New Kindle not only prettier, but faster and easier to read

Is the latest version of the Kindle Paperwhite worth buying? thinks so.

WHEN Amazon first trotted out the Kindle Paperwhite, it was the first twotone e-reader in a long time to have wow factor. And that front-lit screen turned out to be just as beautiful as promised.

A year later, the new Amazon Paperwhite is just a tad better than its predecessor. Yes, that means the new Kindle Paperwhite is still the best.

An iterative update of Amazon’s top e-reader features an improved screen, a faster processor, and some new software. If buying direct from Amazon, the basic wi-fi model costs US$139 (NZ$166). and the 3G version costs US$209.

It has the same smokey-black, softtouch rectangle design as last year but the new model is slightly lighter than the previous model.

Though this isn’t a huge overhaul, a side-by-side comparison of the new Paperwhite with last year’s model reveals several huge improvements. The new screen is gorgeous and whiter than before. It really is a lot more attractive and easier to read than the previous model, which looks blue and unevenly lit by comparison. The text on the new display has finer lines than before.

The overall performance of the device is also noticeably faster and the pages turn quicker than before.

The new Kindle features a bunch of new software, most of which doesn’t really change the core reading experience.

Probably the most useful is the overhauled Page Flop browser. Now, as you drag your finger to scroll through the pages of a book, a little picture-inpicture viewer shows you a preview of the page you’ve ‘‘flipped’’ to. From there, you can either jump to the page or close out of it.

The overall experience is a delicious analogue to actually flipping through a book.

I’ve never really found 3G connectivity to be all that important on an e-reader, and the same holds true here. Just sync it up when you’ve got access to wi-fi, and move on.

So, should you buy this? Yes, but if you already own last year’s Paperwhite, the improvements aren’t enough to justify an upgrade. If for whatever reason you don’t own an e-reader or are still on an old-school Amazon model though, what are you waiting for? This thing is great.