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

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

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    • Boox/Android devices are far more capable (apps, RSS, manga readers) but have ghosting, slower UX, outdated Android, GPL violations, and privacy concerns.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.