Good news for those who held off on purchasing the Amazon Kindle Scribe due to its inability to allow annotations in books or margins: the latest model addresses this limitation.
The 2024 Kindle Scribe introduces markup features and sports a subtle yet appealing redesign for both the large-screen e-reader/note-taker and its stylus. It also incorporates a small but significant AI element. Amazon announced the new Kindle Scribe on October 16, alongside updates to the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite lines, as well as their first color E Ink device, the Kindle Colorsoft. The Kindle Scribe is priced at $399.99 / AU$649 and will be available in December.
The Kindle Scribe stands out from other Kindle e-readers with its 10.2-inch screen, which is over three inches larger than the biggest Kindle screen (currently the new 7-inch Paperwhite). It supports both touch and precise pen input, thanks to a Wacom Digitizer panel beneath the surface.
While the 2024 Kindle Scribe maintains the same size, weight, and specifications as its predecessor, its appearance has been refreshed. The metal body now features a brighter green color, and Amazon has added a wide white border around the display. According to Amazon’s Kindle VP Kevin Keith, this design choice posed challenges in concealing components and sensors. The white border aims to make the thin, lightweight e-reader resemble a large sheet of paper, which is quite effective.
The stylus has undergone a more significant redesign, featuring refined aesthetics and an elastomer eraser nub on the back that feels authentic when used on the Scribe’s screen.
Key Specifications:
- Display: 10.2 inches
- Storage: 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB
- Dimensions: 196 x 230 x 5.8mm
- Weight: 433g (Pen: 17g)
The E Ink display remains impressive, with a slight texture that mimics paper, especially when using the new stylus. The combination of 300 ppi resolution and minimal latency creates an experience akin to writing on actual paper. While these features are largely unchanged from the original Scribe, the redesigned pen offers improved ergonomics and a more enjoyable eraser function.
A notable addition to the new Kindle Scribe is Active Canvas, which enables in-book note-taking. This feature allows users to write directly on book pages, with text flowing around the annotations. These notes remain anchored to specific text positions, even when adjusting font size. Amazon plans to introduce expanded margins for annotations in a future update.
The 2024 Kindle Scribe also incorporates AI-powered features: Refinement and Summarization. Refinement uses cloud-based generative AI to clean up and organize handwritten notes, converting them into a more legible format using Amazon’s custom handwriting font. Summarization condenses lengthy notes into brief, concise summaries that are easier to share with others.
Amazon employs various large language models (LLMs) for handwriting recognition, with the flexibility to adapt and change models as needed.
The Scribe Pencil, powered by Wacom technology, requires no charging and can be magnetically attached to the e-reader. It offers high pressure sensitivity, tilt recognition, and the new eraser feature, with virtually no latency in use.
Battery life for the Kindle Scribe is estimated at 12 weeks with WiFi off, though actual usage may vary depending on factors such as screen illumination and annotation frequency. Unlike some smaller Kindle models, the Scribe is not water-resistant, which is worth considering for outdoor use.
