Amazon rebuilt every Kindle it sells, from the base model to the color screen, and threw in a dedicated remote for turning pages.
On October 1, Amazon unveiled redesigned versions of the basic Kindle, the Kindle Paperwhite, and the Kindle Colorsoft, along with kids' editions of each. The new readers are thinner and lighter, come in colors like ube, alpine sky, and seaglass green, and the base Kindle now gets the flush-front display and optional aluminum back that used to be reserved for the pricier Signature Editions. Amazon also launched new accessories: a two-button haptic remote called the Kindle Click, a page-turn cover, a charging stand, and a sling bag with a mini Kindle keychain. The basic Kindle and Kindle Kids are shipping now for $149.99 and $179.99; the rest are up for preorder ahead of a joint release on October 28.
Prices are holding at $149.99 to $319.99, even though Amazon raised Kindle prices by $30 to $50 earlier this year and blamed a global memory shortage. This refresh absorbs that increase instead of piling a new one on top. The more interesting move is handing the base Kindle a flush display and aluminum back that were previously Signature Edition exclusives: Amazon is betting that premium materials sell more entry-level devices than a separate premium tier ever could.
The real test is the Kindle Click remote. A dedicated page-turn button is either a welcome return to e-reader basics or a $35 answer to a problem nobody had.