If you’ve got a kid who’s always hogging your Kindle, or you’re simply looking for a cheaper alternative to Amazon’s Kindle Colorsoft, we’ve got some good news. Amazon just announced two new e-readers — one built specifically with children in mind, and another that’s all about saving a few bucks if a colour screen is a must.
It’s not so black and white
Calling the latter “new” may be a bit of a stretch, considering all that Amazon has done here is halve the storage of the original Colorsoft (and removed wireless charging) before calling it a day and charging a lower fee. We’re not complaining. The new 16GB model still retains the same 7in 1,264 × 1,680 colour display, except this one comes in at a slightly more affordable $250 (∼R4,400) — only $30 cheaper than the original at launch.
In other words, Saffas will likely still be paying through the nose — we’re expecting somewhere in the ballpark of R5,000, judging by the local launch price of the Colorsoft Signature Edition — when the device eventually turns up locally. It’s already available across the pond.
This one’s for the kids
Amazon’s kid-centric Kindle is similarly innovative as the 16GB Colorsoft, which is to say not at all. Called the Kindle Colorsoft Kids, it again features the same 7in 1,264 × 1,680 colour display we saw last year (make of that what you will) and still manages to lay down a $270 (∼ R4,800) price, despite the meagre 16GB storage. At least it’s still waterproof.
“It’s also packed with features for young readers such as Vocabulary Builder and Word Wise to learn new words, the OpenDyslexic font, and Bluetooth connectivity so they can listen to audiobooks with headphones. The Amazon Parent Dashboard also lets parents manage their child’s content, review reading activity, or set a device bedtime.”
It’s essentially the same Colorsoft you’ve already seen before, but with less room for books, although it also includes a cover — a choice of ‘Fantasy River’ or ‘Starlight Reading’ — as well as a year of Amazon Kids+, the company’s subscription service that’s packed with books aimed at a younger audience. There’s still no word on local availability or pricing at the time of writing.
