How would you change the Kindle 3?

[diokdin]

Originally Posted by curstpriest

You can put your own pictures for screensavers.. It's quite easy to do actually.
I think there are debug options to enable/disable/timedelay screensaver also.

Originally Posted by TheKindleWorm

DISCLAIMER- There is a method I've seen on various kindle boards but you need to take care when using a method like this because potentially it could mess up your kindle! So perhaps do some more research first before trying! I haven't tried it personally because I don't want to disable my screensaver - I'm just letting you know that this method does exist and that it's something that can be typed straight into your Kindle search box.

on google look up: ;debugOn ~disableScreensaver

or view the whole of this thread:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99229

I know about that but I want feature already on the Kindle. Just a menu of off and on option. That debugOn thing will also disabled the switch on the bottom if you want your Kindle to sleep, you have to type ~resumeScreensaver.

I bet there's a butch of hacks coming out, but I don't like to do that. I want it working out of the box. Wishing it will be available on FW updates.

[JeremyR]

Let me point out I was just saying they should make a no frills model for people like me that don't want an iPad lite, but simply a book reader. Not that it should be completely replace existing models.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I am not worried about color. 99% of what I read is in black and white.

I can't find the details now, but there is actually an obscure language whose script requires use of color. And certainly scripts that use color semantically have been constructed: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/conscripts.htm

It's actually an interesting concept: we're pretty locked in to the idea that text is monochromatic, but who is to say it must always be so.

[monkeyluis]

I'm just wondering. Some say get rid of the facebook/Twitter option. Well if your not using it, does it affect the performance of the unit? I don't believe so.

Anyway, i'd like more format options & library compatibility.

[badbob001]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Let me point out I was just saying they should make a no frills model for people like me that don't want an iPad lite, but simply a book reader. Not that it should be completely replace existing models.

I'm not sure amazon would want to offer a device with no connectivity to their store, but I suppose they could create a PC app that allows you to load purchases over the usb port.

[TallMomof2]

You can do that now. You simply download the ebook keyed to your Kindle to your PC and then sideload it onto your Kindle.

[curstpriest]

I would settle for PDFS in landscape mode and webpages not having text cutoff/cropped mid line. Seems pretty goddamn tacky.

And how bout scrolling around in segments rather than a whole page when zoomed in or on a web page? Seems so basic.

[WT Sharpe]

Did I mention page numbers? If not, add that to my list!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

You can do that now. You simply download the ebook keyed to your Kindle to your PC and then sideload it onto your Kindle.

...into the Documents folder on your Kindle! Don't put it in the root directory. I don't think it would hurt anything, but it probably wouldn't show up in your list of books. And, of course, make sure it's a format Kindle can handle (mobi, prc, txt, pdf, etc.).

[Viseguy]

Originally Posted by TheKindleWorm

- slide out keyboard to make the kindle size smaller - love the physical keyboard and don't want a touchscreen keyboard

Agree, except I would make the screen larger.

[Barty]

They should shrink the keyboard to the size of the blackberry's, and enlarge the screen to 7", keeping the device size as is.

whiter background, and bump resolution to 1024x768

That's it, that's all

[curstpriest]

Ok you guys rambled on a good while about this, here's a solution more extravagant devices have used in the past.

Bare device:
Screen + 5 buttons (pgup/down/home/back/menu/joystick/power)
Miniusb @ TOP of device by power switch
Dock @ bottom of device for peripherals

Expansion pack (you buy this extra) for web & AV
Contains:
Wifi antenna, speakers, keyboard, (recessed headphone jack off to the left/side)

This would drop the base-cost of the stand alone device further (possibly), possibly not, as the case would have to be slightly reinforced to accommodate the dock (annodized aluminum possibly) Regardless, the device would most likely look more elegant, and if you were just reading, it would alleviate a lot of the weight.

Internally, the battery takes up SOME room beneath the keyboard, however the wifi card takes up similar space up top. The two could be switched, and an antenna wire ran from the dock to the antenna cap up top, resolving this issue.

The dock could be used to charge the kindle standing upright
The kindle could be used while charging via usb
Headphone jack wouldn't be in the way

Oh, might as well throw some GPIO pinouts into the dock. Not like it would cost much to implement. That way people could get SDHC support too.

Oh, and let's not forget. You could always buy a battery pack to place on as a dummy dock to triple the capacity of the unit if you so desired. That's also typical of mobile/dock devices =X

[c861556]

Although I'd hate them to get rid of it entirely, the MP3 player, in its current state, is absolutely horrible. The worst part is that all they need to do to make it palatable is just add some of the most basic and easily coded functionality like Previous Track, Pause, and so on. As for more "advanced features", implementing support for M3U playlists and consecutively allowing individual track and playlist selection would definitely be a major step in the right direction.

Another thing that irks me is the home screen. Wasting the entire screen space on ten titles per page is, frankly, preposterous. If they don't want to get rid of huge margins and needless line spacing themselves, they could at least make these values adjustable through reader.pref.

[ski_power]

Originally Posted by curstpriest

Ok you guys rambled on a good while about this, here's a solution more extravagant devices have used in the past.

Bare device:
Screen + 5 buttons (pgup/down/home/back/menu/joystick/power)
Miniusb @ TOP of device by power switch
Dock @ bottom of device for peripherals

Expansion pack (you buy this extra) for web & AV
Contains:
Wifi antenna, speakers, keyboard, (recessed headphone jack off to the left/side)

This would drop the base-cost of the stand alone device further (possibly), possibly not, as the case would have to be slightly reinforced to accommodate the dock (annodized aluminum possibly) Regardless, the device would most likely look more elegant, and if you were just reading, it would alleviate a lot of the weight.

Internally, the battery takes up SOME room beneath the keyboard, however the wifi card takes up similar space up top. The two could be switched, and an antenna wire ran from the dock to the antenna cap up top, resolving this issue.

The dock could be used to charge the kindle standing upright
The kindle could be used while charging via usb
Headphone jack wouldn't be in the way

Oh, might as well throw some GPIO pinouts into the dock. Not like it would cost much to implement. That way people could get SDHC support too.

Oh, and let's not forget. You could always buy a battery pack to place on as a dummy dock to triple the capacity of the unit if you so desired. That's also typical of mobile/dock devices =X

Bud, the Kindle's not meant to be for geeks/nerds who want to hack the crap out of the device. What you suggested above basically makes the Kindle like a transformers robot. Old people/Non-techie would be intimidated and imo those are the majority on Planet Earth(I meant the Non techie, not the old). Amazon wants to tap into the people who know just enough about tech to get online on Whispernet and buy a book.

BTW, the Kindle 3 does have JTAG pins if you're interested.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by dixieknits

Better PDF handling

Adobe DRM use

Epub format

Ability to set sleep mode startup time

PAGE NUMBERS instead of locations and percentages ( l keep a backlit Augen, the Book in my bedroom for nightreading without a light to irritate my husband and it's difficult to switch back and forth with no page number)

Get a Sony Reader PRS-650 with the light cover and you'll be all set. You'll get ePub with ADE. You'll get 60 minutes of inactivity before the 650 goes to sleep and you will get page numbers. It's all there. Your entire wish list.