The release of a Kindle DX 2 that is identical to Kindle DX apart from 50% better screen contrast and a graphite casing begs the question -
Will Amazon do the same thing with Kindle 3 – Will Kindle 3 just be Kindle 2 with better screen contrast and a graphite casing?
It’s a rather uninspiring proposition and unfortunately a likely one. Consider the possible Kindle 3 value-add features -
- Color – Well, it’s out because it won’t be ready until end of the year or later.
- Touch – If it didn’t make it to Kindle DX 2 there’s little chance it makes it into Kindle 3.
- Some Killer Feature we don’t know of – It’s possible although nothing springs to mind.
- ePub support or support for library books – Either of these weakens the role of Kindle 3 as Kindle ebook selling machine.
- Software improvements – We just had a massive Kindle 2.5 upgrade. Don’t see another big set of features ready in time for Kindle 3 although it would be a great addition.
There just aren’t that many possibilities. The Kindle 3 may very well be Kindle 2.7 (factoring in the 2.5 upgrade).
What’s the next big thing for the Kindle if it isn’t Kindle 3?
The price wars with the Nook have already led to massive price cuts and ruled out price as a killer feature. It’s unlikely Amazon will go below or even match $189. Having 50% better screen contrast is good and also not enough to make Kindle 3 a must get.
Which makes you wonder what Amazon have planned for the Kindle.
- Is there really going to be a Qualcomm Mirasol screen powered Kindle 4 in time for Christmas? Will Kindle 3 be delayed to Christmas and have a color Pixel Qi or Qualcomm Mirasol screen?
- Are we going to see the Kindle Electronic Pen or another new addition to the Kindle family?
- Could the Kindle App Store turn out to be a big deal?
- Is Kindle 3 going to arrive with some magical feature that catches everyone by surprise?
- Are we going to see a subscription plan?
Amazon must have a few aces up its sleeve for 2010 and the 2010 Holiday season and you have to wonder when we’ll see them.
The 5 likeliest Kindle additions in the next 6 months
In my opinion these are the 5 Kindle additions that’ll make a difference (although the first, in my opinion, won’t be a very big deal) -
- An incremental Kindle 3 with much better screen resolution that increases the readability gap between Kindles and LCD devices.
- Kindle App Store – People still have no idea how much value this could add. Value related to reading and value related to additional things you can get from your Kindle (the latter will be off-set by the loss of focus/unitasking).
- A new addition to the Kindle family. There are just too many patents and technologies being added (Kindle Electronic Pen, Kindle Gesture Recognition, Multi-touch Kindle technology) for there not to be new Kindle additions. There’s a strong possibility we get a writing Kindle - strongly hinted at by the Kindle Electronic Pen patent and its connection with Amazon’s Cloud.
- One out of touchscreen or color screen by end 2010. It’s looking likelier and likelier that Amazon will have a Kindle 3 with incremental improvements to tide over readers for the summer and have something BIG in place for Christmas. This is especially important as iPad 2 will be out with its Retina Display which cancels out the effect of the backlight and refreshes your eyes and is readable in sunlight. In fact, it’s so good you can hold it behind your head and keep your eyes shut and still read it.
- A WiFi Kindle that doesn’t have 3G. Amazon has recently begun to focus a lot on promoting Free 3G and free global 3G. It might be to contrast against the iPad or it might be to contrast against a future Kindle Lite that doesn’t have 3G. Amazon isn’t going to stand by and watch Nook WiFi eat up the portion of the eReader market that wants WiFi or wants a sub $150, brand-new eReader.
Amazon seems very likely to introduce an incremental Kindle 3 and save up for a massive Kindle 4 release – one with color and other great additions like a Kindle App Store. Amazon will probably depend on the better screen contrast and lower price of the Kindle 3 to carry Kindle through the summer.
It’s an interesting strategy – it’s almost as if Amazon wants to make the most of its Kindle Store and Kindle ecosystem advantage and let the Kindle hardware do the bare minimum. If Kindle 3 really is an incremental upgrade then by Christmas we’ll have a very good idea whether Amazon’s minimalistic approach to Kindle 3 and Kindle DX 2 is enough to keep the Kindle in the lead.
Filed under: kindle 3
I’d want it just for the screen contrast, honestly. And I really like the color of the new Kindle; if I have a choice between black and white on an electronic device, I’ll choose black every time.
I’d like a software update that allows me to read the DRM-protected books being loaned out by our local library systems. Right now the Kindle is the only popular eReader that is not supported.
I just found out my library loans ebooks, but not for Kindle. I was all set to get a Kindle and now I’m waffling. I could borrow the books on the Nook, but I really like the Kindle better. Ugh!
Question: Is the new DX really the DX 2? The Amazon page does not call it DX 2, and, as you said, the improvements are only incremental.
Here in Japan, there is much talk in the press about the eventual transition from physical books to eBooks. However, the Kindle is constantly overlooked because it does not support non-Latin scripts. In technical circles, there are a number of people developing hacks to get around this. There are various font substitution tricks, but they all break updates. Probably the most common approach seems to be embedding fonts in PDFs or turning them into images, but this is far from ideal.
But all of these techniques are too complicated for the average book reader. Having an international Kindle is ridiculous unless Amazon is prepared to let people read books in their own languages.
I read English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese books. It is always a challenge getting the Kindle to display these books at the same time.
I prefer the size on the DX, but if Amazon can resolve this issue, I will gladly purchase a Kindle 3. However, since there was no mention of this with the newly announced DX, I doubt that it would make it into the Kindle 3 either.
Hiroshi, no idea if/when Kindle 3 will get support for other languages.
You make a very good point – Amazon are missing out on a lot of sales by not supporting additional languages.
I think that the new DX has WiFi built-in, but the software does not yet use it. Kindle 3 will be just like the new DX, except for its size. There might be a WiFi only Kindle 3, but it’s unlikely.
What makes you say that the new Kindle DX has WiFi built-in?
Look here: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/31/slim-kindle-shasta-to-be-first-with-wifi/
Scroll down to where it says “Showing wifi capability (hidden until Shasta launch) and modem type for Kindle devices”. My assumption is that this refers to the DX and that Shasta is the Kindle 3. Also assuming that it’s much simpler for Amazon to keep the DX and the Kindle as similar as possible.
that’s a great catch.