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I loved your thorough review , and how you emphasize the importance of enjoyment for reading. thank you 🙏 ! received the colorsoft and I’m not sure if I should exchange for the PW or not . I am new to e-readers and not a comic reader. I’d love to highlight in color though 😅🫣 Do you still like it or did you switch back to PW meanwhile ? I’m mostly interested in how your eyes feel after reading with turned up brightness on the color soft, as it is so dark and less crisp. I would prefer the device that is easier on my eyes in the end🫣. And how about the battery life ? Can’t wait for your update 😭🙏😊
I'm one of the fortunate ones whose Colorsoft does not have the dreaded yellow line. If I look realllly hard, I can maybe see a very light yellow tint but, normally, I don't notice it at all. As a book cover nerd, I really love seeing my library in color. I've even thought of buying some comics to enjoy the color experience while reading. I hope Amazon fixes the QC issues so that everyone eventually gets a Colorsoft that they can enjoy.
My shipment was delayed until mid December, but I got a notice yesterday that it shipped and I received it today. They may have resolved the issues earlier than expected.
Yeah is it without the yellow band ? Please tell us😢 also how do you feel about the darker screen - how is your eye strain when you have to turn up the brightness ?
I returned my Colorsoft and replaced it with a Kobo Clara Colour for the smaller size. The day Amazon releases a Colorsoft the size of a Kindle Basic, I’ll be there with another fistful of cash.
I really love your reviews! Thank you, as always! You always treat us with respect by sharing a very well thought out set of features and use cases while still not telling us what to think. Simply offering your insights and options is perfection!
I purchased my Colorsoft after its release. I had seen the reviews that complained about the yellow line at the bottom and took a chance. Mine seems to have a slight difference in color at the bottom, but it isn't really visible unless I look for it. I don’t notice it when I'm reading. I haven’t complained to Amazon customer service and I dont know if I'll bother. I'm happy with my device. I also got it for less as I took advantage of the 20% discount they were offering with a trade in and the $15 dollars I got for my trade in.
I returned the CS and kept the Kobo Libra Color. I annotate a lot and the ability to write directly on the book sealed the deal. You can also adjust the color on the KLC pretty easily to make it more vivid if that's what you prefer.
I personally prefer the Kobo color, but many people complain about the screen being easily breakable, and Kobo refuses to repair or replace it even if you’re not at fault. Knowing that the customer service is poor is a dealbreaker for me, especially compared to Amazon, which never refuses a product return.
If you read landscape your eyes will get tired faster because they have to travel more distance. Everyone has a preference, I like portrait for that reason
I got mine at the beginning of November and have really enjoyed the CS. Like you, I didn’t notice a yellow banding others are reporting. Thank you for the wonderful video
I love your reviews! I didn’t think I wanted the colorsoft. But I decided to return the SE12and ordered a Colorsoft today! It’s supposedly being delivered on Friday! Yay! Hopefully it won’t have the yellowing issues.
I really enjoyed reading on the Colorsoft. None of the trade offs bothered me consciously, but I found my eyes strained the whole weekend. Whether or not that was related to reading on the Colorsoft or something else, that combined with having the yellowing at the bottom of the screen led me to return the device.
That’s what would bother me too . Just got a color soft gifted. Did you exchange it for a different one ? If so, how is the strain on your eyes ? Really would appreciate your reply 😃 thank you !!
I returned the Kindle Colorsoft AND a Kobo Libra Colour because I can’t get past how dark they are with the color filter. I know I can turn the backlight on, but I love the look of the E-ink in plain daylight because it feels more like a real book. As an artist, the biggest draw was to be able to see the beautiful colors of the book covers when in sleep mode, but the filter made it so dark that you could hardly even tell that it was a color e-reader.
I’ve noticed a very slight yellow across the bottom of my colorsoft. More concerning is a vertical and a horizontal line that cross about 2/3 of the way up the screen. Like a row and a column of single pixels that don’t color in. It’s more visible during page turns but is discernible while reading. I don’t recall dropping or bending it. I can deal with it but it’s a bit disappointing. Otherwise I’m enjoying it. My small kindle basic will remain my purse kindle.
I had the same problem with the new Paperwhite Signature edition. I noticed a thin white horizontal line going through the middle of text. Changing the font, the margins, and the spacing didn’t solve the problems. During a restart when there is a large portion of the screen is black, I noticed a thin white vertical line. I don’t know whether the lines were a row of dead pixels or hot pixels. Regardless, I sent it back for a replacement and the new screen has no pixel issues. Amazon had problems with uneven Kindle lighting years ago that prompted a lot of returns and complaints. Rearranging the LED’s and increasing the number of LED’s solved the problem. If I had a line problem like yours, I would always be watching for it and it would drive me crazy. I would return it for a refund or replacement. Happy reading !!!
I love my kindle CS my parents are buying for me for Christmas, they let me test out several days after we received in the mail from Amazon to see if there was a yellow band at the bottom . I played with for a while and my cousin who is good with screen technology like I had him look at at the Kindle CS as well and my CS did not have the yellow issue . I am excited to get this colors much brighter than the Kobo . The small grey effect will happen when reading black and white page text because of e reader convert technology that’s being used called kolido three for some reason Amazon able to make the colors brighter than in other e reader brands not sure yet how but in my opinion they do make the colors brighter more and richer. I love the paper like effect on black and white text , I had that on my on a e book app back in the day when I was using my iPad as a e reader but I went with a kindle in 2016 and never looked back , no eye strain, because blue light from the iPad hurt my eyes reading for long periods of time . Happy reading I love physical books and e readers reading is my hobby and comfort.
Thank you for this comprehensive review, Maneetpaul. I am ordering the newest Paperwhite Signature edition later today as Amazon has opened the 2024 Black Friday deals. I will wait a year or so on the Colorsoft, with the hope that Amazon will work out all the bugs by then! I can look forward to trading in the device I purchase this year to offset that price tag in the future. Best wishes.
I had to send mine back and was so bummed about it because I enjoyed it. But the lack of dark mode, power button location, the yellow lighting at the bottom, and the fact that the battery died so quickly just wasn’t worth the trade off from my paperwhite signature.
Screen quality was just too hazy for me. Yellowing on the bottom just like he mentioned. I switched to the basic kindle in matcha . Absolutely adorable and perfect for my needs. The green front panel makes it smooth like butter on the eyes .
Thank you for your new video on the Colorsoft! It looks amazing. I ordered the Colorsoft from Best Buy and it's due to arrive this Friday. I don't know how they have it available considering Amazon has postponed their shipments until next month and I admit to being a bit worried it will have the yellowing. But I'm still excited to be getting it. :)
My Colorsoft had very obvious and noticeable yellowing at the bottom of the screen. Amazon wouldn't send a replacement because they couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't have the same issue, so I got a full refund. I plan on buying a Boox when the black Friday sales hit.
I had to call customer service regarding a kindle 11 signature, because I had purchased a signature 12 and wanted to return the 11. The first words out each encounter, “are you returning a kindle colosoft?” They are being inundated with returns.
Thank you for your extended review. Personally I returned my ColorSoft and kept the new Paperwhite SE. After doing side by side comparison I could not get the noticeable trade-offs on the font quality and brightness out of my head. When I read outside in the sun on my terrace the PW SE was even brighter with brightness settings on zero than the ColorSoft at maximum. As you mentioned, if you own the CS better don’t do side by side if you focus primarily on black&white reading. If the CS is your first and only Kindle you will enjoy the benefits while browsing through your Library of covers.
When I ordered my Paperwhite it had an intense orange discoloration in the left lower corner so i decided to return it. A few days later I received the same model as a gift and it didn’t have that problem at all, I was really surprised 😃 but also happy because I wouldn’t order a new one for sure 😂
Great review, as always, but I want to point out one thing. At 10:49, you mention sideloading EPUBs and PDFs. If you sideload an EPUB (onto any Kindle), you won't see it in the list of books because the Kindle cannot read an EPUB format file. If you use "Send to Kindle," it will be fine, because that software converts it into a Kindle format before sending it to your advice. I think the issue with the PDF files is probably not supporting some colour model that PDF files can use. That might be corrected in a future software update. You also didn't mention that the 12th generation Kindles use a different USB file transfer protocol that is not supported natively by Mac computers. A third-party add-on to the Mac is necessary.
Thank you for calling this out, you're right! And yes, I'm aware of the changes made to the USB connection requiring an additional third party app. I plan to cover this in a future video.
Thanks for the review. I can tell by looking at your photos that your Colorsoft, like mine (and every one out there) is warmer and skewing toward amber on the bottom, and cooler and skewing toward pink at the top. It is fascinating that some people don't notice, although it is very dependent on what warmth and brightness you use, plus what your indoor lighting is like. If you want to make it easier to notice...flip the thing upside-down. The only way one can notice the "screen door" effect is to really bring it close to your eyes. At my regular reading distance (with my eyeglasses on)...I can't see it. The text is in fact very sharp and very dark, but that screen door effect, due to the two screens sandwiched together, tricks people into thinking otherwise. Response? Its screen is leagues faster than my first generation Oasis, and my warmth slider will run the range from cool blue to deep amber. About the only real negative is that with the light off the screen is much darker, so people who are going to read outside a lot may want to pick another device. Otherwise, considering my original Oasis was ~$380 (that 3G service added quite a bit to the price!), I don't consider it to be too expensive.
I am going to purchase one once they have some of the issues worked out. I do wish for the extra price they offered more colors I am not a fan of the black. I feel like buttons and maybe a little larger would have totally been worth the price tag. THANKS this was a complete review. 😃
The Kindle Colorsoft, although it costs $100 more than the Paperwhite Signature Edition, brings real added value thanks to its ability to display color. This opens up interesting perspectives for users who want to take full advantage of the color highlights, illustrations, diagrams, and book covers in their library. This type of investment seems justified for digital reading enthusiasts who are looking for a richer and more immersive experience, especially in areas such as educational books, comics or illustrated novels. I receive mine at the end of the year.
I unfortunately ended up returning mine because I felt the screen was too grainy for me, and instead purchased the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition which will be delivered today, hopefully that one doesn’t have the same yellow bar issue as the Colorsoft or I’ll be extremely disappointed.
“Signature edition”??? And many had poor quality control??? Imagine what a non-signature edition will be like. Very disappointing seeing kindled quality is dropping. The prices aren’t dropping though.
I've been looking out for your review - thank you! I am considering finally retiring my 10 year old Voyage, as it's now pretty slow and the battery life is poor. Was excited for the colorsoft as a new way to read graphic novels but put off by the yellow band issues and potential graininess of the screen. Your review has been very helpful!
Good review, thank you. I never buy the first generation of a new item, especially tech. No matter how much research and development goes in, there seems to be problems with way too many first run devices. Almost like they say “yeah, but just get it out there” whether it’s ready or not. Right now I’m still holding onto my Oasis and plan to until it dies (or they shock us and bring out a new Oasis (yeah, I know).
Hey Maneet, did you try reading any graphic novels in the Kindle? My biggest concern with reading comics in the Kindle is that the font size would be too small and I'd have to zoom in a lot. And obviously, zooming in and out frequently is not the most fun experience on a kindle. Would love if you covered this! Thank you!
I got one for my mom for Christmas. I bought her the Paper white back in early 2014. I’m hoping that this will be a good upgrade for her, considering her current device is over 10 years old now. I’m worried about the screen. But here’s hoping she doesn’t receive one from the bad batch. I’m hopeful because it is delayed until early December now.
Mine is due to arrive at the end of November, so it’ll be interesting to see if that has the yellow banding issue or not! But it doesn’t look like they’ve halted shipping entirely. I’ll be keeping my Oasis for reading regular books, and using the Colorsoft only really where colour content is key, so the slightly darker screen isn’t really too much of an issue for me, I hope.
Just got ColorSoft today and man the book cover local screen are so dark that I can barely see the color. Idk if they can fix with with an update but I don’t want to get trapped in replacement kindle hell.
I returned mine not because of the yellow band at the bottom, which didn’t bother me, but due to the line ghosting I noticed that seemed to worsen as I used it. I really loved the device, but if I kept it, how much worse would the ghosting get over a long amount of time. Such a disappointment because I loved the features it had.
Just received my Colorsoft yesterday and after a day on it, I’m returning it. I don’t know what version you got but the text is so hazy and grainy, the filters so off, that I developed a major headache after about 30mins of reading. Tbh my eyes started hurting during the setup process which was so weird! TheLock Screen screensavers are NOT that bright at all. I wish you would’ve mentioned that the screensavers only look that good in your video because of the studio lighting bc in real life they are so dim they’re almost impossible to see. Overall, I think I’ll stick to my iPad or maybe try the Paperwhite because the Colorsoft, as a first-gen item, is just not there yet.
Speaking of price. All the other kindles are discounted right now for the holidays. I asked customer support for a price match the 12 gen paperwhite since I purchased Oct 21 and asked on Nov 21. They said "No." So I told them they leave me with no choice but to return the device and re-purchase for the cheaper value (said this is just a creation if time wasted and waste of materials). All the sudden they gave me $20 refund (versus the $30 that it is discounted at right now), but to avoid the run around and waiting for another device close enough. I think a lot of people who bought day 1 are going to be not happy and I didn't expect the new devices to go on discount like this for the holidays being so new. The colorsoft has NO discount as of today.
I am lucky that my Colorsoft does not have the yellow band issue. I was disappointed that the screensaver is so dark you can’t enjoy the color there. But otherwise I really like this Kindle.
I feel the Kobo Libra Color colrs are too light, whereas the Kindle Colorsoft has more true colors for comics. I bought the Colorsoft and loved it. I did have some yellowing at the bottom of the screen, and although it didn't bother me, the fact that I paid $300 for a faulty device Did bother me. I returned my Colorsoft and will wait until Amazon fixes the issues and re-releases the unit. I do have a Lenovo M9 which acts as a color ereader for me as it has many ereader options, but horrible, terrible, awful battery life. By the way, thank you for speaking eloquently- your videos are really enjoyable for this!
Do you know for sure that they "halted" sales? Why assume that rather than that it's been popular due to pent-up demand for a color eInk Kindle and they could simply be sold out?
There was no shipping delay when the Colorsoft came out. The delay started alongside the disclaimer they put on the product page. It all happened very suddenly.
All their kindle devices (even the fire devices) are on sale currently for their Black Friday event - except the Color version. THAT should tell you something.
Do you know if there is a time limit as to when we can report an issue with the device? For instance, if we bought it for someone for Christmas when it launched and won't know until the device is opened if it has a problem with the yellow screen, do you know if Amazon would still honor an exchange?
Im keeping my day 1 bottom yellow kindle for sentimental value of how excited i was to first get a color kindle.. just like i keep my first extremely slow ones 🤣. You couldnt tell me anything about the og slow paperwhites i was just too excited about reading at night when i wanted
In your launch video you mention how Kindle had constructed the color soft in a way where the colors can appear brighter, I wonder if that had anything to do with the yellow band appearing on the bottom? (It was something like how they angled something inside the device)
Great review. I've just bought a Kobo Libra 2 (2nd hand only now). Will not buy a 12 gen Kindle because of its new file system and crucially, no longer being able to download files from Amz once registered. Therefore no more Kindles for me -- but thankfully Kobo etc are still fine.
I remember paying $399 for the original Kindle in 2008. If you adjust for inflation that is about $585 if the online inflation calculators are to be believed.
finally someone said it!!. you are paying $80 over the signature paperwhite to being able to see colors. I would argue that not many people wanted to buy the paperwhite signature edition in the first place ( I think it is not worth the price jump ), so they are comparing the regular paperwhite against the colorsoft and the price jump there seems crazy. Hopefully in the coming years there should be a non-signature colorsoft at around $210 I assume.
Very nice and informative video, but I've a totally unrelated question. Though black friday sale is going on, kindle scribe 16gb is selling @$139.99, why is it so? Is the price likely to come down anytime soon? I'm from india and want to order one through a friend in US. Could you please guide? 🙏
Why are people not content to wait for the second iteration of the Colorsoft? Sage advise is to NEVER get the first iteration of new technology as there will likely be compromises.
I'm glad you brought up the pricing. That's where they lost me. I recently wanted to upgrade from my Paperwhite SE (2021 version). I looked at the Colorsoft and the Kobo Libra Colour. I went with the Libra Colour because a) it was less expensive, and b) it's pen-enabled. I really don't think Amazon brought the bang for the buck here. They already have pen technology. They should've included that with the Colorsoft. I suspect they didn't do that because they didn't want to cannibalize Scribe sales. Still, it made the decision easier for me. The KLC *plus* a stylus cost less than the Colorsoft alone. How's the battery life on the Colorsoft? You didn't mention that in your review.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience, Brian. I hope you’re enjoying the Libra! The battery life has been just fine for me. I don’t mention it much in my reviews because they last for weeks/months and it’s very hard to measure. If I ever have any major issues, I’ll be sure to post something about it.
Amazon is being ridiculous with the bad quality and that insane price… I returned mine because I got it cuz of the hype.. it’s sooo not worth it just to see book covers in color!!! Maybe if you read comics, but then just get the kobo for cheaper!
Color e-ink is unfinished technology so if you focus on reading, don't buy it, it has worst screen than b&w e-ink to the point that annoyed me when I just reading text book and cover display is less important than content inside.
So you found it too dark ? Did it cause eye strain ? My Mum gifted me one and I’d really love to highlight in color , but I don’t read comics and am concerned about it being hard on the eyes due to the lack of clarity
@AyaneBKing not by much but it does make your eyes work more than b&w screen (which contrast better closer to real paper) and with color screen, you have to using glow light most of the time so it reduce battery life and your eyes need to adjust constantly to adapt environment light and screen light.
@@Maneetpaul Ok. I really wanted to get one myself (in spite of having four kindles already). I went to Best Buy, and the display device they had did not have this problem. I played around with it a bit and loved everything about it. It had good contrast, black-and-white text was crisp, and the screen was not as dark as I expected it to be. Loved the print like color rendition unlike the bold iPad colors for comics. Have you checked the 2024 PW SE for the same yellowing complaints? It is on black Friday sale for $154.
BUTTONS!!! You didn't mention the lack of buttons on this "premium" (priced) "Signature" device. Someone at Amazon needs to lose their job. Several someone's. If you read ANY reviews, anywhere online, EVERYONE says how much they love the Oasis' buttons. That the OASIS is the e-reader to beat. EVERYONE expected the new Color Kindle to have BUTTONS. They're charging a button-price, we want the damn BUTTONS!!! And the color. If you need to charge another $50 for the buttons, then FINE. But we really want is a COLOR OASIS. Same brightness, warmth, etcetera. We were all expecting some sort of "breakthrough technology" in the color department, but we got a slightly enhanced Kaleido device. BFD. Amazon, if you're reading this, just give us a Color Oasis. If you can manage it, make it flat, too, but we'll take the Oasis exactly as it is now, only in color. And with a USB-C charging port, of course.
If this is a "Signature"-level device, that means anything coming out that is NOT a Signature device will be LESS capable and less-quality build, etcetera. What about this "Signature" device makes it a top-of-the-line device, with a price tag to match? Color. That's it. No stylus support. No amazing speed. No perfect crispness on the text, like an Oasis. No BUTTONS. I can only imagine what the non-Signature Color Kindle will look like. Cardboard case? No backlight? 30 seconds to turn a page? Maybe a monkey that draws in the colors with a crayon at each page turn.
Stop spreading misinformation. There is no software fix in works for this issue. What are you doing, man? People may get stuck with their defective device because it’s gonna be too late to return it. Absolutely shameless and irresponsible.
1:55 All he said was that he THINKS there may be updates based off of RUMORS. If someone makes the decision to keep it based off of his comment that has a lot of speculation implied, then they should have done more research. At the end of the day, it’s not a huge deal. Take a few deep breaths.
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I loved your thorough review , and how you emphasize the importance of enjoyment for reading. thank you 🙏 ! received the colorsoft and I’m not sure if I should exchange for the PW or not . I am new to e-readers and not a comic reader. I’d love to highlight in color though 😅🫣 Do you still like it or did you switch back to PW meanwhile ? I’m mostly interested in how your eyes feel after reading with turned up brightness on the color soft, as it is so dark and less crisp. I would prefer the device that is easier on my eyes in the end🫣. And how about the battery life ? Can’t wait for your update 😭🙏😊
I always love and appreciate how you remind us that it doesn’t matter what kindle we get. What matters is our love of reading.
That’s what it’s all about! 😊
I got the Colorsoft as my first e-reader. Mine didn’t have the yellow band issue and I’ve had a good experience with it so far. Happy with my purchase
I'm one of the fortunate ones whose Colorsoft does not have the dreaded yellow line. If I look realllly hard, I can maybe see a very light yellow tint but, normally, I don't notice it at all. As a book cover nerd, I really love seeing my library in color. I've even thought of buying some comics to enjoy the color experience while reading. I hope Amazon fixes the QC issues so that everyone eventually gets a Colorsoft that they can enjoy.
I’m still rocking with the oasis. It still works perfectly.
same!
Bought the Colorsoft and returned it. I am sticking with my 2019 Oasis.
My shipment was delayed until mid December, but I got a notice yesterday that it shipped and I received it today. They may have resolved the issues earlier than expected.
That wonderful very happy for you enjoy the color soft it’s amazing ❤
Now is it without yellow strip?
Yeah is it without the yellow band ? Please tell us😢 also how do you feel about the darker screen - how is your eye strain when you have to turn up the brightness ?
I returned my Colorsoft and replaced it with a Kobo Clara Colour for the smaller size. The day Amazon releases a Colorsoft the size of a Kindle Basic, I’ll be there with another fistful of cash.
SAME … but I hope there are also buttons and/or a page turner
Love my Libra!
2028 wishlist.
@ that’s a long time
someone who gets me
I really like mine and plan on keeping it, I have been waiting for your review the most.
I really love your reviews! Thank you, as always! You always treat us with respect by sharing a very well thought out set of features and use cases while still not telling us what to think. Simply offering your insights and options is perfection!
I was skeptical about the title of this video, but this dude really delivered. Good video.
I purchased my Colorsoft after its release. I had seen the reviews that complained about the yellow line at the bottom and took a chance. Mine seems to have a slight difference in color at the bottom, but it isn't really visible unless I look for it. I don’t notice it when I'm reading. I haven’t complained to Amazon customer service and I dont know if I'll bother. I'm happy with my device. I also got it for less as I took advantage of the 20% discount they were offering with a trade in and the $15 dollars I got for my trade in.
Do you find it too dark ? Need to turn up the brightness ? How about eyestrain because of that ?
I returned the CS and kept the Kobo Libra Color. I annotate a lot and the ability to write directly on the book sealed the deal. You can also adjust the color on the KLC pretty easily to make it more vivid if that's what you prefer.
I personally prefer the Kobo color, but many people complain about the screen being easily breakable, and Kobo refuses to repair or replace it even if you’re not at fault. Knowing that the customer service is poor is a dealbreaker for me, especially compared to Amazon, which never refuses a product return.
@ That’s not my experience. E-ink screens are delicate, so I take care of mine.
Waiting for mine to arrive!!
@@SebKoreai heard that they're cooperating with iFixit to repair your kobo
Truly was the only review we need👏🏼 You thoroughly answered what we REALLY want to know. Thank you!!
Rotate the display and the power button will be on the side of the case. Landscape format is also much better for reading.
If you read landscape your eyes will get tired faster because they have to travel more distance.
Everyone has a preference, I like portrait for that reason
I got mine at the beginning of November and have really enjoyed the CS.
Like you, I didn’t notice a yellow banding others are reporting.
Thank you for the wonderful video
The honest review everyone was waiting for!
I love your reviews! I didn’t think I wanted the colorsoft. But I decided to return the SE12and ordered a Colorsoft today! It’s supposedly being delivered on Friday! Yay! Hopefully it won’t have the yellowing issues.
I really enjoyed reading on the Colorsoft. None of the trade offs bothered me consciously, but I found my eyes strained the whole weekend. Whether or not that was related to reading on the Colorsoft or something else, that combined with having the yellowing at the bottom of the screen led me to return the device.
That’s what would bother me too . Just got a color soft gifted. Did you exchange it for a different one ? If so, how is the strain on your eyes ? Really would appreciate your reply 😃 thank you !!
I returned the Kindle Colorsoft AND a Kobo Libra Colour because I can’t get past how dark they are with the color filter. I know I can turn the backlight on, but I love the look of the E-ink in plain daylight because it feels more like a real book. As an artist, the biggest draw was to be able to see the beautiful colors of the book covers when in sleep mode, but the filter made it so dark that you could hardly even tell that it was a color e-reader.
I’ve noticed a very slight yellow across the bottom of my colorsoft. More concerning is a vertical and a horizontal line that cross about 2/3 of the way up the screen. Like a row and a column of single pixels that don’t color in. It’s more visible during page turns but is discernible while reading. I don’t recall dropping or bending it. I can deal with it but it’s a bit disappointing. Otherwise I’m enjoying it. My small kindle basic will remain my purse kindle.
I had the same problem with the new Paperwhite Signature edition. I noticed a thin white horizontal line going through the middle of text. Changing the font, the margins, and the spacing didn’t solve the problems. During a restart when there is a large portion of the screen is black, I noticed a thin white vertical line. I don’t know whether the lines were a row of dead pixels or hot pixels. Regardless, I sent it back for a replacement and the new screen has no pixel issues. Amazon had problems with uneven Kindle lighting years ago that prompted a lot of returns and complaints. Rearranging the LED’s and increasing the number of LED’s solved the problem. If I had a line problem like yours, I would always be watching for it and it would drive me crazy. I would return it for a refund or replacement. Happy reading !!!
Am I the only person who has never hit the power button on their Paperwhite by mistake?
You’re one of the very few, yes
I love my kindle CS my parents are buying for me for Christmas, they let me test out several days after we received in the mail from Amazon to see if there was a yellow band at the bottom .
I played with for a while and my cousin who is good with screen technology like I had him look at at the Kindle CS as well and my CS did not have the yellow issue . I am excited to get this colors much brighter than the Kobo . The small grey effect will happen when reading black and white page text because of e reader convert technology that’s being used called kolido three for some reason Amazon able to make the colors brighter than in other e reader brands not sure yet how but in my opinion they do make the colors brighter more and richer. I love the paper like effect on black and white text , I had that on my on a e book app back in the day when I was using my iPad as a e reader but I went with a kindle in 2016 and never looked back , no eye strain, because blue light from the iPad hurt my eyes reading for long periods of time . Happy reading I love physical books and e readers reading is my hobby and comfort.
Hey ! I got one too but haven’t opened it yet. Do you have to turn up the brightness to read well ? If so - No eye strain because of that ? Thank you
Thank you for this comprehensive review, Maneetpaul. I am ordering the newest Paperwhite Signature edition later today as Amazon has opened the 2024 Black Friday deals. I will wait a year or so on the Colorsoft, with the hope that Amazon will work out all the bugs by then! I can look forward to trading in the device I purchase this year to offset that price tag in the future. Best wishes.
I had to send mine back and was so bummed about it because I enjoyed it. But the lack of dark mode, power button location, the yellow lighting at the bottom, and the fact that the battery died so quickly just wasn’t worth the trade off from my paperwhite signature.
Screen quality was just too hazy for me. Yellowing on the bottom just like he mentioned. I switched to the basic kindle in matcha . Absolutely adorable and perfect for my needs. The green front panel makes it smooth like butter on the eyes .
Did you have to turn up the brightness on the color soft ? Was it hard on the eyes ? I just got one gifted and unsure if I should return it 😅
@AyaneBKing i did have to turn up the brightness and it was hazy no matter what I did .
@kayleesimpson1614 thanks for your insight 😭
Thank you for your new video on the Colorsoft! It looks amazing. I ordered the Colorsoft from Best Buy and it's due to arrive this Friday. I don't know how they have it available considering Amazon has postponed their shipments until next month and I admit to being a bit worried it will have the yellowing. But I'm still excited to be getting it. :)
My Colorsoft had very obvious and noticeable yellowing at the bottom of the screen. Amazon wouldn't send a replacement because they couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't have the same issue, so I got a full refund. I plan on buying a Boox when the black Friday sales hit.
I had to call customer service regarding a kindle 11 signature, because I had purchased a signature 12 and wanted to return the 11. The first words out each encounter, “are you returning a kindle colosoft?” They are being inundated with returns.
Thank you for your extended review.
Personally I returned my ColorSoft and kept the new Paperwhite SE.
After doing side by side comparison I could not get the noticeable trade-offs on the font quality and brightness out of my head.
When I read outside in the sun on my terrace the PW SE was even brighter with brightness settings on zero than the ColorSoft at maximum.
As you mentioned, if you own the CS better don’t do side by side if you focus primarily on black&white reading.
If the CS is your first and only Kindle you will enjoy the benefits while browsing through your Library of covers.
When I ordered my Paperwhite it had an intense orange discoloration in the left lower corner so i decided to return it. A few days later I received the same model as a gift and it didn’t have that problem at all, I was really surprised 😃 but also happy because I wouldn’t order a new one for sure 😂
How about the darker display? Do you have to turn up the brightness? I’m worried about eyestrain from having the light on
Great review, as always, but I want to point out one thing. At 10:49, you mention sideloading EPUBs and PDFs. If you sideload an EPUB (onto any Kindle), you won't see it in the list of books because the Kindle cannot read an EPUB format file. If you use "Send to Kindle," it will be fine, because that software converts it into a Kindle format before sending it to your advice. I think the issue with the PDF files is probably not supporting some colour model that PDF files can use. That might be corrected in a future software update.
You also didn't mention that the 12th generation Kindles use a different USB file transfer protocol that is not supported natively by Mac computers. A third-party add-on to the Mac is necessary.
Thank you for calling this out, you're right! And yes, I'm aware of the changes made to the USB connection requiring an additional third party app. I plan to cover this in a future video.
Thanks for the review. I can tell by looking at your photos that your Colorsoft, like mine (and every one out there) is warmer and skewing toward amber on the bottom, and cooler and skewing toward pink at the top. It is fascinating that some people don't notice, although it is very dependent on what warmth and brightness you use, plus what your indoor lighting is like. If you want to make it easier to notice...flip the thing upside-down. The only way one can notice the "screen door" effect is to really bring it close to your eyes. At my regular reading distance (with my eyeglasses on)...I can't see it. The text is in fact very sharp and very dark, but that screen door effect, due to the two screens sandwiched together, tricks people into thinking otherwise. Response? Its screen is leagues faster than my first generation Oasis, and my warmth slider will run the range from cool blue to deep amber. About the only real negative is that with the light off the screen is much darker, so people who are going to read outside a lot may want to pick another device. Otherwise, considering my original Oasis was ~$380 (that 3G service added quite a bit to the price!), I don't consider it to be too expensive.
I am going to purchase one once they have some of the issues worked out. I do wish for the extra price they offered more colors I am not a fan of the black. I feel like buttons and maybe a little larger would have totally been worth the price tag. THANKS this was a complete review. 😃
The Kindle Colorsoft, although it costs $100 more than the Paperwhite Signature Edition, brings real added value thanks to its ability to display color. This opens up interesting perspectives for users who want to take full advantage of the color highlights, illustrations, diagrams, and book covers in their library.
This type of investment seems justified for digital reading enthusiasts who are looking for a richer and more immersive experience, especially in areas such as educational books, comics or illustrated novels.
I receive mine at the end of the year.
I unfortunately ended up returning mine because I felt the screen was too grainy for me, and instead purchased the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition which will be delivered today, hopefully that one doesn’t have the same yellow bar issue as the Colorsoft or I’ll be extremely disappointed.
How do you like your Pw?
“Signature edition”??? And many had poor quality control??? Imagine what a non-signature edition will be like. Very disappointing seeing kindled quality is dropping. The prices aren’t dropping though.
I've been looking out for your review - thank you! I am considering finally retiring my 10 year old Voyage, as it's now pretty slow and the battery life is poor. Was excited for the colorsoft as a new way to read graphic novels but put off by the yellow band issues and potential graininess of the screen. Your review has been very helpful!
Good review, thank you. I never buy the first generation of a new item, especially tech. No matter how much research and development goes in, there seems to be problems with way too many first run devices. Almost like they say “yeah, but just get it out there” whether it’s ready or not. Right now I’m still holding onto my Oasis and plan to until it dies (or they shock us and bring out a new Oasis (yeah, I know).
I can’t see any orange light on mine
Hey Maneet, did you try reading any graphic novels in the Kindle? My biggest concern with reading comics in the Kindle is that the font size would be too small and I'd have to zoom in a lot. And obviously, zooming in and out frequently is not the most fun experience on a kindle. Would love if you covered this! Thank you!
I wish kindle had a magazine app like Texture or Apple News that would be so cool with the color screen.
It’s absolutely unacceptable for that kindle not to be absolutely perfect.
The Kobo Libra Colour is currently discounted in the UK, the price had dropped from £199 to £179
I got one for my mom for Christmas. I bought her the Paper white back in early 2014. I’m hoping that this will be a good upgrade for her, considering her current device is over 10 years old now.
I’m worried about the screen. But here’s hoping she doesn’t receive one from the bad batch. I’m hopeful because it is delayed until early December now.
Mine is due to arrive at the end of November, so it’ll be interesting to see if that has the yellow banding issue or not! But it doesn’t look like they’ve halted shipping entirely.
I’ll be keeping my Oasis for reading regular books, and using the Colorsoft only really where colour content is key, so the slightly darker screen isn’t really too much of an issue for me, I hope.
Just got ColorSoft today and man the book cover local screen are so dark that I can barely see the color. Idk if they can fix with with an update but I don’t want to get trapped in replacement kindle hell.
Power button should never be on the back bc ppl usually put a case on them.. power button should be at the top
Been waiting weeks for your review of this device!
How do I even read comics on a Kindle? I wouldn't know how to.
I wish they'd come out with an Oasis color. I miss my buttons.
Your review answered all my questions and a few I hadn't thought of. I remain in the 90% that are good with the Paperwhite for now. Thanks!
I love that you got shots of you reading on an e-reader in a book store. I'm sure they loved that. :P
I returned mine not because of the yellow band at the bottom, which didn’t bother me, but due to the line ghosting I noticed that seemed to worsen as I used it. I really loved the device, but if I kept it, how much worse would the ghosting get over a long amount of time. Such a disappointment because I loved the features it had.
Hi Maneet ,
Thanks for the nice review it helps me out a lot.
Thank you for such an in depth review.
Power button is at the bottom because Amazon is cheap, They do/did (not kept an eye on recent releases) same on the Fire Tablet range.
I like my Oasis to switch to the Colorsoft. When my Oasis dies I'll consider it
Just received my Colorsoft yesterday and after a day on it, I’m returning it. I don’t know what version you got but the text is so hazy and grainy, the filters so off, that I developed a major headache after about 30mins of reading. Tbh my eyes started hurting during the setup process which was so weird! TheLock Screen screensavers are NOT that bright at all. I wish you would’ve mentioned that the screensavers only look that good in your video because of the studio lighting bc in real life they are so dim they’re almost impossible to see.
Overall, I think I’ll stick to my iPad or maybe try the Paperwhite because the Colorsoft, as a first-gen item, is just not there yet.
Speaking of price. All the other kindles are discounted right now for the holidays. I asked customer support for a price match the 12 gen paperwhite since I purchased Oct 21 and asked on Nov 21. They said "No." So I told them they leave me with no choice but to return the device and re-purchase for the cheaper value (said this is just a creation if time wasted and waste of materials). All the sudden they gave me $20 refund (versus the $30 that it is discounted at right now), but to avoid the run around and waiting for another device close enough. I think a lot of people who bought day 1 are going to be not happy and I didn't expect the new devices to go on discount like this for the holidays being so new. The colorsoft has NO discount as of today.
I am lucky that my Colorsoft does not have the yellow band issue. I was disappointed that the screensaver is so dark you can’t enjoy the color there. But otherwise I really like this Kindle.
I feel the Kobo Libra Color colrs are too light, whereas the Kindle Colorsoft has more true colors for comics. I bought the Colorsoft and loved it. I did have some yellowing at the bottom of the screen, and although it didn't bother me, the fact that I paid $300 for a faulty device Did bother me. I returned my Colorsoft and will wait until Amazon fixes the issues and re-releases the unit. I do have a Lenovo M9 which acts as a color ereader for me as it has many ereader options, but horrible, terrible, awful battery life.
By the way, thank you for speaking eloquently- your videos are really enjoyable for this!
Great review Maneet, thank you!
Do you know for sure that they "halted" sales? Why assume that rather than that it's been popular due to pent-up demand for a color eInk Kindle and they could simply be sold out?
There was no shipping delay when the Colorsoft came out. The delay started alongside the disclaimer they put on the product page. It all happened very suddenly.
@@Maneetpaul Wouldn't shipping delays also coincide with them being out of stock?
All their kindle devices (even the fire devices) are on sale currently for their Black Friday event - except the Color version. THAT should tell you something.
Do you know if there is a time limit as to when we can report an issue with the device? For instance, if we bought it for someone for Christmas when it launched and won't know until the device is opened if it has a problem with the yellow screen, do you know if Amazon would still honor an exchange?
Im keeping my day 1 bottom yellow kindle for sentimental value of how excited i was to first get a color kindle.. just like i keep my first extremely slow ones 🤣. You couldnt tell me anything about the og slow paperwhites i was just too excited about reading at night when i wanted
I still have an Oasis so would it seem really fast to me?
In your launch video you mention how Kindle had constructed the color soft in a way where the colors can appear brighter, I wonder if that had anything to do with the yellow band appearing on the bottom? (It was something like how they angled something inside the device)
I am glad I saw this review , now I won't buy the new Kindle color unless I'm the type that reads a whole lot of comic books
Great review. I've just bought a Kobo Libra 2 (2nd hand only now). Will not buy a 12 gen Kindle because of its new file system and crucially, no longer being able to download files from Amz once registered. Therefore no more Kindles for me -- but thankfully Kobo etc are still fine.
I remember paying $399 for the original Kindle in 2008. If you adjust for inflation that is about $585 if the online inflation calculators are to be believed.
Have they updated it
finally someone said it!!. you are paying $80 over the signature paperwhite to being able to see colors.
I would argue that not many people wanted to buy the paperwhite signature edition in the first place ( I think it is not worth the price jump ), so they are comparing the regular paperwhite against the colorsoft and the price jump there seems crazy.
Hopefully in the coming years there should be a non-signature colorsoft at around $210 I assume.
I was willing to try it until you said no dark mode. I read exclusively in dark mode. Thanks for the info!
I heard that they will be fixing that.
Your videos are A plus quality! Thank you for your opinion about the Colorsoft. ❤
Very nice and informative video, but I've a totally unrelated question. Though black friday sale is going on, kindle scribe 16gb is selling @$139.99, why is it so? Is the price likely to come down anytime soon?
I'm from india and want to order one through a friend in US. Could you please guide? 🙏
Mine is in return black hole "Oh no im sorry sir it says it has been refunded, have you tried logging out and back in?"
I had 2 colorsofts in a row with stuck pixels so I just got a paperwhite
The Kindle family is off shelves in india.maybe asking us to opt for alternatives
Kindle can release a colored Scribe and I may come back. As of right now, I won’t buy another Kindle.
UPDATE: I loved my color soft BUT all of a sudden, the pages went blank! Reboot… a few pages and the blank again. Sigh
Did the issue resolve?😮
@AyaneBKingI just gave it back and got the new Paperwhite. I’ll dip my toe back in the color Kindle when a color Scribe comes out.
Have a good day!
@@Ngcpeeper57 good day to you too! Thanks 🙏
Why are people not content to wait for the second iteration of the Colorsoft? Sage advise is to NEVER get the first iteration of new technology as there will likely be compromises.
I'm glad you brought up the pricing. That's where they lost me.
I recently wanted to upgrade from my Paperwhite SE (2021 version). I looked at the Colorsoft and the Kobo Libra Colour. I went with the Libra Colour because a) it was less expensive, and b) it's pen-enabled. I really don't think Amazon brought the bang for the buck here. They already have pen technology. They should've included that with the Colorsoft. I suspect they didn't do that because they didn't want to cannibalize Scribe sales. Still, it made the decision easier for me. The KLC *plus* a stylus cost less than the Colorsoft alone.
How's the battery life on the Colorsoft? You didn't mention that in your review.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience, Brian. I hope you’re enjoying the Libra! The battery life has been just fine for me. I don’t mention it much in my reviews because they last for weeks/months and it’s very hard to measure. If I ever have any major issues, I’ll be sure to post something about it.
Amazon is being ridiculous with the bad quality and that insane price… I returned mine because I got it cuz of the hype.. it’s sooo not worth it just to see book covers in color!!! Maybe if you read comics, but then just get the kobo for cheaper!
Only 2,9 star rating on amazon Germany. Wow. 289,99 € btw.
Color e-ink is unfinished technology so if you focus on reading, don't buy it, it has worst screen than b&w e-ink to the point that annoyed me when I just reading text book and cover display is less important than content inside.
So you found it too dark ? Did it cause eye strain ? My Mum gifted me one and I’d really love to highlight in color , but I don’t read comics and am concerned about it being hard on the eyes due to the lack of clarity
@AyaneBKing not by much but it does make your eyes work more than b&w screen (which contrast better closer to real paper) and with color screen, you have to using glow light most of the time so it reduce battery life and your eyes need to adjust constantly to adapt environment light and screen light.
@@NhiepKen thank you so much ! That’s some really good insight !! 🙂
Kindle colorflop
It is yellow light and not orange light.
You know…I was going back and forth about that. I’d say it’s both yellow and orange.
@@Maneetpaul Ok. I really wanted to get one myself (in spite of having four kindles already). I went to Best Buy, and the display device they had did not have this problem. I played around with it a bit and loved everything about it. It had good contrast, black-and-white text was crisp, and the screen was not as dark as I expected it to be. Loved the print like color rendition unlike the bold iPad colors for comics.
Have you checked the 2024 PW SE for the same yellowing complaints? It is on black Friday sale for $154.
The bottom power button is SO annoying!
BUTTONS!!! You didn't mention the lack of buttons on this "premium" (priced) "Signature" device. Someone at Amazon needs to lose their job. Several someone's. If you read ANY reviews, anywhere online, EVERYONE says how much they love the Oasis' buttons. That the OASIS is the e-reader to beat. EVERYONE expected the new Color Kindle to have BUTTONS. They're charging a button-price, we want the damn BUTTONS!!! And the color. If you need to charge another $50 for the buttons, then FINE. But we really want is a COLOR OASIS. Same brightness, warmth, etcetera. We were all expecting some sort of "breakthrough technology" in the color department, but we got a slightly enhanced Kaleido device. BFD.
Amazon, if you're reading this, just give us a Color Oasis. If you can manage it, make it flat, too, but we'll take the Oasis exactly as it is now, only in color. And with a USB-C charging port, of course.
If this is a "Signature"-level device, that means anything coming out that is NOT a Signature device will be LESS capable and less-quality build, etcetera. What about this "Signature" device makes it a top-of-the-line device, with a price tag to match? Color. That's it. No stylus support. No amazing speed. No perfect crispness on the text, like an Oasis. No BUTTONS. I can only imagine what the non-Signature Color Kindle will look like. Cardboard case? No backlight? 30 seconds to turn a page? Maybe a monkey that draws in the colors with a crayon at each page turn.
Stop spreading misinformation. There is no software fix in works for this issue. What are you doing, man? People may get stuck with their defective device because it’s gonna be too late to return it. Absolutely shameless and irresponsible.
1:55 All he said was that he THINKS there may be updates based off of RUMORS. If someone makes the decision to keep it based off of his comment that has a lot of speculation implied, then they should have done more research. At the end of the day, it’s not a huge deal. Take a few deep breaths.