news Amazon has announced that it will shortly selling the new version of its popular Kindle Paperwhite unit through Australian retailers Dick Smith and Big W.
The Paperwhite is similar to many of Amazon’s previous generations of Kindle e-readers, offering a touch-enabled e-ink display in a lightweight form factor easily usable in one hand. However, the unit differs in that it has a built-in light that allows it to be read in the dark, with the screen ‘glowing’ in a way that previous e-readers have not.
“Kindle is the best-selling e-reader in the world for six years running, and now it’s even better,” said Neil Lindsay, Vice President, Amazon Kindle, in a statement issued by Amazon this morning. “The new Kindle Paperwhite has brand-new display technology, the next generation of our built-in light, a faster processor, plus new features like Kindle Page Flip, Smart Lookup, Vocabulary Builder and more. We’re excited to make it even easier for our Australian customers to discover Kindle.”
“BIG W is always looking for ways to bring the very latest in cutting edge technology to its customers at the lowest price and that’s why we are so excited to be ranging the new Kindle Paperwhite.” stated Scott White, Head Technology Buyer for BIG W.
Amazon’s existing low-end Kindle is already available at Dick Smith and Big W with a suggested retail price of $99. The Kindle Paperwhite will be available with a suggested retail price of $159. And the 3G version of the Paperwhite will be available in the coming weeks with a suggested retail price of $229. In its review of the previous generation Kindle Paperwhite, published in September 2012, the Verge wrote:
“The Paperwhite is an excellent reader, probably the best I’ve used. Between the new display, the improved software and performance, great battery life, and Amazon’s massive book selection, there’s not much here to complain about. Some may nitpick the lack of a charger or the fact that you need to pay to opt out of advertising on the device — and those are negatives to be sure — but the overall picture is very clear. Amazon wants to make great reading devices for the masses, and with the Paperwhite, they just took the game to a whole new level.”
opinion/analysis
The Paperwhite is “the Kindle” that I’ve been recommending to friends and family for a while now. It’s a great little model and the new 2013 version is also looking excellent. Because of this, I highly recommend it. It’s sad that it’s taken so long to land in Australian retail stores, but it’s been available to Australians to order online through Amazon for some time now, a fact most serious readers are probably already well aware of.
Are they selling the model from a year ago, or the new one which becomes available in a few weeks? Perhaps they’re just dumping the old model here.
Hmm according to CNET it’s the new one:
http://www.cnet.com.au/kindle-paperwhite-comes-to-big-w-and-dick-smith-339345703.htm
I’ll modify the article.
Dick Smith has been selling the old model since at least March this year. I think seem to remember it being $149.
Having three Kindles in the household already is becoming more inconvenient with every passing day.
Why?
This is new and shinier, but I already have three (used to have a fourth too, a 3G keyboard). And a clip-on light designed for them. I can’t possibly justify buying yet another one to either myself or the missus, even if it is so very very shiny and more convenient for night reading :P
I believe this is what’s called a “first-world problem”.
So you’re paying $159/$229 for something that dishes out ads? Shirley they can’t be serious?
It’s not like you’re renting the device. And with new ebook going up from under $us10 to around $us16-17, why should we be paying to remove ads as well?
The ad-supported model is not available for Aussies. It’s a lot cheaper than the non-ad model.
I have last year’s model which I haven’t even touched yet, and now I want the new model…
Maybe I should sell it to raise funds for the new model, or just give it away as a present.
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