Kindle 2.0 Release Day has been an eventful one. The most exciting news for me has been iFixIt’s take apart of the Kindle 2.0.
- The Kindle’s processor is pretty decent at 533 Mhz. Its a Freescale chip (ARM-11).
- Another interesting fact is that you can get to the Kindle 2′s battery (not very easily though) and it’s a Model No. S11S01A, 3.7 V, 1530 mAh lithium polymer battery. This is the same capacity as Kindle 1′s battery. However, that was a model BA1001 – so it probably wouldn’t work. Model No. S11S01A doesn’t show up on either Google or Amazon.
- Amazon has allowed for the possibility of a SIM card down the line -
On the center-left side of the board is an outline of a SIM card with empty headers. Amazon left a opening in the plastic framework revealing this region. Was this left in for development and debugging?
This hints at the release of a GSM/UMTS international version of Kindle 2.0 later in 2009. It probably also means that negotiating contracts with Mobile providers, and not technology, is the real hold-up.
- Kindle 2.0′s 2 GB memory is Samsung’s MoviNAND.
- There’s a large white and brown connector at the top of the Kindle 2.0 to which nothing is attached. Makes me wonder.
- The wireless card has two ports – However, there is nothing connected to the 2nd port (aux port) in Kindle 2.0. This might indicate that WiFi is planned down the line.
Overall, the presence of the unused SIM card skeleton, the unused wireless port, and the large unused connector indicate that GSM/International, WiFi, and something else might be in store for Kindle 2.0 in 2009.
Kindle 2.0 News + Links for end Feb 2009
- The warehouse where Amazon ships Kindle 2s from discovered.
- A rather pleasant surprise for some Kindle 2.0 owners as their Kindles arrived today itself.
- More and more sites are unveiling Kindle 2.0 unboxing pictures. I really don’t understand the fascination for pictures of an unboxing.
- Channel Wire posting that the best feature of the Kindle 2 is the screen with its 16 shades of grey, changeable fonts, and eInk. Not much of an upgrade for Kindle 1 owners – However, I can see how first time Kindle owners would be rather impressed by the screen.
- NY Times rather like Kindle 2.0.
- Here’s a Kindle 2 video from mobiletechreview.com-
Overall, Kindle 2.0 buzz is strong and reviews are good. Amazon has used the Feb 9th announcement, the pre-orders during the waiting period, and today’s release to sustain buzz for an extended period and get a lot of free Kindle 2.0 press.
Filed under: kindle Tagged: | kindle 2.0
Thanks for the info. A sim card… that IS interesting. I wonder what Mhz bands it supports. American GSM are 850 and 1900 Mhz while Europe is 900 and 1800 Mhz.
If there will be a “European Kindle” I wonder if it will it be able to work in the US?
You know The Gartner Group sez that the Kindle really sells well in the business traveler niche. Having a device that works in the US/Asia/S America and Europe would be cool but requires something like a dual/quad GSM band capability and they would have to partner with the right carriers.
It might be possible depending on who Amazon partners with for the European Kindles to work in the US but the US (Sprint) Kindles to not work in Europe.
That is a lot of wishful thinking and I think in the end Amazon is going to assume that the business traveler will simply have to use their PC to download books/etc like they do today.