(Credit: Amazon)
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Amazon announced a larger version of its work-focused Kindle Scribe today, alongside a Colorsoft Scribe, both of which incorporate Alexa-powered AI perks.
The third-gen Kindle Scribe gives the iPhone Air a run for its money at just 5.4mm thick, down from 5.7mm, though its display comes in at 11 inches versus 10.2 on its predecessor. You can get it with or without a front light system, which features miniaturized LEDs to create a narrower bezel and uniform lighting, according to Amazon.
Amazon says the new Scribe's "glare-free display mirrors the proportions of a sheet of paper and feels just like you’re writing on one."
It comes with a pen to facilitate note-taking, as does the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. A "new texture-molded glass [improves] the friction when the pen glides across the screen—unlike tablets that often feel slippery or glassy," Amazon says.
The original Kindle Colorsoft is a 7-inch ereader with a color display. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft gets a size bump and some productivity features for those who need to catch up on work after reading the latest bestseller. Amazon says a new rendering engine "enhances the color and ensures writing is fast, fluid, and totally natural."
The devices run a new quad-core chip and include more memory, although Amazon didn't specify the exact amount.
Naturally, there's an AI component, courtesy of Alexa+. The new Home screen adds Quick Notes to quickly jot something down or access recently opened and added books, documents, and notebooks. You can search notes using natural language, get summaries, and ask follow-up questions. Starting next year, you can send notes and docs from Kindle Scribe to Alexa+ and have a conversation about them. The devices support Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, 10 pen colors, and five highlighter colors.
The new Kindle Scribe and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft are expected later this year in the US, starting at $499.99 and $629.99, respectively. The Kindle Scribe, without a front light, will be $429.99, but it won't arrive until early next year.
Also today, Amazon announced new Ring and Blink cameras, Echo devices, and Fire TVs.