Amazon will drop a crucial feature of some aged Kindle models this summer. Starting in August, the online retailer will remove the ability to purchase e-books directly from selected devices. While you may still be able to purchase e-books from the Amazon website and send these digital paperback books to an older Kindle, there will be no provision for purchasing the e-book from the device itself. This means that those who do not have a secondary device capable of visiting the Amazon website, such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, will be blocked without any new books. It also eliminates the ability for Kindle owners to buy new books when they’re away from home, such as a vacation.
Those with an affected Kindle who want the same functionality they have enjoyed so far will need to purchase a new Kindle. Models that will be affected by this upcoming change include the second-generation Kindle that was launched internationally in October 2009, as well as the fifth-generation ereader that debuted in September 2012.
If you want to easily buy a new book to read on your device, you have a few options. Of course, you can get a new Amazon Kindle with the cheapest model available in the front-facing Kindle input model.
This has a PVP of £ 69.99, for the model that includes ads, and can be purchased right now with Kindle Unlimited for three months totally free. This subscription-based Amazon service offers members a library of more than one million e-books at their fingertips.
However, the other option is to try something new and buy a rival reader, with Kobo as a prominent alternative in the UK.
Prices for Kobo readers start at £ 89.99, so you’ll have to buy more if you want a cheaper Kobo entry on your Kindle.
However, the most affordable Kobo, the Kobo Nia, has a number of attractive features that can make you choose instead of the incoming Kindle. First of all, with any Kobo, you don’t have to worry about ads, while Amazon’s most affordable Kindle models are subsidized with full-screen ads that appear whenever you stop reading and lock your device screen.
In addition, the Kobo Nia has a sharper screen, with 212 pixels per inch compared to the Kindle’s 167 pixels per inch. It also includes a headlight. However, while Amazon has added support for playing audiobooks in its Kindle range, there is no such feature in Kobo.
However, there is another big advantage that Kobo readers currently have over Kindle devices. And that’s because Kobo readers can access a wider range of e-bookstores.
In addition to Kobo’s official e-book store, you can purchase e-books for a wide range of other online stores, as Kobo devices support the widely used epub format.
Currently, with an Amazon Kindle, you can only access the e-books listed in the official Amazon store. However, later this year, Amazon will finally add epub support to its Kindle devices, a feature long awaited by fans.
If you’re interested in exchanging a Kindle for a Kobo, it depends a lot on your personal preferences and the investment you have in the Amazon ecosystem.
Anyone interested in picking up a Kobo can go to the official website to see the other models available and the offers in operation right now.
The products that may catch your eye include the Kobo Clara, which is the equivalent model of the Paperwhite, which is available for £ 119.99, while the Paperwhite with ads costs £ 129.99. Kobo also offers refurbished readers, with the cheapest model currently available, the Kobo Aura 2, priced at £ 69.99.