AMAZON

A Smarter Pen for the Amazon Kindle Scribe

Amazon released a very special new Kindle model late last year: the Scribe is an e-reader that doubles as a sketchbook and note-taking function. The manufacturer improved the device's software a few days ago.

Strange object that Kindle Scribe! This reader with a 10.2-inch Paperwhite display can certainly read digital books like the rest of the Kindle lineup, but Amazon has equipped it with a touch layer and pen compatibility. So you can easily scribble, highlight, and annotate with Scribe.

Scribe is a true electronic notebook, bringing it closer to a classic tablet, keeping what makes readers interesting: reading that doesn't tire the eyes and access to a huge library of books. If the reading comfort is second to none, the entire pen-related part can still be improved (read our test). Especially since at €400, the Kindle Scribe isn't exactly a cheap device.

Amazon has just released a firmware update for the eReader which improves pen support. The latter now offers several new “tips”: marker, brush, pen, each with five possible thicknesses to choose from in the settings. The accessory responds to pressure and the angle at which it is held. That's not all, it is now possible to create subfolders that can be moved to one folder or another (a new “+” option has appeared).

Finally, the update adds a new option to navigate to a specific page in a document. A very simple but welcome feature that should have been built in from the start... Amazon still has a little work to do to offer something as complete as a Remarkable 2, but we're getting close.

Reporting: Par Olivier