Kindle Nicknaming Scheme, Using Kindle with Calibre, and Hacking the Kindle

[Klif]

I'm new to the Kindles and new to the community. I've seen a lot of "K3" and things like that. I just bought the new $69 Kindle a couple of days ago. What is its nickname, what do I refer to it as?

Also: I've been reading via Calibre for a few months now, and I will end up hacking my Kindle (because that's what I do -- I hack things until I break them). Where are the best tips, tricks, etc for each of those?

[thomass]

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=180113

[jswinden]

Since you enjoy hacking, most of the developer folks on this forum prefer to refer to a Kindle model by referencing the firmware number, as in K + #. Since the new Kindle you bought runs FW 4.x.x, they refer to it as K4. A model from last year also runs FW 4.x.x, so perhaps you could call this one K4B because it is black and last year's model K4S because it was silver.

[Klif]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Since you enjoy hacking, most of the developer folks on this forum prefer to refer to a Kindle model by referencing the firmware number, as in K + #. Since the new Kindle you bought runs FW 4.x.x, they refer to it as K4. A model from last year also runs FW 4.x.x, so perhaps you could call this one K4B because it is black and last year's model K4S because it was silver.

Sweet. That's the kind of answer I was looking for. So I (will) have a K4, but I won't be surprised if I see variants of that name.

Thanks!

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by Klif

Sweet. That's the kind of answer I was looking for. So I (will) have a K4, but I won't be surprised if I see variants of that name.

Thanks!

From a developer point of view, the $69 kindle and the previous silver K4 appear identical as far as software support goes. They have the same firmware and the same eink display resolution and the same keyboard buttons. Only the external appearance is different, which does not matter when developing code to run on them.

I would think that the enhanced fonts (which are a selling feature of the new K4) should also work on an older K4 if they were both running the new firmware. I am curious if or when they will push out that new firmware. We shall see...

[NiLuJe]

@geekmaster: They already updated the fonts in FW 4.1.0. (A change that *hasn't* been propagated to the Touch... Go figure). Which makes me think they're actually talking about the 4.1.0 changes, unless they shipped a forked FW with the exact same rev/build number...

@Klif: Another sure way to differentiate the devices is by their 'device code'. The easiest way to check said device code is via the S/N of the device: The 'old' K4 S/N begins with B00E = the K4 device code is 0E . Since we're talking about that, I'd like to confirm that it's still B00E on the 'new' K4 (I've heard reports of it being B023, but that seems a huge jump to me... On the other hand, they did release a crapload of Kindle Fires, so, who knows...). Could you check yours?

[Andrew H.]

I would call it the $69 Kindle. It's clear and unambiguous; everyone knows it's the new version of last year's unfortunately consensus-named K4NT.

I'm happy that Amazon is calling the new kindle the paperwhite, since we can just call it the PW. (+/- 3G).

[eureka]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

I'm happy that Amazon is calling the new kindle the paperwhite, since we can just call it the PW. (+/- 3G).

Or KP (could it be pronounced like variation of "cape" and not like "cay pee" ?)...

Discalimer: I'm not saying that PW is bad.

[Klif]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@geekmaster: They already updated the fonts in FW 4.1.0. (A change that *hasn't* been propagated to the Touch... Go figure). Which makes me think they're actually talking about the 4.1.0 changes, unless they shipped a forked FW with the exact same rev/build number...

@Klif: Another sure way to differentiate the devices is by their 'device code'. The easiest way to check said device code is via the S/N of the device: The 'old' K4 S/N begins with B00E = the K4 device code is 0E . Since we're talking about that, I'd like to confirm that it's still B00E on the 'new' K4 (I've heard reports of it being B023, but that seems a huge jump to me... On the other hand, they did release a crapload of Kindle Fires, so, who knows...). Could you check yours?

Yup! Haven't received it, but "Manage My Kindle" says the serial is "B023" etc.

[NiLuJe]

@Klif: Huh. Thanks for confirming it .

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@Klif: Huh. Thanks for confirming it .

Mine is B023 as well.

[NiLuJe]

@Blossom: Thanks for (another) confirmation .