Amazon is updating its line of Kindle eReaders and tablets, and the new entry-level Kindle is a $79 device that has a touchscreen display and a processor that’s twice as fast as the model it replaces.
The new Kindle features a 6 inch, Pearl E Ink display with 167 pixels per inch and 4GB of storage. It weighs 6.7 ounces, measures 0.4 inches thick, and lasts for weeks on a charge.
The eReader features 802.11n WiFi which you can use to download content from the Kindle Store.
Amazon’s $79 price is for a model with “special offers,” which means that there are ads on the home screen. You can pay $20 more for a model without special offers.
While the starting price is $10 higher than Amazon had been charging for the previous model, this is the company’s cheapest Kindle with a touchscreen to date. Sadly the new Kindle still lacks some features that were present in older models that have since been discontinued, such as support for text-to-speech and MP3 audio playback.
What is it with Amazon’s obsession with NOT supporting audio? It’s as if no removable storage or battery and dripping with DRM wasn’t enough. I’ll pass on these things.
Sadly it also lacks a backlight.