[ixtab]

@toka:

Hmm... you sort of caught me with this, so I thought a bit more about it. Would something like the following make sense?

- the Kindle device could work in two modes: "administrator" mode and "user" mode.
- In administrator mode, it would essentially provide the default UI, allowing to change all settings.
- In user mode, only a very limited set of functionalities would be available (1. select books, 2. read book = 1. home screen, 2. reader app), where both would be adapted to special needs.
- To switch between modes, and to support multiple users, the Kindle would have to be connected to a PC, where some kind of (to-be-developed) management software is running. This software could set the mode (admin/user), and set individual user settings (which books are available, reader font size(if needed and differing between users(?)), possibly other settings if needed(?)).

I'm attaching a few "sample" images (the images are totally amateurish because of my absolute lack of talent for anything related to graphics... but the idea should still be clear).

Note: there are quite a few question marks in the above text, simply because I don't know what the actual requirements really are. The sample screens are probably pretty close to what is actually sensible (in the sense of: if even larger fonts are required, then it will become unusable. Smaller fonts should be no problem).

Another question: the Home button is something that is treated very specially in the Kindle firmware (as it's pretty much the only physical button on the device). Since you are saying that a landscape view is preferrable, which means that the button will be close to either the left or the right hand: is it safe to assume that users will not hit the home button inadvertently (i.e., trying to touch the screen, but hitting the button instead)?