New and improved Kindle 3 formally unveiled by Amazon

by Steven Mostyn - Jul 29 2010, 05:29

Resisting pressure to ape tablet devices by introducing a full-colour display and a touch-screen interface, online retailer Amazon has formally revealed its new Kindle 3, which includes a smattering of core improvements and is both smaller and lighter than existing Kindle platforms.

According to Amazon, the Kindle 3’s electronic-ink display offers 50 percent better contrast than any other eReader on the market, along with 20 percent faster page turns, and internal storage of 3,500 digital books – which is double the storage capacity of the Kindle 2.

To help handle the convenience of 3G connectivity and built-in Wi-Fi, the new device also doubles previous battery expectations, pushing single-charge longevity up from two weeks to a month with Wi-Fi turned off, or 10 days with it turned on. Amazon is also offering a Wi-Fi only version of the Kindle 3.

Not just sporting improved tech specs, the Kindle 3 is aesthetically different from its direct predecessor. Specifically, while the 6-inch display screen remains unchanged, the casing around it is 21 percent smaller, and the device weighs in at just 8.7 ounces – a 15 percent reduction from the Kindle 2’s 10.2 ounces.

Other features and functions include a new graphite colour option, an easier to grip chassis, newly designed buttons and button layout, text-to-speech enabled menus, an improved PDF reader, and quieter page turn buttons. 

Shipping from August 27, the 3G/Wi-Fi Kindle 3 will retail for $189 USD – which holds fast to the recent price drop (from $259 USD) Amazon introduced for the similarly equipped Kindle 2. The Wi-Fi only Kindle 3 will sell for just $139 USD, which will include free access to AT&T hotspots in the United States.

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