness, and overall impressive visuals. Sony says its first consumer TV model with True RGB will launch in Spring 2026, and Sony's RGB TV tech is a three-diode system with one red, one green, and one blue, plus a new backlight driver controlled by Sony's unique mix.

As always, Sony will strive not to skew reality and, ideally, deliver visuals that match the creator's intent.

• Read the full story: I saw Sony’s True RGB TV tech in action

4. We poured one out for Samsung Messages

We said goodbye to Samsung Messages this week, as the South Korean tech brand announced the service is shutting down in July.

The announcement came with a suggestion to switch to Google Messages, but many folks are frustrated by the change.

There's no workaround to keep access to Samsung Messages, but if you don’t like Google Messages, there are at least alternative apps you could use, including Textra SMS and Handcent Next SMS messenger.

• Read the full story: Samsung Galaxy owners rebel against being forced to switch to Google Messages

3. Amazon stopped support for some Kindles

As of May 20, Amazon will be pulling the plug on support for Kindles and Fire tablet models released before 2012. However, most of the affected devices are still widely used today (mainly the Kindle 3, Kindle 4, and the first generation Kindle Paperwhite), and it’s rubbed keen e-readers the wrong way.

When the day comes, you’ll still be able to read content that’s already downloaded on your device, but you won’t be able to purchase or download new books after the date has passed. For most users, the simplicity of a Kindle is what has kept them glued to older models instead of upgrading to Amazon’s more advanced, and therefore pricier, models. Besides, this isn’t stopping users from sideloading new books as a workaround — but how long will it be until Amazon clamps down on this, too?

• Read the full story: Amazon is pulling the plug on old Kindle devices

2. NASA shared its otherworldly iPhone snaps

The Artemis II mission has been wowing us, mere earthlings, this week with its deep-space adventures — and that included shooting what are probably the best iPhone and GoPro photos ever taken.

Two of these, showing astronauts Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman looking back towards their home planet, were shot using the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s selfie camera, no less. And outside the ship, a 12-year-old GoPro captured a mind-blowing photo of a lunar eclipse from the far side of the moon.

Our camera roll looks decidedly underwhelming by comparison. Still, it was fascinating to see NASA using some of the same dusty old camera tech – including the decade-old Nikon D5 DSLR – that we’ve been eyeing up in secondhand stores.

• Read the full story: The first iPhone 17 Pro Max photos sent back from the Artemis II mission really are out of this world

1. Mac stock ran low

Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and MacBook Neo stock has been running low across various Apple stores, and problems may persist.

You could be waiting several weeks, or even months in some cases, to receive your Mac Mini or Studio order, depending on your configuration. While Apple hasn't confirmed the rumors, many suspect the ongoing RAM crisis is to blame.

As for the MacBook Neo, the delays are instead being blamed on a weirder source: a lack of iPhone 16 Pro chips. The theory is that these chips were chosen because Apple had a stockpile of A18 Pros with a faulty CPU core; the five-core chips wouldn't work for phones but could be repurposed into Neo chips. However, the incredible popularity of the Neo may have taken Apple by surprise, leading to shortages.

• Read the full story: Mac shortages hit, and the RAM crisis is probably to blame

• Kindle owners are frustrated with Amazon's decision to end support for old models
• Users say they shouldn't need to upgrade if devices are working as normal
• Sideloading is still an option, but Amazon could stop this workaround.

It’s official, Amazon is ending support for a wide array of older Kindle models as of May 20, and it’s shaken up a lot of keen e-readers to say the least.

Since users online shared that they received an email detailing the change, it garnered a slew of comments and reactions, particularly on Reddit — none of which seem to welcome Amazon’s decision to cease support. If your pre-2012 Kindle hasn’t let you down yet, I’m afraid the time for an upgrade might come sooner than you think, but you’re not the only one in this boat.

If it's not broken, don't fix it

As mentioned, all Kindle models released in 2012 and before will no longer receive support. This means that you’ll still be able to read content that’s already downloaded on your device, but you won’t be able to purchase or download new books after May 20 this year.

The reaction speaks for itself, and a vast majority of these users are quite pressed about it, especially since it will affect devices that are still widely used today — most notably the Kindle 3, Kindle 4, and the first generation Kindle Paperwhite. If there are so many users who are satisfied with how these older devices are still performing, then why the need to end support?

Some are convinced it’s a classic Amazon money-grabbing scheme, with one user questioning “Why replace something so simple like this that still works?”.

Most Kindle users in the Reddit thread have come to a collective agreement; if it’s not broken, don’t fix it (or end it in this case). For most users, the simplicity of a Kindle is what has kept them glued to older models instead of upgrading to Amazon’s more advanced, and therefore pricier, models. It's simply because advanced features aren't a huge necessity for those who just want a device for reading books.

Unlike devices such as phones, computers, and tablets that require new hardware iterations to keep up with evolving software and security updates, e-readers have a singular flagship purpose and that’s for reading. “It's a text reader, that's it, no need to turn it into a brick other than money,” one user shared, while another commented “if the device isn't broken, and can still be used, and all of the features we want and/ or need are on the devices we already own, then we shouldn't have to upgrade”.

However, despite this, there appears to be a silver lining. Yes, you won't be able to purchase and download new books to the affected devices, but this won't stop users from sideloading books from sites that aren't Amazon as a workaround.

A popular way of sideloading books onto a Kindle is by sending files and EPUBs to your Kindle email which will then appear in your device's library. One user in the Reddit thread revealed they sideload books to their Kindle "with a wire and (my) laptop", but even then, the burning question — how long this trick will still work come May 20 — is still on everyone's lips. Will sideloading be Amazon's next target?

• Kindles from 2012 and older are being sunsetted on May 20
• Amazon has started emailing users about the imminent loss of support
• First to fifth-generation Kindle and Kindle Fire devices will be affected

RIP, Kindles with keyboards, it was fun while it lasted.

A decade after users of older Kindles were required to update the software to retain access to the Kindle Store, Amazon has decided to completely sunset them on May 20 this year.

Reddit user Amorisaiya posted that they've already received an email from Amazon advising them that Kindle and Kindle Fire devices "from 2012 and earlier" will no longer be supported. Others still using these older models, however, are yet to be notified.

While owners of these older Kindles will still be able to use them to read already downloaded content and access their accounts, they will no longer "be able to purchase, borrow or download additional books on them after that date".

Kindle removing support for OG devices from r/kindle

If any of these devices have been deregistered or a factory reset performed, users will not be able to re-register them after the May deadline, making them entirely defunct.

The full list of Kindles affected are:

• Kindle 1st generation from 2007
• Kindle 2nd generation released in 2009
• Kindle DX from 2010
• Kindle DX Graphite also released in 2010
• Kindle Keyboard also from 2010
• Kindle 4 launched in 2011
• Kindle Touch also released in 2011
• Kindle Fire 1st generation from 2011
• Kindle 5 released in 2012
• Kindle Paperwhite 1st generation also launched in 2012
• Kindle Fire 2nd generation from 2012
• Kindle Fire HD 7 tablet also released in 2012
• Kindle Fire HD 8.9 from 2012

It's clear from the Reddit thread that users of the third and fourth-generation Kindles are still quite happy with their ereaders, but it doesn't surprise me in the least that Amazon has finally pulled the plug on these pioneering models.

First, the 3G-enabled Kindles lost internet access, although that wasn't Amazon's fault, then the company announced it would pull Kindle Store access across devices that were older than 10 years.

Every time, Amazon offered its customers an incentive to upgrade and this time is no different. Amazon will discount new Kindles by 20% for affected users and throw in a $20 ebook credit for the Kindle Store for US customers. In Australia, where most of the users receiving the email notification are seemingly based, Amazon will offer the same 20% discount on the hardware, and an additional AU$30 credit for the Kindle Store, with the offer ending June 20, 2026 globally.

So, is it time to re-Kindle?

Unless you factory reset or deregister your older Kindle, the affected older models will still be usable, albeit you'll only be able to read books you've already downloaded to the device. And while you can still purchase new content through the Kindle mobile app or via a web browser, you won't be able to access the fresh content on the affected devices.

That said, you might still be able to sideload books onto these older devices as USB Download & Transfer was stopped only for newer models.

I would still recommend an upgrade at this point, mostly for ease of use and staying connected to the Kindle Store via the device. Also, in all honesty, the performance on the newer devices is excellent, although I struggle to justify Amazon's price hike across the current 2024 range of Kindles.

If you are looking to upgrade, my pick would be the base model of the 12th-gen Kindle Paperwhite (2024), especially if it's discounted. It's fast and the screen is excellent — I think the implementation of the E Ink Carta 1300 display on the latest Paperwhite alone justifies the upgrade, but I am a little biased as it's the best grayscale ereader screen I've used to date (and I've used a fair few since 2008, when I purchased my first ereader).

You can take a look at my picks of the best Kindles below or, if you'd like more options, consider something else from what I consider to be the best ereaders available right now.

• Audible has launched a new reading tool that gives users the option to use text synchronization to follow audiobooks
• It's rolling out in the US now, and will be available in the UK, Australia, and Germany in the coming months
• Despite its accessibility focus, users must own both the audiobook and eBook versions of a title in order to use the feature

Amid the growing popularity of e-reading, Audible’s position as one of the best audiobook providers hasn’t budged, and now it’s redefining how you immerse yourself in your favorite audiobooks.

Rolling out to US customers today (February 18), and to those the UK, Australia, and Germany in the coming months, Audible's new ‘Read and Listen’ tool is a new way for you to follow along with audiobooks by combining reading and listening in the Audible app. Previously, the use of this feature was restricted to the Kindle app as part of the Whispersync for Voice tool.

Using text synchronization, Read and Listen gives you the option to read along as you listen to an audiobook, introducing another way to engage with and enjoy your favorite books — but it’s much more than that according to Audible’s Chief Product Officer, Andy Tsao.

"Audiobooks count as reading,” says Tsao in a press release announcing the feature. "But now at Audible, you can read with your eyes too. Read & Listen gives book lovers the best of both worlds. Whether you're learning a new language, studying for school, or lost in a story’s world, you no longer have to choose one format over the other".

As well as the new Read and Listen tool, Audible revealed that it’s been testing another feature that intertwines digital and physical reading, seemingly taking inspiration from Spotify’s audiobook upgrade that allows you to purchase physical books right from the app. As it stands, select customers in the US have access to Audible’s version of the feature, which includes direct links to physical book listings on Amazon’s site.

You can enable Read and Listen just with a tap of the toggle button, switching you between that and the standard ‘Listen’ mode, as well as packing hundreds of thousands of titles across a multitude of languages. This isn’t Audible’s only goal with Read and Listen — accessibility is another key factor, but it comes with a catch that I just can’t get past.

An accessibility feature, or new business model?

Read to Listen isn't just about giving book lovers more ways to enjoy audiobooks, but it also opens another door for those with accessibility needs to immerse themselves in new ways of reading just like the rest.

As Audible puts it; “Read & Listen serves as a powerful tool for differentiated instruction. Research indicates that simultaneous reading and listening improves comprehension and retention — benefits that are particularly valuable for students, language learners, and individuals with dyslexia, ADHD, or low vision.”

It all looks great on paper, but there’s a catch that I can’t get past — you need to own both the eBook and audiobook version of a title in order to take advantage of Read and Listen, which is a little back-handed.

Audible hasn’t shared the reasons behind this, and it could simply be that Audible hasn’t quite mastered the full potential of Read and Listen, and is starting small before expanding, but the obvious answer is that it’s a business model, as it means users will have to spend more money to buy multiple versions of their favorite titles through Audible and Kindle if they want a taste of what Read and Listen has to offer.

We’ve reached out to Audible for a comment on why this is the case, and we’ll update this story once we receive more information.

• Kindle ebooks are now available DRM-free
• This means you can read them on other ereaders
• But publishers and authors need to opt in first

Kindle ebooks have a lot going for them – there’s a vast selection of them on the Amazon Kindle store, and you can read them on some of the best ereaders, but they also have a major issue in the form of DRM (digital rights management).

This means that Kindle books can only be read on Kindle devices or the Kindle app. So if you have other brands of ereader that you’d like to read on, or devices that lack the Kindle app, you’re out of luck. But that might be about to change.

Amazon has now rolled out a DRM-free option for ebooks, allowing authors and publishers to choose whether they want to apply this DRM or not. For any books that don’t have DRM, you’ll find the option to download an EPUB or PDF version under the ‘More Actions’ dropdown in the ‘Digital Content’ section of your Amazon account.

These formats are far more widely supported, allowing you to read your books on almost any device that supports ebooks or documents. So this is great to see, and could mean you’re less locked in to a single ecosystem.

A good feature that publishers might not use

But there’s a catch. Well, actually there are two catches, but the biggest one is that this being voluntary, we might not see many publishers choose to remove DRM – since doing so also makes it easier for people to pirate the books.

Indeed, as Goodereader notes, no major publishers yet seem to offer DRM-free Kindle books. That might change – after all the feature has only just launched, but it also might not. So you’re probably more likely to see this option from small publishers and self-published works.

The other catch is that there doesn’t currently seem to be a way to tell whether a book is available without DRM until you’ve purchased it, so you can’t really make purchasing decisions based on this feature. That seems like it would be an easy fix for Amazon, though it may not be something that company wants to do.

In other words then, this DRM-free option very much seems like a ‘wait and see’ feature – it has game-changing potential, but unless or until it’s widely embraced its usefulness will be limited.

Amazon showcased all kinds of new and upgraded hardware at its fall event this year, but the common theme running through almost every reveal was the enhancement and integration of AI, namely Amazon's new Alexa+ assistant. Though AI permeated the whole event, here are five of the most striking AI features discussed that might entice you to buy Amazon's new lineup.

New Echos, new Alexa+

The centerpiece of Alexa+ and Amazon's AI upgrade is the new Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio smart speakers, as well as the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 smart displays. The Echos are built to run Alexa+, with enough power to even handle some tasks without relying on the cloud.

It's more than just raw power. The new Echos can track conversations more deeply, remember past interactions, and sustain a more natural back‑and‑forth. You won’t feel like the AI rebooted its brain each morning. Instead, the assistant can carry threads forward and act from a more informed vantage. Alexa+ is built into the devices, too; no setup gymnastics are needed.

TV brains

Alexa+ is also coming to Fire TV, making the smart TVs a lot more like their smaller Echo Show cousins. The AI assistant adapts to more of an entertainment focus, though. The scene search feature lets viewers ask Alexa+ to skip to specific moments in a movie or show with vague references like "the big fight" or "the dating montage" without navigating manually. The Fire TVs can also use Alexa+ to follow conversations, with natural follow-ups better when asking about performers or trivia related to what's on-screen. The new AI features will be available with the new Fire TV Stick 4K Select and Fire TV Omni QLED displays, as well as for users enrolled in Alexa+ early access.

Kindle's AI secretary

The new Kindle Scribe lineup comes with its own set of new AI tools for both reading and writing on the device. The AI can read handwriting without you needing to convert it to a digital format. The device translates the handwriting into text before encrypting and processing the notes. That means you can search across any handwritten notes. For instance, you might ask the Kindle, “Where did I mention my spouse in my notes?” and see the relevant notebook entries appear.

The Kindle can also summarize your handwritten notes, find important themes, and compare across different categories. And if you need more from the notes, you can send them to Alexa+ as the basis for additional requests.

Doorbell chats

Amazon is unsurprisingly weaving Alexa+ into its other product lines, including Ring and Blink. In particular, Ring doorbells are adding the Alexa+ Greetings feature, which will allow the AI to speak directly to visitors at the door, explaining where to leave packages and even deciding if the solicitor at the door warrants letting the homeowner know about the visit. The Familiar Faces feature uses AI facial recognition to identify people you know, so your friends aren't dismissed with the Amway salesman.

And for pet owners, the new Search Party feature uses AI and the neighborhood to find lost pets. If a dog goes missing and you report it in the Ring app, participating neighborhood cameras will analyze footage with AI-based object recognition to see if the dog has walked by and report possible sightings.

Agent Alexa+

This range of services points to how Amazon is pushing Alexa+ to act more proactively and go beyond a single action to complete a larger goal. This includes capabilities such as booking appointments, organizing calendars for multiple people, and even following up on uncertain plans.

Amazon suggests you could ask Alexa+ to "find a restaurant for dinner Friday near me, make a reservation, and schedule a ride,” and have the AI check your availability and confirm details through connected apps. The AI can personalize the process too, using past interactions, preferences, and ongoing tasks when making decisions.

The more powerful hardware makes these upgrades possible and makes Amazon’s push to unify its ecosystem under Alexa+ entirely feasible. But Alexa+ isn't operating in a vacuum. The new devices and AI features face formidable AI competition from Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, Meta, and others. Keeping "Alexa" the default term for a smart home AI is far from assured, no matter how clever the Echo gets at running your life.

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Possibly more than most tech gadgets I've played with in recent years, Amazon's Kindle Scribe Colorsoft feels like the product of listening.

It's a thinner, lighter, more open, smarter, and certainly more colorful product than the Scribe that came before it. The pen-ready ereader appears to answer virtually every wishlist update and maybe a bit more.

Granted, my time with the new $629 color E-Ink device, which Amazon unveiled on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) at its huge 2025 Devices Event, was limited, but I'm not gonna lie; I'm already impressed.

The specs tell part of the story. This Kindle Scribe Colorsoft manages to offer a larger screen, 11 inches as opposed to 10.2 inches on the 2024 Scribe, while still being 33 grams lighter and 0.4mm thinner.

The design is far more classic, tablet-like, with a balanced bezel surrounding the new color-ready screen. Aside from the Kindle logo and four tiny rubber feet, the back is unblemished. There's a power button on one edge, and the bottom edge is just thick enough to house the USB-C charge port.

Paper-like design

Holding the tablet in my hand, I was astonished at how light and thin it felt. I had no trouble firmly grasping a corner and supporting its weight with just two fingers. It's so thin that the pen is now slightly thicker than the Scribe Colorsoft chassis. It's a good thing Amazon increased the internal magnet power. I did my best to shake the pencil off the Scribe to no avail.

The touch-friendly screen is fast and virtually flicker-free, something I noticed as we quickly swiped through previous sketches and notes.

And, of course, it's a color-friendly screen, which means that in addition to the sharp, 300ppi text and sketching, you can markup and sketch in a half dozen colors (there's also a color-mixing wheel that I did not try) and view content in up to 4,096 colors (at 150ppi). There are a variety of pens, though I think the fountain pen is the most satisfying.

Reading and writing

Now, I've read some content on Amazon's lovely Kindle Colorsoft, but being able to draw and markup in colors on an E-Ink device is a whole different thing.

First of all, the pen on the digital paper is remarkably responsive. It looked like pink, green, yellow, and black ink were pouring out of the included pen and right onto the screen. There's no visible distance between the pen tip and the on-screen output. Additionally, the pen and screen performed exceptionally well in recognizing pressure. I marveled at how I could effortlessly switch from the thickest to the thinnest, almost hair-strand-thin line.

This kind of response set a benchmark for what you should expect from a color E-Ink device.

Colors, in general, also look vibrant and, in some ways, slightly brighter than what we saw on the original Kindle Colorsoft. This is likely because the image stack on the new device is thinner, and while Amazon miniaturized the LEDs on this device, there are actually more of them.

I'm also impressed that the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is more open than its predecessor, as it is ready to work directly with OneDrive and Google Drive for file import. The export, though, remains somewhat more limited in that both platforms will only receive PDF files from the Scribe Colorsoft. Eventually, you'll be able to send notes back and forth to Alexa+.

There are other productivity features that, while I did not get to try them, promise to make this a more open, useful system. They include AI-powered search, Quick Notes, and Workspace for grouping books, PDFs, and other files.

The cost of cool

Now for the bad news. This lovely piece of hardware starts at $629 for a 32GB model. The previous Kindle Screen (monochrome, obviously) started at $399. And that price doesn't even get you the lovely maroon option.

Since it's an E-ink device, it sips power (even with the LEDs turned on) and can last for 8 weeks on a single charge. If you write on it every day for 30 minutes or so, your battery life might be cut down to two weeks, which is still pretty good by my book.

It's early days with the new Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. I like the look of it, the feel of it, and the performance of it, but I worry about the price. It's clearly a powerful and colorful tool for those with deep pockets and an interest in seeing, creating, and getting work done in color.

We'll know for certain if it's worth the investment once we've run our full battery of tests.

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Amazon's 2025 hardware event took place today, September 30, and we were on the show floor to report every new announcement as it happened.

The event was a whirlwind tour of new devices and services – all including the new AI-powered Alexa+. Read on for all today's launches, and stay tuned for in-depth analysis from our experts.

What launched today

Ring

Amazon launched a full range of 2K and 4K cameras and doorbells, and introduced a feature called Retinal Vision that tunes video recording by sampling video over the course of two weeks and adjusting the image processing accordingly. There are also new Alexa+ Greetings, which will ask visitors why they're there, and respond accordingly. Finally, there's Search Party, which can crowd-source data from Ring cameras to find a lost dog (with support for other animals coming later).

Blink

There are new Blink cameras, including the Blink Outdoor 2K+ with year-long battery life, two-way audio with noise-cancellation, and person and vehicle detection (with a Blink subscription). There's also the Blink Mini 2K+ for indoors. Just plug it in and away you go. For a wider field of view, the Blink Arc has two cameras, and uses AI to stitch the footage together into a single image.

Fire TV

Amazon has launched a new series of Fire TVs: the 2-Series, 4-Series, and Omni QLED. New Omnisense tech will turn the TV on when you enter the room, turn it off when you leave, and automatically adjust its colors to suit your room's lighting. There's also a new Fire TV Stick, the 4K Select, with the Vega OS operating system. Alexa+ integration helps you find what you want to watch, and offers useful information when asked (if you want to know more about an actor, for example, or catch up on what's happened so far).

Kindle

The new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft has a new rendering engine for enhanced color and less latency when writing. It's thinner and lighter, and has new productivity tools including a digital notebook, AI-powered search, and compatibility with Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.

Echo

Amazon launched the Echo Dot Max, a new Echo Studio, and new Echo Show 8 and 11 devices. All have updated silicon, and come with Alexa+ support out of the box. You can connect up to five Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio devices to create a surround sound setup, with Alexa Home Theater balancing the audio.

Live updates

Welcome!

Welcome to our live blog, where we'll be sharing all the news from Amazon's 2025 hardware event as soon as it happens. Our team members Lance Ulanoff and Jakob Krol are on their way to Spring Studios in Tribeca right now, but until then we'll be sharing all our predictions about what's on the way.

Alexa+ on smart speakers

Right now, Alexa+ is only available on the new Amazon Echo Show smart displays, but I’m hoping that might be about to change. The teaser image for today’s hardware event includes the signature blue LED ring of an Alexa smart speaker. I’m curious to see (and hear) what the Alexa+ experience is like without a screen, and hopefully we’re about to see a new Echo speaker that will provide exactly that.

Earlier this year Amazon promised that Alexa+ will be coming to almost all old Echo devices, so it would be great to know what to expect when that happens.

Kindle Scribe with color?

Amazon’s teaser image for this event was quite cryptic, but the bottom right quadrant clearly shows some kind of new Kindle with a color display. The Kindle Colorsoft launched last year, and now that Amazon has resolved a few early teething issues with its display, it may be ready to extend the range.

It might be a coincidence, but the tiny bit of text visible on the screen mentions putting pen to paper. Could this be a color update of the Kindle Scribe? We’re not sure, but so far it’s our best bet.

Fire TV sticks

New Amazon Fire TV Sticks are another possibility. Earlier this year we heard rumors that Amazon might be planning to switch to a new operating system (Vega OS), which would likely prove controversial. It’s not clear whether that would mean new hardware, but it might.

Room for improvement

Reddit users have been sharing their wish lists for Amazon’s next e-reader on r/kindle. Some posters like the idea of a color Kindle Scribe, but others aren’t so sure.

“Amazon has a lot to fix with the Scribe, and adding colour is not top of my list. Just making the note taking usable and useful would be a start.” wrote johnwinstanley.

“I agree,” wrote elizable9. “I'd rather have much more flexibility with the note taking and being able to download templates into the notes first than have color.”

Next-gen Echo Buds

A new set of Echo Buds would be music to our ears. The original set launched in 2019, the Echo Buds 2 followed two years later in 2021, and the Echo Buds 3 in 2023. We’re due an update.

We found the latest buds solid for the price, but unspectacular. In addition to active noise-cancellation and extra bass, we’d like to see less fiddly controls. Will Alexa+ make an appearance too?

Color Oasis

A color Kindle Scribe is one possibility, but what about a color version of the Kindle Oasis? The luxury Kindle makes reading a pleasure with its extra-bright display and physical page-turning buttons, and a color update would make it even better for graphic novels.

The Oasis is waterproof too. so you can enjoy reading while taking a long soak in the bath.

Kindle wish list

Lance Ulanoff, our Editor at Large, has put together a wish list of updates he wants to see in the next Kindle. For example, while he loves the Kindle’s minimalist design, he wishes the power button was in a different place so it’s harder to press accidentally.

He’d also love to see an integrated kickstand that would keep the device steady without the need for a bulky case.

“I bet everyone who loves their Kindle would appreciate it just a little bit more with a simple kickstand made out of the same material as the chassis,” he says.

Alexa+ with ads?

I’m excited to hear about Amazon’s plans for Alexa+, but I’m also a bit concerned after Amazon’s most recent investor call, where CEO Andy Jassy suggested that its answers might soon come with ads.

“I think over time, there will be opportunities, as people are engaging in more multi-turn conversations, to have advertising play a role to help people find discovery, and also as a lever to drive revenue,” Jassy said.

“Basically, if you ask Alexa+ for shopping recommendations, some of its responses might eventually be sponsored.”

Honey, I shrunk the Kindle

Last month, we heard a rumor that Amazon may be testing a smaller version of the Kindle Colorsoft called the Kindle Petit Color. However, the details didn’t quite add up.

“From what I can tell by the leaker's mention of a 150ppi color resolution in the thread, this new Kindle will likely be using the E Ink Kaleido 3 display, which limits the amount of saturation it can sustain,” said our Managing Editor for APAC, Sharmishta Sarkar.

“In my experience, better colors on this screen technology invariably come at the cost of text sharpness. The smaller screen size on this leaked ereader should inadvertently help the text look less fuzzy compared to bigger devices, but this is something I'll need to see for myself before I'd recommend it as one of the best Kindles.

The ‘leak’ also claimed that the new ereader will have removable bezels, which is something no other manufacturer has tried before. Hmm…

We've arrived!

Our Editor at Large Lance Ulanoff has arrived at the conference venue for today's event. Amazon clearly isn't giving away any hints at this stage, but the event is due to start in less than two hours, so there's not long to wait.

What's next for Alexa+

As well as possible new Color Kindles or new smart speakers, we’re really excited to see what happens with Alexa+ today. When it was announced back in March our Senior AI Editor, Graham Barlow said that Alex+ “has much more of a personality than the responses you get from ChatGPT, Siri and Gemini.” He was impressed that the new AI Alexa made jokes and threw in funny comments, but the other chatbots have continued to evolve over the last few months while he’s still waiting for the promised Alexa+ upgrade to his Alexa home devices.

“I’m starting to wonder if I will I ever see Alexa+ in the wild? I really hope it goes on general release soon, and I don’t want it to be for only for the new devices. This is Amazon’s chance to get ahead of Siri before it gets an AI upgrade that could change everything”.

Big deals ahead

If the devices announced at today’s event are too expensive, don’t worry – Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is coming next month, and we’re expecting some big discounts on the company’s current hardware. Amazon Echo speakers, Kindles, Ring doorbells, and Fire TV Sticks are all likely to get hefty price cuts.

The event will run from October 7-8, but if you can’t wait that long, we’ve rounded up a few early Prime Big Deal Days offers available right now.

Not long now...

The mood at the venue is chill right now. Guests have just been admitted, and are being treated to some light bites before the event starts in just over half an hour.

Breakfast bites

Amazon is serving up some tasty breakfast treats before letting attendees into the conference room. The tropical chia bowls look good.

Kindles and accessibility

It might be a coincidence, but Amazon has just updated its official news site with an article about how Kindle supports readers with disabilities. It doesn't name any unreleased devices, but the timing is interesting. Are we about to see a new Kindle that will be more accessible in some way? Perhaps something that's easier to use one-handed, or has differently designed physical buttons?

The final countdown

We're in! The setup of the venue looks similar to the Alexa+ launch event earlier this year, complete with bright blue backdrop.

Familiar faces

We just ran into former Microsoft designer Ralf Groene, who brought us all the Microsoft Surface devices and has been at Amazon for eight months now.

Lance also had a chat with Panos Panay, leader of Amazon's devices and services team. He's excited as usual, and promising some good stuff.

Five minutes...

With just five minutes to go until showtime and laptops at the ready, excitement is building...

It's showtime

Let's get started!

A mysterious start

"We believe technology should fade into the background," says a voiceover. "When we deliver, all the complexity melts away"

Ambient AI

Panos Panay has taken to the stage, and wants to talk about the dinner table. He wants families to put away the phones.

"Something happens when all of us pull out our phones," he says. "Right then, lost in our phones, right then [we] lost the moment."

He says that Alexa+ has created a shift. "The trick, everybody stays present. That is ambient AI."

New hardware incoming

New Ring, Blink, Fire TV, and Echo devices are coming, starting with Ring and a brand new doorbell. We're told that Ring is redefining what home security means, literally.

Higher resolution

Now Amazon is introducing tech called Retinal 2K and Retinal 4K to Ring doorbells. Amazon has been relatively late to the party when it comes to 4K video doorbells, so I'm intrigued to hear more.

First glimpses of new hardware

Doorbells and cameras

Ring is introducing a new tech called Retinal Tuning, which adjusts the clarity of the camera. It uses AI to sample the video quality multiple times a day over two weeks, then makes necessary adjustments.

Identify individuals

A new Familiar Faces function will identify specific people, and there are new Alexa greetings

The new devices can "Make decisions about how to handle different visitors". The tech will work on 2K and 4K devices, and will roll out in December.

New Ring devices

Meet the new Ring Wired Doorbell Plus and Indoor Camera 2K.

Search Party for dogs

We're now seeing how a "Search Party" can use the Ring app network to find a missing dog. It can see through the network of Ring's camera and use AI to help identify the dog. This is something that "could only happen in a world of AI".

Search party for dogs is rolling out in November, followed by cats and other pets.

Alexa+ greetings

Here's how the new Alexa+ greetings for Ring doorbells will work.

New Blink cameras

We're moving a mile a minute! Now it's Blink cameras with with Amy Wiedmann, head of marketing for home security. She starts with a story of a family who were saved by their Blink camera during a fire.

We have new Blink cameras: the Blink Outdoor 2K Plus, with one-year battery life, and the Blink Mini 2K Plus, which Wiedmann says is the most advanced Blink camera to date.

There's also the Blink Arc, which has two precision-engineered cameras, one mount and 180 degrees of coverage. AI stitches the two feeds into a seamless view of your space with no blind spots. Pre-orders are starting today.

Find that dog!

Here's a detailed look at how the new Search Party function will work for Ring doorbells.

Fire TV

Now we're looking at a refreshed Amazon Fire TV lineup. The Omni TV is the top of the line, with Omnisense tech: walk in and it turns on. Leave the room and it powers down. It also has Dialog Boost, which works across services.

There's a new Fire Stick too: the FireTV 4K Select, which is just $39.99. As some predicted, it's rocking a new operating system: Vega OS.

Vega will also power the new Echo speakers.

Omni TV

Here's a closer look at the new Amazon Fire Omni TV.

Alexa+ on your TV

The new Fire TVs have Alexa+ integration. For example, Alexa+ can tell you about a recent baseball game and instantly show you a recap, which sounds handy!

We've just seen our first live demo of the day: Alexa+ on the Fire TV Omni delivering stats from the game and easily bringing up highlights.

New Fire TV Stick

Here's a better look at that new Fire TV stick with Vega OS.

Kindle time

Now Panos Panay is back on the stage to talk about Kindles. He says that Kindle sales are up "by double digits".

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

Meet the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. There are miniaturized LEDs in the front, and Amazon's engineers have created a "whisper-thin antenna" to reduce bulk. There's texture-molded glass so it "feels just like you're writing on paper".

Faster, prettier

The new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft has a new customized chip and more memory, making it 40% faster on things that matter, like page-turning and writing.

Our Editor at Large Lance Ulanoff says that the bezel is the same color as his jacket. If that's not a reason to buy one, I don't know what is.

The highlight of the show?

Panos is particularly pumped about the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, and says it's "a product I can't wait for you to use".

Scribe productivity tools

Now we're going into more detail about productivity with Avani Parakh, Director of Kindle Products. New features include Quick Notes, Import and Export, and Workspaces.

You can now Import and export with Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive directly from your Scribe.

Tools for readers

Kindle customers have read an average of 22 billion pages per month, and there are two new features for readers: Story So Far and Ask This Book.

New Echo speakers

It's Alexa+ time, with a brand new Echo smart speaker lineup designed specifically for the AI assistant.

Most powerful Echo devices

Amazon says these are the most powerful Echo devices it's ever made.

The new Echo speaker has no seams, and Panos is passing it around the audience so everyone can see for themselves.

Daniel Rausch is on stage now. He says it all starts with silicon: the Az3 and AZ3 Pro, which "can process AI right here, right on the edge".

This new silicon powers Omnisense (which we just heard about with the Fire TVs).

Kindle software

Hopping back to the Kindle for a minute, here's a better look at the new Scribe Colorsoft's software features.

New Echo Dot and Show devices

Back to the Echo devices. Amazon says the Echo Dot is the most popular smart speaker on the planet, and is introducing the new Echo Dot Max with two drivers. There's also an all-new Echo Studio (which should make our audio editor very happy).

There are new Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 devices too. The screen is viewable from any place in the room, and there's a 13MP camera for video calls. The screen placement helps leave space to deliver audio around the room.

Howdy, partners

There's also a new partner for Amazon: smart ring maker Oura. Yahoo Sports is coming as well, and there are tons more on the way.

Smarter smart homes

Now we're looking at Alexa+ for your smart home, which makes it possible to set up routines with just your voice. Amazon says that the rate of smart home adoption with Alexa+ is double what it was before.

Alexa Home Theater is a new service that lets you connect up to five Echo Studio speakers for surround sound, while Omnisense auto adjusts them. There was a live demo, and Lance says it "mostly went off without a hitch".

Echo Dot Max

Here's a more in-depth look at the Echo Dot Max in action.

Echo Show 8 and 11

And here's a good look at the Echo Show 8 and 11. Alexa+ will come out-of-the-box with all the devices we've seen today.

Wrapping up

After that whirlwind tour, Panos Panay is back on stage to make his closing remarks. He says he's pumped that Alexa+ is coming with everything we've seen today.

Phew! We'll take a second to digest that and bring you more of our thoughts very soon.

Hands-on with new Echo devices

Here are some hands-on photos of the new Amazon Echo Studio, Echo Dot Max, and Echo Show 8 and 11 devices.

The new Fire TV series in depth

Matt Bolton, our Managing Editor of Entertainment, has compiled a complete guide to the new Amazon Fire TV lineup, with in-depth technical specifications and prices.

Home security

Smart home expert Rowan Davies has written a deep dive into the new Ring doorbell and camera lineup, including Amazon's first 4K video doorbell and all the new Alexa+ features.

Kindle Scribe analysis

Jake Krol, out Managing Editor of News, is going hands-on with the new Amazon devices right now, and has shared his thoughts on the new Kindle lineup – including the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. What does it really feel like to write on, and how good does it look in person?

A closer look at the new Echo lineup

Our news writer David Nield has put together a full guide to the four new Amazon Echo devices, including detailed tech specs and prices, plus release dates.

So, what do we make of the new Ring devices?

Our US Managing Editor for News, Jacob Krol, has spent some hands-on time with a couple of the new Ring devices – specifically the Ring Wired Doorbell Pro and Ring Indoor Cam Plus. Check out his video below.

And we've gone hands on with a new Kindle and Echo devices too

Meanwhile our Editor at Large, Lance Ulanoff, was busy spending time with the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and two of the new Echo devices, the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio. What does he think of them? You'll have to watch to find out…

We're just one big rotation away from Amazon's huge devices event, where we expect it to deliver updates on everything from Echo smart speakers to Fire TV sticks and tablets, Kindles, and more. Of all Amazon's gadgets, the only one I use virtually every day is my Kindle Paperwhite ereader.

It's my bedtime companion, the last gadget I touch before I nod off mid-paragraph, and, aside from my partner, the one thing I spend hours with during a vacation. Put another way, I've been using an Amazon Kindle for over a decade and have come to know it intimately. That's why I feel qualified to point out a few aspects that Amazon could adjust in this latest, anticipated upgrade of one of the best ereaders.

Move the power button

Let's start with my biggest Kindle pet peeve: the power/sleep button placement.

I should preface this by saying I mostly love the Kindle's minimalist design. Every version from the basic Kindle to the Paperwhite Signature Edition is thin and light. The screens, typically 300ppi, are clear, bright, and sharp. You can buy a Kindle Colorsoft model, which adds a range of hues to support reads like graphic novels, but the monochrome models are still my preference, especially since I mainly use these ereaders for wordy novels.

I like the touch screens and embedded lights that cascade brightness over the surface, and I am never happier than when I'm on the beach, where sunlight is the only illumination I need, or in bed reading for minutes or hours of enjoyment.

During a recent cross-country flight without WiFi, my Jade Kindle Paperwhite was my only source of distraction. I rested the Kindle on my lap and read away until the screen unexpectedly blinked out. I hadn't run out of battery, just leaned a bit too hard on the tablet and inadvertently pressed the power button into my lap.

This happens more often than you might think, and there's a simple solution: Move the power button to the back of the device or, alternatively, to one side. My hope is that the new Kindles we're all expecting this week from Amazon feature this one change.

Add a kickstand

When I read at night, I make a rather complicated pile of the covers on my chest to try and prop up my Amazon Kindle. It usually doesn't work, and at some point, the Kindle topples forward onto my face or backward onto my stomach. I don't want to awkwardly hold it the entire time I'm reading, and instead, I prefer to have my hand resting next to the ereader so I can reach out to tap the screen with my index finger.

Yes, I'm a little lazy.

You know what would instantly solve this issue? An integrated kickstand; it should just pop out from the back and be wide enough to keep the Kindle steady. I understand that a case might solve this problem, but I don't keep my Kindle in a case because I don't like the extra weight, and the Kindle is tough enough (even waterproof) to survive without one.

I bet everyone who loves their Kindle would appreciate it just a little bit more with a simple kickstand made out of the same material as the chassis.

Give me touch sensitivity control

Another pet Kindle peeve I have is when I accidentally highlight text on the page or turn a page seemingly because I breathed on it. Obviously, that's an exaggeration, but I'm not alone in complaining that the Kindle screen can be too sensitive and that there's no way to adjust that sensitivity (there are Reddit threads devoted to the issue).

So that's my simple ask: a little software update that lets me adjust touch sensitivity. In lieu of that, I would like Amazon to add a toggle switch so I can turn off highlighting. You know how many times I've highlighted in the hundreds of Kindle books I've read? Next to never.

X-Ray all the time

Sometimes I read a book, and a character is mentioned that I cannot remember. Amazon's X-Ray offers quick access to information on all the book's players.

I've found, though, that if a character isn't mentioned by their full name, or the book introduces another way of mentioning them, X-Ray may not be helpful. Sometimes I just start paging back in search of the first mention. I think that if Amazon did a slight redesign and offered the option to make X-Ray omnipresent, that might help with more complicated, character-filled tomes.

Basically, the bottom quarter of the page would be devoted to X-Ray, and characters would be added as they appear. The list would be scrollable and always put the characters who are currently on the page at the top. If you tap on a character, it instantly shows you their first mention in the book.

Add Alexa+

This feature might work smoothly with another feature I'm requesting: Alexa+ AI synopsis.

Now that Alexa+ got its big AI upgrade, it's high time for Kindle integration. Maybe Amazon adds an Alexa+ button. You tap it, and a context-aware synopsis appears. It lets you know who the characters currently in play are, what they've been doing, and clues you into any relevant subtext and events that are pertinent to that moment in the story. It could even go further and explain references both within and outside the book.

Maybe it also acts as an integrated, virtual book club, to discuss with you the actions and themes up to that moment. It could be text and/or audio-based.

Such an integration could mark the end of confusion for even the most complex stories. There might be a question of processing power and local models. I'd prefer that the feature work locally, but would understand if this were an Airplane Mode-off-only feature.

There you have it. I'm not asking for the world, and certainly won't be crushed if all these Kindle features do not come to pass. I'm certain, though, that at least some of them can or will. When that happens, I will happily upgrade to my next, beloved Kindle ereader.

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• A Redditor has revealed what is possibly Amazon's next Kindle ereader
• It's supposedly a smaller – and potentially cheaper – version of the Kindle Colorsoft
• The prototype, called Kindle Petit Color, is rumored to have features never before seen on any ereader

A Brazilian Redditor going by the username Successful_Bear4855 has today leaked pictures and offered personal insights into a prototype color ereader, claiming it's Amazon's next Kindle release to be announced in November. The photos show an ereader with white bezels, something we've not seen on a Kindle in a while, and is seemingly called the Kindle Petit Color.

While that name, according to the Redditor, is not set in stone, the new device appears to be about the same dimensions as the current basic Amazon Kindle 2024, but boasts a color E Ink display alongside features I've not seen in any ereader – and I've tested dozens over the last eight years.

According to the leaker, who is apparently testing the device, the color saturation on the Petit is superior to the Kindle Colorsoft and has a setting that will allow users to adjust the saturation for individual colors. It's not clear exactly how that will work, but I have tested devices like the Onyx Boox Go Color 7 that offer various screen modes, such as 'Vivid', that increase color hues, although the adjustment is made as a whole and not "per color".

The Petit also apparently has a feature called "progressive colors" which, as per the author of the post, will allow users to "set up your text to change color according to reading progress". There are apparently four colors to choose from and these can change as you get through each quarter of the book. The same color will appear on the status bar as well, as per the post, and individual icons across the UI could also be displayed in user-picked hues.

Personally, I don't see the appeal of this "progressive color" feature, but the Redditor claims Amazon just wants to "maximize the use of color, due to how poorly it has been used in the colorsoft [sic]". While it's not what I would call a useful addition, I am at least slightly curious to see how well it gets executed... if this Kindle even gets released.

Color me skeptical

You can color me excited if there's truly a new Kindle in the works – particularly if we'll see it as early as November this year – but there are details in this Reddit thread that make me question the veracity of the leak.

From what I can tell by the leaker's mention of a 150ppi color resolution in the thread, this new Kindle will likely be using the E Ink Kaleido 3 display, which limits the amount of saturation it can sustain. In my experience, better colors on this screen technology invariably come at the cost of text sharpness. The smaller screen size on this leaked ereader should inadvertently help the text look less fuzzy compared to bigger devices, but this is something I'll need to see for myself before I'd recommend it as one of the best Kindles.

Then there's the removable bezels the author of the post mentions. When asked if it will be available in other colors, the Redditor says it will come in the usual black and white but, "for the first time, the bezel will be detachable". Replacements will also be available to purchase from November apparently, in "green leaf, deep purple, chromatic gray, and a special edition called mermaid, that changes from soft pink to soft teal depending on the angle you look at it".

Again, I'm not sure about detachable bezels – no ereader brand has tried to do something like that before... unless it's just skins you can stick onto the chassis. I suppose time will tell.

Other reporting suggests that this Kindle could be cheaper than the Colorsoft, but if these leaks are true, I'm not sure Amazon would sell it at a lower price. The screen optimization and color features alone could justify a price hike in Amazon's eyes. Then there'll be the additional cost of the detachable bezels (or skins), although I'm perhaps getting ahead of myself here.

This leak is also very public and I'm left wondering why a tester would risk Amazon's wrath by divulging so much detail. With that in mind, I'm taking this news with more than just a few grains of salt.

One potential strike against this leak's accuracy is that Amazon isn't known for releasing new Kindles in quick succession. It took the company three years to release a new Kindle Paperwhite, while the Kindle Scribe got an update after two years. The base Kindle also had a two-year gap. Moreover, Amazon only just expanded its Colorsoft range with new models, so I'm not sure the tech giant will put out a brand-new ereader in 2025. We can hope though.

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• Amazon launches a cheaper 16GB Kindle Colorsoft
• There's also now a Kindle Colorsoft for kids
• Both new models are available to buy now

In our effusive Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review we said that it's hard to go back to a black and white Kindle experience once you've tried the color version – and now there are two more models to choose from if you're thinking of making the switch.

First up there's a 16GB version of the original, halving the storage available on the 32GB model that launched last October. Considering you can still pack thousands of ebooks on there, and it's cheaper, it may be an even better buy than the existing model.

The 32GB Kindle Colorsoft can be yours for $279.99 / £269.99 outside of deals, while the new 16GB edition of the ereader is going to set you back $249.99 / £239.99 – it's not a huge saving, but it's something. These models are yet to launch in Australia, by the way, so AU pricing is TBC.

Besides the storage being cut in half, the cheaper Kindle Colorsoft does without the auto-adjusting front light and wireless charging features. You get three months of Kindle Unlimited included, and the ereader is available to buy now.

Thinking of the kids

The other new model Amazon has announced today (24 July) is the Kindle Colorsoft Kids, which as the name suggests, is for children. It adds to the current range of kid-friendly models you can get for the standard Amazon Kindle and the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite.

This device costs $269.99 / £259.99, and comes with a year of the Amazon Kids+ subscription service – offering a wealth of child-appropriate apps, games, videos, ebooks, audiobooks, and other content – and a "fun kid-friendly cover".

As with the other Kindles for youngsters, you get additional features: the Vocabulary Builder and Word Wise tools for learning new words, a special OpenDyslexic font, and Bluetooth support for listening to ebooks.

The Kindle Colorsoft Kids is also available now, and like the other kid models, there's a two-year warranty you can take advantage of if it breaks. Both these models are likely to make their way into our guide to the best Kindles in due course.

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In the run-up to last year’s Amazon Prime Day, so many people I spoke to said they planned to buy a new Kindle in the sale. I proudly told them it was a smart move, as I’ve said countless times before, because Prime Day is when Amazon Devices are available for their lowest-ever prices. Then the big sale rolled around, and we saw some of the most disappointing Kindle deals in recent memory. Yikes.

Another year on and I’m hearing those same hopes and dreams from friends, family and colleagues who are eyeing up a new ereader for Prime Day. And I’m here to tell you that, uh oh, I don’t think it’s going to be any better in 2025.

New tech, new higher prices

First up, two updated models of the most popular Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite were launched in October last year. That led to some welcome, if also fairly underwhelming, deals in the Black Friday sales.

Since then, I’ve been able to count the number of price cuts on these ereaders in both the US and the UK on one hand. Compared to the regular and aggressive discounts on the last generation Kindles, it seems Amazon is more reluctant to discount the new and improved versions.

Of course, they will definitely be reduced for Prime Day. That’s a given. Amazon itself has even teased that deals on the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite are coming in the sale. Still, I can’t see them going as low as I’ve seen in years past. The days of a $59.99 / £34.99 Kindle are, sadly, long gone.

And that’s before I mention the Kindle Scribe and Kindle Colorsoft. These two devices are certainly in line for deals over Prime Day, but given that they are already more expensive premium models with advanced features and capabilities, you won’t be seeing them for cheap.

Kindle is king

I also think that, with the way so much anticipation is placed on Prime Day as the best time to pick up Amazon products, the retailer doesn’t necessarily need to go for such substantial discounts on its most popular items any more. Sure, it’ll slash an Echo Dot or Fire TV Stick to nothing to get Alexa and the Amazon ecosystem in your home, but the Kindle is a different proposition.

Despite admirable competition from the likes of Kobo and Onyx, the Kindle is still well-established as one of the best ereaders you can buy. Amazon knows it’s onto a winner with this one.

Current readers are also potentially locked into an existing collection of books from Amazon’s exclusive library, set up with recurring Kindle Unlimited subscriptions, and enjoying the benefits of regular free books through Prime.

When you weigh those things up, it’s hard to see why Amazon would want to sell Kindles for as cheaply as it has done in the past. I think that’s played into why discounts have been fewer and smaller recently.

And then there’s everything else going on

Lastly, there are a handful of other wider factors to consider that I’m bundling together here. We’re living in a world where everything costs more nowadays. The tariff nonsense still has manufacturers and retailers jumpy. Consumer spending power is generally down across the board.

As a British bloke with a film degree, I’m not going to dare wade in on the specifics of how these will affect the price of a Kindle, but I don’t need to study economics to know it’s all having an impact. Amazon is undoubtedly considering all of this when it comes to setting prices for its members-only sale. The same members it’s charging extra to if you want ads removed on Prime Video.

I’m prepared to be pleasantly surprised, but I’m not hopeful. Just putting it all together, the tech is newer, the discounts throughout the year have slowed, Prime Day is a well-established sale, and the current state of the world all point towards another disappointing year for Kindle deals.

Celebrated every year on the second Sunday of May – which this year is May 11 – Mother's Day 2025 is officially less than two weeks away. So if you haven't started thinking of Mother's Day gift ideas, now is the time. Luckily, we've got you covered with a present that is sure to knock mum's socks off, particularly if she’s an avid reader – and you get a nice little saving at the same time.

That prezzie would be our pick of the best ereader on the market right now. We think the Kobo Libra Colour is better than the best Kindles because it offers more bang for buck in comparison, although we’ll be the first to admit it’s not cheap. Factoring in a 7-inch colour display, 32GB of storage, Bluetooth connectivity for audiobook listening and full writing capabilities, it’s arguably a fantastic gift for anyone who loves to read, write or doodle.

It doesn’t ship with the Kobo Stylus 2, but mum can get that separately when she really needs it. For now, though, a saving of AU$20.95 is worth considering on the best ereader for Aussies.

Every Kobo Libra model has graced the top spot of our best ereader buying guide because of the value they’ve offered, where we feel Kindle devices are currently lacking, and the Libra Colour is no different.

While nothing much changed on the design front, Kobo added full writing capabilities and a colour display to an already-winning formula, while retaining affordability when compared with similarly featured competitors.

Even if mum doesn’t make full use of that 7-inch colour display, she might well value the ability to annotate and doodle in colour. If mum is regularly underlining, highlighting and making notes in her favourite books, a touch of colour can make all the difference in the world.

More importantly, there are a ton of other features here that really make the Kobo Libra Colour worth considering as a Mother’s Day prezzie. For starters, you get Bluetooth connectivity for listening to audiobooks, albeit only those purchased (or borrowed via Kobo Plus) from the Kobo Store – something the latest Kindles are missing in Australia.

Then there’s OverDrive baked in, so even if mum doesn’t want to purchase content, she can borrow books from a local library – she only needs her library card and check with the library if they have OverDrive or Libby support. There’s even Google Drive and Dropbox access so it’s easy to transfer files (even notes) via a wireless connection.

It’s mostly made from recycled plastics and it’s repairable too! That’s not something you hear about any ereader. Kobo has partnered with iFixit to sell spare parts and provide step-by-step instructions on how to go about fixing the ereader yourself. That’s good for the planet.

All this and more makes the Libra Colour well worth the splurge if you want to elevate mum’s reading experience. If, however, it’s still beyond your budget, both the Kobo Clara BW and Kindle Paperwhite (2024) offer excellent digital reading experiences, but without colour displays.

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If you love reading books, but don’t love reading, well, physical books, then you’ve probably already picked up the best Amazon Kindle and have heard that Kindle Unlimited is the way to really make the most of your ereader.

Kindle Unlimited is one of four Amazon-owned subscriptions that literary fans will enjoy; Audible is for audiobooks, ComiXology is for comic books, Prime Reading offers certain free books to any Amazon Prime subscribers, and then there's Kindle Unlimited.

Amazon has offered Kindle Unlimited for over a decade as a subscription service offering you unlimited reading of a huge library of books – at last count, the company said that over 4 million ebooks were available to subscribers.

As with any subscription service, you’ve got to ask yourself a few things before you sign up for Kindle Unlimited – what does it cost, what do you get, and can you actually use it at all? To help you decide whether you want to sign up or not, here’s everything you need to know about Kindle Unlimited (and for our verdict on its value for money, check out our Kindle Unlimited review).

How much does Kindle Unlimited cost?

The monthly cost of Kindle Unlimited is $9.99 / £9.49 / AU$13.99, but there are a few extra things to consider financially before you sign up.

Firstly, Amazon offers a 30-day free trial of Kindle Unlimited, which gives you a month to peruse its library and read some books before it automatically rolls into a subscription. Secondly, Amazon often offers discounted prices for new subscribers; for instance, you could get your first month for a reduced price before rolling into the usual subscription.

Unlike certain other Amazon subscriptions, you don’t actually need to be an Amazon Prime subscriber to use Kindle Unlimited, so you don’t need to worry about that extra monthly expense if you’re not interested in next-day shopping or Prime Video movies. You also don’t need to own a Kindle, either, because you can read Kindle Unlimited books via the Kindle phone or tablet app, so there technically aren’t any extra prices to pay over that Kindle Unlimited cost.

What does Kindle Unlimited offer?

Perhaps the most important question prospective Kindle Unlimited subscribers will have is, "What do you actually get with Kindle Unlimited?" There’s an easy answer: “loads of books”, and a harder one, as the Kindle Unlimited library varies by region.

The biggest draw to Kindle Unlimited is its library of books, which, regardless of where you live, is absolutely huge. It includes a selection of classics like Harry Potter and Hunger Games titles, as well as some Jane Austen works, but the majority of its library seems to be newer titles.

A brief scroll down Kindle Unlimited’s listing shows that there are countless crime and romance novels, and so the service will be great for people who always need a new whodunnit on the go.

The library offers plenty of non-fiction and international titles, too, like biographies, self-help books, and foreign language novels. The exact list, as stated, varies quite a bit based on where you live; however, there are some particular variables:

Kindle Unlimited magazines

In some countries, Kindle Unlimited subscribers get access to a selection of magazines, with weekly new editions.

For example, subscribers in the UK can read magazines like BBC Science Focus, Sky At Night People, Runner’s World, and a huge number of TechRadar’s sibling publications like What’s On TV, Classic Rock, and What Hi-Fi?.

However, in some regions, there’s no Kindle Unlimited magazine offering. US and Australian subscribers, for instance, won’t be able to read magazines with their subscription.

Kindle Unlimited audiobooks

In most regions, Kindle Unlimited subscribers can listen to audiobooks at no added cost.

The list is pretty limited, at just a fraction of the size of Audible, and Amazon bills them as “audio narration” works.

You can find these books by filtering by “eBoooks with Audible Narration” when scrolling Kindle Unlimited’s library, or looking out for a little headphones icon by the Kindle Unlimited logo when you’re checking out the library.

Kindle Unlimited audiobooks can be listened to on your computer browser and also via the Kindle app on your smartphone and tablet. Newer Kindles also let you listen to audiobooks, but not all older ones support this feature, so check with your specific model before getting too excited.

How to sign up for Kindle Unlimited

If you're already sold on Kindle Unlimited (or its free trial), here's how you can sign up to enjoy it for yourself. You can sign up for Kindle using your Kindle device or app, but I’d recommend doing it from your browser since it’s a lot easier and quicker.

Here's what you'll need:

• Amazon account (signed in on browser and Kindle)
• Kindle device (ereader, smartphone or tablet, connected to internet)

How to download books through Kindle Unlimited

You can download books from Kindle Unlimited either on your web browser, or via the app or device – it’s quicker to do it the former way, but more convenient the latter if you just want to read.

Important things to know and FAQs

Kindle Unlimited book limits

You can’t actually download unlimited books via Kindle Unlimited, and you can only download 20 books at once. That ‘only’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting though, as that’s a lot of books to have downloaded at any one time. Plus, on your Kindle, you can read books that you haven’t downloaded if you’re connected to the internet; they just won’t be available for offline reading.

Kindle Unlimited new books

Amazon is constantly adding new books to Kindle Unlimited, so you’ll frequently see new book options. This won’t necessarily happen every day, but given that there are 4 million books (and counting) on the service, you can expect there to generally be multiple new ones added each day.

There are sometimes book removals, too, but these seem relatively rare.

Kindle Unlimited while travelling

Something to bear in mind is that Kindle Unlimited is quite region-specific, and may not suit people who are living largely abroad, or in multiple regions.

That’s because your Kindle Unlimited is tied to your Amazon account’s region – say, if you’re English, your subscription is tied to Amazon.co.uk, and for Australians, it’s Amazon.com.au. That means you can browse and download the Kindle Unlimited books specific to that country.

However, this means that if you’re in another country, you can’t download new Kindle Unlimited books to your device. This is fine if you’re on holiday – just stock up on books beforehand – but it's a bigger problem if you’re living abroad from your home region, or are travelling for long periods of time.

As a note, books you buy yourself can be transferred between regions, but the Kindle Unlimited subscription itself can’t.

Is Kindle Unlimited worth it?

Kindle Unlimited is worth it… for certain kinds of readers.

Its large library of crime and romance titles from new authors makes it great for people who are constantly reading, burning through multiple books per week, and always need a new affair or murder to read about. That’s also true if you're interested in the long list of self-help books it offers.

However, it’s not going to be great for slower readers, as the cost may be higher than the amount you usually pay for books. Perhaps you’ll prefer Prime Reading, which is a free perk of an Amazon Prime subscription that limits you to 10 downloads per month of a small list of books.

Kindle Unlimited is also only worthwhile if you like the kinds of books it offers: modern crime and romance novels. Its selection of older titles, classics, and books from bigger authors is relatively svelte.

One other thing: consider whether you’ll want magazines or you'll travel a lot, as this will affect your buying decision. And if you use a non-Kindle ereader, then Kindle Unlimited is definitely not for you!

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• Amazon's devices chief, Panos Panay, chatted Alexa+ hardware with Bloomberg
• Panos teased new hardware across its entry, core, and signature categories
• We'll likely see new speakers and smart displays, but also new device types, including wearables like smart glasses and 'wrist-worn devices'

Since October 2023, we’ve seen Panos Panay's arrival usher in changes within Amazon Devices group – think Echo, Fire TV, Kindle, and Alexa – at the broader shopping giant. Most recently, though, we saw Panos and his team at Amazon introduce a new Alexa, Alexa+, which reinvigorates the classic assistant with a ton of AI.

In a new interview with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Panay teases the next part of evolution and that he wants “perfection in every single product that we ship.”

He teased that he plans to re-engineer hardware across the lineup for more affordable, mid-range, and premium devices – dubbed ‘entry, core or signature.’

Better yet, Panos says battery life will be longer for portables, that the speakers will sound better – maybe even setting a standard higher than the first generation Echo Studio with a squeal – and, potentially taking a page from his time as Surface’s lead, promises ‘the best security available.’

It’s said that the first devices featuring Alexa+ that Panos has touched, beyond the Kindles and even the Echo Show 15 or 21, will arrive in the fall – think August to October of 2025.

Indeed, Panos is setting a high level for future Echo smart speakers and smart displays, as well as its lineup of Fire TV sticks and televisions, Fire HD tablets, and various other devices. We already saw the next generation of Kindle debuted in the last quarter of 2024, and in this wide-ranging interview, Panay stated: “There won’t be a corner cut. It won’t matter if we tried it before. It won’t matter what you thought it used to be.”

This could lead to a sharper focus for Amazon’s entire devices team, which is still starting at the customer and working backwards but also putting out future devices with more polish. It could also be a device type that Amazon has tried. However, this does not mean Amazon is bringing back the short-lived Fire Phone – Panos made it clear he doesn’t have plans to do that, though it’s not entirely off the table.

More likely, it could mean reinvestment in robots for the home, like the Ring Always Home Cam – a flying security drone – and Amazon Astro. The latter is still an invite-only Day One product, but Panos summed up a big part of the vision as giving folks a reason or a better one to use Alexa.

On Astro and robots as a whole, Panos said, “if a robot is part of that, then I’ll make sure we have a great robot.” He also hinted that augmented reality glasses and new wrist-worn devices could be part of a future lineup. This might mean future versions of Echo Frames could feature cameras, much like Ray-Ban Metas, but also be more full-featured devices with access to Alexa+. Panos confirmed that hardware upgrades are coming to Amazon’s current wearables, Echo Frames and Echo Buds.

It also makes more sense why Alexa+ had to be unveiled first. It will be the central feature of these future devices, essentially serving as the new platform on which they can hopefully excel. I still bet Amazon wants a screen in everyone’s house.

Like Panos’ strategy at Microsoft for Surface, Amazon’s forthcoming devices will likely have the utmost attention to detail and not just offer speeds for the sake of going fast but rather be there to provide some sort of functionality and genuine helpfulness for whoever is using it.

Panos stated, “We’re envisioning what’s the next thing for a customer when it comes to AI devices and we have some incredible ones.” It’s doubling down on Amazon’s devices lineup, and I’m just keen to see if Amazon will flood the market with new devices in the fall like its previous events or if it will be a more tempered approach. At the minimum, I hope for a few new Echo speakers across the entry, core, and signature lineup.

You can read the full interview with Panos Panay at Bloomberg here.

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We say this every week, but what a week it's been in tech: we've seen a flurry of new product launches, reported on a seismic shift in one of the biggest movie franchises in history, and spent some time with the thinnest foldable phone on the planet.

It's a lot to keep up with, which is why our weekly 'In Case You Missed It' round-up exists. Get yourself a beverage, settle down somewhere comfortable, and let's go through everything that happened over the last seven days.

Once you're fully caught up, we're all set for the next week in tech – and you can rely on TechRadar to bring you all the tech news that matters, as it happens.

8. You told us how you’re using AI

The TechRadar team has been polling the general public in a new Special Report that takes the temperature of how AI tools are continuing to change our lives: there's no industry hype here, just real data taken from hundreds of users in the US and the UK.

We made some interesting discoveries about which AI tools are the most popular, how polite we're being to our AI companions, what AI is actually useful for, and why AI search is a genuine threat to Google – it's well worth your time to read through all these in full. Or just get your favorite AI tool to summarize them, at least.

• These are the 12 most popular AI tools right now, according to a new survey – and rivals are catching ChatGPT
• Goodbye Google? People are increasingly switching to the likes of ChatGPT, according to major survey – here's why
• These are the top 5 things people are using AI for – and free therapy doesn’t make the list
• Are you polite to ChatGPT? Here's where you rank among AI chatbot users

7. James Bond got a new boss

Amazon-owned MGM Studios bought the Bond franchise back in 2022, but now the company has full creative control over the property: long-time stewards of Ian Fleming's creation, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, are stepping aside.

It's a huge shift, and the world of James Bond won't ever be the same again. Let's hope the executives at MGM Studios keep everything that's great about the suave spy and resist the urge to churn out 12 spin-off television shows that we'll never get around to seeing.

• Read more: Amazon MGM Studios acquires the license to thrill as its gains full creative control of the entire James Bond franchise in landmark deal

6. Amazon culled a useful Kindle feature

When it's not charting out the future of James Bond, Amazon makes ereaders: and older Kindles owners are losing the ability to download their purchased ebooks to a computer. In the future, these files will be transferred wirelessly and locked to a Kindle.

This was a useful way of backing up ebooks you'd bought direct from Amazon, but it was also a feature people were exploiting to pirate files and distribute them across the web. Once again, normal users lose out because of the shady actions of a minority.

• Read more: Amazon just killed a useful Kindle USB feature – leaving me stuck with less flexibility for ebook downloads and backups

5. We met the new OnePlus Watch 3

Fresh from the launch of the excellent OnePlus 13, OnePlus has now pushed out the OnePlus Watch 3 to go with it – and we've been spending some hands-on time with the big, beautiful wearable. It's an iterative update, but it's still an impressive one.

Our full OnePlus Watch 3 review is still pending, but immediate highlights are the long, long battery life, the classic look of the timepiece, the new health features, and the extensive support for Google's third-party apps. This could be one of the best smartwatches for Android yet.

• Read more: Hands-on OnePlus Watch 3 review – Android's long-lasting chunky smartwatch

4. Canon teased a promising little video camera

Vloggers in the market for a compact and capable camera would do well to consider the newly teased Canon PowerShot V1. Quietly announced on the Canon Japan website, it features an all-new 22.3MP sensor and some rather handy features for video makers.

We're still waiting for the full details of the camera, and global pricing, but we're liking what we've seen so far. While there are already a lot of vlogging cameras at this sort of price point, Canon may have come up with the perfect mix of price and performance here.

• Read more: Canon PowerShot V1 unveiled with all-new sensor, and it looks like a Sony-beating compact vlogging camera

3. Amazon revealed two powerful Wi-Fi 7 routers

When it's not charting out the future of James Bond, or making ereaders, Amazon also manufacturers routers. The Eero series has long been a great choice for affordable and reliable home networking kit, and there are now two new Wi-Fi 7 models available.

The Eero 7 and Eero Pro 7 come in at cheaper price points than the premium Eero Max 7, but still appear to do a fantastic job of blanketing your entire home in speedy Wi-Fi – ideal for busy households and power users. The devices start shipping on February 26.

• Read more: Amazon's new Eero 7 and Pro 7 complete a 'comprehensive lineup' for its customers – here's everything you need to know

2. We reviewed the world’s thinnest foldable phone

Full marks to the engineers at Oppo, who have managed to build a foldable phone that measures just 4.21mm front-to-back when unfolded. That's incredibly thin, and we've been putting said phone – the Oppo Find N5 – to the test in a full review of its capabilities.

In short: Samsung should be worried, because the Oppo Find N5 stacks up very well against the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Not only is the phone very thin and light, it boasts a couple of excellent displays, and offers an impressive level of battery life for a foldable handset.

• Read more: I spent a week with the world's thinnest folding phone – here's why I'd pick the Oppo Find N5 over the Galaxy Z Fold 6

1. The iPhone 16e landed – and replaced the SE series

There's no doubting the biggest news of the week: with the iPhone 16e, Apple revamped its most affordable iPhone series, ditching the Home button, Touch ID support, and the iPhone SE name at the same time. And there's a new modem chip for good measure.

Find out everything you need to know about the iPhone 16e on TechRadar below, including the internal specs (which compare very favorably with the iPhone 16), and how much it's going to cost you. It could well be the best value iPhone on the market at the moment.

• Read more: iPhone 16e – 5 things you need to know, including its price, camera, and that C1 chip

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• Amazon is removing the Download & Transfer via USB option on Kindles
• The feature hadn't appeared on the latest models
• It's likely that the move is to combat ebook piracy

I've owned and loved some of the best Kindles in the series since Amazon first introduced the ereader, but using these devices can feel somewhat restrictive – especially now Amazon is killing off a useful USB file transfer feature.

As reported by The Verge, the Download & Transfer via USB option is going away on February 26. That means you'll no longer be able to download ebooks purchased from Amazon, and then move them to your Kindle over a wired USB connection.

The feature isn't actually available on the latest generation of Kindles, pushed out last year, but all other models are going to be affected. Amazon doesn't give a reason for the move, but it's almost certainly to crack down on ebook piracy.

Using fairly simple tools available online, users could download purchased ebooks from Amazon, crack the DRM (Digital Rights Management) protection on them, and send them to other devices or distribute them widely on the web. That will no longer be possible.

Less flexibility

As is often the case, efforts to battle digital pirates means rule-abiding users lose out. This means ebooks can no longer be saved on computers as backups, or moved over without a Wi-Fi connection, which gave Kindle owners some extra flexibility.

It's worth bearing in mind that Amazon does occasionally remove ebooks from its catalog, or replace them with modified versions. Now more than ever, users are going to be at the whims of what Amazon decides to make available.

You will still be able to move ebooks over via Wi-Fi of course, as well as transfer files to your Kindle via USB and software such as Calibre. It's specifically the ability to download purchases from the Amazon website to a computer that's disappearing.

This also gets closer to fully killing off the older AZW3 format for Amazon ebooks: it's been replaced by the newer KFX format, which is much harder to crack in terms of its DRM, and which is now used in most situations (except downloads to a computer).

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• Your Kindle Scribe just became a better note-taking ereader

• AI features on the 2024 Kindle Scribe were only available to US customers at launch
• Latest firmware with AI features is now rolling out to users in the UK, Canada and Australia
• These features are now also available on the 2022 Kindle Scribe

When the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) was released in December last year, I was rather miffed that the promised AI features weren't part of the package for users outside of the US. At the time, Amazon had no comment to make as to when the AI Summary and handwriting recognition features would be rolled out more widely, but that's now happened.

The latest firmware update (version 5.17.3) is available to download on both the 2024 and 2022 Kindle Scribe models in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, meaning even the older model is now a far better note-taking device than before.

I've checked both the 2022 and 2024 models that I have but, at the time of publication, neither had the latest firmware available for download. However, Amazon has already listed it on its Help and Customer Service page in Australia where I am based, so it's only a matter of time before it gets pushed out to the devices itself. You can, of course, download the software package from the Amazon site in your region if you don't want to wait, but you will need to use the Send To Kindle service or email it to your Kindle to update your device.

Once installed, you should be able to see a star-like icon in your notebooks. Tapping this will give you two options: to 'Summarize' a note or to 'Refine writing'.

Read on, there's more

This firmware update also includes a new feature called Side Panel Margin. As the name suggests, this adds a side panel where you can write notes when you're reading an ebook. This feature is new even for US users and is also available for both the Scribe models.

The side panel feature is in addition to Active Canvas, which only adds a box for your handwritten note while also reformatting the page to wrap around said box. The side panel is quite literally that: a full-length panel for your thoughts, with the ability to alter the width as much as you like.

A better note-taking tablet

This new update means the Kindle Scribe is now a far better e-paper tablet than it was, especially the 2022 original model. The promised rollout of the AI features brings the older Scribe on par with its successor and, if it's still available on your local Amazon site, it will be cheaper and thus represents better value.

I'm still partial to Kobo's Advanced Notebooks though, but I'm thrilled to see Amazon making an effort to make the Scribes more competitive. The only bone I have to pick with Amazon now – because I'm Aussie – is that none of the new Kindles now have Audible support Down Under. How about it then, Amazon?

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• Amazon just announced a devices event for February 26
• The event graphic invites us to "see what's next"
• Amazon will likely use the stage to finally show off its next-generation Alexa

We’ve all been wondering where the AI-infused Alexa is, and it seems like the technology giant is nearly ready to tell us. Amazon just sent out invites for a devices-focused event on February 26. Panos Panay, Amazon’s SVP of Devices, will be there alongside other devices and services team members, and we have a teaser image with a very familiar shade of blue. The event will be in New York City, though it is invite-only, and Amazon will not be livestreaming it.

Amazon promises we’ll “see what’s next”. That is the only featured text on the invite, alongside the brand's logo and the date. It’s not much to go off, though it does tease products and services. Maybe the biggest hint is a swirly shape in bright blue – maybe a portion of a lowercase script 'a'.

We all know that Amazon’s working on its next generation of the Alexa virtual assistant, which was shown off at the last formal devices event held in September 2023 at the company's second HQ in Virginia. Since then, though, we haven’t had much news aside from leaks that it’s being worked on and will eventually debut.

Amazon skipped a formal devices event in 2024, but several still trickled out throughout the year – most notably a new lineup of Kindles in October. There was also the supersized Echo Show 21 alongside a next-gen Echo Show 15 in November, and the Echo Spot was reintroduced over the summer. All three of these, as well as the rest of the Echo lineup, still feature the same old Alexa assistant that we’ve all come to know.

That same version of Alexa is also on the new Fire TV devices – an entry-level streaming stick and the first mini LED-powered TV models. It remains to be seen if these devices will get the Alexa first teased in September 2023 with an LLM backing for a more conversational tone, and if the rumored 'brain transplant' will be supported.

Premium Alexa?

Suffice to say, Amazon is clearly ready to talk about something, and it seems that all signs are pointing to the next generation of Alexa. The use of “Devices and Services” is also worth a callout, as it’s rumored that Amazon might end up charging for Alexa. Amazon might also debut some new hardware, which could be a next-generation full-size Echo speaker, or even an update to the bite-sized Dot.

We’ll know more soon as the event is just three weeks away, and TechRadar will be on the ground, breaking down what Panos and the team at Amazon unveil. Let us know in the comments what you think might be shown off and if you’d pay for more intelligent, more capable Alexa.

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Many new year's resolution lists will include the goals to read more and get more organised, and whether you want to read a book each week or start writing a daily to-do list, the new Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is made for you. With its first Australian discount since its release, the 2024 Kindle Scribe is down 17% to just AU$539 (down from AU$649) – and it's not only worth considering for avid readers (or avid reader wannabes).

Whether you're looking to journal more in 2025, are sick of forgetting much-needed groceries or want a note-taker for work, it blows its predecessor out of the water as the best Kindle for note-taking (even if we haven't quite updated our guide to reflect that just yet). With a massive 10.2-inch display that is bright and sharp, the Kindle Scribe (2024) is the best premium ereader that money can buy, and its AI features – that can decipher even the messiest, most rushed handwriting – also make it the best Kindle for writing.

One slight snag that’s worth noting (and which even we didn't realise until we had it in our hands) is that the new Kindle Scribe's headline AI functionality isn't currently available outside of the US.

Don't dismiss this deal just yet, though – you can still install AI features onto your new Kindle Scribe with a few short steps, letting you enjoy the additions that elevate this Kindle from an ereader with some note-taking abilities, to one that truly excels as a writing tablet and ereader.

Compared to the best ereaders, the Scribe has a much brighter screen, with the E Ink screen providing plenty of sharpness – working equally well indoors and out thanks to its 300dpi display. It's not just the AI note-summaries and writing recognition where the Scribe shines for productivity tasks, either. The premium pen with an upgraded design and a shortcut button, along with a soft eraser offers a much cleaner editing experience.

If you want an ereader with truly integrated writing capabilities – not ones that are just tacked-on as second thoughts – the Kindle Scribe might be the ultimate choice.

Of course, if you'd prefer to spend less, and don't need a master of all trades, there are many other Kindles, ereaders and writing tablets to consider. If you're looking for a more affordable ereader, the Amazon Kindle (2024), Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Clara and Kobo Libra are all worth considering. If reading is an afterthought and you want something more productivity focused, the ReMarkable 2 is our favourite writing tablet.

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It’s been a busy year for Amazon’s Kindle line, with four new entries: upgrades to the standard Kindle, the Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle Scribe, plus a new Kindle Colorsoft. But more importantly, if you’re reading this, it’s the year you jumped onto the Kindle express.

There are many types of ereader on the market, but Amazon’s are synonymous with the whole digital ebook experience, so it’d be little wonder if you picked a Kindle to be your first ereader (or if someone picked it for you).

While Kindles aren’t quite as adjustable and personalizable as some ereaders, there are a few ways you can make the most of them. As TechRadar’s former ereader expert, and someone who still tests them (and other ereaders) to this day, I’ve got some tips on how to improve your Kindle experience.

1. Adjust the screen settings to your liking

Many people buy Kindles, instead of reading on their phone or tablet, in order to reduce eye strain. That’s all well and good, but you’ll more easily nail that goal if you customize your display settings to your liking. I recommend that most people fiddle with their screen’s output as soon as they start using the device.

You can adjust the brightness of your Kindle’s screen and, on some devices, the warmth (how red it looks) too, and these are easy ways to make the reading experience more comfortable. You can do these by swiping down from the top, to bring up the quick-settings menu. Some modern and fancy Kindles also have a dark mode.

There are also advanced ways to change the font and kerning (or letter spacing), which some readers may also choose to do to really fine-tune that reading experience. To do that you can bring up the menu when you’re reading a book, press the ‘Aa’ font button, select font and change the settings here.

2. Get the Kindle Unlimited Free Trial

Amazon has many subscription services, and one of them is called Kindle Unlimited – it offers you unrestricted access to a range of books, magazines and audiobooks to download onto your Kindle.

However, it costs $11.99 / £9.49 / AU$13.99 per month, which makes it a little hard to recommend for all but the most prolific reader. I generally don’t use Kindle Unlimited for this reason, but I’d recommend everyone test it for a month.

Why? Because there’s a free trial to Kindle Unlimited, so you can get 30 days' worth of reading without paying a cent. If you really like it, you can continue, and if not you can cancel before it rolls into a repeating subscription. What better way to welcome in a new Kindle than by stuffing it full of books?

3. Familiarize yourself with collections

My Kindle home screen used to be very cluttered until I found out about collections, and I'd recommend you get used to them sooner rather than later.

Collections are basically folders, containing different texts you select. You can bundle together novels from the same franchise, texts from the same writer or, in an extreme (yet really useful) case, you can make a separate collection for each type of work (novel, poetry, script etc).

It's easy to make collections: press the three-vertical-dot options menu when you're in your library and press 'Create New Collection'. Easy!

4. Send documents to read on your Kindle

This is my most-used Kindle feature. It enables you to read almost any document on your ereader, beyond those bought on the Kindle store, and works with PDFs, EPUB, Word document, TXT files and more.

Want to read work documents, digital books you've been sent, texts you've bought in other formats or more? You got it. I do it all the time, particularly with copyright-free books (ie, older classics) from Project Gutenberg, and it's basically all I read.

If you want to know how to do this, you'll be glad to know that we've got an entire guide on how to send PDFs to Amazon Kindle.

5. Read your books elsewhere

I should preface this section by saying that this pertains to Kindle books bought on the Kindle store, not ones you've sent to your ereader as above.

A digital library is for life, not just for Christmas, and you can access your Kindle library whether or not you actually have your Kindle on you.

That's because there's a phone and tablet app, also called Kindle, which you can download. Using this you can read any texts saved to your Amazon account when on the go.

I do this when I'm bored on my commute, or forgot my Kindle, and it's also a good option if you're going travelling and can't afford the bag space an ereader would take up.

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• Amazon's flagship Fire TV Omni Mini LED TV series will now support Dual Audio.
• This feature will allow it to stream sound to a supported hearing aid and through the TV speakers.
• A raised QR Code with access to setup instructions is being included within select Amazon Device packaging.

Amazon’s had a pretty packed few months – including new Kindles, a Fire TV Stick refresh, and an entry into Mini LED TVs – and is now debuting a new accessibility feature, expanding another, and highlighting an accessible addition for some product packaging.

A variety of Fire TV devices already support the ability to beam audio directly to hearing aids thanks to support for the Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) protocol. Amazon’s latest move, though, is dubbed “Dual Audio” and is exclusive to the Fire TV Omni Mini LED TV series for now – with this, you can send audio using ASHA to a hearing aid and audio through the TV’s speakers.

This is the first time a Fire TV device can send audio out in two streams. This way, if you’re wearing a hearing aid, you can watch TV with family members and have it be a communal experience without any delays. It’s exciting to see this launch for the Fire TV Omni Mini LED TV series, but I do hope Amazon can expand this to other Fire TV devices as well – be it a Fire TV 4-Series model or a streaming stick.

A software update will be required to enable this, and it will start rolling out to the Fire TV Omni Mini LED TV series in the ‘coming weeks.’ Once it’s installed, you’ll be able to turn on ‘Dual Audio’ in Settings under Accessibility. You’ll pair a compatible hearing aid with the TV to start the process, and then with it, you can have audio through the aid as well as the TV speakers. After that first setup, you can also use quick settings to turn the feature on and off.

More broadly, beyond just the Fire TV Omni Mini LED TV series, Amazon is expanding the types of hearing aids that can be paired with its Fire TV family of devices. Now supported via the audio streaming protocol for hearing aids are Widex Moment Behind-The-Ear (BTE) and Receiver-In-Canal (RIC) aids. BTE and RIC hearing aids will be supported on all ASHA-enabled Fire TV devices like the Omni TV lineup, Fire TV Cube, and the 2- and 4-Series Fire TV models.

Beyond support for more types of hearing aids and Dual Audio on the Fire TV Omni Mini LED TV series, Amazon has also added a tactical-marked, raised QR code inside the packaging of select devices. The QR code, which features raised dots, is designed to help customers who have low vision or are blind easily access quick setup guides and other support documents. You’ll scan the QR code and be taken to these; the raised QR code is found on the “top left corner on the back panel of the device Quick Start Guide” inside the packaging.

It’s not found on every device that Amazon makes, but it is found on some of the new Kindles – Colorsoft, Paperwhite, and Scribe – the Fire TV Soundbar and Soundbar Plus, Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series, Echo Spot, Echo Show 15, and Echo Show 21.

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• The 2024 Kindle Scribe was released on December 5 in major markets
• Its biggest selling point: AI features available at launch for handwritten notes
• Unfortunately, this headline act isn't available to all users

About a month after the cheaper 2024 Kindles went on sale, the new Kindle Scribe was finally released for purchase on December 5. It's headline act: AI features that, as per our Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review, are actually useful.

While Amazon has promised that these AI features will be rolled out to the older Kindle Scribe (2022) some time in "early 2025", it does make the new model – particularly in the Metallic Jade colorway – an enticing option for early adopters in need of a great e-paper tablet.

The 2024 Scribe is now available to buy in most major markets, but there's one glaring omission if you're making your purchase outside of the US.

If you're in the UK or in Australia, for example, and have just bought your new Kindle Scribe, you might be wondering where the heck are the AI features. Turns out, they're only available to US customers and Amazon has no current plans to roll them out globally.

I reached out for a reason and was disappointed to be told, "we don’t have anything to share today".

There are two AI features that are supposed to be on the 2024 Kindle Scribe at launch – note summaries and handwriting recognition. Both are accessed via a little star-like icon sitting on the top right corner of a notebook's menu bar (pictured below).

I got my 2024 Kindle Scribe on the day of release, then spent an entire day wondering why I couldn't access the AI features. Amazon made no mention to the media – at least in Australia where I'm based – that it was restricted. I was so looking forward to trying it out but, sadly, it was a no-go.

It took me a while, though, but a little digging online led me to a workaround that has allowed me to install the AI features onto the new Kindle Scribe.

How to install Kindle Scribe AI features

If you live outside the US and want the AI features promised to you on your brand-new Kindle Scribe, you can still install them. Just log into the desktop version of your local Amazon site (for example, in my case it's Amazon AU), then hover over Account & Lists and choose Manage Your Content & Devices from the dropdown menu to access the preferences for your already setup Kindle(s).

Go straight to the Preferences option on this page and, under Country/Region Settings, click on Change your country/region (see image below).

You'll need an Amazon US account, plus a valid US address and phone number. Since Amazon arrived in Australia (my home country) only in December 2017, I already had an Amazon US account, so didn't need to start from scratch. Moreover, close family living in the US allowed me to use their contact details for this.

It's important to note that you absolutely do not need to change your payment method here, so no one but you will be charged for any content you might purchase from the Kindle Store. You will, however, be charged in USD rather than your local currency.

Anyway, once you've saved the new address, just restart your Kindle Scribe and, voila, the AI icon will appear on your Notebooks. You can then use the AI Summary feature or convert your handwriting into text.

In my case, I had to restart the Kindle Scribe (2024) twice before I could see the AI icon in the Notebooks app, but keep in mind that if you change the details for your Kindle (content and device), you will lose access again.

There's no harm in leaving a US address associated with your Kindle account but, as I've already mentioned, your Kindle purchases (not your regular Amazon shopping) will be charged in USD. If that doesn't appeal to you, then you can revert back to your original setup but, again, you will lose the AI features until Amazon decides to roll these out globally.

Interestingly (at least to me), because my Scribe was set up with UK English as the language, the AI summary feature (pictured above) retains the spelling chosen for the system rather than the feature. Oh, the things I notice...

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• Amazon's finally nailed scribbling in the margins with the Kindle Scribe's new Active Canvas feature

My biggest gripe with the original Kindle Scribe at its launch in 2022 was how it treated my margin scribbles in ebooks – like sticky notes that could only be typed. And it didn't even work on all the content on my device. It took a while for Amazon to allow handwritten annotations to some ebooks purchased via the Kindle Store.

That is now no longer a complaint because the 2024 Kindle Scribe debuted with a new feature called Active Canvas which, as of December 4, is also available on the older model via the latest firmware update (v 5.17.2).

Active Canvas is so named as it adds a box (aka a 'canvas') around your annotation, then automatically realigns the page by indenting adjoining lines so text wraps around your note. The size of the automatically created box is changeable, but you can't move it from its original position.

As far as I'm concerned, it's the best thing to happen to margin scribbles since e-paper tablets became a thing as I think it makes the page look nice and neat. That said, I suspect there will be some Kindle Scribe users who won't necessarily agree with me because of the reformatted page or the fact that this still isn't exactly free writing. You've got to remember, though, this is the closest we've come to margin scribbles on the Kindle Scribe since it first launched and brings it more in line with what the competition offers.

What truly excites me is that Active Canvas isn't restricted to content purchased via the Kindle Store – it works for sideloaded EPUBs too! It's supposed to work on a handful of different file formats, including PDFs and Microsoft Word documents, but I'm yet to confirm if the feature works just as well on other files. There is one caveat for PDFs, though: they will need to have an adjustable layout for this feature to work. Understandable.

If you already have the 2022 Kindle Scribe and would like to try this feature, just make sure you're running the latest firmware update, which is available globally now.

A drain on resources

There is one downside to the new update, however: I found that the battery drain is higher if you have too many annotations in your book. I'd expected the AI Summary feature to be a drain on battery, not Active Canvas, but here we are.

It's not a massive drain – I think you'll still be able to eke out about 4 weeks of battery life if you're an avid reader, but that could be lower if you also happen to be a habitual scribbler of margins. And, if you also use the Notebooks a lot, that drain becomes even more significant with AI Summary enabled.

Another issue is that the with the new operating system now so large (to accommodate all the new features which are software-based), I found I had only 25.5GB of usable storage available on my brand-new 32GB Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024). That's a significant amount of storage taken up be the operating system – bordering on smartphone territory – and a few gig more than the older model at launch. And even though 25GB is a huge amount of storage when it comes to e-paper writing tablets, there are other digital note-takers that cost less and give me more storage, even after taking the OS into account.

Add to that the fact that the hardware of the 2024 release of the Kindle Scribe is exactly the same as the 2022 model, I'm struggling to justify the cost. So it's a good thing that the older Kindle Scribe will get additional features in 2025, including Extended Margins and AI Summary.

More to come

AI Summary is already available in the US on the new Kindle Scribe, and it's disappointing that Amazon didn't think the rest of the world would like to purchase the new Scribe specifically for that feature. I'm in Australia and am rather miffed to not see it natively offered on my 2024 Scribe.

I've contacted Amazon to ask when Scribe users outside of the US will be able to get AI Summary on their devices, but I am yet to hear back (I'll be sure to update this article when I do).

I'm not entirely sold on Extended Margins though. As the name suggests, this feature allows you extend one margin of a book so you can add longer annotations if you need to, but Active Canvas readjusts the page well enough to accommodate these as well. Still, it's there and it will become available on the older Scribe in 2025, making it far better value than it already is.

Despite my little issues with the new features, I will admit that Amazon is finally convincing me to move away from my Kobo Elipsa 2E to making the Kindle Scribe my default digital note taker and ereader. It's taken only two years to get there.

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• Need a new Kindle? Take a look at the best Kindles you can get
• You can also opt for one of the best ereaders from other brands
• Don't need writing features? Read my in-depth Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review for an alternative

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024): Two-minute review

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite has been our pick of the best Kindle for a very long time as it's managed to balance price and features quite well. The 12th generation Paperwhite maintains that same ethos to some degree, gaining a brand-new display that leverages the latest E Ink Carta 1300 screen tech.

This not only adds a touch more contrast, which makes the text on the screen darker and thus easier to read, but it also makes page turns a smidge quicker. Honestly, in real-world use, you won't find it all that different from the 11th-generation Kindle Paperwhite, but you will if you have them both side by side and look really carefully. So while I won't say it's a massive upgrade over the 2021 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, it's definitely worth upgrading if you're using an older Kindle.

I also appreciate the couple of millimeters more of display I get on the 2024 Paperwhite, which is now a 7-inch screen compared to the previous 6.8-inch, but again, it's not really that significant.

What is a little significant is the slight performance boost that Amazon has managed to inject into the 12th-gen Paperwhite. During my testing, I had no issues whatsoever – page turns were near instantaneous, I had absolutely no slowing down even after hours of reading, not a single instance of ghosting and, importantly, the battery life is truly impressive. After three weeks of use, I am yet to charge the Paperwhite for the first time.

My biggest issue is the Paperwhite's design: the rear panel is so darn smooth, that I often feel like it's slipping through my fingers. That means I'm trying to grip it tighter, which means my thumbs are extended further over the display and the number of accidental touches I have are a little annoying. Admittedly a case will solve that problem, but that's an additional cost to tack onto what is already an expensive ereader.

So while it still builds a case for still being the best Kindle, I think the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024) might represent better value for some users, offering more storage, some resistance to salt water and the option for wireless charging.

Amazon's penchant for hiking up the price of its Kindles with each new generation is disappointing. While I'm struggling to justify the cost of the base Amazon Kindle 2024, I suppose I can get behind the 12th-gen Paperwhite's price hike over its predecessor, but I'm not entirely convinced it represents good value anymore. This is compounded by the fact that, in some markets (like Australia), none of the 2024 Kindles support Audible playback.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: price & availability

• Announced October 2024; available to buy now
• Launch price of $159.99 (with ads) / £159.99 (with ads) / AU$299
• A Signature Edition is available for a higher price but double the storage

As I've said above, Amazon keeps increasing the price of its Kindles with each new release and that means at $159.99 / £159.99 / AU$299, the 12th-generation Paperwhite is the most expensive yet and, in my humble opinion, no longer very good value. And that's the price of the ad-supported version in the US and UK (Australia gets only the ad-free model). If you don't want ads on your lock screen, you're shelling out $179.99 / £159.99 in the US and UK respectively.

You could argue that this price is fine for a 7-inch ereader with 16GB of storage, but for a little more money – $219.99 / £219.99 / AU$359.95 to be precise – you can get a color ereader with a screen of the same size, double the storage, a more ergonomic design (with page-turn buttons) and, importantly, writing capabilities with the Kobo Libra Colour. I suppose I might even be inclined to pay $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329 for the 2024 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for the metallic colors, double the storage and wireless charging, as well as performance just as good as the standard Paperwhite.

If you don't want all that, you can save money by opting for the Kobo Clara BW ($129.99 / £119.99 / AU$239.95), which gets you the exact same display, just in 6 inches, and very similar specs as the Paperwhite.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: Specs

Amazon has stopped listing some specs for its ereaders, so I have no idea what CPU the Paperwhite is using or the battery capacity.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: Design & display

• Available in 3 colors in the US and UK, only one in Australia
• Sharp, crisp 7-inch display
• Very slim design with no grip

Hey, Amazon, what exactly has Australia done to not deserve the new colorways of the standard Paperwhite? I'm a little annoyed that I get only the black model Down Under (where I am based) and is the version I was sent for this review. It's not a huge complaint, but I do admit to a little FOMO. Other markets can get the Paperwhite in new Jade and Raspberry options.

Nothing else has really changed in terms of design, although the standard Paperwhite is now 7 inches (compared to the 11th generation's 6.8 inches). The body remains plastic which, incidentally, has some recycled materials in it – not as much as Kobo uses, though.

The plastic chassis does make the Paperwhite look cheaper than its price tag, but the real issue for me is the rear panel. It's so smooth that I can feel it slip through my fingers (literally) when the bus or train I'm on brakes suddenly. I love how slim it is, but that too exacerbates the lack of grip, making it far from ergonomic.

To compensate for its slipperiness, I found myself holding the device with my thumb on the screen itself as the side bezels are still very slim. As nice as that looks, it's not ideal for single-hand use and I kept suffering from accidental page turns from my finger on the screen. It's possible this won't affect all users, but it is an annoyance to me.

Given how easy it might be to drop the standard Paperwhite, I'm glad it retains its IPX8 waterproof rating, which means it can stay submerged in 2 meters of water for up to an hour. Just don't drop it in the sea as the salt water will corrode the USB-C port first and, if it seeps in, will start eating away at the motherboard too. The Signature Edition, on the other hand, will survive a quick dunk in the sea.

The rounded corners and edges will be familiar to any Kindle user, as will the be power button on the lower edge. This placement of the power button bothers one of my colleagues, but I don't have any issues with it. In fact, I love the little feedback it gives when pressed. Beside the power button, in the center of the bottom edge, is the USB-C port for charging.

The only embellishments on the device are the word 'Kindle' on the lower bezel and the Amazon logo on the rear panel. As with most black ereaders and tablets, the 2024 Paperwhite is a smudge magnet, but I suspect the two colorways will also suffer similarly. The black one, in fact, begins to look very scruffy within days of use – even just leaving it on a table, it will pick up dust and the texture of the plastic is such that it's hard to wipe away.

If that bothers you like it does me, I think a case becomes a must, and it will add a little extra grip too, but it is an additional cost to bear.

The shift to the 7-inch display has allowed Amazon to update the display to the latest E Ink Carta 1300 technology, which adds more contrast to the text on the screen. The resolution remains at 300ppi though, which is standard and plenty for such a device. The screen supports a dark mode, has 16 levels of grayscale and hits a maximum brightness of 94 nits.

Compared to the 2024 entry-level Kindle, the Paperwhite has a naturally warmer hue (much like paper) which, when combined with the amber LED lights, can make the display very yellow indeed. It might look odd to someone who's not used an ereader with adjustable light temperatures, but it helps the eyes from getting strained too much. If you're like me, who reads for four to five hours a day (mostly at night), you'll appreciate the yellower screen. The LEDs do a good job of evenly lighting the entire display – I found no shadows or areas of excessive brightness during my testing.

• Design & display score: 3.5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: User interface

• Linux-based operating system
• 16GB of storage, but only 11.5GB available for use
• Easy-to-use UX, but home screen can feel cluttered

One theory I have for why the Kindles became so popular so quickly is their user-friendly interface. They've always been simple devices, with not a lot of extraneous options in Settings, and that ethos is still maintained today.

If you're already familiar with a Kindle, you won't find anything new on the 2024 Paperwhite. Even if you've never used a Kindle before, it won't take long to wrap your head around it, with setup being as simple as following the prompts on the screen. Once you've set up your Amazon account and logged in, there are only two tabs to explore – the Home screen and the Library.

I personally find the Kindle Home screen unnecessarily cluttered, constantly pushing me into the Kindle Store. If that doesn't bother you, it's a good starting point for finding your next read. However, keep in mind that once you start getting your content from the Kindle Store, you're stuck within Amazon's walled garden.

You can sideload books of course, but you will need to jump through some hoops as Amazon no longer allows you to plug in a Kindle to drag-and-drop files via a wired connection. You will need to use the Send To Kindle platform, which allows you to wirelessly add content to your Kindles via cloud sync. The good news is that if you ever change (or upgrade) your Kindle, even your sideloaded titles will remain synced to your Amazon account and you can just tap them individually in the Library app of your new Kindle to download them again.

There's no specific tab for Settings, but swipe downwards from the top of the screen and you'll be presented with a few options, including turning on dark mode, cloud sync, flight mode and, of course, accessing all the Settings options.

The different Settings are simple and quite literally bare bones, although please note that if you are in Australia or any other region where there's no Audible support on the 2024 Kindles, you won't even see Bluetooth as a connectivity option (which is available in the US and UK).

There's decent file support on the Kindle now, although, with MOBI now mostly dead, Amazon has had to relent and allow native EPUB support, which is the format most ebooks come in.

As part of the Amazon ecosystem, Goodreads is available on all Kindles and American users will be able to borrow library books too. The latter option is, however, not available anywhere else.

• User interface score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: Performance

• Marginally faster than previous model
• Speed enhancement seems mostly software related
• Excellent battery life, even at higher brightness levels

Ereaders are such simple devices that there's really no benchmarking to run to determine performance. However, as someone who's tested several of the most recent ebook readers, it's fair to say I can judge by doing a comparison with the competition.

The 2024 standard Paperwhite wins in terms of screen responsiveness speed and overall performance over even the Onyx Boox Go series ereaders and the Kobo Clara BW too. The former, incidentally, has a more powerful processor than what Amazon has typically used for its Kindles (although the current CPU has not been revealed) and yet the Paperwhite surpasses the Boox Go 6 (which I have been testing alongside this).

Page turns are near instantaneous and not once did I have issues with ghosting (where a very light impression of the previous page remains on screen after a page turn). Reading graphic novels on its an absolute pleasure, especially since the Frame view also opens instantly when you double-tap.

Like the entry-level 2024 Kindle, I think the performance boost is purely software-based rather than being a new CPU. It could be both, too, but Amazon isn't revealing what chipset it's using under the hood here.

I'm using the massive operating system as the basis of my performance theory here. As with the base 2024 Kindle, the OS on the Paperwhite takes up 4.5GB of the total 16GB storage available on the device – if memory serves, that's 2GB more than on the 11th generation Paperwhite.

While I am miffed about the lower available storage on the Paperwhite (which reduces its per-dollar value), I'm glad for whatever boost Amazon has given the tablet. Typing via the on-screen keyboard when setting up my Wi-Fi network or any other touchscreen functionality was seamless and quick. And by 'quick' I mean it's as good as it's ever gotten on an e-paper screen – don't expect the same performance as your phone or multimedia tablet.

What's probably the most impressive feat is the 2024 Paperwhite's battery life. I've had it for about three weeks now and I started using it immediately out of the box at 72%. Three weeks later it was just at 45%, and that's with about 2-3 hours of reading and the screen brightness level at 8 (warm light level of 4). Admittedly that's a low brightness setting that won't put too much pressure on the battery, but I only charged the Paperwhite once, just to see how quickly it topped up. At this rate, I could eke out at least 10 weeks of use between charges, more if I don't read as much as I usually do.

Amazon claims it will take the 12th-gen Paperwhite under 2.5 hours to go from empty to full when using a 9W power adaptor. That sounds about right to me – plugged into the USB-A port of my 65W charger (which offers up to 22.5W of power) and using a USB-A to C cable, it went from 32% to 50% in about 20 minutes. That might have been a touch faster if I was using a USB-C to C cable, but that was being used on another device at the time of testing. Still, that's not bad numbers at all.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

• Used daily for three weeks to read
• Borrowed titles from the Prime Reading service, plus downloaded existing books already available in my Amazon account
• Tested battery life at various brightness levels

As soon as I received the 2024 Paperwhite for this review, I logged into my Amazon account, which promptly gave me access to my existing library that was cloud-synced when I sideloaded titles onto an older device. All I had to do was tap on the ebooks I wanted on the Paperwhite (so none of the ones I'd already finished reading) and I was off.

Unfortunately, because I'm based in Australia, I have no Audible access on any of the new Kindles, so I cannot comment on how easy it would be to pair Bluetooth headphones, but I hope it's smooth and once paired, you should be able to listen to audiobooks if you have a subscription.

I read on the Paperwhite daily for the three-week period I set aside for testing, spending about 2-3 hours each day with it. I used the Paperwhite at various light settings to check how that affected the battery drain.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed December 2024]

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024): Two-minute review

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is a big step up in every way. It’s a big step up from the basic Kindle Paperwhite, though the existence of the Kindle Colorsoft begs the question of whether we could see a color Kindle Scribe in the hopefully near future. This Scribe is a big upgrade from the last Kindle Scribe (2022), with new AI features that – shock of all shocks – are incredibly useful. It also gets an unfortunate price increase, but there’s no doubt the improved features warrant a higher price.

The funny thing about the Kindle Scribe is that it could just be a large-screen e-reader and I’d be happy with it… although for a hundred dollars or pounds less, maybe. Adding the pen and writing capabilities felt like an afterthought with the last Scribe, but it’s clear that Amazon has put considerable thought and effort into improving the experience this time around.

The new AI features are so good that I actually asked Amazon why it didn’t just hide the fact that it’s AI. I’d almost prefer not knowing that AI is recognizing my handwriting better than any other device I’ve used, or creating useful summaries of my notes and notebooks. If Amazon just told me this was something the Kindle Scribe could do, for that alone I would have been thankful.

Instead, there’s an AI button, with the familiar stars that brands have started using to denote AI features. The Kindle Scribe can’t handle the AI chores itself, so there’s a slight delay as it sends my scribbles to the cloud. It’s worth the short wait, because the AI can interpret my worst chicken scratch, even when I forget letters or misspell words or use obscure proper nouns. It’s kind of remarkable what this writing tablet can do. And talking of remarkable…

It still feels like the Scribe could offer more writing tools, especially compared to the likes of the reMarkable 2 or an Onyx Boox Go 10.3 tablet running Android. It could use more pen styles and pen options; and you can never offer enough background templates to write on.

Amazon is addressing demand for the latter in a unique way: by offering templates as books in the Kindle book store. Since the Kindle Scribe launched the store has included a ‘write-on’ books section, and Amazon has been steadily offering its own titles for $0.99 or for free, depending on your membership. You can find daily planners, gratitude journals, and even score sheets for family game night; all created by Amazon, and all compatible with the writing tools on the Kindle Scribe.

What about writing in other books? That was a big problem with the last Kindle Scribe, and Amazon is edging closer to a solution. You can’t free-write in any book you like, but you can place a small ‘canvas’ for text and drawing anywhere on the page. Your Kindle will remember where you put each canvas, and then you can write next to the text. The text moves out of the way, and you can take notes on what you’re reading. It’s not perfect, but it’s much closer to what I want from a Kindle with a pen.

The Kindle Scribe (2024) has a deceptively simple new design that looks more stately and professional than before, but Amazon has pulled off an amazing trick. All of the old accessories work with the new Scribe. The same folios and cases work with both the Kindle Scribe (2024) and Scribe (2022), as well as the pen. My new Scribe stuck firmly to the magnetic folio I got with my old Scribe.

What a delight! It’s much more common to see writing tablet makers ditch the last generation and make you buy all new stuff. Kudos to Amazon for doubling the size of its ecosystem with two devices that fit every accessory, instead of cutting it in half.

The price increase hurts, there’s no doubt, and if you only wanted the Kindle Scribe as a large-screen e-reader, I’d suggest buying the older Scribe (2022) instead, especially if you can get a deal. The screen is just as sharp, and it’s excellent for reading.

If you want to write on your tablet, the new Kindle Scribe (2024) is much better than before, and for many reasons – its handwriting recognition, note-summary features, and the growing library of write-on books – the Amazon Kindle Scribe is the best writing tablet you can buy.

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: price and availability

• $399.99 / £379.99 / AU$649 for 16GB with Premium Pen
• $449.99 / $429.99 / AU$729 for 64GB and Metallic Jade color

Get the Metallic Jade color, it’s gorgeous. Sorry, let me start from the beginning. The Kindle Scribe starts at 16GB of storage with a boring Tungsten grey color that isn’t so bad, but it isn’t green. You can get the Kindle Scribe with 32GB or 64GB of storage, and then there’s the aforementioned beautiful Metallic Jade color that is really a standout hue, but it’s only available on the most expensive model with 64GB of storage, and besides more storage capacity there are no other benefits to getting that model.

The new Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is also more expensive than the old Kindle Scribe no matter which storage option you choose. Why does that matter? Because it’s gone from being slightly less expensive than an Apple iPad 10.9 to slightly more expensive than an iPad (in the US and Australia, at least). That feels like a move that needs to be justified by a much better device.

It’s not just a little better; it’s a lot better. It’s a whole new level of better. It’s enough to justify a price increase, I think, because this is no longer a big e-reader with some doodling features tucked away. This is a full-fledged writing tablet, and it does some things better than any other writing tablet I’ve seen.

So what has Amazon improved? Is it thinner and lighter? Nope. Bigger screen? By a decimal point. Oh, it must be in color now, I heard there was a color Kindle. Sorry, maybe next time!

I’m going to give you three guesses as to which big feature Amazon added to the Kindle Scribe… yep, right first time, it’s AI. Except… it’s good?! It’s really good. It’s so good, I almost wish Amazon hadn’t told me the Kindle Scribe uses AI. I didn’t need to know! I could just think my new Scribe got much better at handwriting recognition on its own, by learning. Okay, that’s actually what AI is.

Does it compete with the reMarkable 2? I’ll get to that later, but the reMarkable 2 is similarly priced at $399 / £399 / AU$679, which is probably not a coincidence. The Amazon Kindle Scribe doesn’t give you the religious writing experience and Zen organization of the reMarkable, but that’s probably a good thing for most Kindle buyers.

Anyway, for $50 / £50 / AU$80 more than the base model Kindle Scribe you can have 64GB of storage instead of 16GB, and you can also have the Metallic Jade color, the color of my review sample. It’s stellar. The white border around the page gives the Scribe a more professional and polished look, and the Jade color really sparkles.

Thankfully, every model gets the so-called Premium Pen, which gives you a rubbery eraser tip. The old model had a cheap pen and you had to buy this upgrade, so that’s another justification for the price increase.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: Specs

• Nearly identical size and shape to the last model, and that’s great
• Screen is more sharp than competing writing tablets

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: display

• E Ink display retains sharpness at larger size
• Brighter than the competition by far

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) uses an E Ink display that's very similar to the Kindle Paperwhite's, with the same 300ppi pixel density, making it incredibly sharp for reading printed text. To compare, Apple’s latest iPad Pro 11-inch uses Apple’s most advanced display ever, and it’s only 264ppi.

What’s even more remark… noteworthy is that none of the other writing tablet competitors come close, likely because they aren’t as focused on reading as they are on writing. The reMarkable 2 uses a display with only 226ppi.

The Kindle Scribe is also the brightest writing tablet you’ll find. The Scribe is brighter than the Kobo Elipsa 2E, another E Ink tablet that's the same size, and it’s much brighter than the new reMarkable Paper Pro, which uses minimal lighting to be visible in darkness. The Kindle Scribe can get bright, and the light can also get warm if you want to read at night and avoid blue light.

• Display score: 5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: design

• Looks bigger than before, even though it’s not
• More refined without changing much

The Kindle Scribe is a refined, premium Kindle, which is a relief, considering the higher price. Amazon’s smaller e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite, is plastic, which makes it lightweight, durable, and an inexpensive way to take hundreds of books on a month-long vacation. It also feels kind of cheap. The Kindle Scribe, on the other hand, is a super-slim slip of metal with a premium finish and dainty feet at the back corners. I wish more Kindle devices were like this.

The last Kindle Scribe was a lot like this, just a bit more boring. It came in a dark grey, which looked professional in metal, but it lacked character. The new Kindle Scribe has a white border around the E Ink that makes the display feel more like paper, and the whole device looks more like an electronic notebook than it did before.

The power button and USB-C port are both on the side of the device, which is hard to remember but it never got in the way, like the bottom-facing power button on the Kindle Paperwhite.

The Kindle Scribe is very thin. It’s only 5.7mm thick, compared to the iPad 10.9 at 7mm or the positively chunky Kobo Elipsa 2E, which is a 7.5mm porker. Of course, the reMarkable 2 stands out like a supermodel at only 4.7mm, but the reMarkable has absolutely no lighting on board. You can’t use it in the dark. It needs to eat something, the room is growing dim.

One of the most remarka… astonishing discoveries I made during my review period concerned the folio case. I forgot to request one from Amazon, but I discovered that the old cases are now listed as compatible with both the Kindle Scribe (2022) and Scribe (2024). What?! A tablet maker releasing a new tablet that fits in the old cases? My older leather magnet cover folio worked perfectly. All the little feet lined up.

This is almost unheard of in the world of consumer electronics, and Amazon should be commended for it. I know a few reMarkable Paper Pro owners who are fuming that they have to buy a whole new Type Folio and cover for their new tablets.

• Design score: 5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: software

• It’s got AI... wait, hear me out, it’s actually pretty great
• Like the rest of this Kindle, the AI doesn’t try to do too much

The Kindle Scribe is essentially a gigantic book with a pen attached, so there are very specific things I want it to do, and it doesn’t need to do much else. I want to read, write, and take notes. Everything else is a bonus, or a feature that helps me with my reading, writing, and thinking.

The last Kindle Scribe was missing one key feature, and Amazon has found an elegant solution that I appreciate. I wanted to write in my books, but that’s actually a really tough request, as there are legal rights issues that make writing in an e-book a tricky issue. I’ve seen two solutions to this problem, and I like Amazon’s best.

The Kobo e-readers with a pen will let you write in a book, directly in the book itself. The Kobo remembers your notation and where you put it. The problem is, the book is electronic. It changes depending on how you size the text, or other factors. When you change your e-book on a Kobo, it gives you a little indicator that a note exists around that location in the book. Then you have the e-reader return the page to the way it was, handwritten note and all. Ta-da! You’ve written in an e-book!

With the Kindle Scribe (2024), Amazon has created a new 'canvas' tool concept. When you're reading a book, you can use the pen and start writing anywhere. The Kindle Scribe draws a small box on the page, and all of your writing is contained within this. The size of the box is determined by what you write, and there's also a tool that lets you create a large box first, and then write in it.

When you resize text, the box stays near the point in the book where you added it. You can’t underline individual words this way, or circle specific turns of phrase, but I still like it. I think it’s a good compromise that acknowledges that the medium is electronic. If I want to write on a page with a pen, I have paper books for that, but we need a new idea that is extensible and flexible, and this is a good start.

And that’s it! Amazon has fixed my biggest complaint about the Kindle Scribe (2022). So, we can all go home now, right? Wait… what is that button at the top of the device? It looks like the stars that companies use to denote AI features. Is that AI on my Kindle? What? And why?

Calm down, me. Amazon has thankfully used a very light touch in adding AI to the Kindle Scribe, and as I said earlier, you wouldn’t even know it was using AI if Amazon didn’t tell you. The Kindle Scribe basically has only two AI tricks.

The first is handwriting recognition. Amazon is calling this writing refinement, but that’s inaccurate. It’s just handwriting recognition that works exceptionally well, better than I’ve ever seen on a writing tablet before. Then, it gives you a typed version of whatever you wrote, along with some clever fonts that look a bit like bubbly handwriting.

The other AI tool is note summaries. Once the software has recognized what you’ve written, it uses AI to create a summary, and these two tools together provide an excellent one-two boost for taking notes during meetings and classes, and then maybe sharing or reviewing your notes later.

And that’s it on the AI front. The Kindle Scribe (2024) is not using generative AI to draw for me, and it’s not telling me what to write. Amazon is only using AI to make one existing tool better, with handwriting recognition, and to add more utility to my note-taking with summaries. I hope it stops there.

It does leave me with a burning question though, and it was one I caught Amazon off-guard with. The Kindle Scribe can’t run large language models on the device (at the edge of your network as Qualcomm likes to say), it offloads every request to the cloud.

How much power does it all consume? How much power does it take to respond to my request, and how much power was consumed in training the models used to help improve my handwriting?

Amazon didn’t have an answer, because AI is not part of its sustainability commitment, but this is a question I’m going to be asking any device maker that uses generative AI to improve features. Is the cost of AI really worth the improvements? It’s unclear, but I worry that it is not.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: performance

• Reading features are just as good as ever
• Writing tools can be buggy, and AI is slow, but worthwhile

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is almost two tablets in one, a dedicated reading tablet on one hand and a writing and journaling tablet on the other, except the two meet in the middle more than ever before. This is still a tablet that leans towards books, but the new writing tools make it incredibly useful for notes as well.

Still, the closer you stay to reading books, the more satisfying you’ll find the Kindle Scribe's performance. Reading is just as fast as on the latest Kindle Paperwhite, which got a performance boost that makes menus and page-turns more swift.

Taking notes and basic writing works as expected, and the Kindle Scribe falls somewhere between the reMarkable 2 and the Kobo Elipsa in replicating the feel of writing on paper. It feels good with the Scribe, especially erasing with the new rubber-tipped pen. It's a nice touch.

I found that writing in books was mostly a good experience, but there are still some kinks. When I put my pen to the page to write a note the canvas tool drew a box for me with no trouble. However, when I selected the canvas tool to draw my box first I often ended up wiping out whole pages of text with a big canvas. Maybe a software update could fix this.

Once you start using the AI tools, prepare for a delay. A long delay. The Kindle Scribe has to communicate with Amazon’s cloud for every request and response, and this isn’t a smartphone, with devoted networking equipment of every flavor. It can take many seconds to get a response from Amazon’s brain in the sky.

Is it worth the wait? If you were expecting an AI on board that would translate your scribblings into calligraphy, then you’ll be disappointed. If you don’t mind waiting a couple of beats after a long meeting while the computer makes your notes look pretty, it’s no trouble at all.

During my review period it took the Kindle Scribe up to 40 seconds to read a full page of my terrible handwriting and return a typed version, but it's arguably worth the wait. The Kindle’s version was so good that if it missed a word I was unable to go back and read my own handwriting well enough to figure out what I'd actually written. The Scribe with Amazon AI could read my own handwriting better than I could.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: battery

• Lasts as long as a Kindle Paperwhite for basic reading only
• Writing drains the battery, but talking to the cloud is worse

If you never use the Kindle Scribe (2024), it could last forever. The more you do with it – and Amazon has given us a lot more to do with it – the faster the battery will drain. This sounds obvious, but the new features Amazon has added are going to make a big difference if you use them often.

Amazon offers lofty battery claims for the Kindle Scribe (2024) that sound just like those it makes for the Kindle Paperwhite: 12 weeks of reading (asterisk). Or three weeks of writing (asterisk). I’m not sure who could write for three weeks straight.

The catch, of course, is that you get those 12 weeks of battery life only if you read for just 30 minutes every day with the screen brightness set to 13 (the max is 24). You can write for 30 minutes a day for three weeks. That’s great! But what about the AI?

Amazon’s battery estimate accounts for the Wi-Fi being turned off, and using the AI features requires Wi-Fi. I’m not sure how much power the Kindle Scribe uses in between, but using AI features will drain the battery faster. I’ve only had my Kindle Scribe for a week and I’ve used the AI features a handful of times. It hasn’t made a huge difference yet, but I wasn’t really expecting three weeks of writing.

Unfortunately, the Kindle Scribe (2024) also charges very slowly. If you plug the USB-C port into a wall charger with 9W of power or more, it will charge fully in 2.5 hours. I didn’t try to charge it using my laptop’s USB-C ports, but Amazon says that process will take nine hours to fully charge the Kindle Scribe.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)

• Testing period - one week
• Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, Comixology Unlimited, Libby through OverDrive
• Tested books, meeting notes, AI recognition, comics, audiobooks

I used the Kindle Colorsoft one week before I published my review. During that time, I read The Princess Bride by William Goldman, I listened to parts of The Return of the King from Audible, and I took extensive notes during work meetings, which I do not usually do but I’m testing a writing tablet so I was extra.

I read Attack on Titan in black and white on the Kindle. I read during the day and before bed, adjusting the color temperature to the time of day. I read in bed, on the couch, on the train, but not in the bathtub, because this Kindle is not water resistant like the smaller e-reader Kindle devices.

I tested the AI features by having the Kindle Scribe refine and then summarize meeting notes from work meetings. I wrote a few brief stories and had the Kindle Scribe refine those from my terrible handwriting. I had my teenage son write a few words on the Kindle Scribe in his own handwriting and had the AI refine his writing as well.

I wrote on books purchased from the Kindle Store using the new Canvas tool. I read and downloaded books from Amazon Kindle as well as books I got from my local library using Libby and the OverDrive book system.

I tested the web browsing features by visiting TechRadar and reading articles at our own site. It wasn’t a great experience. I connected Bluetooth headphones, Pixel Buds Pro, and listened to Audible audiobooks. I used the Kindle Scribe without a case for the entirety of my review, but discovered it fit perfectly in my older Kindle Scribe (2022) case just in time to take photos at the end.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed December 2024]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition: Two-minute review

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite has been a mainstay on our list of the best Kindles, with the Signature Edition typically taking a back seat due to its higher price tag. The 2024 Paperwhite Signature Edition offers just enough improvements to keep the e-reader feeling fresh while still leaving me wanting a bit more. It’s a little brighter, a little sharper, and a lot faster, and it turns out that speed truly makes a difference if you read a lot.

The main factor behind your choice of e-reader is where you get your books. If you buy books from Amazon or subscribe to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service, the Kindle is your only choice, and the Kindle Paperwhite is the best Kindle for most people. It’s bright, durable, and even water-resistant enough to survive a splash even in salt water if you want to read on the sand.

Of course, the color Kindle is here, but don’t look at the Kindle Colorsoft if you don’t yearn for color when you read. It’s hard to go back to black and white once you’ve seen it, and the Colorsoft costs a lot more than the Signature Edition.

That’s fine because the Paperwhite SE does everything you’d expect from a Kindle, with wireless charging thrown in for extra measure and you'll get 32GB of storage instead of the standard 16BG. I didn’t once charge the Kindle wirelessly except to test that it works, but you can buy a dock from Amazon to prop your Kindle at your bedside and let it charge while it shows you the cover of the book you’re reading.

So it's a good thing that the Paperwhite SE doesn't have lockscreen ads like the standard Paperwhite. I’m not a fan of Amazon’s common lockscreen ad scheme (something that's, thankfully, not available in Australia). I don’t like my phone, tablet, or e-reader serving me ads as a privilege of ownership. It feels cynical, and even though you can save $20 / £10 (and why is it so much cheaper in the UK?!) by allowing Amazon to take over your Kindle lockscreen with advertisements, I’d rather see my book covers or even just Amazon’s pleasant reading-themed wallpapers.

If you get your books from the library (local libraries in the US will lend you an e-book, but this feature is not available elsewhere) or if you buy from a seller other than Amazon, you have more choices, but the Kindle Paperwhite SE is still one of the best. I wish it had real buttons to turn pages, like the Kobo Libra e-readers. Buttons just feel more reliable than tapping or swiping, especially if I’m in the tub and my fingers are soapy.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition exceeds other e-readers in its speed and responsiveness. Turning pages feels fast now, much faster than it was on older Kindle devices, and zooming into a chart or a picture happens almost as quickly as it would on a smartphone. I didn’t think a performance boost would make such a huge difference for a Kindle, but it’s really noticeable and makes the e-reader better.

Besides the library, Amazon’s Kindle bookstore is also the most robust place to buy books. You’ll find every title you want, and the store is great at making suggestions. I was slightly disappointed by the Kindle Unlimited content offering, though, so I wouldn’t recommend the subscription service unless reading is your passion and not just a pastime.

The new Kindle Paperwhite SE is an easy e-reader to recommend because the Paperwhite wasn’t broken, and Amazon didn’t fix it. It’s just a bit better, but it does everything I need an electronic book to do. The only thing I miss is color, and I suspect that the next Paperwhite upgrade that comes along in a few years will satisfy that craving.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review: price and availability

• Announced October 2024
• List price of $199.99 / £189.99 / AU$329
• $159.99 / £159.99 / AU$299 for the standard Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage

The Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition are a bit more expensive than the Kindle Paperwhite from 2021, and you don’t really get anything new. The Signature Edition is the better device, to be sure, with a brighter screen and a more responsive interface, but I don’t like that it’s creeping up in price, especially since it’s an excellent vessel for Amazon to sell you more Kindle books.

Never fear! Because the Kindle Paperwhite and the Signature Edition will likely get discounted often, particularly during big sales.

But is it worth the price? Compared to what? There aren’t any other e-readers that synchronize perfectly with Amazon’s book store, unless you buy a more expensive device that runs Android and can load the Kindle app. That’s a bridge too far, on my reading journey.

You can find a Kobo Clara e-reader with a smaller display for less money; you can even get a Kobo Clara Color e-reader for less than a Kindle Paperwhite, let alone the Signature Edition Paperwhite. The Clara has a smaller display, and you should definitely explore Kobo’s book library before you commit if you’re making a switch.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review: Specs

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review: design

• Looks nicer with Signature Edition metallic paint
• No page-turning buttons, and power button is poorly placed

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is a very simple e-reader, and Amazon hasn’t improved the design at all except to offer some brighter paint options, especially if you spring for the Signature Edition with its metallic paint. There are three color options in some markets – black, green and pink – but only the black and green are available elsewhere. I was sent the Raspberry (pink) colorway for this review and I like the look much more than the basic matte black finish, as you’ll find on the Paperwhite and the Kindle Colorsoft.

What happened to Kindles that felt premium? The Kindle Oasis lingered for years as a premium model, clad in metal with real page-turn buttons. I guess Amazon gave that all up to cut prices, or maybe readers just didn’t want to pay more for a luxurious electronic book. In any case, I hope Amazon offers an alternative to the bland plastic Kindle Paperwhite slab in the future.

I also hope Amazon brings back page buttons because pressing a button is easier than swiping or tapping on the correct spot. If I held the Kindle Paperwhite SE too high, I’d open a menu instead of turning the page. Just give me a button.

There's only one button on the Kindle Paperwhite SE, and it’s the unfortunately placed power button. If you rest the Paperwhite on a desk while reading or rest it heavily on a finger for balance, you might turn off the screen by accident.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is certainly simple; I just wish there were more elegance to be found.

• Design score: 2 / 5

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review: display

• E Ink Carta 1300 display
• Full set of white and amber LEDs for reading at night

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition uses the latest E Ink black and white Carta 1300 display, which doesn’t offer more sharpness than past Kindle screens, but it does increase overall contrast ever so slightly that it makes text stand out better and, thus, easier to read without straining. Pictures look good enough in 16 levels of grey, but if you want better graphics, you should go for the Kindle Colorsoft.

The display does an impressive job keeping up with the improved performance inside. I expected to see a lot more ghosting and residual characters as I zoomed in and out of a page, but the Paperwhite SE gave me a lighter version of my screen for panning, then flashed briefly and gave me a darker, final version when I was steady.

The Kindle Paperwhite SE can get plenty bright, so be warned that the incredible 12 weeks of battery life only applies when you are reading at half brightness. If you are in a well-lit room you won’t need any light at all, but reading before bed is my personal habit, so I use the light frequently. There’s a full set of amber lights and white LEDs inside so that you can eliminate all the blue light before bedtime.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review: software

• Amazon’s Kindle software keeps things very simple
• Better performance makes menus and libraries move faster

If you buy books through Amazon, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition does a perfect job delivering those books to your device. The Kindle can synchronize your progress easily if you read across multiple devices. It can also report your reading to Goodreads automatically or connect you to the social service to write your own reviews.

There isn’t much more to the Kindle Paperwhite SE. Unfortunately you can no longer connect any Kindle to your computer to transfer files via a wired connection; Amazon now requires you to use the Send To Kindle platform available as a desktop application.

There is a web browser, but it’s dreadfully simple, maybe thankfully so. You won’t find yourself distracted and browsing your favorite websites on this e-reader. I could barely get TechRadar.com to load beyond some text boxes.

The big thing that I’m missing with Kindle software is the ability to annotate my books right on the page. The Kobo Libra Colour can use a stylus to take notes on a book. Not just highlighting or sticky notes but actually drawing in the margins and on the page. It’s a nifty trick that Amazon really needs to adopt, especially for the Kindle Scribe.

• User experience score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review: performance

• Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
• Improved scrolling, moves faster than before

Amazon gave the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition a dual-core processor inside, which makes this electronic book more powerful than the Apollo 11 lunar lander. That means it can turn pages very quickly. I joke, but in fact, the difference is noticeable if you’ve ever owned a Kindle and been annoyed by slow page turns.

The only place where the Kindle still lags behind modern technology is in touch sensitivity. The E Ink display is not very sensitive, and I still felt a delay between tapping the screen, like when I needed to enter my Wi-Fi password, and when the character appeared. Menus were faster when I was scrolling, but still not totally reliable when tapping through them.

Frankly, there’s not much more I could ask for with Kindle performance. I’ve seen E Ink displays that try to do a lot more, and they overcomplicate simple technology like e-paper. I’m happy that Amazon made the interface more responsive. The next frontier is touch response.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review: battery life

• Excellent battery life, if you follow the rules
• Avid readers will get a week of battery life or more

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition will last for 12 weeks on a single charge, if you’re a casual reader. Amazon’s 12-week claim calls for 30 minutes of reading with the screen at just under half brightness. If you read all day in bright sunshine, the Kindle Paperwhite SE might last longer. If you read in the dark New England winter nights, the Paperwhite will need to charge more often.

The good news is that you will get over 40 hours of screen time between charges, and the battery won’t die if you put the book down for a few weeks. If you read at a good pace, you’ll be able to finish a couple of books before you need to charge the Kindle Paperwhite, and that’s exceptional for any modern electronic device.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition features wireless charging. I like the wireless option as an elegant solution for keeping your Kindle topped up on a bedside stand, but it’s not essential at all.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition

• Testing period – three weeks
• Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology
• Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading

I used the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for three weeks before I published this review. I read two novels, multiple short stories, Japanese manga, and a number of other materials, including cookbooks and magazine.

I used the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for listening to audiobooks from Audible, and for listening while I read the same book. I used the Paperwhite in the bathtub to test its water resistance, and because reading in the bathtub is the main reason I like to review Kindle Paperwhite devices.

I did not have a dedicated wireless charging dock, but I tried charging the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition with a Qi-compatible wireless charging adapter that attaches magnetically to the back of a smartphone. Before my review period I charged the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition using the USB-C port, and I only charged it one more time before this review was completed, even though I read daily and usually for more than an hour a day.

I used the Kindle Paperwhite without a case, and the photos in this review reflect its condition after daily use without a case, which is pretty good. I subscribed to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service and Comixology, and I also loaded books into my collection through the Overdrive library borrowing system and my local library.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

I've been testing ereaders for about 8 years now, including having reviewed some of the best ereaders from different brands as well as the best Kindles. In fact, I've only just finished testing the Amazon Kindle (2024) 11th generation and am currently in the process of putting the 2024 edition of the Kindle Paperwhite through its paces.

While I was a little disappointed with the former, finding it hard to justify its price increase over the previous model, my initial impressions of the Kindle Paperwhite (2024) 12th generation is good. I love the E Ink Carta 1300 screen, which makes the letters on the page darker and easier to read. I also appreciate the natural yellow hue to the screen which, even without the amber LEDs in play, is soothing on the eyes. Importantly, it's fast and, so far, I've not had any lags or ghosting issues.

What I'm disappointed with is that I find only 11.5GB of that total 16GB of storage is available on the 2024 Paperwhite, which I suspect is also going to affect the latest Paperwhite Signature Edition.

And that brings me to the crux of this article – the Signature Edition gets a bigger 19% discount compared to 17% for the regular Paperwhite, which means you get double the storage and wireless charging for just a little extra money, making this my pick of the best Black Friday Kindle deal.

NB: If you're shopping in New Zealand, all the Kindles will ship to your location at no extra cost.

I haven't had the pleasure of testing the Signature Edition yet, but I'm keen to, particularly to see if the wireless charging performance has been improved over the previous model.

Even if wireless charging is still fiddly, as we found in our Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2021) review, I would still recommend it over the standard Paperwhite, which is down to AU$247 (from AU$299). Mostly because you can get it in a very fancy-looking Metallic Jade colour that I am salivating over. Sadly Amazon hasn't seen fit to give us the Raspberry colourway in Australia, but hey, anything is better than the usual black, right?!

Everything else about the Signature Edition is shared with the standard Paperwhite, so you still get a fantastic screen with just as great performance; so if you're after a great Black Friday Kindle deal, go for the Metallic Jade Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for AU$267.

Other Black Friday Kindle deals

If you'd like more Kindle options, you're in luck. The other two 2024 models released in Australia are also discounted, but if it's the latest Scribe you were after, you might have to wait till next year.

• My team and I are hunting down all best discounts in our dedicated coverage of the best Black Friday deals in Australia, as well as the best Amazon AU Black Friday deals

Welcome to another quick hit of tech news courtesy of TechRadar's ICYMI, the column that condenses all of the week's big stories into one handy list so you can catch up on what you might have missed.

What do we have in store for you this week? Well, the task of getting our PlayStation 5 Pro, MacBook M4 and Kindle Colorsoft reviews in front of you dominated our time, and you can see what we thought of them all below, but they were far from the only interesting tech stories. There were also new product releases, some beta software tests and a couple of very tasty leaks to stay on top of, so read on and find out what happened.

7. DJI unveiled its cheapest-ever FPV goggles

DJI unveiled the Goggles N3, its cheapest-ever FPV (First Person View) goggles for immersive drone flight. At less than half the price of the Goggles 3, they look like an excellent pairing with the Neo, DJI's cheapest-ever 4K drone with multiple flight control options, including FPV.

In fact, DJI has made a new DJI Neo Motion Fly More Combo, which includes the Goggles N3 plus additional batteries and charging hub, all for less than the pricier Goggles 3 alone.

Low price doesn't mean low quality, either – the Goggles N3 pack a crisp 1080p screen with an immersive 54-degree field of view, and can perform aerial acrobatics such as flips and rolls with a tilt of your head. They also boast DJI's latest O4 transmission, negligible 31ms latency and neat augmented reality features. At half the price of the Avata 2 with goggles, this new pairing opens up the adrenaline-fuelled world of FPV flight to a whole new audience.

• Read more: DJI’s new cheap goggles make the Neo more affordable for immersive flying

6. iOS 18.2 beta showed us major Apple Intelligence upgrades

Apple Intelligence landed with iOS 18.1 but it isn’t quite as spectacular as everyone hoped it would be, largely because some of its most exciting features are currently unavailable. That could change soon, though, and the iOS 18.2 update beta has given us a taste of these missing features.

Genmoji is arguably the big one here. This allows users to create a custom emoji and we’ve already fallen in love with it, declaring it "the kind of feature that will instantly impact society and our online lives." That aside, the iOS 18.2 beta also includes ChatGPT being baked into Siri (though it’ll have restrictions for free users), and the arrival of Image Playground, which offers a more standard alternative to the best AI image generators than Genmoji does.

Beyond AI, 18.2 will bring new camera control tools, easier sharing of lost item information through the Find My service, and the first hints of Siri getting abilities to understand what’s on screen.

• Read more: Apple is adding 3 more useful upgrades to your iPhone with iOS 18.2

5. A leaked benchmark got us excited about the Samsung S25 Ultra

Apple has long maintained bragging rights over Samsung when it comes to the sheer under-the-hood power of its smartphones, but 2025 could see a momentum shift in favor of the Android manufacturer.

According to a new report, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could be even more powerful than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with the upcoming Android flagship having performed exceptionally well in early benchmark tests.

We’re all but certain that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will use Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset under the hood, and given that the likes of Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Honor have already confirmed that their respective flagships will use the same platform, the future looks extremely bright for Android fans.

• Read more: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could be the most powerful phone on the planet

4. Google leaked its Jarvis AI

Oh dear! Jarvis, Google’s rumored AI agent that searches Chrome on your behalf, was accidentally leaked by the company itself earlier this week, popping up briefly in Chrome’s extension store before being swiftly removed.

While it didn't stick around for long, it gave us proof that this automated web browser – which Google describes as “a helpful companion that surfs the web with you” – is a real thing. The AI agent is expected to launch in December and will seemingly be able to surf the web, buy products, and even book flights on your behalf.

We're expecting plenty of these agents to spring up over the next few months, as companies try to innovate in the AI space; Anthropic has already released an automated agent to developers, and there also rumors that OpenAI could enter the mix, although we don’t have any information on what a ChatGPT AI agent could look like.

When will Jarvis appear for real? That's unclear, but if you’re excited at the prospect of AI doing mundane web browsing on your behalf, you might not have long to wait.

• Read more: Google accidentally leaks its AI agent that browses the web

3. Amazon’s color Kindle got off to a rough start

We got our hands on the Kindle Colorsoft – awarding it four-and-a-half stars in our review – but we and others noticed that over time it started to develop a frustrating yellow tint at the bottom of its display.

Not every Colorsoft seems to be affected, and in our case the yellowing was not very noticeable, but that hasn’t prevented the store page from being flooded with negative reviews – with Amazon even calling those negative reviewers to learn more about the discoloration problem.

Amazon is still trying to implement whatever hardware or software fix it needs to, but if you already have a yellowed Colorsoft, the company has said it will offer you a refund or a replacement device.

• Read more: The Kindle Colorsoft faces shipping delays

2. We tested the PS5 Pro…

The PS5 Pro is finally here and the good news is that it’s a fantastic console that offers an excellent gaming experience. It also introduces the wizardry of PSSR (that's Playstation Spectral Super Resolution, for the uninitiated). However, its price tag and lack of included disc drive really are hefty stings in its tail.

The graphical advancements offered by the PS5 Pro beautifully blend super-high levels of fidelity with fluid and smooth frame rates at the same time, and from our testing, can tangibly elevate the experience of playing games. The extra spec uplifts – such as Wi-Fi 7, an extra 2TB of storage, as well as boosts to non-enhanced PS5 and PS4 games – help to round out a premium package for those who want to be at the bleeding edge of console tech and desire the most performant console going.

All of which is great, but it’s nonetheless a bit of a hard sell for current PS5 users or anyone who's not, y'know, rich, because the advancements here are not truly transformational. Still, if you’re a PlayStation enthusiast and always want to get the most out of both performance and graphics then you'll love it.

• Read more: PS5 Pro review: a high-performing enthusiast console

1. …and we reviewed – and loved – the new M4 Macs, too

We’ve also been testing the new M4-powered Macs from Apple – and it's fair to say that we're impressed. And then some…

For instance, our Apple iMac 24-inch review describes the new model as the “best all-in-one computer you can purchase”, a fact helped by its new more affordable price, while our Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch review labeled the laptop “a pro-grade portable that impresses in every area.”

It’s no surprise then that both of those computers were awarded scores of 4.5/5 scores, but we want a step higher for the revamped Mac mini, awarding it one of our rare five-star reviews.

Per our Managing Editor of Core Tech Matt Hanson in our Apple Mac mini review, “Apple has made what was already the best small form factor PC even better thanks to a more compact design, and it packs the new M4 and M4 Pro chips – all while offering incredible value for money as well. I can't recommend this Mac enough.”

• Read more: Apple Mac mini (M4, 2024) review: smaller, faster, better

• Amazon is fixing the Kindle Colorsoft screen issue
• A switch of materials may be to blame
• We noticed minimal problems on our review unit

Amazon has previously acknowledged a yellowing screen issue with a "small number" of Kindle Colorsoft devices, and told us a fix is in the works – and now we have a bit more information about what might have gone wrong.

Well-known industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has weighed in on the issue to say the problem has been traced to Amazon switching to a different OCA (optically clear adhesive) from the one used in the best Kindles with a monochrome display.

Presumably, that adhesive is what's causing the yellowing issue. A significant number of users have reported a yellow band across the screen of their Colorsoft unit, though in our very positive Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review we found the issue was barely visible unless you're specifically looking for it.

According to Kuo, the switch of materials was partly down to the lower contrast of the color screen. The analyst says "component suppliers have developed several hardware solutions" but "Amazon seems to be leaning toward a software-based fix".

The best Kindle yet?

Based on what Kuo has said, it would seem that Amazon has solved the problem by tweaking the software on the Kindle Colorsoft, rather than changing anything to do with the hardware – so any models sold from now on should be fine.

Amazon has told us that "appropriate adjustments" have been made to solve the issue, and that anyone who finds the yellowing a problem on their Colorsoft device can get in touch with Amazon support for a replacement or a refund.

The new e-reader, the first Kindle with a color screen, will set you back $279.99 / £269.99 (with pricing in Australia still to be announced). In our review, we said it "might be the best Kindle yet" – and suggested that once you make the switch to color, you're likely going to find it difficult to go back.

While this screen issue doesn't seem to be too widespread, and has apparently been quickly fixed, it's obviously something Amazon could have done without – especially as it marks a new color era for the Kindle.

You might also like

• There's just one problem with my beloved Kindle
• Kindle vs Kobo: how to choose the best ebook reader
• Amazon launches new Kindles for 2024

• Amazon warns of delays to Kindle Colorsoft shipping
• 'Small number' of Colorsoft customers affected by yellow screen issue
• TechRadar review concludes that the problem is barely noticeable

Amazon has warned that its first-ever color ereader, the Kindle Colorsoft, could face shipping delays while it fixes a small screen issue that it says has affected a "small number of customers." Now that we've published our full Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review, we've concluded the problem shouldn't be a big factor in your buying decision.

After a report from The Verge highlighted that some users were experiencing a small yellow strip along the bottom of the Kindle Colorsoft's display, Amazon acknowledged the issue.

It told us that "a small number of customers have reported a yellow band along the bottom of the display" and that "customers who notice this can reach out to our customer service team for a replacement or refund."

It added that the problem shouldn't impact future units, stating, "we’re making the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward." Amazon also told us that the availability of the Kindle Colorsoft may be affected while it makes these fixes, and anyone affected can continue using their device until replacement ones arrive.

So, how big is the issue? While we did see signs of the yellow band during our review (see below), it wasn't particularly noticeable. That led us to give it a four-and-a-half-star rating, concluding that "it doesn't feel like a first-generation technology" and that "it might be the best Kindle yet."

A major issue?

So, should you be worried about the Kindle Colorsoft's display issue? We don't think so, and Amazon says replacements will be sent to the "small number" of customers affected.

We saw small signs of the issue in our review unit (above), so you can see for yourself. But as our US Mobiles Editor Philip Berne concluded in our review "the effect is so slight that I never would have seen it if I didn’t read The Verge’s report."

"I don’t expect perfect color fidelity from a Kindle, so it didn’t bother me one bit" Philip Berne added, concluding that the ereader is "going to change the way we see Kindle forever."

While we still don't think the Kindle Colorsoft feels premium enough for its $279.99 / £269.99 price tag (an Australia launch date hasn't been announced yet), and the lack of access to Marvel Unlimited or DC Infinite subscriptions is a downer, our review says that "the Kindle Colorsoft feels like the fastest, smoothest e-reader I've ever used, whether reading in color or just black and white text."

That includes rivals like the Kobo Libra Colour, so if you've been waiting for a Kindle upgrade, we reckon it's the one to go for – despite those small display issues on certain units.

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• Users have complained about discoloration on the Kindle Colorsoft screen
• Amazon said it was looking into the problem
• It's now temporarily cancelled shipping till a solution has been found

Amazon's first ever color ereader has only just gone on sale and users who've received their early orders are already unhappy, with some returning the Kindle Colorsoft or exchanging it for a new one.

As first reported by The Verge, a strip of yellow is marring the bottom of the Kindle Colorsoft display for some users, leading to a rather dismal 2.6 star rating (at the time of writing) on the Amazon listing page in the US.

In fact, the discoloration isn't uniform for all users. As per the Reddit thread on this problem, some users are also seeing the discoloration along a vertical edge as well as along the bottom. Others aren't too bothered by the yellowing, but they have returned their device due to "a corner speckled with dead pixels".

Colorsoft has yellow tinge to bottom of display from r/kindle

Not everyone seems to be miffed by their purchase however – other Kindle Colorsoft customers seem really happy with their new ereader and the user reviews on Amazon are mixed.

kindle from r/kindle/comments/1ggrajr/my_color_soft_arrived_what_is_everyone_talking

It's as yet unclear whether the discoloration is due to a software or hardware problem but, as per a post on the original Reddit thread, Amazon says it's aware of the problem and is working on a fix. That could indicate it's just a software glitch, but if the lighting on the screen isn't even, it's likely more due to faulty hardware and a firmware update may not help.

UPDATE (Nov 5): Amazon claims it will need a week or two to find a solution to this problem and, until then, shipping of the color ereader has been temporarily cancelled. Already-ordered devices will now ship only on the week of November 9 or November 18 in the US and after November 26 in the UK.

We haven't yet received a review sample of the Kindle Colorsoft here at TechRadar, so we haven't experienced this for ourselves, and the short time we spent with the device at its media launch in October showed no such problem.

The Verge, however, says the "discoloration is more obvious in pictures than in real life" and their reviewer wouldn't have picked up on the problem if users weren't complaining about it as much.

A part of me is now a little glad that I won't get to see the Kindle Colorsoft in person until 2025 as that's when it releases in Australia (where I am based). By then Amazon would have fixed the issue and I'll probably receive what could actually end up being the best Kindle ereader ever made (we'll see). For the early adopters, though, it's a real shame that a popular device that costs around $300 is shipping with a flaw.

You might also like...

• Find better options in our guide for the best ereaders money can buy
• Check out our first impressions of the new Kindle Paperwhite (2024) and the new Kindle (2024)
• The Kindle Colorsoft is too late to the party – I'm firmly in camp Kobo now

Having tested ereaders for about seven years now, it's fair to say I've tried most models from the mainstream brands – Amazon Kindle, Kobo, reMarkable, Onyx Boox and PocketBook. These companies make some of the best ereaders and writing tablets, but I am partial to a Kobo because of the user interface and the fact that I can borrow ebooks from public libraries in Sydney, Australia (where I am based). I also have a Kobo Plus subscription.

At present, my daily e-ink device is the Kobo Elipsa 2E – I prefer the writing features over the Kindle Scribe and its interface is far more streamlined than any Onyx Boox device I've tested. It also gets me a screen light that the reMarkable 2 doesn't, so I can read in bed at night or jot down an idea at 2am without turning on the lights.

However, if you were to ask me for a recommendation for an e-paper writing tablet, I'd probably suggest anything but the Elipsa 2E for one simple reason – how the Kobo Stylus 2 feels on the screen. If Kobo can fix one little hardware bit, I dare say all the writing tablets from the Japanese-Canadian brand – the Libra Colour, the Kobo Sage and the Elipsa 2E – would become my most-recommended devices.

That little hardware bit is the stylus' tip or nib.

Softly does it

While most brands use plastic for the styli tips, the Kobo Stylus 2 has a harder point than the ones on Amazon's Basic and Premium Pens, Onyx Boox's Pen Plus, and reMarkable's Markers. The softer plastic makes gliding over the various E Ink screens of the respective writing tablets very smooth, and this is particularly true for the 2022 Kindle Scribe (we are yet to fully test the new 2024 Kindle Scribe).

The Kobo Stylus 2, on the other hand, creates a lot more friction than any other brand I've tested. It's not quite reminiscent of a pen – fountain or ballpoint – on paper because it feels like you are actually writing on a sheet of plastic. Let me be clear, though – the overall writing experience on the Elipsa 2E, the Kobo Libra Colour, even the Sage, isn't too bad; it's just that the other brands do it better.

That said, I think the harder nib might also mean there may not be as much wear and tear compared to the softer pen tips. When I initially started using the Elipsa 2E, I found the Stylus 2 tip began to show signs of wear quite quickly (within days), but it plateaued out after that and, in the year that I've been using it, it hasn't gotten any worse.

That could be because I don't apply as much pressure on pens when writing as I've seen other people do. Take my colleague's experience as an example – Philip uses the reMarkable 2 for notes and "burns through the plastic pen nubs [sic] quicker than expected". So he turned to third-party titanium alternatives which, unfortunately, ended up being a "pen-destroying mistake". I have another friend who wore through the reMarkable's Marker Plus tip in about two months, nearly flattening it! This might sound like a reMarkable thing, but I have seen similar conditions on Kindle Scribe Pens.

The pen is mightier

Kobo is no stranger to redesigning its digital pen. The first iteration of the Kobo Stylus was a AAAA battery-powered pen, which meant it was a little on the heavy side. Moreover, most people would likely have a spare AA or AAA battery lying around, not necessarily a AAAA. So not only did you need to take into consideration the ongoing cost of nib replacement, but also the battery.

This older pen didn't feature an eraser on the top, but had a button on the side (or is that 'length' on a cylindrical object?) close to where the thumb would be. It also had a second button close to it for using as a highlighter.

The Kobo Stylus 2, which debuted with the Elipsa 2E in April 2023, was a significant improvement over its predecessor. Gone is the battery; instead a USB-C port helps keep it topped up, so it's both lighter and a wee bit thinner in comparison. There's an eraser at the top of the Stylus 2, so it features just one button for highlighting. I also love the touch of white on the eraser – it adds a little something to the design aesthetic I think.

If Kobo is still keen on innovations, the one change I'd really like to see is a softer nib for a potential Stylus 3 that offers a smoother writing experience. Although I hope it doesn't come at the cost of needing to replace it often.

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Welcome back folks. This week in the world of tech has been a busy one. We tested a new smart ring for our Oura Ring 4 review, we got four new Kindles from Amazon, and LG updated its 2023 for free.

To catch up on the biggest stories we've rounded them below for your to browse the highlights, with links to the wider stories if you're hungry to learn more.

When you're done you should check out our guide of the seven new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend (October 18).

7. The iPad mini 7 finally landed after a long wait

Just as we were about to give up on ever seeing a new iPad mini, Apple announced a new version for the first time in over three years – and it looks a solid bet for anyone who needs an 8.3-inch tablet.

Naturally, the mini 7 is mainly here to support Apple Intelligence features, which it can pull off thanks to its A17 Pro chip (from last year’s iPhone 15 Pro series) and 4GB of RAM. Apple has also doubled the tablet’s base storage (which now starts at 128GB) and added support for the Apple Pencil Pro.

On the downside, there’s no ProMotion display (its screen tops out at 60Hz) and buyers in the EU won’t get a charging brick in the box. But otherwise, the new iPad mini ticks most of the main boxes for traveling creatives who need a backpack-friendly tablet.

• Read more: iPad mini 7 is officially here – and it's built for Apple Intelligence

6. We reviewed the Quest 3S, but the Quest 3 remained our favorite

We’ve given the Meta Quest 3S an in-depth test and awarded it four-and-a-half stars in our Meta Quest 3S review. Overall it’s a fantastic VR headset for the price, save for a few downsides.

The main one is the visuals. While everything is rendered just as well thanks to having an identical chipset and RAM, the less sharp 1832 x 1920 per eye display doesn’t beat the Quest 3’s 2064 x 2208 pixels per eye dual-display setup, and the differences are a lot more noticeable than we expected. The pricier headset is also less bulky and feels a little comfier.

For just a little bit extra the Meta Quest 3 offers major visual upgrades that make the better model more than worthwhile. Though if you’re looking for a more affordable option the Meta Quest 3S is the headset you’ll want to buy instead.

• Read more: The Meta Quest 3S is fantastic but there’s one big reason to choose the Quest 3 instead

5. We tried the best ChatGPT prompt

This week Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, took the unusual step of recommending a ChatGPT prompt that was going viral on Reddit with the simple words “love this” on his X.com account. The recommendation was for a tweet by a writer called Tom Morgan, which said simply ‘Ask ChatGPT “From all of our interactions, what is one thing that you can tell me about myself that I may not know about myself’.

Most users found that this produced a startling revelation about themselves that they’d never really thought about. The results were truly inspiring, with Reddit user Newmoonlightavenger saying, “It was the best thing anyone has ever said about me” So, if you fancy a free bit of therapy then head over to the ChatGPT.com and give the prompt a try today!

• Read more: New ChatGPT prompt goes viral with Sam Altman’s approval

4. The DJI Air 3S took flight

Just over a year since the dual-camera Air 3 took to the skies, DJI has followed it up with an iterative update, the new DJI Air 3S. Building on the best all-round drone, the Air 3S delivers an improved main camera that utilizes a larger 1-inch sensor, alongside the secondary camera which is a 3x telephoto zoom for the times you need to get a tighter perspective of your subjects. T

he latter is identical to the one in the Air 3, with a smaller 1/1.3-inch sensor. Each of those cameras is able to shoot 4K video up to 120fps, in D-Log M color profiles, with up to 14-stops dynamic range, which is a superb set of features for aerial photographers.

In addition to a better main camera, the Air 3S is the first omnidirectional obstacle-sensing DJI drone equipped with front-facing LiDAR. This enables the Air 3S to automatically identify and avoid obstacles during its flight and return paths, for daytime and now nighttime imaging, together with 'next-gen' Smart Return to Home (RTH).

Otherwise, there's not a lot new in the Air 3S, which as our review says, is no bad thing. The Air 3S is a solid if not transformational upgrade that soars closer to perfection. It's not particularly worth the upgrade for Air 3 owners, but for everyone else it's now the best all-round drone available.

• Read more: DJI Air 3S review – soaring closer to camera-drone perfection

3. New Kindles came our way...

Amazon delivered more new Kindles in one day than ever before and even broke new ground. Yes, we finally got that long-rumored color Kindle, the Colorsoft, that uses an E Ink filter to deliver 150ppi color for comics, magazines, and more.

The good news is that you still get the full 300 ppi black and white E Ink performance (you will pay for it, though, at $279.99).

In the shadow of that big deal e-reader is the new Kindle Paperwhite 12th Gen which is the fastest E Ink page-turner we’ve ever seen. AI finally arrived on Kindles in the form of some generative tools for the freshly painted Scribe.

Finally, there’s the updated basic Kindle, which is most notable for that spiffy, new Macha color. Just think, a cute green e-reader that fits in your back pocket.

• Read more: Hands on Amazon Kindle Scribe 2024 review
• Read more: Hands on Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review

2. ... And we got a new Fire Stick too

Alongside four new Kindles, Amazon also surprisingly streamlined its lineup of Fire TV Sticks. The all-new Fire TV Stick HD replaces both the Fire TV Stick Lite and Fire TV Stick in a fairly simple fashion but includes a major upgrade in the box.

It now comes with an Alexa Voice Remote for $34.99 / £39.99 / AU$69, which will let you control the experience with your voice and control TV functionality all in on remote.

Of course, it's still a Fire TV Stick at heart and will stream content at up to 1080pHD with support for key visual standards like HDR. All the mainstays in the streaming world have apps for the Amazon Fire TV platform as well.

• Read more: Amazon just dropped the Fire TV Stick HD

1. LG updated its OLED TVs

LG surprised everyone earlier this week, rolling out an update for some of its 2023 TVs that it originally promised for sometime in 2025.

The update in question, first arriving on some of its premium 2023 TVs such as the LG C3 and LG G3, sees the existing smart TV platform, webOS 23, upgraded to the current version, webOS 24 (found in 2024 TVs such as the LG C4), which boasts an improved design, better accessibility options and other new features, including a useful Sports Portal.

The update serves as part of LG’s commitment to five years worth of smart TV platform upgrades to its TVs going forward, though older TVs will always have a version of the software that’s behind the latest and greatest TVs – got to keep you buying those new models, right?

The updates for other TVs are still slated for 2025, but it’s great to see that LG is clearly planning to live up to this promise.

• Read more: Your recent LG OLED TV is about to get a great free upgrade

There was a time when the Kindle range set the example for other ereaders to follow, but looking at the new 2024 Kindles from Amazon, I'm quite sure that time has passed. It now seems that Amazon is doing just enough to keep up with Kobo and that's particularly true for the new Kindle Colorsoft.

The first-ever color Kindle doesn't come to Australia (where I'm based) until 2025 – date and price TBC – so I haven't even seen it yet, but just going by what my colleagues in the US have said about it, I'm not convinced it should cost as much as $279.99 / £269.99 (about AU$420).

In comparison, both of Kobo's 2024 color ereaders – the Libra Colour and the Clara Colour – are more affordable, with the former actually offering far more value for money. Oh, and they're both repairable too, which none of the new Kindles are as far as I can tell.

Show me the features

There were rumors (via Good eReader) that Amazon's first color Kindle would have stylus support and could adopt the new E Ink Gallery 3 screen technology, which promised better saturation than the current E Ink Kaleido 3 displays used in other ereaders, including the Kobo Libra Colour and Clara Colour.

Neither of those, as we now know, are true. The Kindle Colorsoft uses the Kaleido 3 panel and there are no writing features. While it shares the same screen size as the Libra Colour (7 inches) and the same amount of internal storage (32GB), it misses out on the ergonomic build of its Kobo counterpart as well stylus support. Both offer Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity too, but the Kindle Colorsoft does get you wireless charging.

However, given how fiddly wireless charging was to use on the 2021 Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, I'm not quite sure this one feature alone should account for the higher price over the $219.99 / £199.99 / AU$359.95 of the Libra Colour.

I'm still not convinced

Without the asymmetric thickness and the page-turn buttons, the Colorsoft seems to be in direct competition with the Kobo Clara Colour instead, which retails for $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95. This price, however, is for a 6-inch ereader using the same screen tech and with just 16GB of onboard storage.

Despite the color display, the Clara Color is cheaper than the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite ($159.99 / £159.99 / AU$299) which, however, now sports a 7-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display. I'm really keen to see this display in action on the new Paperwhite as I loved it on the Kobo Clara BW. It proved to have not just faster page turns, but I said that it was the best display on any monochrome ereader to date in my Kobo Clara BW review. If Amazon has managed to optimize it well for its new 7-inch ereader, I could justify the purchase of the 2024 Paperwhite, but I am struggling with the Colorsoft in context with the competition.

While the entire Kindle range (other than the Scribe) really needed a facelift, I'm not entirely sold on the new releases. That said, I haven't yet seen – or tried – any of them in person and will happily stand corrected when I've done the usual in-depth testing I do for ereaders. Until then, if you need me to recommend ereaders, I'd probably say go for a Kobo.

Also, Amazon, where the heck is an updated Kindle Oasis? It was too lovely an ereader to have been killed off!

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It's no secret that I love my Kindle; not just the new ultra-fast Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 12th Gen, but virtually all the Kindles that have come before it. It's a fantastic purpose-built E Ink reading device that lets me read dozens of books without a recharge. And yet it has one feature that has caused me – and more than a few others – a fair bit of frustration: the power button.

Kindles are pervasive. During the recent Kindle launch event, Amazon Devices Lead Panos Panay said the company is this year seeing the highest sales of Kindles in over a decade. That means many of you are discovering the somewhat odd placement of the Kindle power button for the first time. If you have your Kindle nearby, pick it up and examine the bottom edge. Next to the USB-C port is the shiny little power button.

There is nothing wrong with this button. It has no special powers beyond turning your Kindle on or waking it Kindle from sleep; a long press will turn off the Kindle completely, but given its power-sipping capabilities, who does that?

The problem with this placement, though, is that it seems to not take into account how some of us read with these E Ink devices. Usually, I'm reading my Kindle in bed with it propped up on some pillows, but I've also read with it on my lap or balancing on my backpack or an airplane's tray table. This means most of the weight of the ereader is resting on that little power button. It's not uncommon for me to forget, and maybe rest the weight of my hand on the Kindle while I hold it; other times I'm using it hands-free, and the Kindle is wedged between the top of a table and the back of the seat in front of me, and the person in that seat leans back just a little. It's at these times that the power button gets pressed, and the Kindle goes to sleep or, even worse, shuts down. This invariably happens during the most important passage of a 400-page book. It never fails. I cry out in surprise as I realize my mistake.

Misplaced

I also feel that Amazon has made a mistake. Why is the power button there? I'm not the only one asking this question. It's quite easy to find a few Reddit threads addressing the question. In these threads are various plausible explanations for the placement of the button, such as the location of the motherboard (which, based on teardowns, does sit at the bottom of the device), the need to balance the weight of the devices, or the possible necessary proximity to the USB-C power port.

None, though, are quite right.

When I spoke to Amazon's Kindle hardware lead Kevin Keith about the issue, he offered a different explanation, but not before trying to solve my problem.

First Keith asked if I had a cover for my Kindle, because the thickness of the cover would immediately mitigate this issue by putting the power button level with the surface of the Kindle cover. No more accidental presses. But I hate covers. I'm a travel-light kind of guy, and I try to shed anything that adds any unnecessary weight. Kindles are plenty tough in my opinion (the Signature models are waterproof) and don't need that extra protection. Keith joked that they needed to get me a cork cover which would be a lot lighter.

And that's when Keith opened up about the real reason for the button placement.

"We've looked at that because we've gotten this feedback and a lot of it is to keep the dimensions really tight, and so if you remember what Panos was saying, the thing you don't want to mess with, with a Paperwhite, is how it feels in your hand for long reading sessions of one-handed reading, and so that's why when we increase the screen viewing size we always have to shrink the bezels. And the [fact that the] button has to be near the light guide is essentially what is driving this."

Okay, I know, that doesn't entirely clear this up, but the thinking here appears to be related to, for one thing, cutting down the distance between components, especially the power and the panel that guides the LED lighting (which is arrayed across the base of the Kindle) across the entire screen. It also means you're not reaching across the screen to power up the Kindle, and thereby not covering the light sensor on Paperwhite Signature editions that automatically adjust to light conditions (granted the sensor will catch up in short order and adjust the lighting as soon as you move your hand). Finally, Amazon isn't putting the power button on either side of the Kindle, or even the back, because it might change how the Kindle feels in your hand.

Put another way, Amazon obviously has no intention of moving that power button any time soon. Put yet another way: have you thought about buying a case?

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Having given us four new Kindle models yesterday, Amazon has taken one away: the Kindle Oasis, first launched in 2016 and last refreshed in 2019, is now discontinued – marking the end for Kindle devices with page-turn buttons.

"Once current inventory of Kindle Oasis sells out online and in stores, we will not restock the device," Amazon's Devon Corvasce told The Verge. The device is currently showing as unavailable on the Amazon US site, with used models available on Amazon UK.

According to Corvasce, Kindle users are more comfortable with tapping the screen to go forwards and backwards through their ebooks, and that's the approach all Kindle models will be taking from now on.

In our Amazon Kindle Oasis review, we described it as a "luxury ereader" that just about justified its higher price. The button system did add some extra bulk, but it worked well, and it was also easy to hold in one hand thanks to a ridged-back design.

Past and future

With no updates since 2019, it's perhaps no surprise that Amazon has decided to put an end to the Kindle Oasis. Between the 2016 launch and the final 2019 version, there was one other update, which came in 2017.

The display on the most recent Kindle Oasis was 7 inches, corner to corner, and both brightness and warmness could be adjusted. Brightness could also be set to change automatically, based on the ambient light conditions.

Looking to the future, you can check out our hands-on Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review for our first impressions of the first Kindle to come with a color screen. It'll set you back $279.99 / £269.99, with pricing for Australia yet to be announced.

The other new models just announced by Amazon are refreshes for the Kindle Paperwhite, the Kindle Scribe (with stylus support), and the entry-level Amazon Kindle, so there's plenty of choice if you're looking to replace your aging Kindle Oasis.

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The dawn of the e-reader was a glorious moment for me after years of lugging around dozens of pounds of books to sate my bibliophile needs. Amazon's Kindle line stood out from its early, basic text form onward.

Now, Amazon has augmented its new Kindle Scribe with AI through a couple of very useful and surprisingly intuitive new features. Other companies making e-readers should take note, and conveniently, that's exactly what the Kindle Scribe and its AI tools are built for.

In particular, while Amazon has marketed the Kindle Scribe as an E Ink notetaking device, the new Active Canvas facet of the e-reader lets you write notes on top of printed text, automatically gliding around and ensuring a sticky placement.

Chickenscratch refined

I’ll be the first to admit that my handwriting has never been the neatest. I've been told it's perfect, but only for ransom notes and as a warning to children reluctant to practice their penmanship. It only worsens when I take notes quickly during a speech or interview. Trying to decipher it afterward is an art as much as a science, but the Kindle Scribe seems to have no trouble transforming handwritten notes, even messy ones, into legible text that’s much easier to read.

As someone who has always preferred jotting down notes by hand over typing or transcribing audio, that's a huge deal. The AI keeps the charm of handwriting while keeping it useful. It’s a quiet deployment of AI, but a sign Amazon knows what Kindle Scribe users actually desire from AI tools.

From scattered to summarized

If you take a lot of notes, even having them be readable doesn't mean you have them organized. That's why the AI summarization feature for the new Kindle Scribe is so enticing. As a reporter, I might read and take notes on a PDF announcement for a new product, then go and take notes on the speech given by a company's CEO when it is unveiled, and further write my comments on what I think about testing the product. The Kindle Scribe can distill those scattered notes written over many hours or days into a neat paragraph or two.

Indeed, the AI may not always extract the most relevant points from the notes. There might be extraneous bits left in or valuable data left out, but at least from what I've seen, that's not a major issue with the Kindle Scribe's AI. I would have cheerfully paid through the nose for such a feature when I was a student.

Again, Amazon is using AI in the Kindle Scribe to retain the appeal of digital note-taking while keeping things simple and streamlined. You don't need an avalanche of options and a plethora of possibilities with AI for a digital reader and notebook. Enhancing the core writing and reading experiences with AI is no gimmick.

If the AI wearables struggling for sales this year had such obvious utility, they might not be struggling in the market. You might not think you need handwriting refinement and note summarization, but it's hard to imagine giving them up once you start using them. Amazon's AI may not be smarter than its rivals, but it certainly is employing it more intelligently in this case.

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Amazon Kindle (2024): One-minute review

I was initially a little surprised that Amazon is calling the 2024 Kindle the “11th generation”, which was what the 2022 model was designated as. Delving deeper into the specs of the new entry-level Kindle – a lot of which Amazon hasn't actually revealed – and after spending some time with it, I can see why it's more a 2022 Kindle version 2.0.

I love the new Matcha Green color, though. It looks so much brighter than last year’s Denim Blue, but after years of seeing only black ereaders, any deviation from that is a breath of fresh air. I wish the rear plastic panel had some texture. It’s so smooth that I feel insecure when using it on public transport – a case to add some grip is definitely called for.

While Amazon isn't revealing what screen technology has been used here, a side-by-side comparison with the new 2024 Kindle Paperwhite and the Kobo Clara BW tells me it's still using the E Ink Carta 1200 display from the previous 2022 Kindle. That's not a bad thing, but it means you can get more contrast – and thus darker and sharper text – on other models that use the E Ink Carta 1300 screen. And the Kobo Clara BW, which does, isn't much more expensive than the 2024 Kindle.

The only thing different about the screen is the maximum brightness it's capable of and that’s likely not because of upgraded technology, but rather the addition of an extra LED. This improvement, to me, isn’t particularly a big deal as it will be the rare reader who needs the display set to maximum brightness. I, personally, found it hurt my eyes at full bore if there wasn't much ambient light around.

Like the previous model, there’s still no waterproofing and there’s still just 16GB of storage on board. While that’s plenty for hundreds of ebooks and some audiobooks, only 11.5GB of that is available for use as, I think, Amazon has done something with the operating system that's using approximately 2GB more than on the 2022 edition.

I can’t tell what the changes with the OS are exactly, as the interface is still quintessentially Kindle with no new features, but it's possible that these are performance changes. In testing, I found the 2024 Kindle to be a touch faster and more responsive than the previous generation, with no ghosting whatsoever. That said, it could also be because Amazon may be using a new processor, but that's another spec the company isn't revealing.

All said and done, the 2024 Kindle, to me, is just matcha ado about nothing (sorry, I just had to let that one out) as it truly is just version 2.0 of the previous model and I'm struggling to justify the price increase over the 2022 Kindle.

Amazon Kindle (2024) review: Price & availability

• Priced higher than the 2022 Kindle
• Listed at $109.99 / £94.99 with ads, or $129.99 / £104.99 / AU$199 without ads
• Available now directly from Amazon and some third-party stores

The 2024 Kindle might come in a lovely new color but it’s essentially still the same 11th generation model that was released in 2022, which is why I’m disappointed that Amazon saw fit to increase the price of its entry-level Kindle.

The 2024 release now costs $109.99 / £94.99 with ads or $129.99 / £104.99 / AU$199 without (note that, in Australia, only the ad-free version is available). In comparison, the 2022 edition cost $119.99 / £94.99 / AU$179 for the non-ads model before it was discontinued.

Another point of comparison could be the Kobo Clara BW, which is the same size, offers the same amount of onboard storage, but has an updated screen and IPX8 waterproofing too. It will set you back $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$239.95. That’s the same price as the 2024 Kindle in the US, but more expensive in the UK and Australia, although I'd argue that it easily justifies the higher cost.

The good news is that Amazon will always discount its Kindles during major sales in your location, which is when I think it might be worth considering the 2024 Kindle over the Kobo Clara BW.

There are two colors of the 2024 Kindle to choose from – a lovely Matcha Green and the usual Black – and both cost the same. I would recommend getting a case for the Kindle as it’s not very grippy, so be prepared to spend a little bit more – you can always pick up a third-party option which would be cheaper than buying an Amazon-made one.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Amazon Kindle (2024) review: specs

Amazon hasn’t disclosed a bunch of the usual specs for the 2024 Kindle, like which specific E Ink screen is being used here, the processor under the hood or the battery capacity. I’ve listed the official specs that Amazon has chosen to release, but have also added my thoughts in parentheses where necessary.

Amazon Kindle (2024) review: Design & display

• Match Green in a lovely, bright color
• 6-inch display makes for a very compact and lightweight ereader
• Lacks any kind of grip

I suppose it’s fair to say that ereader design, particularly the entry-level ones, are getting very dated, but Amazon has countered that by offering a brand-new color for the 2024 release of the basic Kindle. The Matcha Green is a breath of fresh air – it looks bright and beautiful, more so than the Denim Blue from 2022, and makes quite the statement. There is the usual black version too if you prefer, but why would you when you can have something different for the same price? Another reason to opt for the green model is that oily fingerprints and smudges aren’t as visible as they would be on a darker version.

Other than that, not much else has changed physically on the Kindle, including the rear plastic panel that is smooth and makes me feel rather insecure when I’m using it during my daily commute. A case could solve the lack of grip easily enough, but that’s an additional cost you will need to bear.

As lovely as the 2024 Kindle looks (in green, specifically), I’m a little concerned about its longevity based on what I’m seeing on the 2022 edition. Two years on, the older model’s plastic chassis is cracking, with hairline breaks clearly visible along both curved edges.This is despite the fact that the 2022 Kindle has always been in a case since it was sent to me for testing and I can’t remember ever dropping it. I’m not saying this will happen to the 2024 version, but it would be remiss of me to not mention it.

I will admit that I’m not a huge fan of a 6-inch ereader – I find the screen too small, personally and prefer a 7-inch display – but there’s no denying that, at just 158g, the Kindle is very compact and portable. It would easily slip into a large pocket of a jacket or any bag for that matter, but you might want to keep it away from water. The entry-level Kindle still lacks waterproofing, which is a shame as Kobo’s counterpart is IPX8 rated and won’t cost you too much more. In fact, the Kobo might offer more value for money considering it also boasts the latest E Ink monochrome screen (Carta 1300) that the new Kindle seemingly misses out on.

While Amazon is tight-lipped about which screen is being used on the 2024 Kindle, I compared it to its Kobo competition and the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite – there’s a visible difference in contrast that makes text appear darker, sharper and clearer. That’s not to say reading on the entry-level Kindle is bad, far from it. The 6-inch screen still gives you a lovely 300ppi resolution and text looks great… it’s just that there’s something ever so slightly better out there for about the same cost.

Amazon claims that there’s 25% more screen brightness on the 2024 Kindle, and that’s definitely true, although I suspect it’s not because of a screen upgrade, but rather the addition of an extra LED. Again, the number of LEDs being used for a Kindle’s frontlight is something I can’t remember Amazon having ever revealed, so I can’t give you an exact number, but it’s an improvement I don’t think was necessary. I doubt there are too many users who will want to set their ereaders at maximum brightness. I usually have my Kindles set at brightness level 5, which is perfect for nighttime reading without straining the eyes, and you usually don’t even need a screen light in bright sunshine. I did try the maximum brightness setting on the device (which is level 24) and found it hurts my eyes on a cloudy day. It’s not too bad in bright sunshine when everything else around you is well-lit too, but it’s physically painful for me in a dimly lit room. That said, I’m sure there will be the rare reader who appreciates the extra brightness.

Another thing to note about the Kindle’s frontlight is that there are no amber LEDs here, so you won’t be able to adjust the light temperature to warmer tones for evening or nighttime reading (something you can do on the Kobo Clara BW). However, there is a dark mode that you can use to further reduce the effects of white light on your eyes.

• Design & display score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle (2024) review: User interface

• Easy-to-use interface
• Can feel cluttered to some users new to the Amazon ecosystem
• Native EPUB support, but still requires extra steps to load files

I’ve been a very strong proponent for simple ereader interfaces – after all, these are devices designed for the main purpose of reading, so anyone should be able to use them. Amazon nails this for the most part, with the Kindle OS quite easy to navigate and find what you need.

In fact, the entire setup process is simple – you just need to follow the on-screen instructions and choose the right options. In my case, I just had to sign in with my Amazon account (which is a paid Prime subscription) and my existing library – which at this point is still in the cloud – is displayed. Any of the books I want from there, I just have to tap and they download to the device.

While I love the Library tab of the Kindle, I’m not a huge fan of the Home screen – I find it excessively cluttered with too many recommendation options. It feels like I’m being forced into entering the Kindle Store every time I go to the Home screen. In comparison, Kobo’s Home screen is a little less recommendation heavy and, in my opinion, looks a little cleaner.

I wish there was a way to make the Library tab the default Home screen (something you will find on some Onyx Boox ereaders running an Android OS), but there’s no option for that in the Settings. However, if you set the Kindle to sleep mode with the Library pane open, that’s what will show when you wake it up again. Or, if you have a book open, it will wake up to the page you left off at, so you really don’t need to interact with the Home screen unless you need to access the Kindle Store to find your next read.

Settings are accessed by swiping downward from the top of the screen, where the screen brightness slider and dark mode button also sit. What I really appreciate about the Settings options is that it’s not overkill like I’ve seen on Boox devices – a handful of useful options that are easy to understand is exactly how it should be. I love the fact that I can remove practically all page furniture from a book, leaving me a clean display with just the text or comic frame I’m reading.

Speaking of comics, all Kindles have a frame view that is fantastic, even on a small ereader like the entry-level Kindle. Open the comic or graphic novel of your choice, double tap on the page and each frame will open separately so you can read the speech bubbles comfortably. Without this feature, speech bubbles would be nigh impossible to read on a full-page view as they’d be too small on a 6-inch screen.

Gone are the days of Amazon's dislike of the EPUB file, the most common ebook format there is. With MOBI nearly dead now, there is native EPUB support on the Kindles, but you still have to jump through hoops to sideload them. You can either send them via email using the Kindle address you get set up with when you first start using the ereader, or you can use the Send To Kindle desktop app. Both have file size caveats, though, but you can also always use software like Caliber to convert EPUBs to AZW/AZW3 formats, which are Amazon’s proprietary files.

You can listen to Audible audiobooks if you have a subscription, but you will need to pair a set of Bluetooth headphones to the Kindle first. Here's an important distinction though: the Australian Kindle 2024 does not support audiobooks, which makes Kobo a better option Down Under.

Where Audible support is available, like in the US, having Whispersync turned on in Device Options will allow you to start listening to a title if you own both text and audio copies. It will even sync to your Echo device if you have one.

While you can connect to a Goodreads account if you use it, there are no other third-party options available for either cloud sync or borrowing library books, While readers in the US can use a Kindle to borrow from a local public library, it’s a limited feature that’s not available elsewhere, which makes a Kobo a compelling alternative if you don’t want to spend money on book purchases or subscriptions.

• User interface score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle (2024) review: Performance

• Slightly faster page turns and overall performance
• Lacks contrast compared to the competition
• Decent battery life, depending on brightness setting

Performance measurement for an ereader is simple, really – you determine how well the tap (or swipe) to turn functionality works and if there’s any ghosting (or overlay of previous page) on the screen, something that’s been very common with ereaders for years.

On both counts, the 2024 Kindle excels. In fact, I think the overall performance is a wee bit faster on the new model over its predecessor. While I’d love to say that’s because of a new processor, I don’t have that knowledge, but it could be software tweaks that have improved performance. Again, this is just a theory I have based on how large that OS is on the 2024 Kindle, so don’t quote me on that.

Whatever the reason, page turns are snappy and not once did I have any overlay while reading or typing via the on-screen keyboard. The latter also feels quite responsive – entering my WI-Fi password at setup and typing out my Amazon credentials happened with barely any lag. So while I might say that this doesn’t feel like an ‘upgrade’, I appreciate whatever Amazon has done to improve performance over what was already a pretty good budget ereader.

I also appreciate that downloading books from the Kindle Store is also very speedy compared to what I’ve experienced when sourcing titles from the Kobo Store on a Kobo ereader.

Battery life remains the same as before, with Amazon saying you’ll get up to 6 weeks of use on a single charge, although I think it’s more like 4 weeks. That, though, will depend on how bright you like your screen set at.

On my Kindle, I had the brightness set to 5 at all times and page refresh set to each page turn and saw an average drop of 2% per hour of reading. That increases to about a 3% to 4% drop each hour with Kindle Store browsing thrown in as well. With the brightness level set at 24, which is maximum, I found battery levels drop by an average of 7% per hour. So, depending on brightness settings and how long you read per day, I’d say you’ll get a top of 4 weeks between charges and that’s still pretty good.

Using a 65W wall charger and a good quality USB-A to C cable, the 2024 Kindle took 1 hour 52 minutes to go from 9% to full, which is average for an ereader. I haven’t had the opportunity to try charging it via a USB-C to C cable yet, but that might speed things up a touch, as long as you’re still plugged into the wall socket and not using your computer or dock.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle (2024)?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Amazon Kindle (2024)

• Used as main reading device for one week
• Viewed both graphic novels and regular books
• Checked performance at various settings

I didn’t have the 2024 Kindle with me for too long before first publication, but I made sure I spent as much time as I could reading on it. Over the course of 7 days, I read an average 4 hours per day on it, reading history and fantasy novels, as well as my favourite The Sandman graphic novel.

These were already available in my Kindle library, so I only needed to sign into my Amazon account, then sync to the device via the cloud. I didn’t sideload any new titles to the 2024 Kindle though.

While I don’t have a Kindle Unlimited or Audible account, I used the free trial of the former to find some titles to read, but mostly used my Prime Reading subscription to borrow some books.

I also repeatedly changed light settings to see how the battery held up, and did direct screen comparisons with the Kobo Clara BW and the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Kindle Colorsoft Signature: One-minute review

A Kindle in color makes so much sense, it's a wonder the Kindle Colorsoft took so long to arrive. But it's finally here, and it is a decidedly Kindle take on color e-readers. If you're shopping for a new Kindle and you've considered the Colorsoft for even a moment, you should buy it. Monochrome Kindles will feel like a step backward once you've seen this screen.

I loved reading graphic novels and comics on the Kindle Colorsoft, but even having a virtual bookshelf of my Kindle collection with full color covers was a treat. I wish Amazon gave me control over which cover edition is shown, especially for books with great design work like the Southern Reach series. Maybe in the future. For now, I just enjoy scrolling through my library and leaving a book’s cover on the lock screen while I'm in progress reading.

Scrolling is actually kind of amazing on the Kindle Colorsoft, and so is zooming. On E Ink tablets, this is usually a weakness that might have been fatal for comic reading. If the Colorsoft left mottled and ghosted pages like many color E Ink competitors, I wouldn't be so enthusiastic about this device. Instead, the Kindle Colorsoft feels like the fastest, smoothest e-reader I've ever used, whether reading in color or just black and white text.

The new Kindle Colorsoft is water resistant, just like the Kindle Paperwhite, so you can read it in the bath and Amazon even builds the Kindle strong enough to take a splash of salt water, if you promise to hose it off with fresh water when you're rinsing sand.

That doesn't mean the Colorsoft has what I'd consider a premium build. It feels tough, but it feels a bit cheap for a new Kindle that costs more than a hundred more than the older Paperwhite. I can't even say this is just a Paperwhite with a color display, because the brand new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is an even nicer looking device with its metallic paint finish. It feels more premium than this.

No matter, buy a nice case (there will be plenty to choose from, I'm sure) and ignore the plastic. The Kindle Colorsoft display is all that matters, and it's a delight. It's very bright, for a Kindle, and the color looks good enough for graphic art. I wouldn't invest in photography art books for the Kindle Colorsoft, but Manga looks perfect.

If you're due for a Kindle upgrade… actually, Amazon hasn't released a new Kindle since the Kindle Scribe launched two years ago, and there hasn't been a new e-reader Kindle for even longer. So, everyone is due for an upgrade.

There are other color e-readers that offer nicer hardware, with displays that aren't quite as advanced, but you may not notice the difference. The Kobo Libra Colour is a fantastic device. I personally have more books on Kindle, but if you use Kobo or your local library through Libby, the Kobo is worth a look.

Do you need color? If you aren't reading graphic novels, probably not, but what is this, 1983? Are we still choosing between color displays and monochrome? I like color, and now that there's a Kindle Colorsoft, it's the one I'd buy. It doesn't feel like a first-generation technology, or an early attempt. It's a Kindle in color, and it might be the best Kindle yet.

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: price and availability

• $279.99 / £269.99 / AU$449 for 32GB of storage

There’s no doubt the Kindle Colorsoft is expensive, a bit too expensive to say it’s the Kindle for everybody. Color on your Kindle is still a luxury, and I hope that price comes down with sales and bundles, but I wouldn’t expect any discounts soon.

The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition costs around $80 / £80 more than the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, and the only difference is color. Actually, the Paperwhite Signature is available in some very nice metallic colors.

The Colorsoft is $120 / £110 more than the base model Kindle Paperwhite, which doesn't come with wireless charging, but wireless charging is an odd luxury, anyway, on a Kindle.

Is it worth the additional cost? Adding color increases the price by 75% versus the Kindle Paperwhite. I can’t say it’s worth the premium, but it doesn’t feel too expensive for the luxury. I just wish the rest of the device felt more luxurious to justify the higher price. Some metallic paint would help.

While Kindle fans will jump on this one, Amazon may have a hard time winning folks over who aren’t committed to the Kindle library. The Kobo Libra Colour is only $219.99 / £219.99 / AU$359.95, and it has more features than the Kindle Colorsoft, including stylus support for note taking, as well as physical buttons to turn pages. Ironically, the Kobo device looks more like the old Amazon Kindle Oasis, a premium Kindle that was discontinued a couple years ago.

If your books are on Kindle and you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, the choice is much easier – get the Kindle Colorsoft and be happy. If your reading is flexible or you use the local library for e-books through Libby, you may read our review of the Kobo before you invest in the Kindle Colorsoft. Its performance won’t feel as quick and smooth as the latest Kindle, but performance isn’t a deal breaker when it comes to an e-reader.

• Value score: 3 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: Specs

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: design

• Kind of cheap looking
• Only has a power button, no page turning buttons

Amazon hasn't given us a Kindle that feels truly premium for quite a while, and sadly the Colorsoft doesn't break that trend. It's more like the basic Kindle Paperwhite, with a matte plastic back that comes in one color - black. The Paperwhite Signature edition is availble in some nice metallic paints, but oddly this Colorsoft Signature edition only comes in black.

Ironic for Amazon’s first color Kindle? It doesn't matter, because most people buy a cover for the Kindle, and you can always get a sticker if the plastic doesn't suit.

Still, I'd love to see a Kindle Oasis comeback with this display. Not just for the Oasis’s premium build, but for the page turn buttons as well. The Kobo Libra gives you buttons, if you like turning pages that way instead of tapping the touch screen.

The Kindle Colorsoft has a power button and a USB-C port on the bottom for charging or connecting to a PC. It also offers wireless charging, and Amazon offers a charging stand with the perfect fit if you don't have one.

My Editor-At-Large Lance Ulanoff pointed out that the button on the bottom means it’s easy to rest this Kindle in a way that turns off the screen. It didn’t bother me before he mentioned it, but he’s absolutely right, and now I wish the power button was somewhere else.

• Design score: 3 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: display

• Kaleido 3 E Ink display, customized by Amazon
• Looks like paper, great for comics

The Kindle Colorsoft uses a Kaleido 3 color display from E Ink, with tweaks and mods from Amazon. I love E Ink technology and find it endlessly fascinating, but it's very complex, so here's all you need to know.

The Kindle Colorsoft uses the same black and white E Ink technology as all of the other Kindle devices, with an added layer of color. The color is not part of the black and white layer, like you'll see on the reMarkable Paper Pro writing tablet that launched a few months ago.

Instead, the color layer is independent, and the color pixels are much less dense. This helps the Kindle Colorsoft pan and zoom quickly, and if you've ever panned and zoomed on E Ink before, you're going to be amazed at how well the Colorsoft handles zooming. In full color, I could pinch and zoom on a character in a comic panel and it looked smooth, with no ghosts or artifacts popping up.

The page snapped quickly into a sharper look once I settled, and the refresh was super fast and nearly undetectable. There was no weird cycling through colors, as I've seen on other color E Ink devices.

A Kindle doesn't have a backlight, it's lit from the front and sides and the light is reflected into the page evenly. The Kindle Colorsoft was the brightest Kindle I've used, and it has a full set of both warm and cool LEDs for reading with less blue before bedtime.

Lighting the color layer can be tricky, but the Kindle Colorsoft lights the color and black pixels evenly, and color pages look fantastic. They look like paper, as they should, so don't expect a glossy magazine. Get an iPad if you want bright and saturated.

I hardly noticed a difference between the normal and vivid color modes on the Kindle Colorsoft, but I left the display on vivid for comic reading. As I finished my review, The Verge reported on an issue with slight yellowing at the bottom of the display. I noticed that this was happening on my screen, but the effect is so slight that I never would have seen it if I didn’t read The Verge’s report. I don’t expect perfect color fidelity from a Kindle, so it didn’t bother me one bit.

Amazon is fixing the issue, and if you have a Kindle Colorsoft with this problem, the company will replace it and let you hold the one you have while you wait, so you can keep reading.

• Display score: 5 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: software

• Same Kindle software keeps things very simple
• Better performance improves the interface experience

Amazon pledges to keep things simple and distraction free with the Kindle, and the Kindle Colorsoft doesn't veer from this path, it just runs where previous Kindles have skipped along. The whole Kindle interface has been dramatically improved with faster processing and the new display. The old delays, flashing screen refreshes, and taps lost to the ether are no longer a problem.

I prefer Amazon’s simpler software over a more robust E Ink tablet, like an Onyx Boox Note Air 3. E Ink tablets are better when the interface keeps things simple. You can run Android apps on an Onyx device, but apps don’t look great, and Onyx makes you jump through hoops to get the E Ink display to behave in a satisfying way.

If you use Amazon and get your books from Kindle, the software is made for you specifically. If you sideload books or borrow from your library through an app like Libby, you may have to do a bit more work to get your reading fix, but once you figure it out, you’ll have a steady stream of titles.

Unfortunately, since you can’t run third-party apps on the Kindle Colorsoft, there’s no way I could find to read comics directly from the biggest publishers. If you subscribe to Marvel Unlimited or DC Universe Infinite, you won’t be able to read your favorite titles on the Kindle. Amazon offers Comixology instead, which has a much more limited Unlimited subscription offering. I’d rather see partnerships with the big name publishers.

There's a web browser, but it can’t load complicated web pages properly. Our own TechRadar.com home page was wildly distorted, though it was cool to see color photographs on a Kindle web page.

Amazon also lets you connect directly to Goodreads to report the book you’re currently reading and write reviews. Goodreads looks especially sharp on the Colorsoft display.

• User experience score: 5 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: performance

• Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
• Smooth zooming, whether color or black and white

It's a book. What sort of performance do you want? Actually, the Kindle Colorsoft is a delightful surprise when it comes to performance, just like the new Kindle Paperwhite. Amazon has improved the response time dramatically, and using the e ink display no longer feels like a slog.

In the past, I'd tap the screen and kind of wonder if my touch got through. On the new Kindle Colorsoft, the screen responds immediately. What's most impressive is watching the E Ink display zoom and pan around pages and images. This used to be a disaster, but now Amazon has its E Ink performance looking much more like a normal display.

It moves at a very slow refresh rate, so it isn't as smooth as your smartphone, but the ghosting and weird fuzzy bits that used to linger are gone.

Otherwise, performance was great in my time with the Kindle Colorsoft. It's a book, and now it turns pages faster than before. Amazon improved the performance of a book. That's kind of cool.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: battery

• Great battery life, but not limitless
• Avid readers will get a few days of battery life

Amazon says the Kindle Colorsoft battery will last eight weeks if you read a half hour every day, with the brightness level set just below the halfway mark. That's impressive, because it gives you not just 28 hours of screen time, but also a battery that won't drain itself dead if you aren't using it.

In my tests, I was able to do more than eight weeks of reading in an intense review week that included getting a bad cold and lying in bed for four days. I killed the battery on the Colorsoft in three days, and after Amazon clarified its battery claims, I'm sure the Kindle Colorsoft lasted more than 20 hours of actual reading time with the brightness set much higher than Amazon recommends.

The nice thing is the new color display will sip power just as slowly if you read all color or just black and white. I was reading comic books from Comixology Unlimited, including Planet Hulk and All-Star Superman. They have some good, iconic titles and a nice selection of independents, but comic nerds should do their own research before committing.

The Kindle Colorsoft doesn't charge super fast. I guess after eight weeks of power it assumes you'll be patient for a couple of hours. You can read while it charges, of course. There is wireless charging as well, and you can get a wireless charging stand to keep it topped up and looking pretty on the bedside table.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Colorsoft Signature?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

• Testing period - two weeks
• Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology Unlimited
• Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading extensively

I used the Kindle Colorsoft for two weeks before I published my review. For the first week, I was under the weather and lying in bed, so I read for hours and hours at a time, mostly comics from Comixology and books from my Kindle library. I am an unlimited subscriber to Kindle and Comixology.

I read graphic novels in color and books in black and white on the Kindle. I read during the day and before bed, adjusting the color temperature to the time of day. I read in bed, on the couch, on the train, and in the bathtub. I dunked the Kindle Colorsoft and rinsed it under a running shower.

I tested the web browsing features by visiting TechRadar and reading articles at our own site. It wasn’t a great experience. I connected Bluetooth headphones, Pixel Buds Pro, and listened to Audible audiobooks. I used the Kindle Colorsoft without a case for the entirety of my review.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Amazon has now officially announced the new Kindle Colorsoft, the first Kindle with a full-color display, alongside three more new Kindle products, after an earlier leaked press release spilled the beans on the news. And you can read our early impressions in our hands-on Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review.

The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition was prematurely announced earlier in a Spanish-language announcement through an official Amazon blog (spotted by The Verge). But the full release has now been posted – and our first look calls it "a significant step forward for ereader technology".

The Kindle Colorsoft was announced alongside a new AI-powered Kindle Scribe, an updated Kindle Paperwhite, and a refreshed entry-level Kindle.

First, that Kindle Colorsoft news. Amazon claims it offers “rich, paper-like color” in either standard or vibrant styles, a “custom-designed oxide backing layer”, new algorithms to enhance color and increase brightness, eight weeks of battery life, and the fast page-turns and high contrast that Kindle users have come to expect.

It's available for pre-order now for $279.99 / £269.99, with the first units shipping on October 30. That translates to around AU$420 in Australia at the time of writing, but we've only been told by Amazon AU that the color Kindle will be available Down Under "in 2025", with exact date and price TBC.

The leaked release (which has now been confirmed as the official one) also says that you'll be able to “search for color covers in your Library or Kindle Store, view photos and images of books in color, or highlight text that you can easily search for later” thanks to the custom Colorsoft display, new light guide, and nitride LEDs. You'll also be able to “zoom in on images without worrying about pixelation”.

As mentioned, the Kindle Colorsoft also boasts eight weeks of battery life with support for wireless charging, and is waterproof.

AI comes to Kindles

The new Kindle Scribe, meanwhile, refreshes the design of Amazon’s writing tablet, with new white borders, a 300ppi display with a "smooth, paper-like texture", and all-new AI tools. You can read our first impressions at our hands-on Amazon Kindle Scribe 2024 review.

The new Scribe's AI capabilities include summarizing “pages and pages” of notes into bullet points and converting handwritten notes into font, though the latter feature is currently only available in English.

The Kindle Scribe also brings the new Active Canvas feature that keeps book notes in place when you change the layout or font size. The ereader will ship with the Premium Pen stylus, which comes with a "soft-tip eraser". The Kindle Scribe's prices start from $399.99 / £359.99 / AU$649, with the first units shipping on December 4.

The new Kindle Paperwhite will be available at $159.99 / £159.99 / AU$299 for 16GB of storage in the Raspberry, Jade Green, and Charcoal color options, and the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition at $199.99 / £179.99 / AU$329 for 32GB of storage in the Raspberry Metallic, Jade Green Metallic, and Charcoal Metallic color options.

Amazon has also released a new base-model Kindle, which comes equipped with a 300ppi display with a 25% brighter front light on the max setting, matching the brightness of the Kindle Paperwhite. It comes in the new Matcha color and has “weeks” of battery life, with prices starting at $109.99 / £104.99 / AU$199.

If you're looking for a child-friendly ereader, two new Kindle Kids models have landed too – a new entry-level Kindle Kids ($129.99 / £114.99) and new Kindle Paperwhite Kids ($179.99 / £159.99). As GoodEReader reported earlier, UK retailer John Lewis began listing the new Kindle 12 Gen Kids Edition, with a 6-inch display, higher contrast ratio, glare-free display, and faster page turn than its predecessor.

The two Kindle Kids ereaders come with a free cover with either an original design or branded design based on popular kids books. We're not expecting the Kids edition Kindles to be available in Australia as these have previously not been sold Down Under.

You might also like

• Looking for a Kindle alternative? This new super-thin rival has the Google Play Store for Android apps
• Onyx Boox Go Color 7 review: this Android ereader isn’t the page-turner I expected
• The best Amazon Kindle deals in October 2024

New and improved Kindles are reportedly set to be announced *checks watch* tomorrow, October 16, with one seemingly set to launch with a brighter display and a more sustainable design than its predecessor. Such an upgrade would mark the first improvement to the product line since the Amazon Kindle (2022) dropped.

This comes from Good e-Reader (via T3) who claims “many people who work in retail” are preparing to sell new Kindle models in-store and online from October 16. They don’t have model names, just numbers, however those models are expected to be a new entry-level Kindle, and an update to the Kindle Paperwhite (2021).

This leak is supported by a previous accidental listing for a 2024 edition of the entry-level Kindle on its site at the end of September by a Spanish retailer, and that some Amazon Kindle ereaders have been sold out for a little while – suggesting Amazon could be phasing them out in order to launch a new Kindle soon.

There was also a pair of FCC filings – 2A4DH-5698 and 2A4DH-5688 – for what appears to be new Kindles (via Good e-Reader) with photos and diagrams for the products still under an embargo, again teasing that Amazon has a surprise launch coming soon.

The leaked Spanish retailing listing is where we get the details of the new design, including that the ereader is seemingly made with 75% recycled plastic and 90% recycled magnesium, and that the display will boast 25% higher brightness than the 11th-gen model.

It also reportedly boasts 16GB of onboard storage, an eight-week max battery life, and offer faster page turns to feel like a more responsive device.

As with all leaks it’s worth taking all of these details with a pinch of salt – until Amazon makes an official announcement nothing is certain.

What we want to see

Considering how long it's been since we last got new Kindles it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see new models this year. And if the recent Fire HD 8 tablets launch is anything to go by, Amazon isn’t afraid to just drop new tech without a massive fanfare. Just don’t expect Amazon to launch its new Kindles with an immediate discount like it did with the Fire HD 8 tablets.

That’s not to say the launch won’t still be exciting, with that faster page-turn leak suggesting that the 2024 Kindle will use the E Ink Carta 1300 display which debuted in the 2024 Kobo Clara BW – and helped cement it as one best ereaders this year.

Beyond that, the addition of color e-ink would be appreciated – with this tech yet again being boasted by Kindle rival Kobo’s Clara Colour. At the same time, Kindles are pricier.

A more achievable upgrade could instead be the cheapest Kindle getting the same IPX8 waterproof rating as the Kindle Paperwhite, but we’ll have to wait and see what (if anything) is revealed in the rumored launch tomorrow.

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The base model of the Amazon Kindle (2022) has been out of stock on the online retail giant's shopping sites in various territories for a while now and there's probably a good explanation why. It seems as though Amazon is ready to release a new Kindle ereader soon.

A Spanish retailer accidentally listed a new 2024 edition of the entry-level Kindle on its site (as spotted by Good e-Reader), with a release date listed for September 30. While the listing has since been taken down, it was up long enough for some of the upgrades to be revealed.

If this listing is true, the upcoming 2024 Kindle – which will be the 12th generation – will have a more eco-friendly build than any of the Kindles before it. The ereader is rumored to be made with 75% recycled plastic and 90% recycled magnesium. Amazon is also apparently changing its packaging for the new ereader, making it 98% wood fiber sourced from either recycled materials or responsibly managed forests.

And, if the leaked image is anything to go by, it's also going to come in a lovely match green colorway.

The listing has also revealed quite a bit about the device's specs, starting with a 300ppi screen – which is standard for grayscale ereaders today – with 25% more brightness than the current 11th-generation model.

Like the 2022 Kindle, the 12th-gen ereader will support dark mode and, according to the leak, will also offer faster page turns, but it's unclear whether the latter will be due to a better processor or if Amazon has adopted the latest E Ink Carta 1300 screen technology. This new display debuted in the 2024 Kobo Clara BW, making it one of the best ereaders in terms of legibility and performance.

It will also come with 16GB of onboard storage, will offer a battery life of up to 8 weeks, which is better than the approximate 4 weeks per charge we got in our Amazon Kindle (2022) review. According to the dimensions leaked, it's going to be the exact same size and thickness as the current model at 157.8 x 108.6 x 8 mm.

Amazon Kindle 2024: what I'd really like to see

The one major upgrade I would love to see on the new 2024 Kindle is the use of the E Ink Carta 1300 display. This screen tech increases page responsiveness by 25% and adds more contrast – I was so impressed with it on the Kobo Clara BW that I didn't care the Kindle competitor didn't get better battery life over its Clara 2E predecessor.

Better yet, I would love to see Amazon take the competition to Kobo and release a color ereader to rival the Kobo Clara Colour. Kobo now has two color ereaders compared to none from Amazon.

Adjustable warm light will also be a fantastic addition to the newest edition of the Kindle. Kobo's base Clara BW offers it already, but then it also costs more than the entry-level Kindle.

I would also like to see the base Kindle get waterproofing – the current model misses out the IPX8 rating the Kindle Paperwhite (2021) has, which also puts it behind all the current Kobo ereaders.

And lastly, I really would like to be able to sideload EPUB format ebooks without having to use the Send To Kindle app.

You might also like...

• Take a look at the best Kindles you can currently get
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If you prefer reading your literature on one of the best ereaders rather than on a tablet or using the original paperback, you’ve probably heard of Boox. The e-reader company has made a name for itself thanks to its slim, lightweight e-ink devices, and it’s just released a new addition to its lineup.

The Boox Go 6 is the latest in the Go range, and it continues the company’s tradition of thin and light ereaders. The Go 6 weighs 146g and is a mere 6.8mm thick, making it extremely easy to pack in a bag for a little holiday reading.

Despite that, the biggest selling point is likely to be the Go 6’s Carta 1300 display. This e-ink screen offers 300ppi and “enhanced visual quality and performance,” Boox says, with deeper blacks and brighter whites resulting in sharper text and a more comfortable reading experience.

There are also built-in dual-tone front lights, which should help guarantee eye comfort whatever the situation, whether you’re indulging in a little light reading during the day or night.

The Android advantage

The Boox Go 6 runs on Android. As we said when we reviewed the Boox Note Air 3, using Android adds a lot of versatility – as long as your preferred e-book provider has an Android app, it’ll work on the Go 6.

It also means the device is not just limited to reading apps, as you can download Android apps for web browsing and audio playback as well, if you like. Boox says the device comes with the Google Play Store pre-installed (which isn't the case on Kindles), making it easy to load up the ereader with compatible apps.

Rounding out the Go 6 is a microSD card slot to expand its storage, a built-in artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, and battery life that apparently lasts “for days on a single charge,” Boox says. The Boox Go 6 costs $149.99 (around £145 / AU$220) and is available to buy now on Boox’s website.

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