Amazon announced the launch of its first color Kindle, known as the Kindle Colorsoft, priced at $279.99, set for release on Oct. 30. This new addition marks Amazon’s move beyond black-and-white e-readers.
This device allows users to view book covers and internal illustrations in color, and to apply color highlights. It features a 7-inch display, comparable in size to Amazon’s black-and-white Kindle Paperwhite model.
Amazon enters the color e-reader market as a latecomer, following in the footsteps of smaller competitors like Kobo and Onyx, who have already introduced color E Ink devices.
Additionally, the company unveiled its second-generation Kindle Scribe writing tablet and e-reader, which features the ability to take handwritten digital notes directly within the narrative of e-books for the first time, a feature termed as Active Canvas.
“Your note becomes part of the page, and the book text dynamically flows around it — if you increase the font size, change the font style, or the book layout changes, the note remains visible exactly where you want it so you never lose any meaning or context,” Amazon detailed in a press statement regarding the latest Kindle offerings.
The initial Kindle Scribe, launched two years ago, allows note-taking directly in PDFs. However, notes in e-books are previously made in a larger window covering a significant portion of the screen. Active Canvas will also be provided as a software update to users of the original Kindle Scribe, according to Amazon.
A new note-taking feature, available in the months following the release, will enable users to write notes in an on-screen side panel, with the choice to hide or display them later. This functionality is called Extended Margin.
A further new capability for the Kindle Scribe utilizes generative AI to summarize handwritten notes, converting them into bullet points in a script font, which can be shared via the notebook tab.
Amazon states that Extended Margin and AI summarization will also be rolled out via software updates to the original Kindle Scribe users. Active Canvas and AI functionalities are expected later this year, with Extended Margin set for 2025 release.
In the updated model, both the Scribe display and the premium pen have been improved to enhance the writing experience, making it akin to writing on real paper, as per the company’s description. The display, like the original Scribe, is front-lit at 10.2 inches.
Prices begin at $399.99 for a 16GB version featuring a basic pen, with shipments commencing on Dec. 4.
The Kindle Scribe rivals products from companies such as reMarkable, which debuted its reMarkable Paper Pro color tablet in September and continues to offer its black-and-white reMarkable 2 device.
Furthermore, Amazon revealed an updated Kindle Paperwhite, priced between $159.99 and $199.99 depending on the model, and an enhanced entry-level Kindle, available for $109.99. The entry-level Kindle is also offered in a $129.99 Kindle Kids version, featuring child-friendly cover designs and six months of Amazon Kids+ access for books and audiobooks.
