This article was published on January 9, 2013

Amazon breathes new life into Kindle Touch. Major update adds Whispersync for Voice, new UI and more


Amazon breathes new life into Kindle Touch. Major update adds Whispersync for Voice, new UI and more

Amazon has released a major software update for its Kindle Touch e-reader, eBookReader.com reports. You can already download it here and install it manually if you don’t want to wait for its automatic wireless rollout.

Here are some of the features included in the new version:

  • “A new user interface
  • Whispersync for Voice
  • Enhanced Parental Controls
  • Book Covers
  • Time-to-Read
  • Recommended Content
  • Enhanced book samples
  • Navigate graphic novels, and comics”

In other words, the Kindle Touch has just become a lot more relevant. According to eBookReader.com, “Amazon has basically turned it into the Kindle Paperwhite minus the high-res screen and frontlight.”

While this may be an exaggeration, the company definitely added nice-to-have features, such as the possibility to easily switch back and forth between reading and listening with Whispersync for Voice. As for Time to Read, it lets readers calculate their speed.

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Among the UX changes, it is also worth noting that Archived Items are now filed under “Cloud,” a section where users can find their existing Kindle books and newsstand titles.

It’s definitely interesting to see Amazon make a major update to older e-readers, despite the introduction of Kindle Paperwhite last September.

Image credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND AFP / Getty Images

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