The Kindle Colorsoft faces shipping delays, but don’t be put off by its yellow screen issue

A fix is coming, but we don’t think it’s a major issue

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Amazonhas warned that its first-ever color ereader, theKindleColorsoft, could face shipping delays while it fixes a small screen issue that it says has affected a “small number of customers.” Now that we’ve published our fullAmazon Kindle Colorsoft review, we’ve concluded the problem shouldn’t be a big factor in your buying decision.

After a report fromThe Vergehighlighted that some users were experiencing a small yellow strip along the bottom of the Kindle Colorsoft’s display, Amazon acknowledged the issue.

It told us that “a small number of customers have reported a yellow band along the bottom of the display” and that “customers who notice this can reach out to our customer service team for a replacement or refund.”

It added that the problem shouldn’t impact future units, stating, “we’re making the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward.” Amazon also told us that the availability of the Kindle Colorsoft may be affected while it makes these fixes, and anyone affected can continue using their device until replacement ones arrive.

So, how big is the issue? While we did see signs of the yellow band during our review (see below), it wasn’t particularly noticeable. That led us to give it a four-and-a-half-star rating, concluding that “it doesn’t feel like a first-generation technology” and that “it might be the best Kindle yet.”

A major issue?

So, should you be worried about the Kindle Colorsoft’s display issue? We don’t think so, and Amazon says replacements will be sent to the “small number” of customers affected.

We saw small signs of the issue in our review unit (above), so you can see for yourself. But as our US Mobiles Editor Philip Berne concluded in our review “the effect is so slight that I never would have seen it if I didn’t read The Verge’s report.”

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“I don’t expect perfect color fidelity from a Kindle, so it didn’t bother me one bit” Philip Berne added, concluding that the ereader is “going to change the way we see Kindle forever.”

While we still don’t think the Kindle Colorsoft feels premium enough for its $279.99 / £269.99 price tag (an Australia launch date hasn’t been announced yet), and the lack of access toMarvelUnlimited or DC Infinite subscriptions is a downer, our review says that “the Kindle Colorsoft feels like the fastest, smoothest e-reader I’ve ever used, whether reading in color or just black and white text.”

That includes rivals like theKobo Libra Colour, so if you’ve been waiting for a Kindle upgrade, we reckon it’s the one to go for – despite those small display issues on certain units.

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Mark is TechRadar’s Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at both TechRadar and Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he’s contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph’s Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London’s Square Mile.

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