I won't be buying a Kindle Colorsoft, but I am excited by it. Here's why. 

I'm shocked how few people think color would be an asset. There is more to reading in color than comics. There are cookbooks, diagrams, charts, maps, hyperlinks, bibles, illustrated editions of books, and children’s books. Highlighting and annotating in a color code. I read and study a lot of reference books with hyperlinks and it will be a joy to see them because they are in a different color. I'm blown away by how little people think color will change anything for their reading. Those with eyesight impairment like my mother can actually tell what is on a cover or shop the Kindle store on her Kindle. As it is it looks like a blur for her since it is all greyscale. I'm excited for this. I know Amazon isn't reinventing the wheel but for those that are in the Amazon ecosystem, I think it's awesome.

If it was an Oasis Color id been a instant buy. But im not buying a buttonless kindle

The biggest mistake they made was quitting making the Oasis. I'll be taking good care of mine.

I ordered one. I primarily read black and white text, but I use the Kindle setting to display my current book cover when it’s off and leave it on my coffee table for the room vibes since I don’t have physical books anymore. I think the color will be a great addition.

You're observations are always on point. I totally agree with you. I also have a Kobo Libra Colour - I was curious - and have to say it is just a gimmick, it's true. However not essential, the Libra Colour at least has a pen one can use on, albeit sold separately. Let me just add the fact I love the grainy look the Kaleido gives the 'white' page. It looks a lot more like real paper than charta ereaders, which now look more like computer screens to me, if you know what I mean. That said, yes, colour eink is a waste of effort in such small devices. I wish Kobo had at least put it on the Sage. The real gamechanger will be a colour Kindle Scribe: reference books, comics, magazines and textbooks will be perfect, however washed-out the colour will inevitably be compared to a tablet -which I still prefer when it comes to reading comics or magazines. Not to mention the good use one can do of highlighting in different colours in a 10' display! As if I haven't digressed enough, I must say I was disappointed at this whole lineup of new devices (except maybe the Scribe). Not one of them comes with buttons. I don't know about you but I find it really comfortable not to have to lifty fingers when reading laying in bed. So much so that I always use the cover to have a better grip. Probably, they've removed the buttons in order to put them back in a few years, saying it is the 'best Kindle ever', and charging way more for it, as they've always done so far. They make you crave for the basics and have you pay extra for them 🤷🏻‍♂️

I wish it was an oasis colour device,I’d now be saying take my money lol.

I have a Kindle Paperwhite signature edition and love reading on it. I’m intrigued by the Colorsoft but am having trouble justifying the purchase. I would enjoy having book covers in color but that’s about it.

I’m gonna be getting one. I highlight my Bible extensively and would love color coordinated highlights to help with my notes.

I feel like Amazon is getting more cocky with ever year. The more they do only the bare minimum the more they fall behind. It is only

All I had to do was say they wouldn't release it and here we are. It seems very expensive for the tech specs. I was surprised about how people were excited about having color covers.

I have some opinions about your opinions. Firstly, I share the same sentiment that you do (I won’t be buying one but I’m excited about it). However, I do think you underestimate the usefulness for the graphic novel market. There are a lot of those available and the screen is roughly the right size. If they are able to work on the fact that it has to refresh completely each time you zoom in, then it would become even more useful. I very much disagree with an App Store. One of the biggest benefits of e-ink devices (kindle, kobo, remarkable, etc.) is the lack of distractions. Perhaps some built in functionality like a way to format online articles to read, direct Libby browsing access, etc. would be helpful but adding a store for apps that will lead to a cluttered space that rivals a tablet is the opposite of what it needs. The kindle realm is purposefully distraction free and it should remain so. I also agree with you on the monopoly and poor ethics Amazon is involved with. I wish there was a better alternative. Kobo is close, but just not quite there.

I will also not buy the new color kindle because I'm not a fan of the Paperwhite,I own two Oasis( one for work) and a Scribe. If they will make a color edition of the Oasis,I will buy it,the reason why I prefer Oasis over Paperwhite is the bigger screen and the side buttons.

I’m hoping the light is one that can be turned off. I have a Paperwhite something model that has a light that annoys me because I can never turn it off. We don’t always want or need a light. Sometimes we just want to read until it is too dark and then go to sleep! And I’m annoyed because at the time I ordered my paperwhite. I paid extra for the model with the light. I think they all come with lights now so there’s no turning back. :-/ I’m not a huge fan of the Kindle layout and operating system. I like their app on my phone and iPad. But I want something just for reading and that is gentle on the eyes.

Sorry but I’m Team black and white e-ink. That’s why it’s power efficient.

I'm super curious about the new kindle screen quality but it's bit too expensive for me to justify it... Kobo is much cheaper if I want to add more colour in my life

I’m getting one. Mostly because it is there. I would like experience the color eink even if most of what I read is black and white. I wasn’t impressed by the Boox Go Color 7.

I wanted to buy my husband a Kobo Libra color for Xmas. He has the original Kindle that he's had for years and has an extensive Amazon based library now. it's my understanding that he won't be able to access that library from the Kobo. I've never had an e-reader so it would be fine for me. And we both use Libby a lot as well. Lots of hand wringing over here. Thank you for all the information you have provided on e-readers. So much I didn't know.

Ridiculous expensive at $279 U.S. Kobo is a much better device for $60 less. And it gets you out of the Amazon ecosystem and let you keep your books and there's just no reason to buy the Amazon color option at all. My paper white is giving up the ghost anyway and I just have yet to pull the trigger on the kobo but I will be doing so.

I don't have any plans to buy a Colorsoft, either. I think it's too expensive for what it is, from everything I've seen so far. It's got the same Kaleido 3 display as other e-readers, and from the footage I've seen (outside of Amazon's product photos) it's got the same pastel colors. That doesn't impress me. And as you say, they price it much higher than the Kobo Libra Color. One thing I just wanted to bring to your attention, though: You *can* send articles and such to your Kindle. I use the Send To Kindle app on my phone and on my computer to send articles to it all the time. You can even send magazines and newspapers to it with Calibre. So color isn't *completely* useless on the Kindle. It's just overpriced and not better than the competition. When they're playing to win, they either undercut on price or introduce devices into an existing category with new features. They didn't do either one here.

I got my Kobo Libra Colour 2 a few months ago and absolutely love it - I am reading more than ever and enjoying reading more, not to mention the ability to annotate and highlight.

let's keep on making videos about the KINDLE to get views even though we already said we'd be dumping our own Kindles

I considered the new colour kindle, but I don’t read a lot of illustrated books. I think the benefit for children’s books is there

I just ordered a Kobo Libra Colour bundle (ereader, kobo stylus, charger block and case) for $270 can’t wait until I get my new ereader

Of COURSE Amazon limits the app store to their own apps . Of course they want to limit their customers to only buy from their system. I like many think it sucks. It's the same thing they do on their tablets. But still I am a kindle reader because it's convenient and you can control the size of the print. But if "m desperate for color in my books I can use an android tablet whose kindle app works just fine.

Agreed! I’m soooo glad I got a kobo libra color now. It does so much more.

The price is craaaaazyyyy. $279 USD is bananas for an ereader; everything keeps getting more and more expensive to the point where one might consider just buying an iPad lol In the past, half the appeal is the lower price tag.

I agree they did the bare minimum with the colorsoft, but hard disagree on installing apps. I like reading on an ereader for the eink screen and because there are no distractions with apps. Kindle technically had a kindle you could install apps on before, the Kindle Fire, which was a glorified tablet, I loved it and used to swap between reading and play games on it, but it was just like using a phone and the screen hurt my eyes. I love my paperwhite though it's around 5~ years old now, the page refresh leaves much to be desired but it was better than previous ereaders I owned. Seeing the demos I loved how fast the new paperwhites were, and wish that the colorsoft had page turns that were as fast. I like highlighting text and the colored highlights are easier for me. If they had faster page turns and a stylus for highlight I'd be sold.

I just read books on my kindle. It is nice to see color covers but I don’t need a whole new device to get that. I don’t highlight books so I don’t need it for that either. If there is a book with color photos or illustrations I will either check out a physical book at the library or buy a physical copy. 80% of what I read is text only.

Considering that my Kobo Libra Color has more features (and buttons!) for a cheaper price, and I'm pivoting away from Amazon anyway ... No, not really excited. Not to mention the Kindle has historically been cheaper than their competitors for early buy-in factor. Since it's that much more expensive than Kobo, I feel like they're barking up the wrong tree.

I am getting one. I actually have an use for a color screen. I have a small collection of comics and graphic novels. And also, I like the gimmick of having my book covers in colors

I love my Kobo Clara Color & BW. No way I'd pay Amazon's price for their colored device, which to me is literally just a massively overpriced "colored" Paperwhite. No meaningful extra features to justify the increase... the Libra Color at least has stylus support and buttons for the many who care. If anything, why not just market it as a Kindle Paperwhite Colorsoft and just increase the cost by $20-30 or something? The Clara Color is $149 USD while the black & white version is only $129. This is reasonable.

Instead of releasing the colour soft Amazon could have updated the Kindle Fire by adding page-turn buttons and screen technology

It is more expensive than I think it should be but I am definitely buying it. I've said for years that the only thing that's going to get me to upgrade from my Kindle is when they release a color version. I read a lot. I read a lot of biographies in particular. However, when I read more than anything else and more consistently than anything else are comics and graphic novels. I'm excited to be able to read those on ink and no longer my phone and computer. I use panel to panel guided view a lot more so size isn't a problem. I am easily picking this up. I and that kind of customer that was going to pick it up regardless of its price unfortunately because I really want it. I haven't gone with another company because I'm too invested into the Amazon ecosystem. I didn't go with an Android ink tablet because I don't want it to run any apps. I want it solely for reading. I want my home screen to be books not apps that I have to open and then try to navigate to my book.

I enjoy my Kindle white because it's easy on my eye. I work on a computer all day so the last thing I want to do is read on a device with color.

I’ve already preordered although I prob would be just fine the paper white. I have just been waiting too long for this!!!!

Couldn't agree more, Olly! It's funny because I, too, made a video but never even uploaded it. I was musing about how a colored scribe could win me back. I'd seen the pictures of the green scribe and thought there's no way it won't be colored. Turns out it'd basically just be the same thing again for more money. 😅 I still might check out the colored Kindle, more so just for my own intrigue. Kobo has got me pretty good now, though. 😅

I have a 10th generation kindle paperwhite. It’s smaller than the latest kindles, it doesn’t have a warm light, and it charges via micro USB. I kept refusing to upgrade until a color version came out, so for me with my almost 6 year old kindle, it’s worth it. Compared to what I have now, I’ll be getting more than just colors. I’ve considered kobo, but I’m not super techy and the process of moving my kindle books to a new device seems complicated.

This device is no more than putting coloured cellophane over a black and white ereader. Very underwhelming. Ereader sales have been going down, this is amazons way to alleviate that (maybe). It's price point is way too high though, in fact it's a ripoff. I'm in Japan at the moment. In a tech savvy place like this I haven't seen anyone using an ereader (or ipad mini) on the train. They're reading physical books or using their phone (vast majority), and that is amazons problem. That amazon press release is hilarious. Jeff Bezos needs to take his head out of his derrier and put it on a train and he will see that kindle is doomed. DDB has spoken. 🤭 And they cant even spell colour correctly. Pultroons.

I’ll probably buy it at some point. I tried the kobo libra colour and really enjoyed the color even though I didn’t “need” it. But the kobo just wasn’t quite for me. A little too wide for one hand. The screen didn’t feel quite as responsive as my paperwhite. I didn’t care for the placement of the buttons, they felt awkwardly close to the edge especially with the case on it. And the overdrive integration was too glitchy. Mostly what I want these days is easy and I find kindle easy to use.

I agree that the Kobo Libre Colour is a better choice for a colour e-reader (better price and page-turn buttons being the reasons) but I am not convinced about colour e-readers at all. If you want colour to read graphic novels, 7-inch screens are too small and you would be much wiser to get a tablet such as an iPad (even the iPad mini). For regular book reading, black and white is all you really need surely?

I think speaking negatively toward kindle for doing “the absolute minimum” by making a “Kindle Paperwhite with a color screen” is a bit unfair. Thst is basically the exact same thing that Kobo did. They took the Clara and Libra and put a color screen on it with essentially no other changes. If you’re going to knock Amazon for it, let’s be fair and knock Kobo for it as well. Also, I wouldn’t necessarily say they were simply playing catch up. The Kobo color line just came out a few months ago. It takes a lot longer than a few months to get everything designed, software programmed, licenses, patents, manufacturing done, etc.. Amazon had this in development before the Kobo line came out. Again, if you’re going to knock Amazon for playing catch up, let’s be fair and knock Kobo too. I do agree with you that for most people the color screen on an ereader, regardless of the brand, is unnecessary and a gimmick. Most people read text based books and will only benefit from color on the cover and highlights.

I was considering getting the color soft but feel it’s unnecessary. With still having a working kindle fire and an iPad a paper white Kindle will be just fine. TFS!

Great video Olly. For me, color eReaders will allow me to better enjoy those non-fiction books with figures, charts and plates. However, I'm not going out to pick up a color ereader (likely a kobo) any time soon. I'll hold off until a version 2, where improvements have been implemented; or, if version 1 goes on a really good sale :)

I rushed in and bought the signature edition paperwhite on release this time and it’s a complete waste of money. Glad I can’t get the colour soft (it’s not released in Oz) so maybe I will save up for an iPad mini. Another great video!!

I won't buy it because I love the Kobo Libra Colour - people criticize the screen on it, but I much prefer it to the paperwhite screen.

I have an Oasis, a Voyage and a Scribe. I did own a Paperwhite which I passed on to one of my daughters. I then picked up a Kobo which was some years ago now, but it was a bit flaky and eventually it just stopped working (my first failed attempt at leaving the Amazon eco system around 2010). I want my next reader to be as crisp as the Voyage, but not an Amazon device for similar reasons to @criminolly. Imho the Voyage is the sharpest and most contrasty of all my ereaders past and present. I'm not fussed about colour, it's a nice to have, but not at the expense of contrast and clarity. I'll probably keep using what i have and wait for the next generations of these products. They do say ”Never buy version one of any new tech." In the case of colour e-ink i fear that statement remains true.

Hi olly hope your well! I was disappointed with the bigme,love the kobo colour,and I’m excited about the kindle,but my wallet is crying at the moment lol,great video.

I just subscribed to this channel for his voice. Its so relaxing ASMR effect. 😅. I have the Kindle Oasis. It feels luxurious. Almost perfect. But having mini usb instead of usbc connection and not having wireless charging, it's starting to bother me. Otherwise it's great, the best of that line up back then. So where do I go for an Upgrade from the Oasis? There's no other Kindle shaped like the Oasis, metallic wedge. So the upgrade would be a Kindle Paperwhite Signature. But with this new surprise release, unless you followed the rumors, it is kind of a surprise release, now I was between the Signature and the looong awaited Kindle Color. Well, I decided in the Color, based on me wanting to give it a try. The B&W kindles are great, all of them, but when I'm browsing the store IN the Kindle, I am very aware that I'm missing beautiful artwork and is an incomplete experience without the books' colors. It's an empty experience for me. Something that I can fix by just browsing the kindle store in my phone but I have a google phone and have ro use the Amazon app to buy. I would prefer a dedicated ebook store app. And I tried to download the Amazon App store to see if their version of kindle app sells books but I don't find the kindle app. Apparently Google and Apple wanted money from books sold from android Kindle App, so now the Kindle app doesn't allow purchase directly, rather making a list and then buying through the Amazon Shopping App. Not hard but still two steps. So buying directly on the kindle device in color, sounds sweet. I hope the grayish overcast on the B&W reading part, that color e-readers have, doesn't bother me. If it does, I'll just continue using my Oasis or get the Paperwhite Signature. But I have to give the Color Kindle a try myself to be at peace and not be wondering how will it be. A learning experience that will last years ahead. Also, I would love to have the man on this video doing some audiobooks.

they retired the oasis because of the price. Nobody would have chosen the color over the oasis

Your issues with amazon seem to be more your lack of self-control than anything Amazon does.

I feel like too many people are downplaying this. This is basically going from GameBoy to GameBoy Color. Being able to see things as intended is a pretty big deal.

I won’t be buying it either Olly. I saw a guy review it recently, and the new screen greatly reduced the clarity of the text. At least for test models. Not a good first showing lol.

All of the uses for a colour screen, are negated by the small size of that screen, and it's way too expensive for little benefit. I dread to think what a colour Scribe would cost. Amazon are losing it!

I thought i wanted it but i saw the new signature paperwhite had a pink model and uh i went with that one

Apparently the new kindles won't let you download and transfer your books

Don't like the Kobo or ANY of the other Color E-Readers. They all have muted colors and you pay MORE for sub-par color. I DON'T WANT APPS on my E-Reader... an E-Readers MAIN pupose is to REPLACE a book. Adding Apps makes it a tablet. I DON'T WANT TO BE DISTRACTED... I've got a phone for that.

I don’t care about color, if it was oasis 2.0 I’d upgraded

Comics on a 7 inch screen? Its too small to enjoy the experience

I am still considering whether or not I need one, or stick with my kindle I bought in like 2011. The one with the keyboard. I just replaced the battery, and it works like a dream.

I could not disagree with you with you more.! I think this is fantastic. I don't read "Manga" sp.? comics, and don't care if the pages are black, grey or whatever. But, with this new Kindle You can color the pages! The covers are in color. The screen will be softer and better to look at. I have color on my Kindle so, when I read a book on my iPad through the app anyway. And btw, reading that way the pages are bigger if that is a concern. I'd love to get the other nonKindles colors, but I've had Kindle since way back and btw Kindle does accept pdf and other docs.

What about the pictures inside the book, graphs, maps, etc…. Will they be color? I think that Amazon came to color Kindle’s too late in the game. This should have happened at least 8 to 10 years ago. Sure, I’d like a nonrefective, flat screen. But, I also want to annotate in the book. The size doesn’t matter to me…small is better. Or maybe add an inch or so, with a reactive canvas like the scribe. But in all honesty, I can go to settings in my iPad mini to cut off the notifications or place on airplane mode. And I’ve got the Apple Pencil. I think that Amazon should make two sizes of the scribe and make them both color.

I saw a review and the color screen is darker and a bit less crisp while reading when compared to the non colored ones. I'm sticking to my oasis and I'm grateful I have two. lol. They may have to last me the rest of my days 😂😂.

Just splurge and get the new iPad mini you get this and then some

They could have made it where it would be able to get them Libby and Hoopla apps. That would have helped a lot.