"...it has 25 percent more contrast than the Pearl screens in the current Kindles and, with 212ppi, it has a 62 percent higher resolution. It relies on a fiber optic like system to direct light down onto the display, not unlike the Nook but, from what we can see, the color is much whiter." [1]

[1] -http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/06/kindle-paperwhite/

It can be brighter in the same way that real dead-tree paper can be brighter. If you go into an office supply store, look at the paper selection, you'll notice that some shades of "white" are much, much brighter white than others.

> Brighter? As far as I know it doesn't have any backlight, so how can it be brighter?

It does have a backlight, but it can be brighter because the pages are more white.

It can still have a higher contrast ratio. Flat black vs flat white, whereas previous versions were not quite flat black and not quite flat white.

If you look at this page: https://sites.google.com/a/etccreations.com/kdesignworks/

It's clear that the existing Kindle is grey-to-grey with a moderate contrast ratio.

Maybe "lightness" or "whiteness" would be more accurate because it's a matter of reflectance and not luminance, but brightness is already commonly misused in that context, so I don't think this is particularly egregious. Paper has a brightness rating, afterall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleaching_of_wood_pulp#Paper_br...

It has front light. Thus it is brighter.

Just like whiteboard is brighter than blackboard.