Well after so many months of longing for the No.1 bestselling product at Amazon.com, my friends and family in the UK can at last buy the Kindle ebook reader actually in the UK as the online store Amazon.co.uk releases a sleeker, smaller and lighter version of the must have gadget that folks in the US have been flaunting for the past 2 years.

Yes, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has announced two new 6-inch Kindle ebook readers, the Kindle WiFi-only model costing £109 and a new Kindle free 3G + WiFi model costing £149. Both Kindle models are now available for pre-order at Amazon.co.uk and will ship on 27th August 2010. The Kindle WiFi-only model and the Kindle free 3G + WiFi models are offered in graphite.

The latest generation Kindle devices come with hardware and feature upgrades compared with the now out-of-stock Kindle 2 from Amazon.com. Most notably, they come with the new Pearl display from E Ink that have 50% improved contrast for a crisper display. The new Pearl display which has been used in the latest Kindle DX (which is unavailable in the UK) is an advancement on the Vizplex screen technology, which comes courtesy of E Ink, that has been used for all of the major ebook readers currently on the market e.g. Amazon Kindle 2, Barnes and Noble Nook and Sony. With the Pearl display, the contrast between the background and the text now resembles the appearance of a paperback book unlike the Vizplex display which resembles a typical newspaper. The adoption of Pearl should be more widespread as ebook reader manufacturers upgrade devices in the future.

The new Kindle ebook readers are smaller than the previous Kindle 2, with a 21 percent smaller body and 15 percent lighter mass. Despite the smaller size, they have managed to squeeze much more battery life into the device: up to 30 days with wireless off and 10 days with wireless on. They have also doubled the internal memory to 4GB thereby allowing storage of 3,500 books (just like the Kindle DX with free 3G) and have improved the page refresh rate to make it 20 percent faster.

From the press release by Amazon.com, some of the salient features of the new Kindles are as follows:

New improved PDF Reader: The new Kindle uses an improved built-in PDF reader with new dictionary lookup, notes and highlights, and support for password protected PDFs.

New WebKit-based Browser (experimental): The updated Kindle uses a new web browser based on the industry-leading open source Web browser engine, WebKit. The new browser is faster, easier to navigate, and provides a new “article mode” feature that simplifies web pages to just the main text-based content for easier reading. Web browsing with Kindle over 3G or Wi-Fi is free.

New Voice Guide: With Text-to-Speech, the Kindle can read out loud to you. New Text-to-Speech enabled menus allow customers to navigate Kindle without having to read menu options. In addition to listening to books aloud, users now have the option of listening to content listings on the home screen, item descriptions, and all menu options.

New Proprietary Screen Technology–Faster Page Turns, New and Improved Fonts: The Kindle’s all-new, high-contrast electronic ink display is further optimized with Amazon’s proprietary waveform and font technology to make pages turn faster and fonts sharper. Waveform is a series of electronic pulses that move black and white electronic ink particles to achieve a final gray level for an image or text. Amazon tuned the new Kindle’s waveform and controller mechanism to make page turning 20 percent faster. In addition, this waveform tuning combined with new hand-built, custom fonts and font-hinting make words and letters more crisp, clear, and natural-looking. Font hints are instructions, written as code, that control points on a font character’s line and improve legibility at small font sizes where few pixels are available. Hinting is a mix of aesthetic judgments and complicated technical strategies. Amazon designed its proprietary font-hinting to optimize specifically for the special characteristics of electronic ink.

For further details of Kindle Latest Generation visit Amazon.co.uk.

Following much anticipation and rumors of the next generation Kindle being named Shasta, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has at last announced two new 6-inch Kindle ebook readers, the Kindle WiFi-only model costing $139 and a new Kindle free 3G + WiFi model costing $189. It is interesting to note that compared to the Barnes and Noble Nook WiFi-only and Nook 3G + WiFi models, both of the new Kindle versions have a $10 lower price point.

Both  Kindle models are now available for pre-order at Amazon.com and will ship to over 100 countries on 27th August 2010. The Kindle WiFi-only model comes in graphite and the Kindle free 3G + WiFi model is offered in graphite or white.

The latest generation Kindle devices come with hardware and feature upgrades compared with the now out-of-stock Kindle 2. Most notably, they come with the new Pearl display from E Ink that have 50% improved contrast. The new Pearl display which has been used in the latest Kindle DX is an advancement on the Vizplex screen technology, which comes courtesy of E Ink, that has been used for all of the major ebook readers currently on the market e.g. Amazon Kindle 2, Barnes and Noble Nook and Sony. With the Pearl display, the contrast between the background and the text now resembles the appearance of a paperback book unlike the Vizplex display which resembles a typical newspaper. The adoption of Pearl should be more widespread as ebook reader manufacturers upgrade devices in the future.

The new Kindle ebook readers are smaller than the previous Kindle 2, with a 21 percent smaller body and 15 percent lighter mass. Despite the smaller size, they have managed to pack much more battery life into the device: up to 1 month with wireless off and 10 days with wireless on. They have also doubled the internal memory to 4GB thereby allowing storage of 3,500 books (just like the Kindle DX with free 3G) and have improved the page refresh rate to make it 20 percent faster.

From the press release by Amazon.com, some of the salient features of the new Kindles are as follows:

Improved PDF Reader: The new Kindle uses an improved built-in PDF reader with new dictionary lookup, notes and highlights, and support for password protected PDFs.

New WebKit-based Browser (experimental): The new Kindle uses a new web browser based on the industry-leading open source Web browser engine, WebKit. The updated browser is faster, easier to navigate, and provides a new “article mode” feature that simplifies web pages to just the main text-based content for easier reading. Web browsing with Kindle over 3G or Wi-Fi is free.

New Voice Guide: With Text-to-Speech, Kindle can read out loud to you. New Text-to-Speech enabled menus allow customers to navigate Kindle without having to read menu options. In addition to listening to books aloud, users now have the option of listening to content listings on the home screen, item descriptions, and all menu options.

New Proprietary Screen Technology–Faster Page Turns, New and Improved Fonts: Kindle’s all-new, high-contrast electronic ink display is further optimized with Amazon’s proprietary waveform and font technology to make pages turn faster and fonts sharper. Waveform is a series of electronic pulses that move black and white electronic ink particles to achieve a final gray level for an image or text. Amazon tuned the new Kindle’s waveform and controller mechanism to make page turning 20 percent faster. In addition, this waveform tuning combined with new hand-built, custom fonts and font-hinting make words and letters more crisp, clear, and natural-looking. Font hints are instructions, written as code, that control points on a font character’s line and improve legibility at small font sizes where few pixels are available. Hinting is a mix of aesthetic judgments and complicated technical strategies. Amazon designed its proprietary font-hinting to optimize specifically for the special characteristics of electronic ink.

On 19th July 2010 Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, announced, “We’ve reached a tipping point with the new price of Kindle–the growth rate of Kindle device unit sales has tripled since we lowered the price from $259 to $189.”

He further added, “In addition, even while our hardcover sales continue to grow, the Kindle format has now overtaken the hardcover format. Amazon.com customers now purchase more Kindle books than hardcover books–astonishing when you consider that we’ve been selling hardcover books for 15 years, and Kindle books for 33 months.”

Over the past three months, Amazon.com sales of Kindle ebooks have outstripped sales of physical hardcover books by 43%. Over the past 4 weeks, for every 180 Kindle ebooks Amazon.com has sold, it has sold 100 physical hardcover books . This is across Amazon.com’s entire U.S. book business and includes sales of physical books where there is no Kindle edition. Free Kindle books are excluded and if they had been included would make the number even higher.

Amazon.com sold more than 3 times as many Kindle ebooks in the first half of 2010 as in the first half of 2009. The Association of American Publishers’ latest data reports that e-book sales grew 163 percent in the month of May 2010 and 207 percent year-to-date through May. Kindle ebook sales in May and year-to-date through May exceeded those growth rates.

Currently, some of the top 5 authors in the bestselling list include Charlaine Harris, Stieg Larsson, Stephenie Meyer, James Patterson, and Nora Roberts; each have sold more than 500,000 Kindle ebooks.

This news sounds very encouraging and it shows that the shrewd decision to lower the price point of the Kindle ebook reader to $189 has removed the potential threat of the “Kindle-killer”, Apple iPad. It is very interesting to note that Amazon did not waste any time to release the Kindle application for the iPad when the iPad had its debut and due to very clever marketing it appears that they have successfully poached many customers from using iBooks in favor of Kindle ebooks.

The Kindle device differs from the Apple iPad mainly in the screen technology, battery life, capabilities, price and weight. The Kindle uses an e-Ink screen which is black and white, it has no backlight, and it’s meant to provide the experience of reading a normal book. The e-Ink screen is low power, giving the Kindle weeks of battery life, compared to up to 10-hours of battery power for an Apple iPad. The iPad uses LCD technology in its touchscreen and has LED (light emitting diode) backlights, which utilize more power. In addition to its use for reading ebooks, the iPad is also a small tablet computer with internet surfing and video capabilities.

If you decide to invest in a Kindle this summer for an absorbing read outdoors, be sure to invest in a Kindle cover or case to protect your device. Take a pick from our Top 10 Kindle Covers and Cases. On the other hand, should you decide to use the Kindle app on the iPad, come and check out the Top 10 iPad Covers and Cases.

Amazon today announced that it will take pre-orders for it’s sleek, new graphite Kindle DX latest generation device at a lower price of $379 compared to the original Kindle DX which was priced at $489. The latest Kindle DX boasts free 3G wireless connectivity in the US and in over 100 other countries and 50% improved display contrast for sharper images and clearer text.

The new Pearl display which has been used in the latest Kindle DX is an advancement on the Vizplex screen technology, which comes courtesy of E Ink, that has been used for all of the major ebook readers currently on the market e.g. Amazon Kindle 2, Barnes and Noble Nook and Sony. With the Pearl display, the contrast between the background and the text now resembles the appearance of a paperback book unlike the Vizplex display which resembles a typical newspaper. The adoption of Pearl should be more widespread as ebook reader manufacturers upgrade devices in the future.

The price drop for the new Kindle DX reinforces Amazon’s position as a strong competitor in the ebook reader market following the worldwide iPad consumer frenzy.

Shipping for the latest Kindle DX commences on 7 July 2010.

Just remember that if you decide to buy a Kindle DX, you’ll definitely need a protective cover or case for your device, so come and browse through the ebookreaderguide.com Best Kindle DX Covers and Cases to help you select the best product for your needs.

Today has been an exciting day as both Barnes and Noble and Amazon have dramatically lowered the prices of their respective ebook readers, the Nook and the Kindle 2. First Barnes and Noble announced the Nook’s price reduction from $259 to $199, plus the launch of the new Kobo-killer Nook WiFi at $149.

As I took my lunch and shared the news with colleagues, we all had one thought on our minds; how would Almighty Amazon respond? When would Amazon respond?

Just a few hours later I discovered that Consumer Reports highest rated ebook reader the Amazon Kindle also had it’s price slashed from $259 to a humble $189…that’s $10 cheaper than the Nook.

Also weighing in at a lighter 10.2 oz and with free 3G wireless connectivity it is obvious that the Kindle is now locked in a head-to-head battle with the Nook. Which device will be popular with potential dedicated ebook reading buyers?

If you have decided to invest in a Kindle, take a look at our Top 10 Kindle Covers and Cases to help you make the right choice about protecting your Kindle from bumps and scratches.

Amazon will have a good reason to celebrate as the Amazon Kindle 2 and Kindle DX ebook readers were rated as the best choice for consumers when 9 dedicated devices were tested for their performance in comprehensive lab tests as reported in the July issue of Consumer Reports and www.ConsumerReports.org.

Also the ebook reading capabilities of the Apple iPad were assessed but not rated alongside the dedicated devices.

Amazon’s Kindle devices had crisper and more readable type compared to all other ebook readers tested, including the iPad, and were also also the fastest at refreshing and page turns. The Kindle 2 latest generation was considered preferable to consumers due to its greater portability and lighter weight compared to its larger sibling, the Kindle DX, which is more suited to reading e-textbooks.

The Barnes and Noble Nook was rated well for fast page turns, but when compared with the Kindle 2, the type was not as crisp and it was heavier. The Nook had more complicated navigation of content and touch controls were non-intuitive.

For the 2 Sony ebook readers, the Daily Edition PRS900 and the Touch Edition PRS600, the versatility of their performance rated well in terms of their ability to behave as digital notepads for text or drawings. The Daily Edition is comparatively heavy and expensive, whereas the Touch Edition does not have unlimited, free 3G wireless connectivity so ebooks cannot be downloaded at an impulse wherever you are.

Consumer Reports found that 3 other ebook readers were undistinuished at best, namely the Aluratek Libre eBook Reader Pro, the BeBook Neo, and the iRex DR 800SG.

To compare the Amazon Kindle 2 latest generation, Kindle DX, Nook, Sony Touch Edition PRS600 and Apple iPad check out the eBookReaderGuide.com Comparison Table.

Remember that the Amazon Kindle does not come complete with a protective cover; you are welcome to browse our Top 10 Kindle Covers and Cases to help you decide the best cover for your needs.

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Since its launch on 3 April, Apple iPad sales have by far outstripped sales of Apple iPhone in the US as 1 million units were sold in the first 28 days. However, there is more good news for Apple as a consumer survey has measured a 50% increase in consumer interest in May 2010 as compared to two months before the launch, in February 2010 (ChangeWave Research).

In the May 2010 survey of 3175 people, a small cohort of 245 consumers who already owned an ebook reader was identified. When this group was questioned about the type of device that they owned it was noted that Amazon Kindle was owned by 62%. Within one month of launch, Apple iPad was owned by 16%. Following behind are the Sony Reader at 7%, a Smart Phone with ebook capability at 7% and the Barnes and Noble Nook taking 3% share. Other devices make up 7% of the remaining share.

eBookReaderGuide.com notes that the survey provides a rare snapshot of Amazon Kindle’s share of the dedicated ebook reader market. In May 2010, Kindle had 86%, Sony 10% and Nook 4% share.

So has the Kindle Killer finally arrived? To answer this question eBookReaderGuide.com took a closer look at the results of the survey.

If these findings are extrapolated they give a good indication of the iPad’s rapid impact and has proven that it’s ready and set to shake up the ebook reader market. The dominating  ebook reader by a broad margin is the Amazon Kindle, a dedicated ebook reader, that has had a major stronghold on the market for 2.5 years.

The survey measured that magazine and newspaper readerships are about 3 times higher amongst iPad owners compared to other ebook reader owners. eBookReaderGuide.com believes that the iPad’s large color touchscreen display is a key factor that has made newspaper and magazine reading more attractive. Dedicated ebook readers on the other hand provide an e-ink display. Whilst perfectly suited for reading most ebooks and texts, monochrome ebook readers are disadvantaged when displaying color pages. We believe that newspaper and magazine reading could become a principal use of the iPad.

In addition, an iPad user survey measured that 33% of users have placed ebook reading as one of their top five activities on the iPad. The most common uses were measured to be surfing the internet (83%); email access (71%), Apps from the Apple Store (56%) and watching videos (48%). eBookReaderGuide.com notes that the early adopters of the iPad may not be fully representative of the ebook reading community.

It would be interesting to get further insight into how the iPad’s position as an ebook reader changes in the future as the device becomes a well established gadget of many households and users from a wider cross section of generations learn how to interact with the iPad. It is still early days, and buyers across the globe are in a frenzy about acquiring the iPad as the demand in the US alone is exceeding the supply.

The attractive color LCD touchscreen on the iPad makes it more conducive to activities other than ebook reading and it would be of value to assess if the iPad takes off as an ebook reader in the long-term. The Kindle application for the iPad will certainly allow iPad fans to enjoy the wider selection of ebooks, newspapers and magazines available at the Kindle Store compared to the Apple iStore. With the iPad there is so much potential for it to be used by children who enjoy reading illustrated books.

So, has all of the excitement about the Apple iPad amongst consumers worried those with a vested interest in Amazon Kindle? Not so it appears. At an annual meeting of Amazon shareholders on 25 May 2010, CEO Jeff Bezos responded to a shareholder who asked about the iPad by saying, “The Kindle will compete with these LCD devices like the iPad by being a very focused product. Serious readers are going to want a purpose-built device, because it’s an important activity for them.” He further added, “It’s like the difference between a camera built into a cellphone and a stand-slone camera. If an activity is important, you get dedicated devices.” Another shareholder asked Bezos when the Kindle would be available with a color screen. “A color Kindle is still a long way out”, he responded.

eBookReaderGuide.com will be reporting on further developments of iPad, Kindle and other ebook readers and what consumers think about the reading experience on these devices; will the iPad be acceptable for reading outdoors like the e-ink based devices and/or for long duration reading? If you have any views that you would like to share just let us know here at eBookReaderGuide.com.

Check out our comparison table to see how the iPad, Kindle and other ebook readers compare with each other.  If you decide to commit to buying a Apple iPad as a reading device for business, home or holidays you can combine functionality and style with an iPad cover or case. eBookReaderGuide’s compilation of the Top 10 Apple iPad Covers and Cases will inform you of the most highly recommended products to safeguard your investment.

Automatic upgrade of Kindle firmware is due to be rolled out by the end of May 2010. This brings new capabilies to the Kindle ebook reader, the most interesting being exchanging and discussing passages in books directly from the device. As well as the Kindle community, other social networks such as Facebook and Twitter will be accessible.

Another enhancement is the introduction of a collection tool. This responds to a common request for improved ebook management capabilities on the Kindle 2 and DX which can store up to 4000 ebooks. Users have improvised by creating tags in the note field and will no doubt welcome this development.

A third area of improvement is the native PDF function which was introduced in November 2009. This is to receive pan and zoom capabilities to improve reading of small fonts and image detail. Readability of other document formats benefit with 2 larger font options.

A fourth improvement is better security with the introduction of a password protection.

With all the buzz lately about the release of the Apple iPad, there has been a lot of speculation about what other eBook reader manufacturers can do to keep a hold on the market.

Despite the fact that the Apple iPad is very different to traditional eBook readers such as the Kindle and Nook, they are undoubtedly being hit by the comparisons. Whilst the iPad is designed as a portable computer, and the Kindle/Nook look more to read like real books, there is still a question over what consumers would prefer to spend their money on.

For the ultimate book lovers who aren’t too interested in other features, there isn’t much question. After all, Nook and Kindle have far bigger eBook libraries and a much more comfortable reading screen. But for the majority of consumers, Amazon and Barnes & Noble have their work cut out to keep up.

What Can the Traditional eReaders Do to Keep Up?

Changes do appear to be coming to the eBook reader world. However, before we see any price cuts from big manufacturers such as Amazon, they seem to be trying a new tactic first – getting their products on sale in retail stores.

Barnes & Noble are set to release their Nook in Best Buy, to go on sale from April 18. On top of this, the rumours are that Kindle will be sold in Target from April 25.

It’s hoped by the manufacturers that the benefits of giving customers a model they can see, test and feel in stores will make them more keen to buy. It makes sense. After all, eBook readers are a huge investment. And, it’s important to remember, many consumers still prefer the non-glare screen that E-Ink can provide. Something that the Apple iPad is lacking for the true book lovers.

The Apple iPad will be in the hands of some anxious consumers on April 3rd (this Saturday!).  If you have not pre-ordered the iPad through Apple’s website, you still can and get it by April 12th or stand in a long line at the Apple or Bestbuy physical stores which will be allocated a few of the devices.  Another viable option is eBay where a few people already trying to sell their tablet before receiving it.

Interesting Results from iPad Developer Survey

There was a recent announcement in Business Week about the lucky developers who got hold of early iPads to get their applications done. While a large percentage (42 to be precise) of them is for game development. That statistic is understandable since the popular gaming sector provides more challenge and will allow Apple to show off their magical device on the most complex applications first.

Another interesting statistic from the survey shows only 3% of these early devices is geared toward ereading applications.  That small percentage is to be expected since Apple placed reading at the bottom of the priorities when the iPad was announced at the 2010 CES.  How are existing ereader competitors reacting?  To ensure they get a piece of the Apple iPad pie, competitors are scrambling to provide apps for the iPad (e.g. recently announced Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook applications for iPad).

The iPad and other tablet devices in general bring a lot more capabilities than just dedicated reading or buy books from one ebook store.  Apple has created a revolutionary device to exploit these ereader shortcomings and appeal to the masses with a multi-media device.  Who wouldn’t want a single portable device that can play music, watch movies, play games, do a little work, and reading a good book, magazine, or newspaper?

Ereaders Enjoy A Few Advantages

One advantage traditional ereaders (e.g. Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Sony Reader) still clinging to is the ability to read long term without eye strain.  The battle of the LCD screens of tablet devices versus the passive, light reflecting e-ink type displays of the ereaders is yet to be determined.  Serious readers find the e-ink readers more comfortable to curl up with a “Gone with the Wind” kind of reading experience.  The future holds bright for the iPad and similar devices that will change reading to a new level.  Imagine books coming to life with colour, sound, and embedded interactive videos.

Another advantage likely to be held by ereaders over other devices is longer battery life (e.g. 2 weeks for the Kindle and only 10 hours for the iPad).  Expect the gap to be less distant as ereaders try to offer colour and other apps besides reading which will consume more battery.

What Device Should You Buy?

Given the obvious differences between the ereaders and Apple’s iPad, get the ereader for serious reading, but the iPad tablet is a better choice for light reading and other peripheral activities (e.g. games, movies, etc).

The jury is still out on whether the iPad is magical or revolutionary.  One thing for sure, the latest Apple creation will shake up the netbook and ereader markets and set a new standard for years to come.