Spotted: Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite with a serious upgrade

One year after the launch its Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon seems to be toying with the idea of launching an upgrade to its second generation e-book reader, if aTechCrunchprototype sighting is to be believed.

[caption id="attachment_1248795" align="alignleft" width="380"] The spotted paperwhite prototype looks more in line with Kindle Fire HD tablets. Amazon.com[/caption]

Code-named Ice Wine, as per the technology website's report, the prototype looks more in line with the Kindle Fire HDX tablets. Here are what the specs look like:

• 330 ppi display resolution

• Matte glass display screen

• Squeezable buttons on the edge of the device for a haptic feedback

• Custom-built in typography

• Lighter weighing device

• Ambient light sensor

• Software update

Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite has 212 ppi screen.

Currently, the e-reader with the highest resolution available in the market is the Kobo Aura HD that boasts of a 265 ppi resolution, and priced at Rs. 13,999 in India. It is also armed with armed with 1GHz processor and 4GB storage space.

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So, is this a move from Amazon to one-up Kobo? It may look like it, but the tablet is probably setting its sights on Apple's newly launched iPad mini with Retina Display and Google's new Nexus 7 tablet.

The iPad mini with Retina display has a resolution of1024x768 resolution at 324 pixels per inch (ppi) while the Nexus 7 has a323 ppi resolution. Amazon, which has largely been playing catch up in the tablet game to both devices, clearly needs a serious upgrade if it has any chance of competing.

The device could be released in the second half of 2014, says the TechCrunch report.

Till then, keep calm and enjoy reading.