Kindle Paperwhite by the numbers
Kindle Paperwhite is already shipping (with a long delay, though), and first thing many users do is going through the land of reviews.
Reviews are the easiest type of content you can find about any new device (by the way, we made a round-up of videos about Paperwhite a couple of days ago).
If you want to have a fresh look at Amazon’s brand new Kindle, we made something helpful. It’s a simple list built around the numbers. You’ll find here technical data (some are rather surprising), but we also managed to dig some really weird and entertaining figures.
Are there any other numbers that you’d like to see in the list? Please give us a hint in the comments below.
* * *
Amazon claims that Kindle Paperwhite can run on one battery charge up to 8 weeks. This calculation is being based on assumption that wireless connection is turned off, front light is set to 10 (in the middle of the range), and there is no more than 30 minutes of reading per day (which is not enough – e-readers are for those who read a lot).
4 hours are needed to fully charge the device from a computer via USB cable. One thing to remember: there is no power charger in the box – you’ll have to buy it separately, if you don’t want to charge Kindle from a computer.
There are 4 versions of Kindle Paperwhite: WiFi only (with and without ads), and WiFi+3G (with and without ads).
You’ll have to wait for Kindle Paperwhite up to 6 weeks, if you order it today. The device is just too popular. The shipping delay refers to each and every of four versions. If you think you still have a lot of time before Christmas, be careful: 6 weeks from now on is November 20.
Number of countries where Kindle Paperwhite is shipping: 1 (US).
212 ppi (pixels-per-inch) is the resolution of Paperwhite’s e-ink screen. It’s 27% more pixels per inch than in Kindle Touch (167 ppi).
There are several ways to customize the device: 8 font sizes, 7 typefaces, 3 line spacing levels, 3 margins, and finally – 24 levels of front light.
Experts from Amazon’s R&D department were working on the new front-lit display for 4 years.
This is pretty surprising: number of speakers equals 0 (zero). Many people expect Paperwhite to be equipped with what Touch had before plus new or improved features, but when it comes to speakers, you won’t find them. Also, there is no headphone jack, and no audio files are supported. No music or audiobooks on Kindle Paperwhite, sorry.
In Kindle Store you will be able to choose from 1,515,651 ebooks. Amazon claims that over 1 million cost $9.99 or less, and 600,000 are less than $4.99.
180,000 of these titles are available only in Kindle Store. That means that you’ll be able to buy them for Kindle Paperwhite or any other Kindle device or application, but you won’t find them for a Nook or Kobo.
Number of taps to buy the book and get it downloaded to Kindle Paperwhite: 1. It’s Amazon’s famous (and patented) 1-click ordering. If you set it up in your account, you’ll be able to buy digital content in the most convenient way possible.
It will take up to 60 seconds to get the book delivered to your Kindle Paperwhite. There is no computer required to do that; specifically, you don’t have to connect the Kindle to your computer to get the books downloaded. It happens wirelessly. Just refresh the menu in your Paperwhite and you’ll be able to see how the book is being downloaded.
How many books can one Kindle Paperwhite hold? Up to 1,100. There is 2GB of internal storage, with approximately 1GB available to the user. Assuming that one book per week is being read, it will take more than 21 years to finish all the books stored on this single device.
Obviously, no one will read books on one device for 21 years. Most of the users will get interested in the next generation as soon as it’s launched. The usual time until the launch of the next Kindle generation is 12 months.
Rumors about front lighted Kindle started 115 days before its official announcement on September 6, 2012. In May, Reuters was reporting about Amazon aiming to “launch front-lit Kindle in June”.
Weighing only 7.5 ounces (213 grams), Kindle Paperwhite is lighter than a typical paperback. Turning things around: 1,100 paperbacks, 7.5 ounces each, would weight 234 kilograms.
13 content formats are supported. Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC are supported natively; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP – through conversion.
* * *
Kindle Paperwhite, 6″ High Resolution Display with Built-in Light, Wi-Fi – Includes Special Offers
World’s most advanced e-reader – high resolution, high contrast touchscreen with built-in light and up to 8-week battery life, even with the light on at setting 10. Kindle Paperwhite delivers clear, crisp text and images with no glare, even in bright sunlight. The patented built-in light evenly illuminates the screen, not the entire room, so you won’t disturb your partner when you can’t put your book down at night.
Unsurpassed Resolution
Our Paperwhite display offers 62% more pixels, and renders exceptionally sharp, clear text and images.
Stunning Contrast
Kindle Paperwhite’s screen has 25% higher contrast. Crisp, dark text against a brilliant white background makes for the perfect read.
Innovative Built-in Light
Paperwhite guides light towards the display from above instead of projecting it out at your eyes like back-lit displays, thereby reducing screen fatigue. You can adjust your screen’s brightness to create a perfect reading experience in all lighting conditions, from bright sunlight to bedtime reading.
Uncompromised Battery Life
A single charge lasts up to eight weeks, based on a half hour of reading per day with wireless off and the light setting at 10. Our breakthrough power management technology allows you to leave the light on at all times for the best possible contrast without sacrificing battery life.
Price: $119
