Amazon introduces new Kindle Paperwhite, Colorsoft and entry-level models

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Amazon has launched new Kindles across all models, and they feature new designs and new colors. The company completely removed the recessed screen found in the entry-level Kindle, giving all versions a flush-front display with colors that seamlessly wrap all around its body. Amazon says the new 6-inch Kindle is the "most pocket-sized" Kindle it has ever made. 

It's 6.8mm thin, which is a full millimeter thinner than its predecessor, and only weighs 140 grams. The device can last for six weeks on a single charge and is 30 percent faster when it comes to opening books compared to the previous entry level e-reader. You'll get 16GB of storage with the basic Kindle, which will cost you at least $150 with lockscreen ads and will be available in Ube (named after a purple yam from the Philippines) and Graphite.

The entry-level Kindle will also be available in another variant with an aluminum back. Amazon says it has a "premium feel" but it comes at the cost of being 20 grams heavier than its non-aluminum sibling. This e-reader has 32GB of storage, twice that of the most basic Kindle, and will be available in Alpine Sky Aluminum and Seaglass Green Aluminum.

Meanwhile, the new Kindle Paperwhite is thinner and lighter than before, but it can last up to 12 weeks on a single charge. It has 16GB of storage, is still waterproof and comes with an adjustable warm light. Amazon says it has the largest screen and the highest contrast ratio among all its Paperwhites, so you can read better under bright sunlight. The new Paperwhite, available in Graphite, will set you back $200 and above. For $50 more or so, you can get the new Paperwhite Signature Edition, which comes with an aluminum back, 32GB of storage, auto-adjusting lights and the capability to double tap to turn pages. It will be available in Graphite and Seaglass Green.

Finally, Amazon has redesigned the new Kindle Colorsoft's display so that it has edge-to-edge color and to improve its clarity. You can get the basic Kindle Colorsoft with 16GB of storage for $290 in Graphite. The new Colorsoft Signature Edition comes with aluminum housing, and like the Paperwhite, has 32GB of storage, auto-adjusting front light, dock charging and the ability to turn pages by double tapping. It's available in Graphite and Fig for a minimum price of $320. 

All three will have Kids versions with child-friendly covers and a subscription to Amazon Kids+ for prices starting at $180. The entry-level Kindle and its aluminum version are available starting today in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, Japan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Australia. The new Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle Colorsoft will roll out for preorder across the same regions. 

At a hands-on session in New York, our editor Cherlynn Low was able to preview all the new Kindles. In addition to the pictures you see in this article, she shared the following impressions:

"It's one thing to admire the view of the colorful new Kindles, especially that ube color option, which is lovely in real life. But it's quite different when you're picking them up to get a feel for the aluminum housing of the signature editions and the texture of the plastic models. It's been a minute since I fondled a bunch of Kindles, and the ones I have at home have a smoother finish to them. Something about the texture of the paint on the ube Kindle felt noticeably distinct. It's a bit scratchier than it is smooth, like a less gritty sandpaper.

It could just be something unique to the particular unit at the demo session, and I'm sure it won't take long before we learn if this is a feature of all the new entry-level Kindles. Amazon did say the soft touch paint on this generation is similar to its predecessor's, so it's entirely possible I just noticed this for the first time.

The signature edition models that I picked up felt cool, thin and light. When I flipped between pages and jumped out of books into the home page, the devices seemed responsive. I placed the aluminum Paperwhite and Colorsoft units into the Page-Turn-Cover that Amazon is also announcing today, and rapidly pressed the buttons to blast through pages. The devices refreshed quickly, and I didn't notice any lag."