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May 11, 2012

Is Amazon's Kindle Getting Color?

By Melissa Warner, TMCnet Contributing Writer

Amazon’s Kindle is getting a major upgrade this summer, according to DigiTimes.

Amazon will launch a new Kindle in the second half of 2012 with a colored screen. The current model is only available in black and white.  

The new model will also be touch screen with multi-touch gestures, instead of infrared touch panels. E Ink, the same company that currently provides the black and white ink for Kindles, will provide the colored capabilities.

This news is a little brighter than some of the latest news from Amazon. After high fourth quarter sales in 2011 of its Kindle Fire tablet, the company announced revenue dropped drastically in the first quarter of 2012. Not only did it fall from first place, but it is now third in sales behind Apple (News - Alert) and Samsung.



The New York Times reported that the major retailer, Target, will also no longer carry the Kindle in stores. Target (News - Alert) is one of the biggest retailers to carry the device. The retailer has reported problems with people visiting Target to view the item to see if it is the type of device they want, then turning around and ordering off of Amazon’s Website – a practice called “showrooming.”

A colored, touch screen device is exactly what Amazon needs to stay at the top of the eReader market. Not only will the new Kindles appeal to new customers, but the updated features are different enough that Kindle fans will replace older models with new ones.

Parts for the color screen Kindles will ship at the end of this month.




Edited by Braden Becker
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