Amazon Announces Third Generation Kindle

Earlier this week, the Amazon Kindle was unavailable for order.  Amazon typically doesn’t have any problem fulfilling orders for the popular eBook reader so many speculated that perhaps we were on the verge of a new Kindle.  Now, just a few days later we do indeed have a new Kindle from Amazon.  The new version is simply dubbed the Amazon Kindle.

If you can imagine it, the new Kindle is even thinner than the Kindle 2, and also a bit smaller without sacrificing any screen size.  The screen is similar to the new Kindle DX screen in that it has 50 percent better contrast and 20 percent faster page turns according to Amazon.  On the inside, the new Kindle now has WiFi.  The device is available in a 3G and WiFi version for the same $189 as the previous model, of a WiFi only version for $139.  Both are available in either graphite or white. {Amazon}

Amazon looks to be taking some shots at Apple’s iPad and other tablets with the new Kindle.  The site’s page for the new Kindle points out that it won’t get hot while reading like computers and tablets.  It also mentions the fact that the screen has no glare about 5 times on the page.  In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said that “For the vast majority of books, adding video and animation is not going to be helpful. It is distracting rather than enhancing. You are not going to improve Hemingway by adding video snippets.”  He then added that there are a lot of companies making LCD tablets, and that he didn’t want Amazon to be one among many {Engadget}.  With the lowered price, it’s certainly easier to get into than the at least $500 iPad.  It might also help if we ever get to see those Kindle apps that were promised months ago.