Wednesday turned out to be a big day for Amazon when they ramped up its push into hardware with the debut of six new or upgraded devices which also include a high-end $199 eReader called the Kindle Voyage and its cheapest-ever touch-screen tablet. On that note, Amazon entered into hardware sector with the 2007 launch of the Kindle.

The online retailer giant, who holds the 1st position in U.S market, gave a fresh touch to its basic Kindle e-reader by including a touch screen. It will cost 15% more than the current basic model and will be available at $79.

Even though the cost of the device will go up in price, the slight upgrades and changes in features will surely be worth the consumer's while.

First off is the screen: The Voyage goes a step beyond the Paperwhite and brings its pixel density to a crisp, magazine-quality 300 DPI. The entire screen is covered by a piece of glass instead of plastic, and its edge by new touch sensitive page-turn buttons that buzz slightly when pressed. These added features will enhance the reading experience and these are the factors on which Amazon is banking on!

On a side note, Amazon has been investing heavily in content, inking a deal this year to stream some HBO shows including 'The Sopranos' and 'The Wire' to members of its Prime subscription program. "The vast majority of people are still using the tablets," David Limp, vice president of devices for Amazon, said during a briefing with reporters in New York.

Executives claim the Kindle Voyage as the thinnest device Amazon has ever made. The online retail giant expects large set of readers adopting the device, which more closely mimics a paper book.

On that note, some experts said, the $79 Kindle is crucial to attract new users, particularly in markets like China, Japan, and Germany, where e-readers are starting to gain traction.