Amazon.com, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AMZN) latest Kindle Brings Back Accessibility for Blind Users.
Published By: Eunice Gettys on June 23, 2016 08:13 am EST
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has refreshed its base model of the Kindle e-book reader with a new unit that doubles the internal memory to 512 MB in addition to being 16% lighter and 11% thinner than its predecessors, clocking in at only 5.67 inches. The base model, which is known by the actual moniker that Amazon sells - the e-reader for (Kindle) - is expected to serve up as an alternative for consumers who can't afford the high end "Oasis" model that was unveiled earlier this year and commands a price of $290 as the most premium e-reader Amazon has on offer for its base Wi-Fi model.
At $80, the Kindle does not aim to wow its users when compared to its higher priced siblings; it does bring a lot more to the table though. For starters, it finally supports accessibility for Amazon's blind consumers, something that has been absent since Amazon remodeled the Kindle in 2011, removing audio capabilities of the entire Kindle lineup. Amazon is already well-equipped to help blind consumers to communicate and interact better with its devices and applications thanks to its VoiceView technology that allows vision-impaired users to watch content on their devices.
Amazon allows consumers to take advantage of this using the integrated Bluetooth support for the new Kindle, something that allows wireless headphones and speakers to transmit sound to consumers, a feature missing in Kindles for years now. While the Kindle does support Bluetooth, it will still need consumers to initially ask for help to get it set up, unlike the USB-Audio Adapter for Kindle Paperwhite which now comes bundled in every shipment dispatched by Amazon since May. Given Amazon's dominant market position, it is a presumable fact that the Kindle E-reader offerings are essentially the best thing a blind consumer can get; thanks to the massive library it sports in addition to its AI offerings, better shown by its Echo and Tap speakers for example.
For $80, the Kindle upgrade is more than decent and because of the lack of a serious competitor for its E-ink offerings, it is pretty much the only serious option for consumers and Amazon's extensive and highly competitive offerings for Kindle. Low-priced eBooks and ad-supported base prices make it hard for consumers to buy another e-reader especially when a consumer can buy the entry level Amazon tablet, the Kindle Fire, for as low as $50 each. Nevertheless, the upgrade is a substantial one from Amazon and is geared towards both existing consumers looking to swap their devices and new users on the fence when it comes to the kindle.
Source: www.bing.com
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