Amazon is about to give e-reader and tablet users a reason to keep reading in the dark. The company is currently prepping a front-lit version of its Kindle e-reader and a new, bigger version of the Amazon Kindle Fire.
A source close to the company’s production tells Reuters that plenty of prototypes for the new devices have been shown with a built-in external light attachment.
According to the source the new devices are going to be released in July.
While the new light will likely be appreciated by readers who want to use e-ink technology in the dark there is a trade-off, the new light consumes battery life and adds around $10 to the cost of the tablet.
The new Kindle will be available in 3G and Wi-Fi versions, giving plenty of connectivity options to users.
It’s believed that the light technology for the new tablet and e-reader will comes from an acquisition of Oy Modilis, a company that was purchased by the online retailer in 2010. Through its acquisition Amazon acquired various lighting technologies.
In the meantime the Kindle Fire is expected to feature an 8.9-inch display, bringing it more in line with the Apple iPad line of devices.
Other sources have pointed to the released of a color Kindle e-reader , a rumor that is now largely being shot down for the short-term by sources close to the company’s research and development teams. Amazon is still planning to release the technology according to one source, but not until the technology used to power the color Kindle is improved.
