Amazon Kindle DX: A Powerful Competitor for the iPad?

Amazon has released a new version of its popular E-book reader the Kindle. The new Kindle DX does not offer a mass of new features. Instead, Amazon have kept things simple and introduced some sensible improvements such as a lower price and a 50% increase in contrast and a larger overall device.

The Kindle DX features a 9.7-inch screen, a new graphite enclosure and an improved, higher contrast, electronic ink display. As with the old Kindle users can enjoy free 3G Wi/Fi access but Amazon’s main marketing focus is the quality of the screen. But just $120 shy of a low-level iPad it’s hard to see how Amazon could compete with Apple.

Reading eBooks from the Kindle store on an iPad may seem a better option, especially now that the app features embedded audio and video. Amazon is convinced that people may not want to spend long periods of time reading eBooks using a device with a bright screen like the iPad. Steve Kessel, senior vice president, Amazon Kindle states: “With 50 percent better contrast and darker fonts, you’ll find it easier than ever to read wherever you happen to be, whether it’s outside in bright sunlight or under the low light of your living room.”

It’s not very convincing. It seems that a standalone E-book reader is already obsolete now that touchpad devices can offer E-book reading as one of many features. Amazon have discussed its use as a reader for periodicals and textbooks which could mean Amazon breaking into the education market with more and more talk of technology in the class room E-book readers may be a safer alternative to a stack of iPads. There could be life left in the Kindle yet, yesterday Amazon today announced that some authors can now choose to receive a 70% royalty rate on all Kindle books sold. By working closely with authors and publishers Amazon could do some interesting things, especially being such a large seller of books.

It seems like price is going to be one of the main dictators in how E-readers sell (Amazon seem to realise this with their price slash.)

Here’s a look at the price tags of the big-players in the E-reader market. From left to right: Sony, Nook, Kindle, iPad.

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