Browser Window on Kindle 2

glorya · 03-25-2009, 03:38 PM

What exactly is meant by a browser window on the Kindle 2 and how do I reach it? I don't think the Settings & Device Information is it nor can I find this basic (I am sure) information in the manual. Is there somewhere that I can get someone to "hold my hand" and say "OK, glorya, this is how it is done?"

I have downloaded a book from Amazon with no problem but wish to get a few "free" books from links I have found. There is the dilemma. There are instructions on some of these sites, but if I don't know how to access them from/using my Kindle, I am up a creek without a paddle and at the mercy of Amazon and my credit card company. Thank you.

susan_cassidy · 03-25-2009, 03:54 PM

From the User's Guide:
"CHAPTER 6
Accessing the Web
Your Kindle comes with an Experimental application called Basic Web, which is a Web browser optimized to read Web sites that are primarily text-based. It supports JavaScript, SSL and
cookies but does not support media plug-ins (Flash, Shockwave, etc.) or Java applets.
6.1 Using Basic Web
There are three ways to open the Basic Web browser. The two main ways are to select "Basic Web" from the Experimental screen or to follow a link from within your reading material. Many
of the blogs that you subscribe to from the Kindle Store have links to Web sites. Selecting these links will open Basic Web and take you to the URL associated with the link. If you select "Basic
Web" from the Experimental page, you will open to the last Web site you were viewing in your browser.
One other way of accessing the Basic Web browser is to type in a word anytime from any book, blog, newspaper, or magazine you happen to be reading. When you begin typing, a search box
will pop up at the bottom of the screen, and you can move the 5-way controller to the right and select "google" or "wikipedia" from the menu to search those sites directly for the word you
typed.
Entering a URL
To enter the URL for a Web site, navigate to the top of the screen or press Menu and select "Enter URL" from the menu options. Begin typing when the cursor is located in the menu bar.
When you are done typing, press the 5-way controller to view that Web site.
The URL text field retains the last URL you entered in case you want to quickly edit the same address and submit it again. If you want to enter a secure site with an "https" address, use the
backspace key to delete the automatically entered "://" and type the address you want.
The URL text field is embedded in a navigation bar with a few other key shortcuts. To the right of the URL text field there is a button to stop loading or reload the current page. From there,
move your 5-way to the right, and you can quickly search the Google search engine for the text entered in the URL text field. Above the URL text field are shortcuts to navigate back and
forward one page, an indication of how much of the page has been loaded, whether you are viewing the page in Basic or Advanced Mode, and where you are in the web page.

Using Bookmarks and Adding Your Own
Bookmarks let you easily access a Web page without needing to type the address every time.
When you open Basic Web from the Experimental page for the first time, you will see a list of
default bookmarks with links to information such as daily news and weather. While browsing,
you can also access the same list of bookmarks by selecting "Bookmarks" from the browser
menu (just press the Menu button).
To add a Web site to the Bookmarks page, simply navigate to the site that you want to bookmark
and press the Menu button. Move the cursor to "Bookmark this page" and press the 5-way
controller. Any new bookmarks that you select will be added to the existing list on your Kindle.
You can remove a bookmark by going to your Bookmarks lists and moving the 5-way controller
until the item you want to delete is underlined. Press the 5-way and the site will be deleted from
your Bookmarks. From the Bookmarks list, moving right on the 5-way allows you to edit the name of the bookmark.
Using Next Page and Previous Page
Most Web pages you find on the Internet will have more content than can be displayed on one
page. Use the Next Page and Previous Page buttons to move through these pages. This is equivalent to using your mouse on a computer to move up and down through a Web page. You
can also move the cursor down with the 5-way controller until it reaches the bottom of the page.

Selecting Links, Buttons, and Boxes
You can navigate the links on a Web page by using the 5-way controller to move the cursor around the page. Links in Basic Web are shown as underlined words, just like in the Reader.
Below is a Web page with multiple selectable links.
Using the 5-way controller, highlight the link you want to go to and press the 5-way. The
browser will open that page.
If you want to enter information in an input field in a Web page to search that site, for example,
you should move the cursor to that input field and begin typing. When you finish typing, press
down on the nearby Go or Enter or Search button to retrieve the results. If there are radio buttons embedded within a Web page, you can change the input by maneuvering the cursor to the button
you want to change and press the 5-way to "push" this button."

You get the picture.

You don't have to use the browser on the Kindle to get free books from manybooks.net, mobileread.com, feedbooks.com, etc. Use your computer, download the books, and move to the Kindle via the USB connection.

Slow_hand · 03-25-2009, 04:13 PM

Home.Menu. Experimental. Basic Web.

kevindorsey · 03-25-2009, 04:32 PM

IMO, they need to come up with a better browser for the next edition of the K.

S.Canton · 03-25-2009, 07:11 PM

The browser is tucked away a little bit because it's still considered experimental, but I figure once they've worked out the majority of the bugs that they will display it more prominently on the menu.

badgoodDeb · 03-25-2009, 07:15 PM

It's meant to be a book reader, not a browser. If the browser gets to be really fast & great & usable, they'll probably have to charge for the connection time -- the whispernet. Downloading books takes minimal time, so they can do that for the cost of the device (probably some charge is built into the price). But I don't see the browser ever getting to be wonderful.

glorya · 03-26-2009, 11:13 AM

Susan, thanks for your post. I do appreciate it as well as the comments/suggestions from the others too. Thank you. What I have surmised is that in order to download from sites other than Amazon one needs to use the "browser" thru the Kindle or am I wrong? Trying to do that has been a travesty. I can get a link to Mobileread.com but can get no further. Also, when trying to register and put in my name, I can't delete the prefilled text "User name" so I can put my user name in it. Delete doesn't do it. When I type in my name all it does it push the prefilled "User name" to the right and both my name and User Name are there. Whenever I try to navigate, the "stop" or "reload" is next to the address bar. Also, do you know how I can get my desktop PC WINXp to recognize my Kindle? So many questions I know.

susan_cassidy · 03-26-2009, 11:25 AM

Most people download from this site and others by using their pc, and copying to the pc via USB. A couple of the sites have a mobile "guide" with links to the books. You can place the guide on your Kindle, turn on Whispernet, and download directly from the guide.

Some people have had difficulty connecting K2s via USB, I know. Usually, using a different USB port on the pc has helped. Check out some of the threads about this on the forum.

daffy4u · 03-26-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glorya

Amazon one needs to use the "browser" thru the Kindle or am I wrong?

Nope, you can use your computer to download books. Just connect your K2 with the USB cable and transfer books to the "documents" folder.

MobiPocket Download Guide
Feedbooks Kindle Guide

Quote:

Trying to do that has been a travesty. I can get a link to Mobileread.com but can get no further. Also, when trying to register and put in my name, I can't delete the prefilled text "User name" so I can put my user name in it. Delete doesn't do it.

Use www.mobileread.mobi (the mobile version of the site) and you won't see a pre-filled box.

Quote:

Also, do you know how I can get my desktop PC WINXp to recognize my Kindle? So many questions I know.

Try all the USB ports on your computer. Some may work better than others.

pilotbob · 03-26-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glorya

Trying to do that has been a travesty. I can get a link to Mobileread.com but can get no further.

See this thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40079

BOb

03-25-2009, 03:38 PM	#1
glorya Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 2	Browser Window on Kindle 2 What exactly is meant by a browser window on the Kindle 2 and how do I reach it? I don't think the Settings & Device Information is it nor can I find this basic (I am sure) information in the manual. Is there somewhere that I can get someone to "hold my hand" and say "OK, glorya, this is how it is done?" I have downloaded a book from Amazon with no problem but wish to get a few "free" books from links I have found. There is the dilemma. There are instructions on some of these sites, but if I don't know how to access them from/using my Kindle, I am up a creek without a paddle and at the mercy of Amazon and my credit card company. Thank you.

03-26-2009, 11:13 AM	#7
glorya Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 2	Reaching This site on Kindle Susan, thanks for your post. I do appreciate it as well as the comments/suggestions from the others too. Thank you. What I have surmised is that in order to download from sites other than Amazon one needs to use the "browser" thru the Kindle or am I wrong? Trying to do that has been a travesty. I can get a link to Mobileread.com but can get no further. Also, when trying to register and put in my name, I can't delete the prefilled text "User name" so I can put my user name in it. Delete doesn't do it. When I type in my name all it does it push the prefilled "User name" to the right and both my name and User Name are there. Whenever I try to navigate, the "stop" or "reload" is next to the address bar. Also, do you know how I can get my desktop PC WINXp to recognize my Kindle? So many questions I know.

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03-25-2009, 03:54 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	From the User's Guide: "CHAPTER 6 Accessing the Web Your Kindle comes with an Experimental application called Basic Web, which is a Web browser optimized to read Web sites that are primarily text-based. It supports JavaScript, SSL and cookies but does not support media plug-ins (Flash, Shockwave, etc.) or Java applets. 6.1 Using Basic Web There are three ways to open the Basic Web browser. The two main ways are to select "Basic Web" from the Experimental screen or to follow a link from within your reading material. Many of the blogs that you subscribe to from the Kindle Store have links to Web sites. Selecting these links will open Basic Web and take you to the URL associated with the link. If you select "Basic Web" from the Experimental page, you will open to the last Web site you were viewing in your browser. One other way of accessing the Basic Web browser is to type in a word anytime from any book, blog, newspaper, or magazine you happen to be reading. When you begin typing, a search box will pop up at the bottom of the screen, and you can move the 5-way controller to the right and select "google" or "wikipedia" from the menu to search those sites directly for the word you typed. Entering a URL To enter the URL for a Web site, navigate to the top of the screen or press Menu and select "Enter URL" from the menu options. Begin typing when the cursor is located in the menu bar. When you are done typing, press the 5-way controller to view that Web site. The URL text field retains the last URL you entered in case you want to quickly edit the same address and submit it again. If you want to enter a secure site with an "https" address, use the backspace key to delete the automatically entered "://" and type the address you want. The URL text field is embedded in a navigation bar with a few other key shortcuts. To the right of the URL text field there is a button to stop loading or reload the current page. From there, move your 5-way to the right, and you can quickly search the Google search engine for the text entered in the URL text field. Above the URL text field are shortcuts to navigate back and forward one page, an indication of how much of the page has been loaded, whether you are viewing the page in Basic or Advanced Mode, and where you are in the web page. Using Bookmarks and Adding Your Own Bookmarks let you easily access a Web page without needing to type the address every time. When you open Basic Web from the Experimental page for the first time, you will see a list of default bookmarks with links to information such as daily news and weather. While browsing, you can also access the same list of bookmarks by selecting "Bookmarks" from the browser menu (just press the Menu button). To add a Web site to the Bookmarks page, simply navigate to the site that you want to bookmark and press the Menu button. Move the cursor to "Bookmark this page" and press the 5-way controller. Any new bookmarks that you select will be added to the existing list on your Kindle. You can remove a bookmark by going to your Bookmarks lists and moving the 5-way controller until the item you want to delete is underlined. Press the 5-way and the site will be deleted from your Bookmarks. From the Bookmarks list, moving right on the 5-way allows you to edit the name of the bookmark. Using Next Page and Previous Page Most Web pages you find on the Internet will have more content than can be displayed on one page. Use the Next Page and Previous Page buttons to move through these pages. This is equivalent to using your mouse on a computer to move up and down through a Web page. You can also move the cursor down with the 5-way controller until it reaches the bottom of the page. Selecting Links, Buttons, and Boxes You can navigate the links on a Web page by using the 5-way controller to move the cursor around the page. Links in Basic Web are shown as underlined words, just like in the Reader. Below is a Web page with multiple selectable links. Using the 5-way controller, highlight the link you want to go to and press the 5-way. The browser will open that page. If you want to enter information in an input field in a Web page to search that site, for example, you should move the cursor to that input field and begin typing. When you finish typing, press down on the nearby Go or Enter or Search button to retrieve the results. If there are radio buttons embedded within a Web page, you can change the input by maneuvering the cursor to the button you want to change and press the 5-way to "push" this button." You get the picture. You don't have to use the browser on the Kindle to get free books from manybooks.net, mobileread.com, feedbooks.com, etc. Use your computer, download the books, and move to the Kindle via the USB connection.

03-25-2009, 04:13 PM	#3
Slow_hand Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 326 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore Device: Amazon Kindle 2	Home.Menu. Experimental. Basic Web.

03-25-2009, 04:32 PM	#4
kevindorsey Evangelist Posts: 488 Karma: 258 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	IMO, they need to come up with a better browser for the next edition of the K.

03-25-2009, 07:11 PM	#5
S.Canton Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Kindle 2	The browser is tucked away a little bit because it's still considered experimental, but I figure once they've worked out the majority of the bugs that they will display it more prominently on the menu.

03-25-2009, 07:15 PM	#6
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,539 Karma: 64201357 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	It's meant to be a book reader, not a browser. If the browser gets to be really fast & great & usable, they'll probably have to charge for the connection time -- the whispernet. Downloading books takes minimal time, so they can do that for the cost of the device (probably some charge is built into the price). But I don't see the browser ever getting to be wonderful.

03-26-2009, 11:25 AM	#8
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	Most people download from this site and others by using their pc, and copying to the pc via USB. A couple of the sites have a mobile "guide" with links to the books. You can place the guide on your Kindle, turn on Whispernet, and download directly from the guide. Some people have had difficulty connecting K2s via USB, I know. Usually, using a different USB port on the pc has helped. Check out some of the threads about this on the forum.

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