Early Preview of Free Software Update for Kindle
We’re excited to tell you about some new features coming to the latest generation Kindle and Kindle 3G:
• Public Notes – This feature lets Kindle users choose to make their book notes and highlights available for others to see. Any Kindle user – including authors, their fans, book reviewers, professors and passionate readers everywhere – can opt-in to share their thoughts on book passages and ideas with friends, family members, colleagues, and the greater Kindle community of people who love to read. This is a new way for readers to share their excitement and knowledge about books and get more from the books they read. To review and turn on Public Notes in your own books, view the Public Notes of people you follow, track your reading activities, see Popular Highlights and your annotations, and view your full library of books, go to http://kindle.amazon.com.
• Real Page Numbers – Our customers have told us they want real page numbers that match the page numbers in print books so they can easily reference and cite passages, and read alongside others in a book club or class. Rather than add page numbers that don’t correspond to print books, which is how page numbers have been added to e-books in the past, we’re adding real page numbers that correspond directly to a book’s print edition. We’ve already added real page numbers to tens of thousands of Kindle books, including the top 100 bestselling books in the Kindle Store that have matching print editions and thousands more of the most popular books. Page numbers will also be available on our free “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” Kindle apps in the coming months. As with all of Kindle’s features, we want you to lose yourself in the author’s words, so Page Numbers are only displayed when you press the Menu button.
• Before You Go… – When you reach the end of the book, we will now offer a seamless experience that lets you immediately rate the book, share a message about the book with your social network, get personalized recommendations for what to read next, and see more books by the same author.
• New Newspaper and Magazine Layout – We’re introducing a new and improved layout for newspapers and magazines. This new layout gives you a quick snapshot of the news and helps you decide what you want to read first.
Latest generation Kindle and Kindle 3G customers who want to try an Early Preview of these new features can manually download the software update here. All latest generation Kindle and Kindle 3G customers will receive this software update automatically via Wi-Fi once it becomes available. We will update the Kindle Community forum when we complete the Early Preview and begin to automatically deliver the update.
Erik on 02/07/2011 at 06:55 PM
Wow, what a slap in the face of all the Kindle 2 users out there.
Never mind that paid $360 for your Kindle. Never mind that you were some of the early adopters of the technology. Never mind that you probably have influenced half a dozen friends and family members to buy their own Kindles.
Bad form Amazon... :(
Bob on 02/07/2011 at 07:00 PM
Will this update provide page numbers on all books(new and existing on our kindles)?
Joe on 02/07/2011 at 07:08 PM
Does this software update bring the return of the feature that was removed in Kindle 3? I want to set my own image when the kindle goes to sleep.
Tanya on 02/07/2011 at 07:29 PM
Thank You!!!!!! I love the new software. I really like the end of the book idea. Showing more books by the author is a huge plus. I like the number pages too, but I also like the % a lot as well. I am so used to it now.
John Pierce on 02/07/2011 at 07:33 PM
I paid $300 for Kindle 2 and you are gonna totally turn your back on me Amazon? Why would I ever buy another product from you if you support iPad but not your own product? Please implement this update in Kindle 2.
John Pierce on 02/07/2011 at 07:33 PM
I paid $300 for Kindle 2 and you are gonna totally turn your back on me Amazon? Why would I ever buy another product from you if you support iPad but not your own product? Please implement this update in Kindle 2.
AR on 02/07/2011 at 07:34 PM
Wouldn't 2nd Gen owners get it as "Kindle 3G customers"? I thought the 2nd Gen connected to 3G/whispernet?
AR on 02/07/2011 at 07:34 PM
Wouldn't 2nd Gen owners get it as "Kindle 3G customers"? I thought the 2nd Gen connected to 3G/whispernet?
BLKMGK on 02/07/2011 at 08:05 PM
Hey I know - how about Kindle ONE support? I don't think I've ever gotten a SINGLE update. Nice that early adopters got dropped like yesterday's trash after helping folks figure out that a Kindle was worth buying. I've been tempted to "upgrade" but my existing unit works great and has an SD card. It even came with a case.
BLKMGK on 02/07/2011 at 08:05 PM
Hey I know - how about Kindle ONE support? I don't think I've ever gotten a SINGLE update. Nice that early adopters got dropped like yesterday's trash after helping folks figure out that a Kindle was worth buying. I've been tempted to "upgrade" but my existing unit works great and has an SD card. It even came with a case.
MelM on 02/07/2011 at 09:12 PM
When the change is available for my PC Kindle reader... Of the books I already have for my PC reader, I'd want to find out which ones have been outfitted with page numbers and if "Delivering" these again will get the new versions.
Vic on 02/07/2011 at 09:13 PM
I, like others, am disappointed Amazon will not be updating its Kindle 2 as well. Perhaps Amazon should consider discounting (and/or providing trade in to) Kindle 2 users who choose to upgrade to a newer unit.
John Mulnix on 02/07/2011 at 09:44 PM
I really want Kindle 2 support! Why can't the Kindle 2 get page numbers as well? It makes no sense at all. Please update the Kindle 2 or I will be finding another platform to purchase books through.
fututech on 02/07/2011 at 09:53 PM
I enjoy the price benefit
stillerwinter on 02/07/2011 at 10:11 PM
Arghh, where is an update for the pathetic mp3 player functionality? The speakers on the Kindle are fantastic but the player software sucks. Where is my webradio?
Come on...
stillerwinter on 02/07/2011 at 10:11 PM
Arghh, where is an update for the pathetic mp3 player functionality? The speakers on the Kindle are fantastic but the player software sucks. Where is my webradio?
Come on...
stillerwinter on 02/07/2011 at 10:12 PM
Arghh, where is an update for the pathetic mp3 player functionality? The speakers on the Kindle are fantastic but the player software sucks. Where is my webradio?
Come on...
ben on 02/07/2011 at 10:36 PM
Don't be all my Kindle one cost me one thousand dollars and I don't be gettin no page numbers, Kindles are gonna be free in a few years just sit back and relax.
Tens of thousands of books now with page numbers, only a few million more that need pagination?? Get crackin Amazon, we are all waiting.
Sean on 02/07/2011 at 10:38 PM
//The post does not say that the updates will not be available for previous kindle editions. Just that the beta version (aka "early preview") will not be.Stop skimming.
Umm, I think you are the one skimming. If you follow the link to the update then you will see the following:
"All latest generation Kindle and Kindle 3G customers will receive this software update automatically via Wi-Fi once it becomes available".
Sean on 02/07/2011 at 10:38 PM
//The post does not say that the updates will not be available for previous kindle editions. Just that the beta version (aka "early preview") will not be.Stop skimming.
Umm, I think you are the one skimming. If you follow the link to the update then you will see the following:
"All latest generation Kindle and Kindle 3G customers will receive this software update automatically via Wi-Fi once it becomes available".
J. Bishop on 02/07/2011 at 10:50 PM
Oh my God! I have never heard a larger group of whinging cry babys!
I purchased a 1st generation Kindle almost 4 years ago. I still use it on a daily basis. It cost $399 and I still to this day think it is one of the best purchases I've made. However, I had no expectations at the time of purchase or now that Amazon would support the device ad eternum. When you purchase a new computer do you expect it to last forever and never need to be upgraded? Does your old Pentium 386 era PC run Windows 7 to your satisfaction? No of course not.
We recently purchased a second Kindle, a Kindle 3. We opted for the WiFi only version and are very happy with this purchase as well.
You cannot compare the Kindle to the iPad they are entirely different devices. Kindle doesn't want to be like iPad they are not in competition with each other. The Kindle is a single use device that performs it's duty 110%!
Kiryn on 02/07/2011 at 11:18 PM
Still waiting for:
1. Ability to change my own screensavers so that I can look at images I choose instead of a bunch of random dead literary people.
2. Ability to follow links from Google Reader that are programmed to open in a new window -- the Kindle can't open new windows, so it just prevents me from opening them at all. Why can't it just bypass that and open them in the current window? I'd rather have that than be prevented from opening them at ALL.
Kevin Fox on 02/07/2011 at 11:29 PM
Please respect my investment in your products as an early adopted and support page numbers for Gen 2 Kindles. I already upgraded from Gen 1 for PDF support. Please don't abandon your own hardware so quickly.
Gerrit Eicker on 02/07/2011 at 11:30 PM
Why didn't you add (additional) paragraph numbers?
Roger Knights on 02/08/2011 at 01:56 AM
I assume (actually I only hope) that these page numbers will be shown as well as, or instead of, location numbers in my Notes and Marks. Half their benefit would be lost if not.