Amazon Kindle

The first Amazon Kindle was released back in November 2007. It sold out in five and a half hours and was on backorder for several months after that, being the very first ebook reader to offer wireless connectivity.

The Kindle 2 came along in early 2009, and then the Kindle DX shortly after, soon followed by upgraded versions of both models with global 3G wireless. Then the Kindle 3, Kindle Wi-Fi, and Graphite Kindle DX came along in 2010. At the end of 2011 Amazon released three new Kindles: the Kindle 4, Kindle Touch, and Amazon's first tablet, the Kindle Fire.

Then in fall of 2012 Amazon released a whole slew of Kindle Fire tablets in various sizes and memory configurations, along with the biggest innovation to E Ink in years with the release of the Kindle Paperwhite ebook reader.

Amazon Kindle News Sections

7" Kindle Fire HD

The 7" Kindle Fire HD is a lot like the original Kindle Fire from a software standpoint, but it has a completely new design that brings a number of hardware upgrades, while still maintaining the $199 price.

The biggest change is the screen. It uses a higher resolution screen that shows a lot more detail and brighter colors with less glare and increased touch responsiveness.

Other additions include a front-facing camera, dual speakers, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, and a dual-band Wi-Fi antenna.

Kindle Fire HD Review »

Kindle Fire HD How To Guides

Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite marks a big change for the Kindle brand of ebook readers. It is the first E Ink Kindle to have a front light built into the screen, and it's also the first Kindle to use a capacitive touchscreen as well as a higher resolution 1024 x 758 screen.

The built-in front light uses a layer of flattened-out fiber optic cable to evenly distribute LED front lighting across the screen, which gives the screen its white appearance.

Their are two models available, a Wi-Fi only model that sells for $119 and a 3G model for $179. Both cost $20 more without ads.

Kindle Paperwhite Review »

$69 Amazon Kindle 5

The latest base model Kindle is basically the exact same as last year's Kindle 4. The main changes include a black bezel instead of gray, and the software has been tweaked to add bolder fonts and 15% faster page turns.

Amazon managed to shave even more off the price to bring it down to just $69 for the subsidized version and $89 for the ad-free version.

The Kindle 5 is a basic Kindle that lacks the touchscreen, the HD screen, and the front light that come with Paperwhite Kindle.

$69 Kindle Review »

8.9" Kindle Fire HD

In addition to the 7" model, Amazon offers larger Kindle Fire HD tablets with 8.9" 1920 x 1200 resolution screens and dual-core 1.5GHz processors.

There are two different models, each with two different options for storage space. There's a Wi-Fi model that starts at $299 and a premium model with 4G wireless that starts at $499.

The 4G models have the option of an exclusive data plan deal that costs $49 per year for 250MB per month. There are options for 3GB and 5GB plans too.

Kindle Fire 8.9" Review Coming Soon.

Kindle Fire 2

For some odd reason Amazon decided to release an updated version of the original Kindle Fire at the same time they introduced the new HD models.

They call it the Kindle Fire once again, but to make it less confusing it is referred to as the Kindle Fire 2 by most.

The 2nd generation Kindle Fire shares all the same basic features and specs as the original, except the new one has a slightly faster processor, twice the RAM, and better battery life.

Since both are nearly identical, please refer to the original Kindle Fire review and help articles listed below.

Kindle Fire (Original)

The Kindle Fire is Amazon's first tablet and color ebook reader. It is set to compete directly with the Barnes and Noble Nook Tablet, and to a lesser extent the iPad.

The Kindle Fire, priced at $199, doesn't offer as many features as some other tablets, but the price is so much lower than the competition that it is still a huge success.

Unlike the other Kindles, the Kindle Fire uses a backlit LCD screen. It's better for reading at night, but outdoors in bright light the E Ink Kindles have the major advantage.

Kindle Fire Review »

Kindle Fire How To Guides

Kindle Fire Hacking

Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G

The Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G were released at the same time as the Kindle Fire, and have been greatly overshadowed by it.

Starting at $99, the Kindle Touch offers more features than the Kindle 4. It has a touchscreen, optional 3G, twice as much memory and battery life, and supports audiobooks, text-to-speech, and music playback.

The Kindle Touch uses the same type of infrared touchscreen technology as the Nook, Kobo, and Sony Readers.

Kindle Touch Review »

Amazon Kindle 4

Starting at $79, the Kindle 4 is the lowest-priced E Ink ebook reader ever.

Even the non-subsidized version at $109 that is available internationally as well as the US is an incredible bargain compared to the prices of other ebook readers.

The Kindle 4 is a streamlined Kindle that lacks some features the other models offer, so make sure to read this review before buying.

Kindle 4 Review »

Kindle 4 Articles

Amazon Kindle 3

In August 2010, Amazon introduced two different version of the Kindle 3, a WiFi-only model for $139 and a WiFi plus 3G wireless version for $189.

Then in 2011 Amazon started offering discounted Special Offer versions of the Kindle 3 that have screensaver ads and special coupon deals, making four different Kindle 3 models to choose from.

After the release of the Kindle 4, Amazon changed the name of the Kindle 3 to the Kindle Keyboard, and continue to sell it. It starts at $99 and goes up to $189.

Kindle 3 Review »

Graphite Kindle DX

Amazon released the Graphite Kindle DX in July 2010. It was the first ebook reader to feature the new higher contrast Pearl screen from E Ink.

The Kindle DX is designed to make ereaders more accessible to newspaper and magazine readers, as well as business professionals and students that need to carry a lot of PDFs, documents, and textbooks.

One of the features that sets it apart from its smaller brother is the accelerometer, which rotates the viewed image from portrait to landscape as you rotate the reader.

Amazon Kindle DX Review »

Amazon Kindle 2

The Amazon Kindle 2 was released in February of 2009. It retailed for $369 until summer when Amazon dropped the price down to $299. By the time the Kindle 3 was released, it sold for just $189.

The Kindle 2 was a huge success for Amazon. It has over 17,000 reviews posted on Amazon.com, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

With the release of the Kindle 3, Amazon no longer makes the Kindle 2. It now sells used for around $145, still holding its value quite well.

Kindle 2 Review »

Kindle Library eBooks

The Amazon Kindle and Kindle Reading apps now support borrowing library ebooks from your local libraries. Check this Kindle Library eBook Guide to learn everything there is to know about the Kindle and library ebooks.

Amazon Kindle Reading Apps

Amazon has reading apps for most platforms so that your Kindle ebooks can be read on several devices, including the iPad, iPhone, Android tablets and phones, iPod touch, Blackberry, PC and Mac computers, and more. Library ebooks even work with the Kindle apps.

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