Why Your Kindle's New Catch-up Features Are Perfect For Busy And Distracted Readers

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• New Kindle features will thief readers drawback up connected what they read.
• Both features see what you've publication and are spoiler-free.
• Kindle's iOS app will get nan features first, past different devices.
  

While caller Echo devices, Fire TVs, and Ring cameras captured astir of nan attraction astatine Amazon's Devices & Services event this week, nan institution besides unveiled a brace of upcoming Kindle devices -- nan Scribe and nan Scribe Colorsoft. (Check retired ZDNET editor Nina Raemont's hands-on thoughts connected some here). 

The caller Kindles do mostly what you would expect from Amazon's e-reader, but a mates of AI-powered features successful nan announcement caught my eye. It turns retired those features aren't exclusive to nan caller Scribe series, but are coming to almost all Kindle devices. If you're thing for illustration me, these features mightiness conscionable thief you publication a batch more.

Also: Amazon arena 2025 updates: Reactions to Echo, Kindle Scribe, Alexa+, Fire TV, more

Whenever I find clip to prime up my Kindle, I mostly spot 2 categories of books successful my library. Some are books that captured my attraction truthful well, I burned done them successful a time aliases two. The majority, though, are books that I started, sewage distracted by different title, started that one, went backmost to my original, sewage distracted by a third, and truthful on. In fact, complete half of my room is books successful various states of completion. 

Naturally, those reference habits often lead to maine wondering astir things like, "Wait, who is this feline again?" aliases "What happened that caused each this drama?" By nan clip I've backtracked to benignant things out, I don't person clip to move guardant very far, starring to my heap of unfinished books. 

Two caller AI features purpose to lick that problem.

Kindle's caller catch-up features

Story So Far: This feature, Amazon explains, is simply a item reel of sorts for what you've read. Instead of going backmost and skimming to drawback up, you tin jump correct backmost into your book pinch an AI-generated summary. One of nan biggest advantages present is that nan summary only goes to nan page you're connected -- truthful you enactment spoiler-free. The expertise to not only quickly drawback up, but besides debar spoilers successful nan process, is simply a game-changer for a distracted scholar for illustration myself. 

Ask This Book: If you're nan funny type, this one's for you. With Ask this Book, you tin item a transition and get answers to questions. You tin inquire astir characters, nan value of a scene, why a characteristic mightiness beryllium doing something, plotlines, and more. 

Also: The champion Kindles you tin buy: Expert tested

Amazon says this characteristic -- for illustration Story So Far -- takes into information only what you've read; you're not going to accidentally spoil anything. I'm unspeakable pinch remembering names, particularly successful books pinch a batch of characters, and I'll sometimes moreover edifice to taking notes to support way of everyone. With this feature, I'd beryllium capable to get a speedy reminder astir a personification aliases segment without leaving my book.

Amazon says these features will beryllium disposable for thousands of purchased aliases borrowed Kindle books successful nan US. When I reached out, a typical explained they would beryllium rolling retired first to nan iOS Kindle app later this twelvemonth and past adjacent twelvemonth to each Kindle devices eligible for a package update.

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If you're willing successful upgrading, nan Kindle Scribe will beryllium $429 aliases $499, depending connected whether you opt for nan beforehand light, and the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which gives you a afloat colour show pinch frame, will beryllium $630.