Amazon is going to be releasing a new Kindle Paperwhite this fall and it will be called the “All New Paperwhite.” This model will have two different storage configurations, 8GB and 32GB. Amazon will also be debuting a new system called “Virtual Panel” and this feature is very much akin to Comixologies Guided View technology. It isolates panels in comic books, manga, newspapers and magazines so you do not need to pinch and zoom each page if the text or images are too small. Each panel is blown up and fills up the entire six inch screen and whenever you turn a page, there is a small map displayed on the bottom right hand corner. This is designed to help orientate users on where they are in a specific page.
The new Virtual Panel feature is borrowed from the Kindle Manga Model which is only available in Japan. Amazon is treating this specific device as a testbed, where they can quietly implement new features and make subtle tweaks. Amazon has been doing this for the past six months and their new software is available for primetime. The only catch is that it will only be available on the new Paperwhite for at least six months before it’s pushed out to older devices, such as the Kindle Oasis and Kindle Voyage.
It goes without saying that Amazon will sell the new Paperwhite in two different colors; black and white. They will also have a Special Offers version and the option to get one with 3G internet access.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
