Amazon’s Kindle is getting even better this week with a new model that introduces a new display, a more compact design, and support for USB-C. It’s nothing that’ll replace your Kindle Oasis, but if you want a Kindle while spending as little as possible, there’s a lot to like with the new baseline option.
This 2022 Kindle release will see the baseline Kindle pick up a high-resolution display that’s capable of dark mode, support for USB-C, 16GB of storage, and extended battery life with up to six weeks on a single charge. The Kids edition of the tablet will, like other Kids edition tablets, comes with a kid-friendly cover and a free subscription to Amazon’s Kids+ service.
Many of the features introduced with this new Kindle aren’t strictly new. The Kindle Paperwhite, for example, has featured dark mode since the 2020 Kindle Paperwhite. The 2021 release saw it pick up USB-C support and wireless charging. Amazon always waits a while before trickling these higher-tier features down to the regular Kindle.
Amazon continues to sit among the ranks of tech companies hoping to bolster sustainability credibility with the use of recycled materials. Amazon says these devices were made with fewer carbon emissions compared to its previous releases. They’re built with 90% recycled magnesium, while the packaging comes from “100% wood fiber-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources.” Of course, since Kindles do save trees in other ways as well, it’s kind of a double savings here. Just remember that you’re being particularly charitable toward a company that saw its carbon emissions rise in both 2020 and 2021, but no one’s perfect.
“With a high-resolution display that delivers three times more pixels than our previous base Kindle, USB-C charging, 16GB of storage, and built-in adjustable front light, the new ultralight Kindle is the latest example of how we continue to bring premium features to our entry-level devices for even more customers to enjoy,” said Kevin Keith, vice president of Amazon Devices and Services, in a release. “And since we launched Kindle Kids three years ago, kids have logged nearly 3 billion minutes reading on Kindle devices. The new Kindle Kids provides an even better reading experience to help kids become lifelong readers.”
Amazon’s new Kindle goes on pre-order today, September 13. The regular Kindle will set you back $100, while the Kindle Kids version will cost $120. A four-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited and obe year of Amazon Kids+ are also available to sweeten the deal depending on which device you purchase.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.