(Image source: Engadget )

 

BY JOE CHIODO



Amazon unveiled a new member of the Kindle Family at an invite-only press event Thursday. It’s called the Kindle “Paperwhite” and comes with something no Kindle has ever had: light. CEO Jeff Bazos says the e-reader is “thinner than a magazine and lighter than a paperback.” Fox Business explains the perks of the new backlit device.

“It apparently has a better display to be used in the direct sunlight, battery last 8-weeks which is crazy.  He says that now this Kindle Paperwhite can tell you how long it’s going to take to finish a chapter or a book.”

While the Paperwhite is the first Kindle device with light...it’s not the first e-reader to ever incorporate the illuminated display. Barnes & Noble’s NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight owns that title ever since it introduced it’s frontlit screen back in April. 

Critics are saying Paperwhite is simply an answer to the Nook, but ZDNet says Amazon’s doing it better.

“It includes 62 percent more pixels at 212 pixels per inch to offer what might be the closest any e-reader has come to actually replicating the look of paper pages.”

Since the announcement shares of Amazon.com stock have shown solid growth.   Businessweek explains it’s been a profitable couple of days for the company.

“...shares of Amazon rose as much as 2.5 percent to $252.27 [Thursday], a record high, as investors anticipated the tablet upgrade. Through yesterday [Wednesday], the stock had gained 42 percent this year. ”

Perhaps one of the most attractive parts of the new device though -- the price.  The Wi-Fi only version will cost $119 and the free 3G version will sell for $179.  The device is available for pre-order and is set to ship October 1st.