Big-Screen Kindle Planned
Yes, folks, it’s another new version of the Kindle, being announced this week, with a larger screen and improved web browser: Amazon to Launch Kindle for Textbooks.
It’s unclear from the news reports whether the new Kindle will be for sale any time soon. Looks like the first roll-out will be a test project for university students.
Amazon.com Inc. on Wednesday plans to unveil a new version of its Kindle e-book reader with a larger screen and other features designed to appeal to periodical and academic textbook publishers, according to people familiar with the matter.
Beginning in the fall, some students at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland will be given large-screen Kindles with textbooks for chemistry, computer science, and a freshman seminar already installed, said Lev Gonick, the school’s chief information officer. The university plans to compare the experiences of the students who are issued the devices and those who use traditional textbooks, said Mr. Gonick.
Amazon has worked out a deal with several textbook publishers to make their materials available for the device, Mr. Gonick said. The new device will also feature a more fully functional Web browser, he said. The current version of the Kindle, which debuted in February, contains a Web browser that is classified as “experimental.”
Frank says: