Drunk driving is illegal but bathing and reading is not. Yes, now you can read at the pool or the beach. Amazon’s new Kindle Paperwhite is all you need for your next beach-side vacation.
The Kindle Paperwhite has been the best e-Reader for most people since 2015 when Amazon updated it with a screen seen on the high-end Voyage and Oasis models at a fraction of the price.
Amazon is updating the Paperwhite again, this time with features that were added to the second-generation Oasis, such as waterproofing and support for Audible audiobooks but in a lighter and thinner package.
Nearly every facet of the new Paperwhite is better – the screen is now flush with the front in a seamless sheet of glass, there are more LEDs for the illuminated display, and double the storage on the base model to 8GB, with another model offering 32GB of storage. There is also support for Audible audiobooks over a connected pair of Bluetooth headphones or speakers.
The new Paperwhite also features IPX8 waterproofing, which means it can be dunked in up to six feet of water for up to an hour. It is certainly safe for reading in a tub, by a pool, or on the beach. Despite the add-ons, it is 23 grams lighter than the old model and almost a full millimetre thinner at 8.18mm.
As for the screen, there aren’t many changes. It’s still a six-incher with a 300ppi display. There are, however, no physical page-turn buttons or even the under-glass capacitive touchpads. There is no adaptive light sensor on the illuminated display, and it doesn’t charge via USB-C which is a tad disappointing for a 2018 device.
All in all, the Kindle Paperwhite 2018 is a steal considering the new features and for a good price too. The new Paperwhite starts at USD$129.99 for 8GB (set to ship on November 7th), Wi-Fi model, with USD$159.99 and USD$249.99 for the 32GB and 32GB with 3G option, respectively. All versions are now available for pre-order. There are no shipping dates for the 32GB versions.
