Amazon reveals first color Kindle, new Kindle Scribe, and more

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Amazon’s first color e‑ink Kindle, the $280 Colorsoft, and refreshed Paperwhite and Scribe models are prompting readers to reassess the entire e‑reader landscape. Commenters weigh Amazon’s strong hardware, ecosystem, and longevity against DRM lock‑in, sideloading quirks, privacy concerns, and the quiet discontinuation of the button‑equipped Oasis. Many contrast Kindles with Kobo, Boox, PocketBook, and reMarkable devices, debating trade‑offs between openness, repairability, typography, color quality, note‑taking, and long-term reliability.

Color Kindle (Colorsoft) & color e‑ink

  • Many are excited about Amazon’s first color e‑ink Kindle, especially for comics, illustrated non‑fiction, and highlights.
  • Color resolution is 150 ppi vs 300 ppi mono; several expect muted colors, lower contrast, and a “screen‑door” look similar to other Kaleido devices, though Amazon’s custom oxide backplane and optics tweaks make some hopeful it’s better.
  • 7" is viewed as too small for serious comics or two‑page spreads; some want larger A4‑ish devices for manga, PDFs, and magazines.
  • Question why Scribe didn’t get color; others note current color e‑ink is still too slow and low‑res for good handwriting.

Paperwhite & base Kindle refresh

  • New Paperwhite is slightly larger (7") and marketed as faster; opinions split: some love the prior size as “perfect and pocketable,” others are fine with small growth.
  • Power button on the bottom remains a common irritation (accidental presses when resting the device).
  • Base Kindle appears unchanged; kids’ version no longer functions as a cheap ad‑free loophole unless in kids mode.

Kindle Scribe & e‑ink note‑taking

  • Scribe praised for PDF reading and writing experience, but widely criticized for limited software: weak note export (email‑PDF only), lack of Bluetooth keyboard, no remote page‑turn, and features gated behind Amazon’s cloud.
  • Compared to reMarkable and Boox:
    • reMarkable is liked for focused, distraction‑free note‑taking but weak as an ebook reader.
    • Boox/Android devices are far more capable (apps, RSS, manga readers) but have ghosting, slower UX, outdated Android, GPL violations, and privacy concerns.

Oasis discontinuation, buttons, and remotes

  • Many lament the quiet discontinuation of Oasis: asymmetric grip, metal body, waterproofing, warm light, and physical page buttons are seen as peak Kindle design.
  • Lack of any new buttoned model is a deal‑breaker for some; several consider Kobo Libra, PocketBook Era/Verse, or Boox/Palma instead.
  • Demand for official remote or Bluetooth page‑turn support is strong; users rely on clip‑on remotes or third‑party RF gadgets.

Kindle vs Kobo and other ecosystems

  • Kindle hardware is often praised as “premium” with excellent longevity and battery life; its store, syncing, and Send‑to‑Kindle are described as unmatched convenience.
  • Kobo is favored by many for: easy USB sideloading, true offline use, broader format support (epub), better library (OverDrive/Libby/Onleihe) integration, Pocket integration, and more open, repairable designs.
  • Downsides reported for Kobo: random crashes, freezes, and especially flaky batteries on certain models (e.g., Forma), though others report decade‑long reliability.
  • PocketBook is raised as a good “tinkerable” alternative with Linux, SSH, KOReader/Plato support, and configurable cloud/Dropbox sync.

Sideloading, DRM, and data/privacy

  • Sideloading methods:
    • USB + Calibre (with plugins for AZW3/KFX and page numbers).
    • Email / “Send to Kindle” with epub; many prefer this for sync and simplicity.
  • Conflicting reports about Amazon behavior:
    • Some say sideloaded books have randomly disappeared, often after going online or toggling airplane mode; a few now keep Kindles permanently offline.
    • Others, over many years, have never seen deletions and insist Kindle never adds DRM to sideloaded files.
  • Kindle doesn’t work with some DRMed library systems (e.g., certain European “Onleihe” setups); non‑Kindle readers often handle Adobe‑DRM epubs.
  • Calibre + DeDRM plugins are widely used to archive or move Kindle purchases, but newer KFX titles are harder to strip.
  • Several users worry about Amazon tracking reading habits and prefer offline Kobo, PocketBook, or reMarkable; a few jailbreak Kindles and run KOReader/Syncthing.

Battery life, durability, ads, and reading habits

  • Many report Kindles and Kobos lasting 8–10+ years; others have experienced dead batteries, stuck pixels, or touch failures after a few years.
  • Airplane mode remains key: Wi‑Fi off can stretch battery from ~1–2 weeks to over a month.
  • Ad‑supported Kindles and upsell “recommendations” on the home screen annoy some; others accept them for lower prices or get ads removed via support.
  • Multiple commenters say Kindle (or other e‑ink readers) dramatically reduced doomscrolling and increased yearly reading volume, often calling it their most impactful device.