Amazon updated its Kindle Paperwhite line for the first time since 2018 and there are a lot of good things here.
- The Paperwhite is one of Amazon’s most popular products and something I use most evenings, though I don’t always think about finding a micro-USB cable for it.
- Conveniently, the new models are now USB-C, which is one of the bigger improvements.
- (By the way, I highly recommend checking out Amazon’s Email To Kindle feature and using it to add documents and books you already own … oh, and turn off Wi-Fi if you have it do not use to extend battery life)
A short version of the updates:
- The 2021 editions have a bigger screen, a faster processor, USB-C, “warm light” option, battery life, water resistance and more storage.
- And they’re a touch more expensive, $ 10 more for the base model, $ 30 for the higher-end Paperwhite, now with a new name.
More details:
- The Paperwhite line now includes two different hardware models as well as a separate Paperwhite Kids Edition.
- The Vanilla Paperwhite costs $ 140 (plus $ 10) and now offers a 6.8-inch screen (by 6 inches, same 300 ppi E-Ink display) with thinner bezels, faster processor, more LEDs for better lighting and a “warm light”. like the Kindle Oasis ($ 250).
- Charging via USB-C replaces the important micro-USB.
- The new edition 2021 is also a little bit lighter than the previous edition.
- The $ 190 Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition features an automatic brightness sensor and wireless Qi charging, and comes close to the Kindle Oasis in some ways.
- Then there is the Kindle Paperwhite Kids Edition valued at 160 US dollars with an integrated, sturdy cover, ads disabled by default, a two-year “worry-free guarantee” and a 1-year subscription to Amazon Kids +. I mean, removing the ads from a Kindle usually costs $ 20 so it’s kind of a deal.
- Finally, there’s a Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition that includes an automatic brightness sensor and Qi wireless charging for an extra few dollars.
- Also, I’m not sure about this, but the size of the Paperwhite has always been pretty good for portability. While the new 2021 model is larger, it seems mainly the bezels have shrunk, so it may be just half an inch taller and wider.
- They’ll ship starting October 27th, and Amazon notes that recycled materials are used in plastics and magnesium, although many other materials are used here.
🍎 Apple iPhone 13 reviews are here and these big focuses on battery, display and camera are really something, especially with the Pro model. The edge‘s 13 Pro Review: “A better display, the best camera and an incredible battery life.” Wired notes that the non-pro editions are pretty good too: “Just know you’re getting a lot more than ever with the non-pro iPhones,” while entry focused on cameras and found an annoying automatic switch between 0.5-1x mode that Apple appears to be fixing. The iPhone 13 mini improved the poor battery life of the 12 mini, but it is still shorter than the average smartphone, noted Engadget. Just a quick thought in conclusion, as I have a lot to read, Android manufacturers have to keep the following in mind: “The iPhone 13 Pro has the best camera system available on any smartphone available at the time of writing,” writes The edge.
🤔 Xiaomi could remotely activate censorship on your phone, a new report from Lithuania’s state cybersecurity organization. Allegations. “Free Tibet”, “Long Live Taiwan’s Independence” or “Democracy Movement” were blocked words. Expect a lot more from it (Android authority).
👉 Handy video of a Pixel 6 Pro prototype, although the final production version may be a little different (Android authority).
📁 A pixel fold this year still seems unlikely, but this concept drawing is fun (Android authority).
🆙 The Windows 11 PC Health Check app is back for everyone, download it here (Android authority).
🤦♂️ Facebook’s latest “Sorry” reveals security flaws (Ars-Technica), and this latest leak that came from the NYTsuggests that Facebook will use its own news feed (supposedly not an algorithm change, but an advertising element) to show users pro-Facebook stories, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg opting out of Project Amplify. (New York Times, $).
📦 Amazon is lobbying the US to legalize weed (… so it can employ more people) (Gizmodo).
🏙 Google to buy NYC Campus, one of the largest office businesses in history, for $ 2.1 billion (CNN).
🥽 Netflix has released a free VR game in the App Lab for Oculus Quest: Eden Unearthed (Upload VR).
🌌 It was a cosmic puff of air, not God, in the Bronze Age (Phys.org)
🌃 Why does asthma get worse at night? A new study says circadian rhythms affect asthma, which is of great importance for treatments (Wired).
💡 Pretty cool: DIY is chopping the lighting to match the flickering lights in Quake (Gizmodo).
🤔 “What is the most dangerous place in your country?” A mixture of answers here about dangerous nature (cliffs, oceans, ice) and dangerous cities or areas (too many to name) (r / askreddit).
Titanfall 2 was abandoned by EA, and then things got strange, the headline in this Long reads IGN Function that amazes me incredibly. There aren’t any good answers from the piece, but the details are impressive.
In summary:
- When developers give up their games and leave them online without adequate support, strange things happen.
- Hackers ruthlessly find out that they can a) cheat, hack or even get admin privileges and then b) mess with people with these various cheats, bots or bans, making the online game unplayable and frustrating.
Here’s what happened to Titanfall 2, a critically acclaimed but mostly unsuccessful game by Respawn (the developer) and EA (publisher) that was released a week after Battlefield 1 and a week before the next Call of Duty:
- Then when Fortnite showed up and EA’s Apex Legends became the next great hope, Titanfall 2 was left alone by Respawn and only a skeleton crew kept the lights on.
- In protest, the hardcore Titanfall fans hacked Apex Legends to draw attention to the Titanfall 2 situation, which is still on sale today (although there is at least one single player mode that is offline).
- Developer Respawn doesn’t seem ready to do much, but resources are also limited.
- In any case, it’s complicated. Publishing a multiplayer game takes a lot of effort to patch, update and fix loopholes from bots and hackers.
- Once it is decided that a game is unprofitable, it becomes difficult to balance the community’s benevolence for those players who keep signing up versus moving on.
Confused,
Tristan Rayner, Managing Editor