Amazon Kindle Scribe entered a saturated digital laptop market in 2022, competing with companies like Kobo, ReMarkable and Boox. But the first-generation Scribe had one advantage over all the others: it was also a Kindle. His biggest flaw? Annotations could not be made directly in the e-books, a standard feature that most people would expect in an e-paper digital notebook.
This has been rectified in the Kindle Scribe 2nd generationand there are a couple of other additions, like generative AI features and a slightly redesigned Premium Pen stylus, which is now included. But the rest of the Scribe remains practically the same. It’s a great digital notebook for anyone who likes to jot things down on paper, and since it does double duty as an e-reader, there’s no need to carry another Kindle.
Photography: Brenda Stolyar
Unfortunately, the price has gone up to $400, an increase of $60 (technically, a $30 increase if you compare it directly to the original Scribe with the Premium Pen). But there’s one important fact you should know: the first-generation Scribe can access all of the second-generation model’s new capabilities via a software update (you can download it manually or wait for an over-the-air update). It’s nice that existing customers don’t have to upgrade, but it leaves little incentive to spend more on the latest.
Soft and Supreme
The Scribe has the same chassis as its predecessor. The back is a mix of recycled aluminum and post-consumer recycled plastics, but it feels luxurious. It’s still not waterproof like the Kindle Paperwhite and Colorsoft, which is strange for a productivity device that will inevitably be placed next to a cup of coffee.
The front houses a 10.2-inch E Ink display with 300 pixels per inch (94 nits maximum brightness). You can automatically adjust the brightness based on the environment, and there’s even adjustable warm lighting, making it a little easier on the eyes in low-light conditions. I enjoy using the latter while journaling in Scribe before bed. There’s also a dark mode, which turns the background black and the font white (also useful at night).
Photography: Brenda Stolyar