Next Kindle may have reading light

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SEATTLE, April 6 (UPI) -- The next generation of Amazon's Kindle e-reader may be equipped with a front-lit screen, reports a U.S. tech Web site that says it's seen an early prototype.

The illumination of the next Kindle is a soft glow compared to the harsher brightness of back-lit LCDs, TechCrunch reported of the prototype.

While the so-called e-ink screens in current models provide a sharp, paper-like reading experience, their downside is they can only be read in the day or if there's an external source of illumination.

Amazon has reportedly been looking at introducing lit screens on its Kindles for a while and purchased Oy Modilis, a leading company in light-guide technology, in 2010.

Oy Modilis holds several patents for display lighting technology, one of which appears to be the one that may appear in the new Kindle, slashgear.com reported.

The addition of the illuminated screen USN't expected to add much thickness to the updated e-reader, expected to arrive later this year.