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Amazon introduces a redesigned Kindle family

53 points · 103 comments · seam_carver

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maherbeg · 1790865132 · focus · HN ↗
These look great! I still have a Kindle Voyage from 2015 that's going strong, though I do wish it had the warmer LED lights. It's nice to have some devices like this and my Fujifilm XT-30 that don't make me feel the constant need for upgrading.
1. hs86 · 1790870692 · focus · HN ↗
  Weird how there is still no real successor for the Voyage. They somehow refuse to release a 6-inch device with warm light and a light sensor for auto brightness. And with the lack of immersion reading on e-ink devices, I don't think I want to buy another Kindle again.
2. landgenoot · 1791089987 · focus · HN ↗
  I use a voyage as well. Wish it had USB-C, because that's the only device I use regularly that still has micro USB.
  Apart from that it's great, books won't get any better with an upgraded ereader.
fnoef · 1790869877 · focus · HN ↗
Amazon is a terrible company. Switched away from their Kindle and predatory business practices.
1. gonzalohm · 1790871115 · focus · HN ↗
  Do you have a recommendation for an ebook?
  1. jcotton42 · 1790871979 · focus · HN ↗
    I'm not the guy you asked, but I personally switched to Kobo.
  2. fnoef · 1790873325 · focus · HN ↗
    I switched to Kobo. Not that I’m a fan of Rakuten, but kobo so far remains open and modifiable should you want that
  3. goostavos · 1790875948 · focus · HN ↗
    I've been super happy with my boox. Full android, so you can install the Kindle app if needed. But it can natively read just about every format.
    I sync books through Dropbox. Seamless as can be. (And no DRM or "leasing" nonsense)
    paradox460 · 1791132665 · focus · HN ↗
    I second this. But I used to use SyncThing for sync. Now I use Bookorbit and the Koreader plug-in for sync
    It beats the pants off kindle
  4. rationalist · 1790877765 · focus · HN ↗
    I just switched to a color Kobo from the previous generation Kindle Paperwhite. I like it.
  5. hiyer · 1791095082 · focus · HN ↗
    Kobo is great. Unfortunately - in India at least - the books are way more expensive on Kobo (often 2x or even more) than on Kindle. So I've found it hard to get rid of the Kindle though I prefer to read on the Kobo.
    TFNA · 1791104833 · focus · HN ↗
    Why is the price of books on different stores relevant, when you can get most of what you want to read from the shadow libraries for free?
  6. m4rtink · 1791136514 · focus · HN ↗
    Kobo, Boox or PocketBook are all good choices. For a super compact reader Xteink seems interesting.
    wolvoleo · 1791140199 · focus · HN ↗
    Pocketbook in particular if you want an open ecosystem. Kobo doesn't meet that either.
    Pocketbooks just run Android and you can install what you want without any issue.
evek · 1790872714 · focus · HN ↗
Just as I’m modding my 2018 Paperwhite to add buttons and a bluetooth remote.
1. Obscurity4340 · 1790914039 · focus · HN ↗
  Keep us posted, sounds cool
joshstrange · 1790873662 · focus · HN ↗
Bluetooth page turner is nice but at this point I have zero interest in a Kindle unless I can load KOReader on it. I might buy one of these if they go on a sale and leave it in a drawer until it's jailbroken. I love my PW5 (jailbroken) but I'd buy a Kobo if they had a 7" screen (Clara) since that's easier to get KOReader on.
1. qingcharles · 1791089712 · focus · HN ↗
  $35 for that page turner is insane. I assume you can buy the same thing on Aliexpress for a dollar.
  1. paradox460 · 1791132232 · focus · HN ↗
    Koreader has a number of plugins for Bluetooth support on various devices, and you can buy cheap "tiktok remotes" for a few bucks that work with them
    I got a "tiktok ring" that I use to read in bed, and it's fantastic
  2. cma · 1791165746 · focus · HN ↗
    When reading on Kindle for Android on a plane etc. I use Wear Mouse to do it from my watch. I'm not sure if it can pair to kindle devices though.
2. esperent · 1791124432 · focus · HN ↗
  [delayed]
  1. wolvoleo · 1791139948 · focus · HN ↗
    If it's a years old paperwhite I'm sure you can run it :). Only the latest version is difficult.
    esperent · 1791175351 · focus · HN ↗
    Maybe you're right. It definitely wasn't possible a couple of years ago but I'll look into it again, thanks.
3. rpdillon · 1791125930 · focus · HN ↗
  Yeah, they're adding all this functionality to the hardware, as though that's the reason that I'm not using Kindle. Now that they've locked down the ecosystem, I only pay for DRM free books.
  1. wolvoleo · 1791140034 · focus · HN ↗
    They should have really added hardware buttons on the device. That would make me buy them (though I'd still jailbreak as soon as I can).
4. wolvoleo · 1791139913 · focus · HN ↗
  You can load KOReader on most of them. I run it on all of mine. Even have page sync back now with Kavita that supports opds sync.
juiceland · 1790877310 · focus · HN ↗
It looks like they’ve finally switched over to plant based leather. Good to see them move away from animal products in the accessories. Now if they could treat the humans that work for them better we’d really be cooking.
1. mholm · 1791135383 · focus · HN ↗
  The calculus here is more grey than it seems. 'Plant based leather' is largely plastic, while the leather industry (especially around cheap accessories) is made from meat industry byproducts. The hides would be destroyed/trashed otherwise. There's also the durability and biodegradable aspect of leather, over plant-based (let's not even talk about 'vegan leather', which is just vinyl).
  Not to say that the leather industry doesn't still contribute money to the meat industry, just that this change reads more as greenwashing than an upgrade.
  1. wolvoleo · 1791140797 · focus · HN ↗
    Also, real leather ages a lot better than all the fake varieties. They're definitely lower quality products IMO.
anotherlab · 1790883246 · focus · HN ↗
Adding page-turn buttons to the cover sounds clever.
1. roryirvine · 1790927395 · focus · HN ↗
  Yeah, I ran to find the product page - only to find that it "Fits 2026 Releases Only". Agh!
  Also it only fits the Signature Editions and will only be available in March (in the UK, at least).
  I'm still mourning the Oasis :(
  1. unsnap_biceps · 1791097172 · focus · HN ↗
    This finally got me to replace (preorder) my Oasis with a new Kindle. The physical buttons are a must for me.
March_f6 · 1790884170 · focus · HN ↗
We're in a post-literate society where most adults can't even finish 1 book a year. The fact that kindles are still a thing is kind of shocking.
1. AlotOfReading · 1790885197 · focus · HN ↗
  Books are arguably selling better than ever. It's just becoming a hobby people participate in as part of a larger community instead of a universal activity. Breakout successes tend to be things that appeal to women active on social media, a group that has very little overlap with the typical HN audience.
  1. bookofjoe · 1791118372 · focus · HN ↗
    >women active on social media, a group that has very little overlap with the typical HN audience
    I've long wondered what the percentage of HN users/readers who are women is but it's impossible to know. For every self-described female here, most remain under the radar.
  2. toymin · 1791123296 · focus · HN ↗
    It's all either porn or self-help slop
    cindyllm · 1791124878 · focus · HN ↗
    [dead]
2. crysin · 1791086980 · focus · HN ↗
  You’re on the internet too much if you believe this.
  1. nephihaha · 1791110961 · focus · HN ↗
    Unfortunately it's not just online. I meet people regularly who no longer read and some who never started. They're missing out. The book exercises the mind in a way that television doesn't.
3. epihelix · 1791092796 · focus · HN ↗
  Based on polls like this:
  <a href="https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/53804-most-americans-didnt-read-many-books-in-2025" rel="nofollow">https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/53804-most-americans-didnt...
  This literally isn't true :)
  But more relevant is that if ~20% of adults are reading 10+ books a year, then there's absolutely still a market for eReaders. (Whether or not kindles deserve that market I'll leave for others to argue :)
lbreakjai · 1790891170 · focus · HN ↗
I don't see them on amazon.nl, despite the article saying they're available starting today.
1. bookofjoe · 1791118629 · focus · HN ↗
  From Amazon Alexa: "Amazon just announced a completely redesigned Kindle lineup on October 1, 2026, and the Netherlands is included in the launch regions."
hosel · 1790910492 · focus · HN ↗
Give me a new oasis please Amazon
1. juiceland · 1791044496 · focus · HN ↗
  New old stock comes up every once in a while. Last year I bought 2 with cases (both new in box), jailbroke one and put the other in a closet.
whatatofu · 1790928170 · focus · HN ↗
Sadly, my next ebook won't be a Kindle. I'm leaning more towards Kobo when it needs a replacement, as I don't really like that Amazon has the ability to delete all my purchased (or non-purchased) ebooks remotely on the push of a button.
They already deleted my books once so it stays since then in plane mode, and I recovered everything with Calibre.
1. shermozle · 1791091242 · focus · HN ↗
  Unfortunately the Kobo software is terrible.
  1. BozeWolf · 1791101217 · focus · HN ↗
    Care to elaborate? I have a kobo reader for years and i am very happy with it.
  2. mavamaarten · 1791104154 · focus · HN ↗
    How so? I really can't relate.
2. otherme123 · 1791103754 · focus · HN ↗
  I liked my Kobo Clara HD for years. A few months ago my wife wanted an ereader, but she reads a lot less books than me. So she offered to inherit my Kobo, and I bougth a Pocketbook Verse Pro. I like it a lot for the physical buttons, the smart ligth is programable with hourly granularity (both intensity and tone), and you get an email address that forwards ebooks attached straight to the device. It is a bit faster turning pages.
  Kobo had its store on the home page, and while it was unobstrusive, the Pocketbook has nothing at all. Worth a look, if you are interested.
  1. TFNA · 1791104699 · focus · HN ↗
    I have a Kobo and am not quite sure what is on its home page and don't really care, because the device spends all its time in KOreader. I also am not concerned about corporate schenanigans, because I put the device in airplane mode as soon as I unboxed it. I'd say Kobo is a pretty dependable device for people with such concerns.
syspec · 1790956684 · focus · HN ↗
Not disparaging it, sincerely curious as I see it mentioned in this thread a couple of times... why would you need a blutooth remote for a kindle?
1. Rebelgecko · 1791058412 · focus · HN ↗
  It's nice having a physical button, touchscreen isn't as ergo or reliable
  1. wolvoleo · 1791140966 · focus · HN ↗
    Absolutely but buttons on the device itself are far more useful than this.
2. jasonjayr · 1791086649 · focus · HN ↗
  Some people read music on an ebook display -- having a foot pedal to advance the page while your playing is a relatively common thing.
3. iamjake648 · 1791087165 · focus · HN ↗
  My wife, and nearly all of her friends have one. They setup the kindle with a mount and lay back on the bed or couch.
4. pkamb · 1791088833 · focus · HN ↗
  Treadmill is a big one. Or under covers in bed with the Kindle propped up or mounted.
5. robotresearcher · 1791089170 · focus · HN ↗
  Touch screens are tricky for some people with motor control issues.
jmspring · 1790969387 · focus · HN ↗
Not really an Amazon fan, but Kindle Unlimited is something I use a lot. I read 3-4 books a month (sometimes more). Not all great literature, but a way to relax in the evening or on vacation.
I like the warmth setting of more current paperwhites.
gregjw · 1791086880 · focus · HN ↗
Did they invent a colour here? What is Ube?
1. marinhero · 1791087008 · focus · HN ↗
  Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines. Sweet and yummy. Naming makes sense here.
2. zerocrates · 1791087059 · focus · HN ↗
  Ube is a purple yam. You might have seen it in Filipino food like halo halo, or various Instagram-worthy trendy ube-flavored purple foods.
  1. nephihaha · 1791111014 · focus · HN ↗
    It's the in thing just now for whatever reason. I see all the chain coffee shops are offering it. Next year it will be something else.
    jimmygrapes · 1791135053 · focus · HN ↗
    Not sure how coffee avoided the pickle trend, or maybe that's next
3. m463 · 1791089175 · focus · HN ↗
  In seattle there is a restaurant downtown called Ludi's that serves ube pancakes that are a giant purple pile of goodness.
  I wonder if there's a connection?
  1. rhplus · 1791089787 · focus · HN ↗
    Ube has been a trendy ingredient in major markets for a couple of years now. It’s not just a Seattle thing.
    <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ube-is-the-2024-flavor-of-the-year-according-to-annual-food-and-beverage-trends-report-302013009.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ube-is-the-2024-fla...
    m463 · 1791092320 · focus · HN ↗
    probably, but just wondering because it was ~ 1 mile from amazon hq
    nephihaha · 1791111065 · focus · HN ↗
    Yes. I've noticed in chain coffee shops in the UK. Never heard of it until recently. I'm sure it will be something else soon.
    wolvoleo · 1791140145 · focus · HN ↗
    I've seen it in a lot of Filippo restaurants too, even here in Barcelona. And Chinese shops. As it's usually eaten with milk I don't go for it but it's not bad apparently
Ozzie_osman · 1791087045 · focus · HN ↗
I love my Kindle. Changed my life. I read so much more now. No need to order or go buy books, no need to plan ahead which books to take on a trip, etc.
That said, it is so buggy (constant freezes, occasional white screen of death) and so slow.
paranoidrobot · 1791087102 · focus · HN ↗
Long time Kindle user. I have deeply disliked the touch-only interface since it was introduced - the only reason I switched to them was because the old one with page turn buttons toon a swim.
The touch interface is great for typing, but for turning pages I find myself either accidentally pressing on the screen or it not recognising the touch at all. Touching in the wrong spot can also result in it clicking links or similar.
The idea they might be bringing out a case that has the buttond seems great, except it's only for the signature editions.
Not happy about that one.
1. lopis · 1791128793 · focus · HN ↗
  Still rocking my Kindle Keyboard. Physical buttons or nothing for me thanks.
reedf1 · 1791087437 · focus · HN ↗
An e-reader is the only device I've ever actively wanted a big chunky separated bezel. For the longest time my oldest kindle has been the one I actually used despite no usb-c.
glimshe · 1791089197 · focus · HN ↗
This is basically an ad. They forgot to mention that Amazon doesn't sell books, they only rent you a license. It's gone when they want it to be gone. Bookfinder doesn't have this problem...
1. alfiedotwtf · 1791089818 · focus · HN ↗
  “The Right to Read”
  By Richard Stallman
  <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1981/1981-h/1981-h.htm" rel="nofollow">https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1981/1981-h/1981-h.htm
  1. ViktorRay · 1791139957 · focus · HN ↗
    I read this story and feel a sense of sadness. Because I think about how Sony is planning on ending physical game sales for the PlayStation.
    I have many fond memories of sharing games as a kid with my friends. Of renting them from Blockbuster. But nowadays it with everything digital…that’s all gone..
2. TeaVMFan · 1791143030 · focus · HN ↗
  Amazon does allow authors to make their books DRM-free, with downloads you can copy to any device. There is a partial list of authors here: <a href="https://frequal.com/Perspectives/DrmFreeAuthors.html" rel="nofollow">https://frequal.com/Perspectives/DrmFreeAuthors.html
  This is opt-in, so authors self-publishing make the choice when uploading their books.
  1. Hackbraten · 1791145505 · focus · HN ↗
    > with downloads you can copy to any device.
    I don’t see a download option. There used to be one, but they killed it two years ago or so.
    And Amazon can still remove the book from your library anytime they want.
  2. shakna · 1791179140 · focus · HN ↗
    [delayed]
lenova · 1791089717 · focus · HN ↗
This "article" is just an advertisement in disguise.
1. dewey · 1791102300 · focus · HN ↗
  It’s an official Amazon website, how is that “in disguise”?
Stratoscope · 1791089982 · focus · HN ↗
I have a nice Kindle Paperwhite, but I hardly ever use it.
Instead, I read my Kindle books on my S24 Ultra. Why?
One is the classic photographer's question: "What's the best camera?" The one you have with you.
The other is that I really like scrolling instead of page-turning. I can hold the phone in one hand and use my thumb to scroll up and down just like any webpage or document. This lets me keep my context instead of losing it at every page turn.
There are two steps to enable this.
First, open any book and tap somewhere in the middle. Select the "Aa" icon at the top. Go to the Layout tab and turn on Continuous Scrolling.
Now you will have a problem. The selfie camera's circular hole cuts into the scrolling area. To my eyes, it is disorienting and annoying to have everything else scroll but that camera cutout sits there.
To fix this, go to Settings / Display / Camera cutout. Scroll down to Kindle and change its setting from "Auto" to "Hide Camera cutout". This takes away a few pixels at the top of the screen, but you have plenty of display space available. And no disorienting black circle as you scroll.
You may still prefer a physical Kindle device, but with these two settings, the S24 Ultra is now my favorite Kindle.
1. skydhash · 1791102458 · focus · HN ↗
  > Instead, I read my Kindle books on my S24 Ultra. Why?
  > One reason is the classic photographer's question: "What is the best camera?" The one you have with you.
  I have a Kobo Libra and while it’s bigger than the basic kindle I had (which I could put in my back pocket), it’s still fairly portable. The nicest thing is that I only need to press the power button to get back to what I was reading. Compare to unlocking the phone, open the app, locate the book and then opening it. Without being distracted.
2. eternauta3k · 1791103458 · focus · HN ↗
  I realized my cellphone has a display that's almost as big as my Kindle, is less hassle to load with books, can scroll/zoom PDFs easier, and won't complain about lacking memory when opening big PDFs.
3. mvid · 1791127758 · focus · HN ↗
  “The best camera is the one you have”, in this case if you still want a device, so the phone isn’t a potential distraction, the xteink are nice and can easily fit in the same pocket as a phone. Currently reading Neuromancer on mine
  1. CobaltFire · 1791128596 · focus · HN ↗
    I second this. I carry my xteink device everywhere and its vastly better for reading than my phone.
4. MisterMunchkin · 1791130393 · focus · HN ↗
  Yeah once I realised you could just scroll-read on your phone I started reading a lot more. You can have an entire library of books without having to carry them.
5. winrid · 1791140071 · focus · HN ↗
  Note that that Samsung display backlight modulation is pretty hard on your eyes
  1. Stratoscope · 1791152213 · focus · HN ↗
    Interesting! I haven't noticed any problem with that myself. The display doesn't cause me any eyestrain. But everyone has different eyes and vision.
    winrid · 1791170405 · focus · HN ↗
    I didn't either until I used all Samsung displays for a couple years and now I can't look at any of them for more than like 5mins without eye pain. I can only use IPS displays now. But it could be some kind of genetic issue or something.
danielfoster · 1791101198 · focus · HN ↗
Meh. It’s just another Kindle. It would be nice to see Amazon be a bit more revolutionary or daring.
1. wolvoleo · 1791140836 · focus · HN ↗
  Yes like a gallery color screen instead of those mediocre kaleido ones.
alexaholic · 1791106554 · focus · HN ↗
Looks nice, too bad it's Amazon. I have a Kindle, but because of the DRM mess, for my s/o we decided to get a Kobo.
armitron · 1791107760 · focus · HN ↗
I am surprised that Kindle isn’t dead yet just based on Amazon horrible business practices and the fact their product is a DRM hell fest that shoves anti-consumer behavior down your throat. People are either too lazy or love being sheep I guess.
I’ve had a Kobo for many years, with calibre sideloading and managing my DRM-free library of ePUBs fully owned by me, and never looked back.
1. bookofjoe · 1791117984 · focus · HN ↗
  normies — who make up 99+% of e-reader users — haven't a clue what "calibre sideloading" and "DRM-free library of ePUBs" means. That's why Kindle isn't just not dead but thriving.
  1. wolvoleo · 1791140696 · focus · HN ↗
    I'm honestly surprised that people don't manage to find Anna's Archive when they can save a lot of money there.
    I'm not sure about where you are but in Holland everyone was downloading movies and TV shows in the early 2000s. When Netflix came to Europe that changed though I do expect it to go back to that now that the content has been spread over tens of platforms with every rising prices and annoying ads.
2. carlosjobim · 1791137728 · focus · HN ↗
  Seems pretty pro consumer that you can easily purchase books online and have them at once on your device to read.
  That's why they have many consumers.
pjmlp · 1791112370 · focus · HN ↗
The only thing I care about is the original design with physical keys, and having better PDF rendering.
Given that most my ebooks are in ePub format, when it dies, the Kindle will be replaced by Kobo or whatever else that fits those requirements.
AbuAssar · 1791114790 · focus · HN ↗
Amazon still refuses to give kindle proper model numbers, now we have this ridicules (new Kindle) and (Kindle Paperwhite newest model).
thepryz · 1791120935 · focus · HN ↗
Disappointing to see the removed Qi wireless charging in favor of pogo pins in the Signature.
decafninja · 1791121346 · focus · HN ↗
I have a Kindle Paperwhite that I’ve given some effort to use. Each time, I find myself returning to just using the Kindle app on my phone or iPad.
The problem is UI lag. Reading a book once opened is fine. Everything up to the point of starting to read is lag lag lag.
It was laggy when brand new. When I asked people about it, they said it was normal. To its credit, it’s no laggier today five years later than it was when new.
1. carlosjobim · 1791136164 · focus · HN ↗
  You're supposed to read books on it, not fiddle in the menus. The lag comes entirely from the display technology.
over_bridge · 1791122859 · focus · HN ↗
A new Oasis would have been an instant buy for me but otherwise there's nothing interesting to see here
RicoElectrico · 1791130289 · focus · HN ↗
Interesting they ignored the micro-reader trend that XTEINK started.
paradox460 · 1791132150 · focus · HN ↗
I don't know why they refuse to make a new oasis like kindle. Horizontal and square is extremely comfortable to read on
The abandonment of Oasis, coupled with their DRM goofs, led me to a Boox Go, with Koreader, and Ive never been happier
pxtail · 1791140492 · focus · HN ↗
>A magnetic cover with physical page-turn buttons
What about physical buttons on the device edges? That could be really innovative
mrheosuper · 1791181048 · focus · HN ↗
I honestly don't see the appeal of Kindle ereader anymore. There are countless one from China, run Android, with comparable Eink screen.

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