There’s nothing I hate more than when a company announces a product but then doesn’t actually have any in stock to sell. This is precisely what Amazon did when it announced the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft two months ago. In fact, Amazon announced three different Scribe models, and precisely zero of them were available to order after they were announced. Only recently has Amazon revealed the date as December 10th, and honestly, I can’t help but notice that it is two weeks away from Christmas. While I’m sure plenty will rush to buy one, this is stressful timing; it’s too damn close to Christmas for a consumer electronics release.
Why so close to Christmas?
There it is, plain as day, we finally have a release date for the new Kindle Scribes
The Kindle Scribe Colorosft appears to be aimed at competing with the reMarkable Paper Pro (as well as the newer Move we recently reviewed), but the question remains: why did Amazon choose to announce the new Scribe models over two months ago, and why is it waiting until December 10th to release it for sale? Perhaps this is a pressure technique, and if it is, it’s a smarmy one.
Personally, I will wait until first impressions start to drop before I’d consider buying the Scribe Colorsoft. After the debacle that was the original Colorsoft release last year, a model that suffered from screen banding, I’m not so sure I trust Amazon to get a color E Ink screen right at the 11-inch size the Scribe Colorosoft will offer.
While it will be nice to have a color E Ink alternative to the remarkable Paper Pro, which will likely offer more features for reading and note-taking, the $630 starting price for the Scribe Colorsoft is probably going to be a non-starter for many, as it is lofty, especially with Amazon’s track record with Kindle quality control that often leaves me wanting.
At the end of the day, sales are set to open on December 10th. So, will you rush to buy one with only two weeks until Christmas to spare, or will you wait, like me, to see how it actually turns out before deciding to buy?
Amazon listings
