Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock the last few days, you’ve probably heard about the new Kindle Touch eReader. The Amazon Kindle has become a household product and name around the globe. While other eReaders arrived before Amazon’s Kindle eReader in 2007, none were effective in developing widespread popularity and acceptance. The Kindle was the first eReader to basically develop the market which exists today and which encompasses hundreds of models and dozens of manufacturers. And when it comes to eReading technology, Amazon is traditionally the first on the scene with any new product, software or hardware.
However, that was not the case with touch screen technology. Today’s tech savvy consumer has become accustomed to using multitouch gestures on capacitive touchscreens for their smartphones and tablets. Even some laptops and PCs offer touchscreen access. Lagging behind the competition recently cost Amazon its precious number one eReader spot that it has held since 2007. The Kobo touch screen eReader and Barnes and Noble Simple Touch eReaders actually spent a couple of weeks in the number one position. Basically sacrilege to Amazon, they knew they had to do something and do something quickly.
Their response was to release the Kindle Touch at a presell retail price of $99, significantly lowering the retail bar for the competition. The Kindle Touch employs the same E-Ink Pearl technology for its display which mimics the easy reading features of a hardback or paperback book, but also allows for reading in direct sunlight and other high light situations. Aside from providing a touchscreen eReader access for the first time ever, Amazon has created a much more svelte Kindle as well. The new Kindle Touch is 8% lighter and 11% smaller than previous Kindle editions, without sacrificing any of the 6 inch screen size.
Access to Amazon’s digital marketplace is available via the free Wi-Fi built into the Kindle Touch, and this new eReader can hold up to 3,000 books, offers text to speech features, and supports audio books and MP3s. Just last week Amazon announced their library lending program which they rolled out to 11,000 libraries across US. This allows Kindle Touch owners to check out library books without leaving their house, and means never having to pay late fees again.
There is one caveat to that $99 retail price however. Amazon offers money-saving special advertisements and offers on your homepage and screen savers in return for that $99 retail. The same touch screen eReader is available for $139 without those special ads and offers. However, Amazon stated that they will never interrupt digital contents with any special offers, and they will only be delivered outside of books, magazines and other digital products. Product begins shipping November 21st. You can pre-order the Kindle Touch eReader for either $99 or $139 depending on the model you select. Amazon also released several other brand new Kindle products, including the Kindle Fire!
