Kindle DX goes global

Amazon's larger format Kindle the DX with a 9.7" 1200 x 824 pixel display will going on sale on January 19th, but they are accepting pre-orders now. It will cost $489 and can hold 3,500 books.

It comes equipped with 3G and there are NO network fees, just browse for a book, download it and 60 seconds later you're done. The free 3G services are available in most European countries (over 100) though not all countries with 3G will support it.

As well as supporting Amazon's book format the unit will also support PDF files, so it can be used to browse standard documents. The Kindle also supports Microsoft Word (DOC, DOCX), PDF, HTML, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PRC and MOBI files though documents may have to be sent to Whispernet (Amazon's network/storage system) and that can incur extra fees.

Though the Kindle is a nice device, it will be interesting to see how other contenders do such as Skiff and Plastic Logic with their QUE it's going to be a crowded market and that should be good for consumers. Though many people still prefer to read books, eReaders are perfect for travellers or people who need to read lots of technical documentation.