The online retail giant has released a new version of its Kindle e-reader device called the Kindle DX, and textbook publishers, universities and newspapers are helping test the new version.
The expanded device has a larger 9.7-inch screen, supports Adobe PDF files, and can switch from portrait to landscape modes by changing the tilt of the device.
The retailer is now taking pre-orders for the Kindle DX, which will ship to customers this southern winter at a price of $US489.
Newspapers have teamed up with the retailer to deliver exclusive content and features. The New York Times, The Boston Globe and The Washington Post will offer the device at a discount to readers where home delivery of newspapers is not available.
The introduction of the new model may be a lifeline for troubled newspapers, with many small publications feeling the pressure of the increased popularity of online news and lower circulation.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
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