Амазонка Kindle

Эта статья посвящена Amazon E Ink электронным книгам . Информацию о линейке планшетов LCD Fire , в названиях которых раньше использовался префикс «Kindle», см. в разделе « Планшет Amazon Fire» .

Амазонка Kindle

Разработчик	Амазонка
Производитель	Фоксконн
Семейство продуктов	Разжечь
Тип	Электронная книга
Дата выпуска	19 ноября 2007 г ( 19 ноября 2007 )
Начальная цена	399 долларов США; эквивалент 586 долларов США в 2023 году (Kindle 1)
Операционная система	Прошивка Kindle с использованием ядра Linux show Последние версии Kindle 1: 1.2.1 Kindle 2, DX: 2.5.8 Kindle Keyboard: 3.4.3 Kindle 4, 5: 4.1.4 Kindle Touch: 5.3.7.3 Kindle Paperwhite 1: 5.6.1.1 Kindle 7, Paperwhite 2: 5.12.2.2 Kindle Voyage: 5.13.6 Kindle 8; Paperwhite 3; Oasis 1, 2: 5.16.2.1.1 Kindle 10, 11; Paperwhite 4, 5; Oasis 3; Scribe: 5.16.8
Процессор	Low-power ARM SoC Marvell Xscale 1st gen Freescale i.MX 2nd-10th gen MediaTek MT81xx 11-го поколения
Memory	32 MB - 1 GB RAM
Storage	Flash memory Internal 256 MB - 64 GB External SD card 1st gen
Display	show E Ink Kindle 1: 6-inch (150 mm), 600 × 800 pixels, 167 PPI density, 4-level grayscale Kindle 2, 3, 4, 5, Touch, 7, 8: as Kindle 1 but 16-level grayscale Kindle 10: as Kindle 2, 3, 4, 5, Touch, 7, 8 but with LED frontlit Kindle DX: 9.7-inch (250 mm), 824 × 1200 pixels, 150 PPI density, 16-level grayscale Kindle Paperwhite 1, 2: 6-inch, 768 × 1024 pixels, 212 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit Kindle Voyage; Paperwhite 3, 4; Oasis, Kindle 11: 6-inch, 1072 × 1448 pixels, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit Kindle Oasis 2, 3: 7-inch, 1264 × 1680 pixels, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit Kindle Paperwhite 5: 6.8-inch, 1236 × 1648 pixels, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit Kindle Scribe: 10.2-inch, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit
Sound	Speakers/3.5 mm headphone jack (Kindle 1, 2, DX, Keyboard, Touch) USB Audio Adapter (Kindle Voyage, Paperwhite 3) Bluetooth (8th gen and newer)
Input	USB Mini-B 1st gen USB Micro-B 2nd gen-10th gen USB-C 11th gen and newer
Controller input	Keyboard, scrollwheel, D-pad select models, 2007–2012 Touchscreen select models 2011–2012, all models 2013-present Stylus Pen Kindle Scribe
Camera	None
Connectivity	Amazon Whispernet 3G models 802.11 Wi-Fi 3rd gen and newer Bluetooth 8th gen and newer - Sound only
Online services	Kindle Store
Dimensions	show List Kindle 1: 8.0 in (203 mm) H 5.3 in (135 mm) W 0.8 in (20 mm) D Kindle 2: 8.0 in (203 mm) H 5.3 in (135 mm) W 0.36 in (9 mm) D Kindle Keyboard: 7.5 in (191 mm) H 4.8 in (122 mm) W 0.34 in (9 mm) D Kindle DX: 10.4 in (264 mm) H 7.2 in (183 mm) W 0.38 in (10 mm) D Kindle Touch: 6.8 in (173 mm) H 4.7 in (119 mm) W 0.40 in (10 mm) D Kindle 4, 5: 6.5 in (165 mm) H 4.5 in (114 mm) W 0.34 in (9 mm) D Kindle Paperwhite 1, 2, 3: 6.7 in (170 mm) H 4.6 in (117 mm) W 0.36 in (9 mm) D Kindle 7: 6.7 in (170 mm) H 4.7 in (119 mm) W 0.40 in (10 mm) D Kindle Voyage: 6.4 in (163 mm) H 4.5 in (114 mm) W 0.30 in (8 mm) D Kindle Oasis (no cover): 5.6 in (142 mm) H 4.8 in (122 mm) W 0.13 in (3 mm) D Kindle Oasis (with cover): 5.6 in (142 mm) H 4.8 in (122 mm) W 0.33 in (8 mm) D Kindle 8: 6.3 in (160 mm) H 4.5 in (114 mm) W 0.36 in (9 mm) D Kindle Oasis 2, 3: 6.3 in (160 mm) H 5.6 in (142 mm) W 0.33 in (8 mm) D Kindle Paperwhite 4: 6.6 in (168 mm) H 4.6 in (117 mm) W 0.32 in (8 mm) D Kindle 10: 6.3 in (160 mm) H 4.5 in (114 mm) W 0.34 in (9 mm) D Kindle Paperwhite 5: 6.9 in (175 mm) H 4.9 in (124 mm) W 0.32 in (8 mm) D Kindle 11: 6.21 in (158 mm) H 4.28 in (109 mm) W 0.315 in (8 mm) D Kindle Scribe: 7.7 in (196 mm) H 9.0 in (229 mm) W 0.22 in (6 mm) D
Mass	show List Kindle 1, 2: 10.2 oz (290 g) Kindle Keyboard 3G: 8.7 oz (247 g) Kindle Keyboard: 8.5 oz (241 g) Kindle Touch 3G: 7.8 oz (220 g) Kindle Touch: 7.5 oz (213 g) Kindle DX: 18.9 oz (540 g) Kindle 4, 5: 5.98 oz (170 g) Kindle Paperwhite 3G: 7.8 oz (222 g) Kindle Paperwhite: 7.5 oz (213 g) Kindle Paperwhite 2 3G: 7.6 oz (215 g) Kindle Paperwhite 2: 7.3 oz (206 g) Kindle 7: 6.7 oz (191 g) Kindle Voyage 3G: 6.6 oz (188 g) Kindle Voyage: 6.3 oz (180 g) Kindle Paperwhite 3 3G: 7.7 oz (217 g) Kindle Paperwhite 3: 7.2 oz (205 g) Kindle Oasis 3G (no cover): 4.7 oz (133 g) Kindle Oasis (no cover): 4.6 oz (131 g) Kindle Oasis's cover: 3.8 oz (107 g) Kindle 8: 5.7 oz (161 g) Kindle Oasis 2: 6.8 oz (194 g) Kindle Paperwhite 4 3G: 6.7 oz (191 g) Kindle Paperwhite 4: 6.4 oz (182 g) Kindle 10: 6.1 oz (174 g) Kindle Oasis 3: 6.6 oz (188 g) Kindle Paperwhite 5: 7.2 oz (205 g) Kindle 11: 5.6 oz (158 g) Kindle Scribe: 15.3 oz (433 g)
Website	amazon.com/kindle

Amazon Kindle — это серия электронных книг, разработанная и продаваемая Amazon . Устройства Amazon Kindle позволяют пользователям просматривать, покупать, загружать и читать электронные книги , газеты, журналы и другие цифровые медиа через беспроводную сеть в магазине Kindle . Аппаратная платформа, которую разработала лаборатория Lab126 , дочерняя компания Amazon , начиналась как отдельное устройство в 2007 году. В настоящее время она включает в себя целый ряд устройств, включая электронные книги с дисплеями E Ink электронными бумажными и приложения Kindle на всех основных вычислительных платформах . Все устройства Kindle интегрируются с файловыми системами Windows и macOS , а также содержимым Kindle Store, и по состоянию на март 2018 года в США в магазине было доступно более шести миллионов электронных книг.

и

In 2004, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos instructed the company's employees to build the world's best electronic reader before Amazon's competitors could. Amazon originally used the codename Fiona for the device.

Branding consultants Michael Cronan and Karin Hibma devised the Kindle name. Lab126 asked them to name the product, and they suggested "kindle", meaning to light a fire. They felt this was an apt metaphor for reading and intellectual excitement.

Kindle hardware evolved from the original Kindle introduced in 2007 and the Kindle DX (with its larger 9.7" screen) introduced in 2009. The DX remained the only non-6" eink Kindle device until the 2017 introduction of the Oasis 2. The range included early generation devices with a keyboard (Kindle Keyboard), devices with touch-sensitive, lighted, high-resolution screens (Kindle Paperwhite), early generations of a tablet computer with the Kindle app (Kindle Fire), and low-priced devices with a touch-sensitive screen (Kindle 7). However, the Kindle e-reader has often been a narrow-purpose device for reading rather than being multipurpose hardware that might create distractions while reading. Active Content support was introduced in 2010 only to be dropped from new Kindle devices in late 2014. After the first three generations, the Kindle Fire tablet branding was changed to Amazon Fire in 2014; this name change reflected their wider capabilities as an Android-derived tablet. Other later developments include devices with larger eink displays such as the Kindle Oasis 2 (2017) at 7" and the Paperwhite 5 (2021) at 6.8", as well as a device with a 10.2" screen and Wacom stylus support called the Kindle Scribe (2022). In 2022 Amazon also introduced the 11th gen Kindle with a 300 PPI display, ending the use of the 6" 167 PPI display that had been on every basic Kindle since 2007.

Amazon has also introduced Kindle apps for use on various devices and platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone. Amazon also has a cloud reader to allow users to read e-books using modern web browsers.

Devices

Kindles with physical keyboards

• 
  The first Kindle
• 
  Kindle 2
• 
  A Kindle DX underneath a Kindle 2
• 
  Kindle DX Graphite
• 
  Kindle Keyboard

First generation

Kindle

Amazon released the Kindle, its first e-reader, on November 19, 2007, for $399. It sold out in 5.5 hours. The device remained out of stock for five months until late April 2008.

The device featured a six-inch (diagonal) four-level grayscale E Ink display, with 250 MB of internal storage, which can hold approximately 200 non-illustrated titles. It also has a speaker and a headphone jack for listening to audio files. It has expandable storage via an SD card slot. Content was available from Amazon via the Sprint Corporation US-wide EVDO 3G data network, via a dedicated connection protocol which Amazon called Whispernet. Amazon did not sell the first-generation Kindle outside of the US.

Second generation

Kindle 2

On February 10, 2009, Amazon announced the Kindle 2, the second-generation Kindle. It became available for purchase on February 23, 2009. The Kindle 2 features a text-to-speech option to read the text aloud. It also has 6-inch screen and 2 GB of internal memory, of which 1.4 GB is user-accessible. By Amazon's estimates, the Kindle 2 can hold about 1,500 non-illustrated books. Unlike the first-generation Kindle, Kindle 2 does not have a slot for SD memory cards. It is slimmer than the original Kindle.The Kindle 2 features a Freescale 532 MHz, ARM-11 90 nm processor, 32 MB main memory, 2 GB flash memory and a 3.7 V 1,530 mAh lithium polymer battery.

To promote the Kindle 2, in February 2009 author Stephen King released Ur, his then-new novella, made available exclusively through the Kindle Store.

Kindle 2 international

On October 7, 2009, Amazon announced an international version of the Kindle 2 with the ability to download e-books wirelessly. This version released in over 100 countries. It became available on October 19, 2009. The international Kindle 2 is physically the same as the U.S.-only Kindle 2, although it uses a different mobile network standard.

The original Kindle 2 used CDMA2000 for use on the Sprint network. The international version used standard GSM and 3G GSM, enabling it to be used on AT&T's U.S. mobile network and internationally in 100 other countries with Amazon offering free unlimited roaming.

Kindle DX

Amazon launched the Kindle DX on May 6, 2009. At 9.7 inches, this device had the largest Kindle screen until the release of the Scribe. The pixel density of 150 ppi was the lowest of any eink Kindle device. It supports displaying PDF files. It was marketed as more suitable for displaying newspaper and textbook content, includes built-in speakers, and has an accelerometer that enables users to rotate pages between landscape and portrait orientations when the Kindle DX is turned on its side. The device can only connect to Whispernet while in the U.S.

Kindle DX international

On January 19, 2010, the Kindle DX international version was released in over 100 countries. The Kindle DX international version is the same as the Kindle DX, except for having support for international 3G data.

Kindle DX Graphite

On July 1, 2010, Amazon released the Kindle DX Graphite (DXG) globally. The DXG has an E Ink display with 50% better contrast ratio due to using E Ink Pearl technology and comes only in a graphite case color. It is speculated the case color change is to improve contrast ratio perception further, as some users found the prior white casing highlighted that the E Ink background is light gray and not white. Like the Kindle DX, it does not have a Wi-Fi connection. The DXG is a mix of third-generation hardware and second-generation software. The CPU has the same speed as Kindle Keyboard's CPU, but the DXG has only half the system memory, 128MB. Due to these differences, the DXG runs the same firmware as Kindle 2. Therefore, DXG cannot display international fonts, like Cyrillic, Chinese, or any other non-Latin font, and PDF support and the web browser are limited to matching the Kindle 2's features.

Amazon withdrew the Kindle DX from sale in October 2012, but in September 2013 made it available again for a few months. Using 3G data is free when accessing the Kindle Store and Wikipedia. Downloading personal documents via 3G data costs about $1 per megabyte. Its battery life is about one week with 3G on and two weeks with 3G off. Text-to-Speech and MP3 playback are supported.

Third generation

Kindle Keyboard

Amazon announced the third-generation Kindle, later renamed "Kindle Keyboard", on July 28, 2010. Amazon began accepting pre-orders for the Kindle Keyboard as soon as it was announced and began shipping the devices on August 27, 2010. On August 25, Amazon announced that the Kindle Keyboard was the fastest-selling Kindle ever. While Amazon does not officially add numbers to the end of each Kindle denoting its generation, reviewers, customers and press companies often referred to this Kindle as the "K3" or the "Kindle 3". The Kindle Keyboard has a 6-inch screen with a resolution of 600×800 (167 PPI).

The Kindle Keyboard was available in two versions. One of these, the Kindle Wi-Fi, was initially priced at $139 and connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi networks. The other version, called the Kindle 3G, was priced at $189 and includes both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity. The built-in free 3G connectivity uses the same wireless signals that cell phones use, allowing it to download and purchase content from any location with cell service. The Kindle Keyboard is available in two colors: classic white and graphite. Both versions use an E Ink "Pearl" display, which has a higher contrast than prior displays and a faster refresh rate than prior e-ink displays. However, it remains significantly slower than traditional LCDs. An ad-supported version, the "Kindle with Special Offers", was introduced on May 3, 2011, with a price $25 lower than the no-ad version, for $114. On July 13, 2011, Amazon announced that due to a sponsorship with AT&T, the price of the Kindle 3G with ads would be $139, $50 less than the Kindle 3G without ads.

The Kindle Keyboard is 0.5 inches shorter and 0.5 inches narrower than the Kindle 2. It supports additional fonts and international Unicode characters and has a Voice Guide feature with spoken menu navigation from the built-in speakers or audio jack. Internal memory is expanded to 4 GB, with approximately 3 GB available for user content. Battery life is advertised at up to two months of reading half an hour a day with the wireless turned off, which amounts to roughly 30 hours.

The Kindle Keyboard generally received good reviews after launch. Review Horizon describes the device as offering "the best reading experience in its class" while Engadget states, "In the standalone category, the Kindle is probably the one to beat".

Fourth generation

The fourth-generation Kindle and the Kindle Touch were announced on September 28, 2011. They retain the 6-inch, 167-PPI e-ink display of the 2010 Kindle model, with the addition of an infrared touch-screen control on the Touch. They also include Amazon's experimental web-browsing capability with Wi-Fi. On the same date, Amazon announced the Kindle Fire, a tablet computer including a Kindle app; in September 2014, Kindle was dropped from the Amazon Fire's name.

Kindle 4

Kindle 4

The fourth-generation Kindle was significantly less expensive (initially $79 ad supported, $109 no ads) and features a slight reduction in weight and size, with a reduced battery life and storage capacity, compared to the Kindle 3. It has a silver-grey bezel, 6-inch display, nine hard keys, a cursor pad, an on-screen rather than physical keyboard, a flash storage capacity of 2 GB, and an estimated one month battery life under ideal reading conditions.

Kindle Touch

Kindle Touch

Amazon introduced two versions of touchscreen Kindles: the Kindle Touch, available with Wi-Fi (initially $99 ad-supported, $139 no ads), and the Kindle Touch 3G, with Wi-Fi/3G connectivity (initially $149 ad-supported, $189 no ads). The latter version is capable of connecting via 3G to the Kindle Store, downloading books and periodicals, and accessing Wikipedia. Experimental web browsing (outside Wikipedia) on Kindle Touch 3G is only available over a Wi-Fi connection. (Kindle Keyboard does not have this restriction). The usage of the 3G data is limited to 50MB per month. Like the Kindle 3, the Kindle Touch has a capacity of 4 GB and battery life of two months under ideal reading conditions, and is larger than the Kindle 4. The Kindle Touch was released on November 15, 2011. Amazon announced in March 2012 that the device would be available in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy on April 27, 2012. The Touch was the first Kindle to support X-Ray, which lists the commonly used character names, locations, themes, or ideas in a book. In January 2013, Amazon released the 5.2.0 firmware that updated the operating system to match the Paperwhite's interface with the Touch's MP3/audiobook capabilities remaining.

Fifth generation

Kindle 5

Kindle 5

Amazon released the Kindle 5 on September 6, 2012 ($70 ad-supported, $90 no ads). The Kindle has a black bezel, differing from the Kindle 4 which was available in silver-grey, and has better display contrast. Amazon also claims that it has 15% faster page loads. It has a 167 PPI display and was the lightest Kindle, at 5.98 ounce, until 2016's Kindle Oasis.

Kindle Paperwhite (first iteration)

Kindle Paperwhite

The first-iteration Kindle Paperwhite was announced on September 6, 2012, and released on October 1. It has a 6 in, 212 PPI E Ink Pearl display (758×1024 resolution) with four built-in LEDs to illuminate the screen. It was available in Wi-Fi ($120 ad-supported, $140 no ads) and Wi-Fi + 3G ($180 ad-supported, $200 no ads) models, with the ad-supported options only intended to be available in the United States. The light is one of the main features of the Paperwhite and it has a manually adjusted light level. The 3G access restrictions are the same as the Kindle Touch, and usage of the 3G data is limited to 50 MB per month and only on Amazon and Wikipedia's websites; additional data may be bought. Battery life is advertised as up to eight weeks of reading with half an hour per day with wireless off and constant light use; this usage equals 28 hours. The official leather cover for the Paperwhite uses a hall effect sensor to detect when the cover is closed or opened and turn the screen off or on respectively. This was the first Kindle model to track reading speed to estimate when the reader will finish a chapter or book; this feature was later included with updates to the other models of Kindle and Kindle Fire. The Kindle Paperwhite lacks physical buttons for page turning and does not perform auto-hyphenation. Except for the lock screen/power button at its bottom, it relies solely on the touchscreen interface.

In November 2012, Amazon released the 5.3.0 update that allowed users to turn off recommended content on the home screen in Grid View (allowing two rows of user content) and included general bug fixes. In March 2014, the Paperwhite 5.4.4 update was released that added Goodreads integration, Kindle FreeTime to restrict usage for children, Cloud Collections for organization and Page Flip for scanning content without losing your place, which closely matched the Paperwhite 2's software features.

The Kindle Paperwhite was released in most major international markets in early 2013, with Japan's version including 4 GB of storage, and in China on June 7, 2013; all non-Japan versions have 2 GB of storage (1.25 GB usable).

Engadget praised the Paperwhite, giving it 92 of 100. The reviewer liked the frontlit display, high contrast, and useful software features, but did not like that it was less comfortable to hold than the Nook, the starting price includes ads, and it had no expandable storage.

Shortly after release, some users complained about the lighting implementation on the Kindle Paperwhite. While not widespread, some users found the lighting inconsistent, causing the bottom edge to cast irregular shadows. Also, some users complained that the light cannot be turned off completely.

Sixth generation

Kindle Paperwhite (second iteration)

Kindle Paperwhite 2

Amazon announced the second-iteration Kindle Paperwhite, marketed as the "All-New Kindle Paperwhite" and colloquially referred to as the Paperwhite 2, on September 3, 2013; the Wi-Fi version was released on September 30 ($120 ad-supported, $140 no ads), and the 3G/Wi-Fi version was released in the US on November 5, 2013 ($190 ad-supported, $210 no ads). The Paperwhite 2 features a higher contrast E Ink Carta display technology, improved LED illumination, 25% faster processor (1 GHz) that allows for faster page turns, and better response to touch input compared to the original Paperwhite. It has the same 6" screen with 212 PPI, bezel and estimated 28-hour battery life as the original Paperwhite. The software features dictionary/Wikipedia/X-Ray look-up, Page Flip that allows the user to skip ahead or back in the text in a pop-up window and go back to the previous page, and Goodreads social integration.

The Paperwhite 2 uses a similar experimental web browser with the same 3G data use restrictions as previous Kindles; there are no use restrictions when using Wi-Fi. The official Amazon leather cover for the Paperwhite 2 is the same item as was used for the original Paperwhite. The cover's magnets turn the screen on and off when it is opened and closed.

Although released in 2013 with 2GB of storage, all versions of the Paperwhite 2 were sold with 4GB of storage by September 2014.

Engadget rated the Paperwhite 2 as 93 of 100, saying while it offers few new features, "an improved frontlight and some software tweaks have made an already great reading experience even better."

Seventh generation

Kindle 7

Amazon announced an upgraded basic Kindle and the Kindle Voyage on September 18, 2014. The Kindle 7 was released on October 2, 2014 ($80 ad-supported, $100 no ads). It is the first basic Kindle to use a touchscreen for navigating within books and to have a 1 GHz CPU. It is also the first basic Kindle available in international markets such as India, Japan and China. Amazon claims that a single charge lasts up to 30 days if used for 30 minutes a day without using Wi-Fi.

Kindle Voyage

Kindle Voyage

The Kindle Voyage was released on November 4, 2014, in the U.S. It has a 6-inch, 300 ppi E Ink Carta HD display, which was the highest resolution and contrast available in e-readers, as of 2014, with six LEDs with an adaptive light sensor that can automatically illuminate the screen depending on the environment. It is available in Wi-Fi ($200 ad-supported, $220 no ads) and Wi-Fi + 3G ($270 ad-supported, $290 no ads) models. It has 4 GB of storage. Its design features a flush glass screen on the front and the rear has angular, raised plastic edges that house the power button, similar to the Fire HDX. At 0.3 inches, it is the thinnest Kindle to date. The Voyage uses "PagePress", a navigation system that has sensors on either side of the screen that turns the page when pressed. PagePress may be disabled, but the touchscreen is always active.

The Verge rated the Voyage as 9.1 of 10, stating that "this is the best E Ink e-reader I've used, and it's unquestionably the best that Amazon has ever made. The thing is, it's only marginally better than the fantastic Paperwhite in several ways, and significantly better in none" and with those differences in mind, disliked how it costs $80 more than the Paperwhite. Engadget rated the Voyage as 94 of 100, stating that while it was "easily the best e-reader that Amazon has ever crafted," it was also the priciest at $199.

Kindle Paperwhite (third iteration)

Kindle Paperwhite 3

The third-iteration Kindle Paperwhite, marketed as the "All-New Kindle Paperwhite" and colloquially referred to as the Paperwhite 3 and Paperwhite 2015, was released on June 30, 2015, in the US. It is available in Wi-Fi ($120 ad-supported, $140 no ads) and Wi-Fi + 3G ($190 ad-supported, $210 no ads) models. It has a 6-inch, 1448×1072, 300 ppi E Ink Carta HD display, which is twice the pixels of the original Paperwhite and has the same touchscreen, four LEDs and size as the previous Paperwhite. It has over 3 GB of user accessible storage. This device improved on the display of PDF files, with the possibility to select text and use some functionalities, such as translation on a PDF's text. Amazon claims it has 6 weeks of battery life if used for 30 minutes per day with wireless off and brightness set to 10, which is about 21 hours.

The Paperwhite 3 is the first e-reader to include the Bookerly font, a new font designed by Amazon, and includes updated formatting functions such as hyphenation and improved spacing. The Bookerly font was added to most older models via a firmware update. The official Amazon leather cover for the Paperwhite 3 is the same item as was used with the previous two Paperwhite devices.

In February 2016, the Paperwhite 2, Paperwhite 3, Kindle 7, and Voyage received the 5.7.2 update that included a new home screen layout, an OpenDyslexic font choice, improved book recommendations, and a new quick actions menu.

On June 30, 2016, Amazon released a white version of the Paperwhite 3 worldwide; the only thing different about this version is the color of the shell.

In October 2016, Amazon released the Paperwhite 3 "Manga Model" in Japan that has a 33% increase in page-turning speed and includes 32 GB of storage, which is space for up to 700 manga books. The Manga model launched at 16,280 yen (~$156) for the ad-supported Wi-Fi version or 12,280 yen (~$118) for Prime members.

The Verge rated the Paperwhite 3 as 9.0 of 10, saying that "The Kindle Paperwhite is the best e-reader for most people by a wide margin" and liked the high-resolution screen but disliked that there was no adaptive backlight; this is featured on the Kindle Voyage. Popzara called the 2015 Paperwhite "the best dedicated E Ink e-reader for the money."

Eighth generation

Kindle Oasis (first iteration)

Kindle Oasis

Amazon announced the first-iteration Kindle Oasis on April 13, 2016, and it was released on April 27 worldwide. The Kindle Oasis is available in Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models. The Oasis has a 6-inch, 300 ppi E Ink Carta HD display with ten LEDs. Its asymmetrical design features physical page turn buttons on one side and it has an accelerometer so the display can be rotated for one-hand operation with either hand. It has one thicker side that tapers to an edge that is 20% thinner than the Paperwhite. It includes a removable leather battery cover for device protection and increased battery life that is available in either black, walnut (brown) or merlot (red); the cover fits in the tapered edge. The Oasis has 28 hours of battery life if used with the battery cover with Wi-Fi off. However, without the cover, the Oasis battery lasts about seven hours. It has nearly 3 GB of user storage. The Oasis includes the Bookerly (serif) font and it is the first Kindle to include the Amazon Ember (sans-serif) font.

The Guardian's reviewer praised the Oasis's ease for holding, its lightweight design, long battery life, excellent display, even front lighting, usable page-turn buttons, and the luxurious cover. However, the reviewer believed the product was overpriced, noted that the battery cover only partially protects the back, and that the reader is not waterproof. The reviewer concluded, "…the Paperwhite will likely be all the e-reader most will need, but Oasis is the one you'll want. The Oasis is the Bentley to the Paperwhite's Golf – both will get the job done, just one is a cut above the other." The Verge rated the Oasis as 9 of 10, praising its thinness, its weight without the cover and the ability to read with one hand, but did not like that it is so expensive, has no adaptive backlight like the Voyage and it is not waterproof.

Kindle 8

Kindle 8 displaying the title page of an e-book from Project Gutenberg

Amazon's upgrade of the standard Kindle was released on June 22, 2016, in both black and white colors ($80 ad-supported, $100 no ads). The Kindle 8 features a new rounded design that is 0.35 inches (9 mm) shorter, 0.16 inches (4 mm) narrower, 0.043 inches (1.1 mm) thinner, and 1.1 ounces (30 g) lighter than the previous Kindle 7, and features double the RAM (512 MB) of its predecessor. The Kindle 8 is the first Kindle to use Bluetooth that can support VoiceView screen reader software for the visually impaired. It has the same screen display as its predecessor, a 167 ppi E Ink Pearl touch-screen display, and Amazon claims it has a four-week battery life and can be fully charged within four hours.

Ninth generation

Kindle Oasis (second iteration)

Kindle Oasis 2 9th gen, front and rear

Amazon released the second-iteration Kindle Oasis, marketed as the "All-New Kindle Oasis" and colloquially referred to as the Oasis 2, on October 31, 2017. It is available in 8 GB Wi-Fi, 32 GB Wi-Fi and 32 GB Wi-Fi + 3G ($350 no ads) models with a 7-inch E Ink display with 300 ppi. It has an asymmetric design like the first-iteration Oasis, so it works for one-handed use, and the device finish is made from aluminum. The device has a black front, with either a silver or gold colored back. The Oasis 2 is the first Kindle to be IPX8 rated so it is water-resistant up to two meters for up to 60 minutes, and first to be able to change the background black and the text to white. It is frontlit with 12 LEDs, and has ambient light sensors to adjust the screen brightness automatically. It supports playback of Audible audiobooks by pairing with A2DP supported external Bluetooth 4.2 speakers or headphones; the device can store up to 35 audiobooks with 8 GB or 160 audiobooks with the 32 GB model. The Oasis 2's internal battery lasts about six weeks of reading at 30 minutes a day.

The Verge gave the Oasis 2 a score of 8 of 10, praising its design, display, and water resistance, but criticizing its high cost and inability to read an e-book while its related audiobook is playing. TechRadar rated it as 4.5 of 5, saying the Oasis 2 is expensive but it praises as the best e-reader at the time with its lovely metal design, waterproofing and great reading experience.

Tenth generation

Kindle Paperwhite (fourth iteration)

Amazon announced the fourth-iteration Kindle Paperwhite on October 16, 2018, and released it on November 7, 2018; it is colloquially referred to as the Paperwhite 4 and Paperwhite 2018. It is available in 8 GB Wi-Fi, 32 GB Wi-Fi and 32 GB Wi-Fi + 4G LTE models. It features a 6-inch plastic-backed display of Amazon's own design with 300 ppi and a flush screen featuring five LED lights. It is waterproof with an IPX8 rating, allowing submersion in 2 meters of fresh water for up to one hour. It supports playback of Audible audio books only by pairing with external Bluetooth speakers or headphones.

The Verge rated the Paperwhite 4 as 8.5 of 10, praising its great display, water-resistance and battery life but criticizing its lack of physical buttons and no USB-C support.

Kindle (10th generation)

Amazon announced the Kindle (10th generation) on March 20, 2019, which features the first front light available on a basic Kindle. The front light uses 4 LEDs compared to the Paperwhite with 5 LEDs. Kindle 10 uses a 6-inch display with higher contrast than previous basic Kindles and has the same 167 ppi resolution. It has black and white colors.

Kindle Oasis (third iteration)

Amazon released the third-iteration Kindle Oasis, colloquially referred to as the Oasis 3, on July 24, 2019. Externally it is nearly identical in appearance to the second-iteration Oasis, with a similar 7-inch, 300ppi E Ink display, adjustable warm light, one-handed design, waterproofing, aluminium exterior, Bluetooth support and Micro USB for charging. It adds a 25 LED front light that can adjust color temperature to warmer tones, the first Kindle to be able to do so. This device is available in two different colors; Graphite or Champagne Gold.

The Verge gave the Oasis 3 an 8 of 10 rating, praising its design, display, and warmer E Ink display, but criticizing its high cost, no USB-C support and the lackluster update over the 2017 model. Amazon removed the Oasis 3 from the US market in late February 2024, after an unusually long sales period of nearly five years without a hardware change, and without a new model to succeed it.

Eleventh generation

Kindle Paperwhite (fifth iteration)

Amazon announced the Kindle Paperwhite (fifth iteration) on September 21, 2021, and it was released on October 27, 2021. It features 8 GB of storage and has similar dimensions to its predecessor but has a larger 6.8-inch display set in thinner bezels, 17 LEDs in the front light that can adjust color temperature to warmer tones (first featured in Kindle Oasis 3), an updated processor, and longer battery life that Amazon claims lasts up to ten weeks on a single charge. It is the first Kindle with a USB-C port. The Paperwhite 5 is also available in a higher cost Signature Edition that additionally supports Qi wireless charging, has 32 GB of storage, and includes an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the backlight brightness. Amazon has stated that some Qi chargers are incompatible and recommends using an Amazon charging dock.The Verge gave the Kindle Paperwhite (fifth iteration) 8.5 out of 10, praising the display and battery but did not like the lack of physical buttons and no improvement of Kindle software support for e-books found outside of the Kindle Store. In September 2022, a model with 16 GB of storage was added.

Kindle (11th generation)

Kindle 11th gen, International release (C2V2L3). Night and day display comparison.

Amazon announced the Kindle (11th generation) on September 17, 2022. It is upgraded with a 300 ppi display, 16 GB of storage, and includes a USB-C port.

Kindle Scribe

Amazon announced the Kindle Scribe on September 22, 2022, with a release date of November 30. Notably it is the first Kindle to include a 10.2 inch, 300 ppi display; and stylus functionality for writing. Additionally, it is also the first Kindle sold without an option for a discounted ad-supported model since the Kindle Keyboard was introduced in 2010. Owners can choose to enable Special Offers but do not receive a discount or reimbursement for doing so. Amazon offers two Wacom EMR compatible stylus pens for use with the Scribe: a basic pen and a premium pen. Both pens feature standard Wacom interchangeable nibs and magnetic attachment to the edge of the Scribe, and have pressure and tilt features. The premium pen adds an eraser to the end and a configurable shortcut button on the pen body. Either stylus is available for purchase separately.

The Scribe is offered in three storage tiers: 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB. The base 16 GB model is available with either the basic stylus pen or a premium stylus pen. The 32 GB and 64 GB models come with the premium stylus pen.

Upon release the Scribe received mixed reviews, reviewers criticized the lack of software features compared to the competition, but praised the hardware and build quality. The Verge gave the Kindle a 6 out of 10, praising its long battery life, large display size, and pen feel, but noting its “lackluster software” and “outdated document syncing” held the device back.

Amazon released several firmware updates that added features that were missing at the original release. New features in Scribe firmware include:

1. Conversion of handwriting to text during document export
2. Lasso select tool with cut, copy, and paste between notebook pages, different notebooks, and Sticky Notes
3. Enhanced handling of PDFs uploaded and converted via Send to Kindle
4. Added Store content and categories for "Write-on Books" or “On-page writing”

Specifications

Model	Gen	Launch	Price	Display	CPU	Memory	Storage	Sound	Input	Controller Input	Connectivity	Battery	Dimensions	Weight	IP code
Kindle	1	November 19, 2007	$399	6-inch (150 mm), 600 × 800 pixels, 167 PPI density, 4-level grayscale	Marvell Xscale PXA255 400 MHz, ARM9	64 MB	256/180 MB	Speakers, 3.5mm headphone Jack	USB 2.0 Mini-B port (data transfer only), SD card, 3.5 mm headphone jack, charging port	Keyboard, Scrollwheel	Amazon Whispernet	1,530 mAh	8.0 inches (200 mm) H 5.3 inches (130 mm) W 0.8 inches (20 mm) D	10.2 oz (290 g)	No
Kindle 2	2	February 23, 2009	$299	6-inch (150 mm), 600 × 800 pixels, 167 PPI density, 16-level grayscale	Freescale i.MX31 532 MHz, ARM11	32 MB	2/1.4 GB		USB 2.0 Micro-B port, 3.5 mm headphone jack	Keyboard, D-pad			8.0 inches (200 mm) H 5.3 inches (130 mm) W 0.36 inches (9.1 mm) D
Kindle 2 International		October 19, 2009	$279
Kindle DX		June 10, 2009	$489	9.7-inch, 824 × 1200 pixels, 150 PPI density, 16-level grayscale		128 MB	4/3 GB						10.4 inches (260 mm) H 7.2 inches (180 mm) W 0.38 inches (9.7 mm) D	18.9 oz (540 g)
Kindle DX International		January 6, 2010	?
Kindle DX Graphite		July 1, 2010	$379
Kindle Keyboard	3	August 27, 2010	Wi-Fi: $139 3G: $189	6-inch (150 mm), 600 × 800 pixels, 167 PPI density, 16-level grayscale	Freescale i.MX35 532 MHz, ARM11	256 MB					Amazon Whispernet (3G model only), 802.11bg Wi-Fi	1,750 mAh	7.5 inches (190 mm) H 4.8 inches (120 mm) W 0.34 inches (8.6 mm) D	Wi-Fi: 8.5 oz (240 g) 3G: 8.7 oz (250 g)
Kindle 4	4	September 28, 2011	No ads: $109 Ads: $79		Freescale i.MX508 800 MHz		2/1.25 GB	None	USB 2.0 Micro-B port	D-pad	Amazon Whispernet (3G model only), 802.11bgn Wi-Fi	890 mAh	6.5 inches (170 mm) H 4.5 inches (110 mm) W 0.34 inches (8.6 mm) D	5.98 oz (170 g)
Kindle Touch		November 15, 2011	No ads: Wi-Fi: $149 3G: $189 Ads: Wi-Fi: $99 3G: $139				4/3 GB	Speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack	USB 2.0 Micro-B port, 3.5 mm headphone jack	Touchscreen		1,420 mAh	6.8 inches (170 mm) H 4.7 inches (120 mm) W 0.40 inches (10 mm) D	Wi-Fi: 7.5 oz (210 g) 3G: 7.8 oz (220 g)
Kindle 5	5	September 6, 2012	No ads: $90 Ads: $70				2/1.25 GB	None	USB 2.0 Micro-B port	D-pad		890 mAh	6.5 inches (170 mm) H 4.5 inches (110 mm) W 0.34 inches (8.6 mm) D	5.98 oz (170 g)
Kindle Paperwhite		October 1, 2012	No ads: Wi-Fi: $140 3G: $200 Ads: Wi-Fi: $120 3G: $180	6-inch, 768 × 1024 pixels, 212 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit						Touchscreen		1,420 mAh	6.7 inches (170 mm) H 4.6 inches (120 mm) W 0.36 inches (9.1 mm) D	Wi-Fi: 7.5 oz (210 g) 3G: 7.8 oz (220 g)
Kindle Paperwhite 2	6	Wi-Fi: September 30, 2013 3G: November 5, 2013	No ads: Wi-Fi: $140 3G: $210 Ads: Wi-Fi: $119 3G: $139		Freescale/NXP i.MX6 SoloLite 1 GHz		2/1.25 GB or 4/3 GB							Wi-Fi: 7.3 oz (210 g) 3G: 7.6 oz (220 g)
Kindle 7	7	October 2, 2014	No ads: $100 Ads: $80	6-inch (150 mm), 600 × 800 pixels, 167 PPI density, 16-level grayscale			4/3 GB					890 mAh	6.7 inches (170 mm) H 4.7 inches (120 mm) W 0.40 inches (10 mm) D	6.7 oz (190 g)
Kindle Voyage		November 4, 2014	No ads: Wi-Fi: $220 3G: $290 Ads: Wi-Fi: $200 3G: $270	6-inch, 1072 × 1448 pixels, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit		512 MB		USB (through USB Audio Adapter)				1,320mAh	6.4 inches (160 mm) H 4.5 inches (110 mm) W 0.30 inches (7.6 mm) D	Wi-Fi: 6.3 oz (180 g) 3G: 6.6 oz (190 g)
Kindle Paperwhite 3		June 30, 2015	No ads: Wi-Fi: $140 3G: $210 Ads: Wi-Fi: $120 3G: $190									1,420 mAh	6.7 inches (170 mm) H 4.6 inches (120 mm) W 0.36 inches (9.1 mm) D	Wi-Fi: 7.2 oz (200 g) 3G: 7.7 oz (220 g)
Kindle Oasis	8	April 27, 2016	$289.99 – $379.99					Bluetooth			Amazon Whispernet (3G model only), 802.11bgn Wi-Fi, Bluetooth	245 mAh (no cover) 1,535 mAh (with cover)	5.6 inches (140 mm) H 4.8 inches (120 mm) W 0.13 inches (3.3 mm) D (without cover) 0.33 inches (8.4 mm) D (with cover)	Wi-Fi: 4.6 oz (130 g) 3G: 4.7 oz (130 g) Cover only: 3.8 oz (110 g)
Kindle 8		June 22, 2016	No ads: $100 Ads: $80	6-inch (150 mm), 600 × 800 pixels, 167 PPI density, 16-level grayscale								890 mAh	6.3 inches (160 mm) H 4.5 inches (110 mm) W 0.36 inches (9.1 mm) D	5.7 oz (160 g)
Kindle Oasis 2	9	October 31, 2017	$249.99 – $349.99	7-inch, 1264 × 1680 pixels, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit	NXP i.MX7D 1 GHz		8/6 GB or 32/30 GB					1,000 mAh	6.3 inches (160 mm) H 5.6 inches (140 mm) W 0.33 inches (8.4 mm) D	6.8 oz (190 g)	IPX8
Kindle Paperwhite 4	10	November 7, 2018	$129.99+	6-inch, 1072 × 1448 pixels, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit	Freescale/NXP i.MX6 SoloLite 1 GHz							1,500 mAh	6.6 inches (170 mm) H 4.6 inches (120 mm) W 0.32 inches (8.1 mm) D	Wi-Fi: 6.4 oz (180 g) 3G: 6.7 oz (190 g)
Kindle 10		April 10, 2019	No ads: $109.99 Ads: $89.99	6-inch (150 mm), 600 × 800 pixels, 167 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit			8/6 GB					1,040 mAh	6.3 inches (160 mm) H 4.5 inches (110 mm) W 0.34 inches (8.6 mm) D	6.1 oz (170 g)	No
Kindle Oasis 3		July 24, 2019	$249.99 – $349.99	7-inch, 1264 × 1680 pixels, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit	NXP i.MX7D 1 GHz		8/6 GB or 32/30 GB					1,130 mAh	6.3 inches (160 mm) H 5.6 inches (140 mm) W 0.33 inches (8.4 mm) D	6.6 oz (190 g)	IPX8
Kindle Paperwhite 5	11	October 27, 2021	$139.99 – $159.99	6.8-inch, 1236 × 1648 pixels, 300 PPI density, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit (17 LEDs)	MediaTek MT8110 1 GHz		8GB or 16 GB		USB-C port		Dual-band 802.11 Wi-Fi (no ad-hoc support), Bluetooth (audio only, limited to VoiceView for accessibility or for Audible content in approved countries)	1,700 mAh	6.9 inches (180 mm) H 4.9 inches (120 mm) W 0.32 inches (8.1 mm) D	7.23 oz (205 g)
Kindle Paperwhite 5 Signature Edition			$189.99				32/30 GB		USB-C port Qi charging					7.3 oz (210 g)
Kindle 11		October 12, 2022	No ads: $119.99 Ads: $99.99	6-inch, 1072 × 1448 pixels, 300 PPI, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit	MediaTek MT8113 1 GHz		16 GB		USB-C port			1,040 mAh	6.21 inches (158 mm) H 4.28 inches (109 mm) W 0.315 inches (8.0 mm) D	5.56 oz (158 g)	No
Kindle Scribe		November 30, 2022	16 GB with Basic Pen: $339.9964 GB with Premium Pen:$419.99	10.2-inch, 1860 × 2480 pixels, 300 PPI, 16-level grayscale, LED frontlit		1 GB	16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB			Touchscreen, Stylus Pen		3,000 mAh	9 inches (230 mm) H 7.7 inches (200 mm) W 0.22 inches (5.6 mm) D	15.3 oz (430 g)	No

Official accessories

Cases

Several cases and covers have been produced for all Kindle models, with official branded covers from Amazon along with a large third-party market of varying designs.

The original Kindle design was bulky and asymmetric designed to be held like a paperback book, with a rubberized rear cover panel for grip. The Kindle 2 was redesigned to be used with an official Amazon leather cover. It had a much thinner chassis with a smooth metal rear cover. Two small slots in the left edge are used to clip into the official case. The Kindle 3 (Kindle Keyboard) included power pass through via the cover clips, to power a pull-out light. The Kindle 4/5/Touch cover design is form-fit to the Kindle and power for the flip-up light is passed through pogo pins at the bottom of the rear chassis.

With the release of the Kindle Paperwhite in 2012 a light in the cover was no longer necessary. Amazon released a natural leather cover and a plastic back that is form-fitted for the device that weighs 5.6 ounces, removing some of the bulk of the previous lighted covers. The cover closes book-like from the left edge. Magnets activate the sleep/wake function in the Kindle when the front is either closed or opened. The subsequent Amazon covers include this function.

As a cost reduced model, the Kindle 7 (2014) did not have a front light and also did not have provisions for powering a cover light. Official Amazon covers were simple and only included sleep/wake functionality and multiple color options.

With the release of the Voyage in 2014, Amazon released two covers made with polyurethane or leather. The Voyage attaches to the rear of the Protective Cover magnetically and the case's cover folds over the top, and the case weighs 4.6 ounces. The case can fold into a stand, propping the Kindle up for hands-free reading.

The Oasis was released in 2016 with a case that added extra battery capacity via a pogo pin connection similar to earlier lighted covers. The case was called the Leather Charging Cover. The subsequent Oasis models removed this feature and used their larger size to include a larger built-in battery.

Covers for the Oasis 2 in 2017 added multiple kinds of material and colors: Fabric became available in Charcoal, Marine Blue, and Punch Red colors, Leather in Black and Merlot colors, and Premium Leather in a distressed brown.

With the release of the Paperwhite 4 in 2018, Amazon released three versions of its cover: a water-safe fabric cover that can withstand brief exposure to water, a standard leather cover and a premium leather cover; these covers all weigh 4 ounces.

Kids Edition bundles often feature covers with whimsical and bright designs. Some include branding or themes to tie in to popular books series such as Warrior Cats. Non-bundled exclusives have also been produced such as a branded covers for The Hunger Games.

Cork was introduced as a new cover material for the Paperwhite 5 in 2021.

The Scribe was released with covers that flip and fold, and also have a loop to securely hold the stylus. The Scribe fits into the covers with magnets. The front flap is held closed or open, either flat or as a kickstand, with magnets. Cut outs on both sides allows the stylus to be magnetically attached to the side of Scribe as normal and with the cover open or closed.

Audio adapter

In May 2016, Amazon released the official Kindle Audio Adapter for reading e-books aloud via a text-to-speech (TTS) system for the blind and visually impaired. This accessibility accessory, initially supported only for the Paperwhite 3 and Oasis, plugs in the USB port and connects to headphones or speakers. Once connected, the reader uses the Voiceview for Kindle feature to navigate the interface and listen to e-books via TTS. This feature only supports e-books, not audiobooks or music.

Using the accessory reduces the Paperwhite 3's battery life to six hours. As an alternative to the official adapter, a generic USB to audio converter will also work with Voiceview.

Wireless charger

With the release of the 2021 Paperwhite Signature Edition, Amazon announced the Wireless Charging Dock which supports Qi charging up to 7.5 W.

Features

Kindle devices support dictionary and Wikipedia look-up functions when highlighting a word in an e-book. The font type, size and margins can be customized. Kindles are charged by connecting to a computer's USB port or to an AC adapter. Users needing accessibility due to impaired vision can use an audio adapter to listen to any e-book read aloud on supported Kindles, or those with difficulty in reading text may use the Amazon Ember Bold font for darker text and other fonts may too have bold font versions.

The Kindle also contains experimental features such as a web browser that uses NetFront based on WebKit. The browser can freely access the Kindle Store and Wikipedia on 3G models while the browser may be limited to 50 MB of data per month to websites other than Amazon and Wikipedia, Other possible experimental features, depending on the model are a Text-to-Speech engine that can read the text from e-books and an MP3 player that can be used to play music while reading.

The Kindle's operating system updates are designed to be received wirelessly and installed automatically during a period in sleep mode in which Wi-Fi is turned on. A user may install firmware updates manually by downloading the firmware for their device and copying the file to the device's root directory. The Kindle operating system uses the Linux kernel with a Java app for reading e-books.

Send to Kindle service

Amazon initially offered a Personal Documents Service to add content to a user's Kindle which only worked via email. Documents were sent directly to the Kindle via WhisperSync. Later expansions added cloud library features and content management. The modern service is called Send to Kindle and is available through various means such as email, website, app, or browser extension. It allows the user to send files such as EPUB, PDF, HTML pages, Microsoft Word documents, GIF, PNG, and BMP graphics directly to the user's Kindle library. When Amazon receives the file, it converts the file to Kindle File Format and stores it in the user's online library (called "Your Content" by Amazon). Content added via Send to Kindle is added to the user library as Personal Documents by default, but some Send to Kindle interfaces allow users to send a document to a specific device and skip adding it to the library. The Send to Kindle service's personal documents can be accessed by all Kindle hardware devices as well as iOS and Android devices using the Kindle app.

Until August 2022, in addition to the document types mentioned above, this service could be used to send unprotected and original version only .mobi/.azw files to a user's Kindle library.

Sending the file is free if downloaded using Wi-Fi, but, prior to 2021, cost $0.15 per MB when using Kindle's former 3G service.

Format support by device

Main article: Kindle File Format

The first Kindle could read unprotected Mobipocket files (MOBI, PRC), plain text files (TXT), Topaz format books (TPZ) and Amazon's AZW format.

The Kindle 2 added native PDF capability with the version 2.3 firmware upgrade. The Kindle 1 could not read PDF files, but Amazon provides experimental conversion to the native AZW format, with the caveat that not all PDFs may format correctly. The Kindle 2 added the ability to play the Audible Enhanced (AAX) format. The Kindle 2 can also display HTML files.

The fourth and later generation Kindles, Touch, Paperwhite (all generations), Voyage and Oasis (all generations) can display AZW, AZW3, TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, and PRC files natively. HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP are usable through Amazon's conversion service. The Keyboard, Touch, Oasis 2 & 3, Kindle 8 & 9, and Paperwhite 4 can also play Audible Enhanced (AA, AAX). The Kindle (7, 8 & 9), Kindle Paperwhite (2, 3, 4 & 5), Voyage and Oasis (1, 2 & 3) can display KFX files natively. KFX is Amazon's successor to the AZW3 format.

Kindles cannot natively display EPUB files. However, at least two methods allow viewing the content of EPUB formatted content on Kindles:

1. Specialized software like Calibre allows EPUB or some other unsupported files to be converted to one of the supported file formats.
2. Kindles can be jailbroken to allow third-party software, such as KOReader which does support EPUB, to be installed.

In late April 2022, Amazon announced that Send to Kindle will support EPUB, beginning in late 2022.

Multiple devices and organization

An e-book may be downloaded from Amazon to several devices at the same time, as long as the devices are registered to the same Amazon account. A sharing limit typically ranges from one to six devices, depending on an undisclosed number of licenses set by the publisher. When a limit is reached, the user must remove the e-book from some device or unregister a device containing the e-book in order to add the e-book to another device.

The original Kindle and Kindle 2 did not allow the user to organize books into folders. The user could only select what type of content to display on the home screen and whether to organize by author, title, or download date. Kindle software version 2.5 allowed for the organization of books into "Collections" which behave like non-structured tags/labels: a collection cannot include other collections, and one book may be added to multiple collections. These collections are normally set and organized on the Kindle itself, one book at a time. The set of all collections of a first Kindle device can be imported to a second Kindle device that is connected to the cloud and is registered to the same user; as the result of this operation, the documents that are on the second device now become organized according to the first device's collections. There is no option to organize by series or series order, as the AZW format does not possess the necessary metadata fields.

X-Ray

Main article: X-Ray (Amazon Kindle)

X-Ray is a reference tool that is incorporated in Kindle Touch and later devices, the Fire tablets, the Kindle app for mobile platforms and Fire TV. X-Ray lets users explore in more depth the contents of a book, by accessing preloaded files with relevant information, such as the most common characters, locations, themes, or ideas.

Annotations

Users can bookmark, highlight, and search through content. Pages can be bookmarked for reference, and notes can be added to relevant content. While a book is open on the display, menu options allow users to search for synonyms and definitions from the built-in dictionary. The device also remembers the last page read for each book. Pages can be saved as a "clipping", or a text file containing the text of the currently displayed page. All clippings are appended to a single file, which can be downloaded over a USB cable. Due to the TXT format of the clippings file, all formatting (such as bold, italics, bigger fonts for headlines, etc.) is stripped off the original text.

Textbook rentals

On July 18, 2011, Amazon began a program that allows college students to rent Kindle textbooks from three different publishers for a fixed period of time.

Collection of users reading data

Kindle devices may report information about their users' reading data that includes the last page read, how long each e-book was opened, annotations, bookmarks, notes, highlights, or similar markings to Amazon. The Kindle stores this information on all Amazon e-books but it is unclear if this data is stored for non-Amazon e-books. There is a lack of e-reader data privacy — Amazon knows the user's identity, what the user is reading, whether the user has finished the book, what page the user is on, how long the user has spent on each page, and which passages the user may have highlighted.

Kindle ecosystem

Kindle Store

Main article: Kindle Store

The New Yorker subscribed on a "Kindle Keyboard"

Content from Amazon's Kindle Store is encoded in Amazon's proprietary Kindle formats (.azw, .kf8 and .kfx). In addition to published content, Kindle users can also access the Internet using the experimental web browser, which uses NetFront. Users can use the Kindle Store to access reading material using the Kindle itself or through a web browser to access content. The store features Kindle Unlimited for unlimited access to over one million e-books for a monthly fee.

Content for the Kindle can be purchased online and downloaded wirelessly in some countries, using either standard Wi-Fi or Amazon's 3G Whispernet network. Whispernet is accessible without any monthly fees or a subscription, although fees can be incurred for the delivery of periodicals and other content when roaming internationally beyond the customer's home country. Through a service called Whispersync, customers can synchronize reading progress, bookmarks, and other information across Kindle hardware and other mobile devices. The Kindles that only can access Whispernet via the 3G network had that network turned off in December 2021 due to the carriers retiring 3G.

For U.S. customers traveling abroad, Amazon originally charged a $1.99 fee to download e-books over 3G while overseas, but later removed the fee. Fees remain for wireless 3G delivery of periodical subscriptions and personal documents, while Wi-Fi delivery has no extra charge.

In addition to the Kindle Store, content for the Kindle can be purchased from various independent sources such as Fictionwise and Baen Ebooks. Public domain titles are also obtainable for the Kindle via content providers such as Project Gutenberg, The Internet Archive and the World Public Library. In 2011, the Kindle Store had more than twice as much paid content as its nearest competitor, Barnes & Noble.

Публичные библиотеки, предлагающие книги через OverDrive, Inc., также могут предоставлять книги для Kindle и приложений для чтения Kindle в США через Libby . Книги можно получить на собственном сайте библиотеки, который перенаправит их в Amazon для завершения процесса оформления заказа. Приложение Libby сохраняет данные учетной записи пользователя и библиотеки во время настройки и может отправлять контент на учетную запись Amazon пользователя во время оформления заказа. Затем Amazon доставляет игру на Kindle на время действия кредита, хотя для некоторых игр может потребоваться передача на компьютер через USB-соединение. Если книгу позже снова выписывают или приобретают, аннотации и закладки сохраняются.

Приложения Kindle для чтения на других устройствах

Amazon выпустила Kindle для ПК приложение В конце 2009 года Microsoft Windows , доступное для систем . Это приложение позволяет читать электронные книги из магазина Amazon или личные электронные книги на персональном компьютере без необходимости использования устройства Kindle. Amazon выпустила приложение Kindle для Mac для Apple Macintosh и OS X в начале 2010 года. систем В июне 2010 года Amazon выпустила Amazon Kindle для Android . Вскоре после выпуска Android стали доступны версии для телефонов Apple iOS ( iPhone и iPad ) и BlackBerry OS . В январе 2011 года Amazon выпустила Kindle для Windows Phone . В июле 2011 года Kindle для HP TouchPad (под управлением webOS ) был выпущен в США в виде бета-версии. В августе 2011 года Amazon выпустила HTML5 на основе веб-приложение для поддерживаемых веб-браузеров под названием Kindle Cloud Reader . В 2013 году Amazon не выразила заинтересованности в выпуске отдельного приложения Kindle для Linux систем ; Cloud Reader можно использовать в поддерживаемых браузерах Linux.

17 апреля 2014 г. компания Samsung объявила, что с 1 июля 2014 г. прекращает работу собственного магазина электронных книг, и в партнерстве с Amazon создала приложение Kindle для Samsung, оптимизированное для отображения на устройствах Samsung Galaxy . Приложение использует магазин электронных книг Amazon и включает ежемесячный ограниченный выбор бесплатных электронных книг.

В июне 2016 года Amazon выпустила функцию перелистывания страниц в своих приложениях Kindle, которые дебютировали в ее электронных книгах несколькими годами ранее. Эта функция позволяет пользователю пролистывать девять миниатюр изображений страниц одновременно.

Kindle Direct Publishing

Основная статья: Kindle Direct Publishing

Одновременно с выпуском первого устройства Kindle Amazon запустила Kindle Direct Publishing , используемую авторами и издателями для самостоятельной публикации своих книг непосредственно в Kindle и Kindle Apps по всему миру. Авторы могут загружать документы в нескольких форматах для доставки через Whispernet и взимать от 0,99 до 200 долларов США за загрузку.

В интервью The New York Times от 5 декабря 2009 года генеральный директор Amazon Джефф Безос сообщил, что Amazon сохраняет 65% доходов от всех продаж электронных книг для Kindle; оставшиеся 35% делятся между автором книги и издателем. от Apple После того, как многочисленные комментаторы заметили, что популярный App Store предлагает 70% гонорара издателю, Amazon запустил программу, которая предлагает 70% гонорара издателям Kindle, которые соглашаются на определенные условия. Некоторые из этих условий, такие как невозможность отказаться от функции кредитования, вызвали некоторые споры .

Комплект разработчика Kindle

21 января 2010 г. Amazon объявила о выпуске комплекта разработки Kindle (KDK). KDK стремится позволить разработчикам создавать «активный контент» для Kindle, и было объявлено о выпуске бета-версии с датой выпуска в феврале 2010 года. Ряд компаний уже экспериментировали с доставкой активного контента через встроенный браузер Kindle, а KDK предоставляет пример кода, документацию и симулятор Kindle вместе с новой моделью распределения доходов для разработчиков. KDK основан на программирования Java языка Personal Basis Profile пакете API-интерфейсов Java .

По состоянию на май 2014 г. В магазине Kindle предлагалось более 400 товаров, помеченных как активный контент. В число этих элементов входят простые приложения и игры, в том числе бесплатный набор, предоставляемый Amazon Digital Services. По состоянию на 2014 год активный контент доступен только пользователям с платежным адресом в США.

В октябре 2014 года Amazon объявила, что Voyage и будущие электронные книги не будут поддерживать активный контент, поскольку большинство пользователей предпочитают использовать приложения на своих смартфонах и планшетах, но первая версия Paperwhite и более ранние версии Kindle будут продолжать поддерживать активный контент.

Прием

Продажи

Конкретные данные о продажах устройств Kindle Amazon не публикует; однако, согласно анонимным внутренним источникам, по состоянию на декабрь 2009 года было продано более трех миллионов Kindle. в то время как по внешним оценкам, по состоянию на четвертый квартал 2009 года, их число составляет около 1,5 миллиона. По данным Джеймса МакКиви из Forrester Research , по состоянию на середину 2010 года оценки составляют около четырех миллионов.

В 2010 году Amazon оставалась бесспорным лидером в категории электронных книг, на долю которой приходилось 59% проданных электронных книг, а ее доля выросла на 14 процентных пунктов. Согласно исследованию International Data Corporation (IDC), проведенному в марте 2011 года, продажи всех устройств для чтения электронных книг во всем мире достигли 12,8 миллионов в 2010 году; 48% из них были Kindle. За последние три месяца 2010 года Amazon объявила, что в США продажи ее электронных книг впервые превысили продажи книг в мягкой обложке.

В январе 2011 года Amazon объявила, что цифровые книги впервые на ее сайте продаются лучше, чем их традиционные печатные аналоги: в среднем на каждые 100 изданий в мягкой обложке продается 115 изданий Kindle. В декабре 2011 года Amazon объявила, что с конца ноября 2011 года клиенты приобретали «более» миллиона Kindle в неделю; сюда входят все доступные модели Kindle, а также планшет Kindle Fire. По оценкам IDC, в четвертом квартале 2011 года было продано около 4,7 миллиона устройств Kindle Fire. По оценкам компании Pacific Crest, в четвертом квартале 2012 года было продано шесть миллионов моделей Kindle Fire.

По оценкам Morgan Stanley , Amazon продала электронные книги и планшеты Kindle на сумму 3,57 миллиарда долларов в 2012 году, продажи устройств Kindle на 4,5 миллиарда долларов в 2013 году и 5 миллиардов долларов продаж устройств Kindle в 2014 году.

Послепродажный рынок

Рабочие Kindle в хорошем состоянии можно продавать, обменивать, дарить или перерабатывать на вторичном рынке . Из-за того, что некоторые устройства Kindle ограничены в использовании в качестве устройства для чтения, а также из-за сложностей с перепродажей Kindle, некоторые люди предпочитают пожертвовать свои Kindle школам, развивающимся странам, организациям по борьбе с грамотностью или благотворительным организациям. «Проект Kindle Classroom» пропагандирует чтение путем раздачи пожертвованных Kindle нуждающимся школам. Корабли Worldreader и Develop Africa передали электронные книги школам развивающихся стран Африки для использования в образовательных целях. «Проект Харт» может принимать в дар электронные книги, которые можно будет передать нуждающимся.

Независимо от того, в хорошем состоянии или нет, Kindle не следует выбрасывать вместе с обычными отходами, поскольку в устройстве имеются компоненты электронных чернил и аккумуляторы. Вместо этого Kindle по окончании срока службы следует отправить на переработку. В США Amazon запускает собственную программу Take Back, которая позволяет владельцам распечатать этикетку с предоплаченной доставкой, которую можно использовать для возврата устройства на утилизацию.

Критика

Удаление восемьдесят

17 июля 2009 года Amazon изъяла из продажи две электронные книги Джорджа Оруэлла , «Скотный двор» и «Девятнадцать восемьдесят четыре» , вернув покупную цену тем, кто их купил, и удаленно удалила эти названия с устройств покупателей без предупреждения с помощью бэкдор после того, как обнаружил, что у издателя нет прав на публикацию этих книг. Обе книги были защищены авторским правом в США, но находились в общественном достоянии в Канаде, Австралии и других странах. Заметки и аннотации к книгам, сделанные пользователями на своих устройствах, были оставлены в отдельном файле, но «стали бесполезными» без контента, с которым они были напрямую связаны. Этот шаг вызвал протест и сравнения с самим «Девятнадцать восемьдесят четыре» : в романе книги, журналы и газеты в государственных архивах, противоречащие правящей партии, либо редактируются спустя долгое время после публикации, либо полностью уничтожаются; удаленные материалы попадают «в дыру памяти » - прозвище желоба для мусоросжигательного завода, использованное в 1984 году . Покупатели и комментаторы отметили сходство с цензурой в романе и описали действия Amazon в терминах Оруэлла . Ars Technica утверждала, что удаление нарушило условия обслуживания Kindle, в которых частично говорилось:

После оплаты вами соответствующих сборов, установленных Amazon, Amazon предоставляет вам неисключительное право хранить постоянную копию соответствующего Цифрового контента, а также просматривать, использовать и отображать такой Цифровой контент неограниченное количество раз исключительно на Устройстве или как разрешено Amazon в рамках Сервиса и исключительно для вашего личного некоммерческого использования.

Ответ компании

Представитель Amazon Дрю Херденер заявил, что компания «меняет наши системы, чтобы в будущем мы не удаляли книги с устройств клиентов в таких обстоятельствах». 23 июля 2009 года генеральный директор Amazon Джефф Безос опубликовал на официальном форуме Amazon Kindle извинения за то, как компания подошла к этому вопросу. Безос назвал это решение «глупым» и что руководители Amazon «заслуживают полученной критики».

Последствия

30 июля 2009 года Джастин Гавронски, старшеклассник из США, и Антуан Брюгье, американский инженер, подали иск против Amazon в Окружной суд США по Западному округу Вашингтона . Брюгье утверждал, что Amazon нарушила свои условия обслуживания, удаленно удалив купленную им копию Nineteen Eighty-Four , лишив при этом ему доступа к написанным им аннотациям. Копия электронной книги Гавронски также была удалена без его согласия, и выяснилось, что Amazon использовал обман при обмене электронными письмами. Жалоба, которая требовала статуса коллективного иска , содержала просьбу как о денежном, так и о судебном запрете. Дело было урегулировано 25 сентября 2009 года, когда Amazon согласилась выплатить 150 000 долларов, разделенных между двумя истцами, при том понимании, что представляющая их юридическая фирма Kamber Edelson «пожертвует свою часть этого гонорара благотворительной организации». В рамках мирового соглашения Amazon также предоставила владельцам Kindle более широкие права на свои электронные книги:

Для копий Работ, приобретенных в соответствии с Условиями предоставления услуг, предоставляющими «неисключительное право хранить постоянную копию» каждой купленной Работы и «просматривать, использовать и отображать [такие Работы] неограниченное количество раз исключительно на [Устройствах]. ... и исключительно для личного некоммерческого использования [покупателей]», Amazon не будет удаленно удалять или изменять такие Работы с Устройств, приобретенных и используемых в США, за исключением случаев, когда (а) пользователь дает согласие на такое удаление или изменение; (б) пользователь запрашивает возврат средств за работу или иным образом не оплачивает работу (например, если эмитент кредитной карты отклоняет оплату); (c) судебное или нормативное постановление требует такого удаления или изменения; или (d) удаление или изменение разумно необходимо для защиты потребителя, работы устройства или сети, используемой для связи (например, для удаления вредоносного кода, встроенного в электронную книгу на устройстве).

4 сентября 2009 года Amazon предложил всем затронутым пользователям выбор: восстановить удаленные электронные книги или получить подарочный сертификат Amazon или чек на 30 долларов США.

Другие случаи

В декабре 2010 года Amazon удалил три электронные книги, написанные Селеной Китт, а также работы нескольких других авторов эротической фантастики, публикуемых самостоятельно, за «оскорбительный» контент, касающийся инцеста по обоюдному согласию , который нарушал издательские правила Amazon. Китт заявила, что, по ее мнению, эта политика Amazon выборочно применялась к некоторым книгам, но не к другим, посвященным схожим темам. В течение, по словам Amazon, «непродолжительного периода времени» книги были недоступны для повторной загрузки пользователями, которые их уже приобрели. Эта способность была восстановлена ​​после того, как на нее обратили внимание Amazon; однако удаленного удаления не произошло.

В октябре 2012 года Amazon заблокировала учетную запись норвежки, которая купила свой Kindle в Великобритании , и компания удалила все электронные книги с ее Kindle. Amazon заявила, что она нарушила их условия обслуживания, но не уточнила, что она сделала не так. После того как женщина обратилась в СМИ, Amazon восстановил ее аккаунт и купленные ею электронные книги.

Компьютерный программист Ричард Столлман раскритиковал Kindle, цитирование условий обслуживания Kindle, которые могут подвергать пользователей цензуре, требуют идентификации пользователя и могут оказать негативное влияние на независимых распространителей книг; он также сослался на ограничения для пользователей Kindle, а также на возможность Amazon удалять электронные книги и обновлять программное обеспечение без разрешения пользователей.

С 2012 года Amazon продает электронные книги в Китае, а с 2013 года начала продавать устройства для чтения электронных книг Kindle. Amazon также объявила, что продала в стране несколько миллионов Kindle и что в 2016 году Китай стал крупнейшим в мире региональным рынком для Kindle. Однако сообщалось, что китайские потребители предпочитают использовать свои смартфоны электронным книгам, несмотря на конкуренцию со стороны Tencent. , Alibaba, JD.com и Douban, каждая из которых имеет свои собственные программы для чтения электронных книг или торговые площадки. Созданные внутри страны устройства для чтения электронных книг от таких брендов, как Xiaomi, iReader и Onyx Boox, также составляют дополнительную конкуренцию Kindle. В 2022 году Amazon объявила, что прекратила продавать свои Kindles дистрибьюторам в Китае, и заявила, что книжный интернет-магазин закроется в Китае 30 июня 2023 года.

4 января 2022 года во флагманском магазине Amazon JD.com было сообщено о нехватке Kindle. В продаже остался только Kindle 10, а других моделей, таких как Paperwhite, Oasis и Kids Edition, не было в наличии. В тот же день было объявлено, что Amazon также закрыла свой флагманский магазин Tmall после того, как ранее в октябре 2021 года уже закрыла свой флагманский магазин Kindle на Taobao. Это привело к предположениям, что Amazon планирует вообще уйти с китайского рынка, хотя официальный представитель Amazon ответил, что они по-прежнему привержены обслуживанию китайских потребителей и могут продолжать покупать Kindle через офлайн-магазины и сторонние онлайн-магазины.

В июне 2022 года Amazon объявила, что закроет свой книжный магазин Kindle в Китае, а с июля 2023 года пользователи Kindle больше не смогут покупать онлайн-книги в стране. Однако существующие клиенты смогут загружать ранее купленные игры до июня 2024 года.

Также в июне 2022 года авторы, публикующие самостоятельно, протестовали против политики Amazon по возврату электронных книг; При каждом возврате электронной книги гонорары, первоначально выплаченные автору во время покупки, вычитаются из его баланса доходов, в результате чего у авторов остается отрицательный баланс.

Хронология

Хронология моделей Kindle
Отказ от ответственности: даты прекращения использования могут быть неточными.

См. также

• Сравнение читалок электронных книг
• Сравнение планшетных компьютеров
• Барнс и Нобл Нук
• Кобо электронная книга
• Sony Ридер
• Kindle Прямая публикация

Внешние ссылки

• Роуз, Чарли (19 ноября 2007 г.), генеральный директор Джефф Безос о Kindle (интервью), заархивировано из оригинала (видео) 22 ноября 2007 г.
• Чарли Роуз берет интервью у Джеффа Безоса об оригинальном Kindle в день его первого запуска. (видео) (интервью)
• Чарли Роуз берет интервью у Джеффа Безоса о Kindle Keyboard (Kindle 3-го поколения). (видео) (интервью)