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Amazon Launches Kindle DX eBook Reader with 9.7" Screen

Wednesday May 6, 2009 8:55 am PDT by Eric Slivka


Engadget has just wrapped up live coverage of Amazon's press event introducing the Kindle DX, the next generation of Amazon's eBook reader. The Kindle DX, now available for pre-order at a price of $489 for shipment this summer, contains a 9.7" screen and is being positioned as a device for reading documents such as newspapers, textbooks, and research journal articles whose formats have not worked ideally with the smaller 6" screen of the current Kindle 2 model.

The Kindle DX features a built-in accelerometer that allows for auto-rotation of content between portrait and landscape orientations, and increased storage over the Kindle 2 of 3.3 GB, which provides space for up to 3,500 books periodicals, and documents. Like the Kindle 2, which will remain available at its current price of $359, the Kindle DX offers free 3G access through Sprint's network to allow downloading of content on the go. Native PDF support is also included.

The Boston Globe, The New York Times and The Washington Post are all planning to offer long-term subscriptions for Kindle newspaper editions at discounted prices.

Many people have viewed the Kindle as a competitor to the iPhone's eBook capabilities, with a Kindle for iPhone application also offering compatibility with Amazon's service on the iPhone. Rumors of an Apple "media pad" that could provide more direct competition to the Kindle on the eBook front have also been circulating in recent weeks.
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Grimace
36 months ago
Kinda pricey...

And color would have been nice at that price...even if it killed the battery off quickly.
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Don't panic
36 months ago
if it browses databases/journals, reads pdfs and is in color, it could be a very useful tool for the scientific community.
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MacDaddy901
36 months ago
It's going to be said a million times again, but that is way too much.
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talkingfuture
36 months ago
As I said on the other thread:

I stick by what I said when the kindle 2.0 came out

It won't take off until it can do colour and replicate a magazine or a text book in full. I still think Amazon's long term goal is to "Kindle" the market and become the leading ebook seller when the hardware big boys get involved.
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Hattig
36 months ago
Hmm, it simply costs too much, the displays must be horribly expensive. Still you need devices like this to drive improvements in technology until they are cheap and as good as you and I want.
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india349
36 months ago
Useful, but certainly expensive. I thought this was going to be cheaper, considering the rumors mentioned, to the best of my knowledge, that students could use it for text books.

Then again, I've seen school text books go for $200+

Looks like Kindle 2 it is, for me at least.
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rdowns
36 months ago
Too expensive for a single purpose device.

College kids won't spend their money on this. Text books are already so damn expensive and why would publishers lower their prices when you have no choice to buy the book?

Amazon should be giving these away. Give them the razor and make your money on the blades.
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mciarlo
36 months ago
If the Kindle display ever goes color, I'll take that in my iPhone please. No more pixelation!
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Apple Ink
36 months ago
Um... $500 for "just" a 'newspaper' is a wee bit too much!

And I see its still black! DOes e-ink even come in color??
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NinjaHERO
36 months ago
A great step in the right direction. Can't wait to see the next model update.
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