Firmware Update Kindle adds Page Numbers (and more)

[leaston]

I updated last night and it went well. There's a slight to moderate speed increase in page turns and general navigation, but nothing earth shattering. Other than that, it's not much different for me really.

[jeromedevine]

Originally Posted by leaston

I updated last night and it went well. There's a slight to moderate speed increase in page turns and general navigation, but nothing earth shattering. Other than that, it's not much different for me really.

I am hearing that the location numbers are gone when a book has also the page numbers and that it is shown when you press menu.

Does it happen also to normal books that do not have pages? Are the location numbers gone on all books and you have always to press the Menu button for them to show up (like you have to do to see the clock?).

Thanks. Hope someone with 3.1 firmware installed can reply. Cheers.

[DMSmillie]

Location numbers are now only displayed when you press the MENU button - applies to all books, not just those with page numbers.

[grizedale]

Originally Posted by jeromedevine

I am hearing that the location numbers are gone when a book has also the page numbers and that it is shown when you press menu.

Does it happen also to normal books that do not have pages? Are the location numbers gone on all books and you have always to press the Menu button for them to show up (like you have to do to see the clock?).

Thanks. Hope someone with 3.1 firmware installed can reply. Cheers.

Like this...

[ApK]

It is, as has been pointed out by others, very odd that they make percentage the one and only always visible position indicator, but did not give the ability to 'Goto' a percentage.

I understand the idea of only showing percentage by default (it's always 0 to 100 and people know intuitively that 50% is halfway, 90% is 'almost done', etc) and I understand pressing menu to see page number, location, or any other indicators they might add in the future, but why on earth wouldn't they also include "go to percentage" along with "go to page" and "go to location?"

ApK

[grizedale]

Originally Posted by ApK

It is, as has been pointed out by others, very odd that they make percentage the one and only always visible position indicator, but did not give the ability to 'Goto' a percentage.

I understand the idea of only showing percentage by default (it's always 0 to 100 and people know intuitively that 50% is halfway, 90% is 'almost done', etc) and I understand pressing menu to see page number, location, or any other indicators they might add in the future, but why on earth wouldn't they also include "go to percentage" along with "go to page" and "go to location?"

ApK

Probably because the percentage figure can cover many screens...You can be at 10% and, depending upon the size of the book/fonts sizes, it could be 10/20 screens later and still be at 10%...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Valentino

She got a nook for her birthday but didn't like it and is returning it, I already have a kindle3 so was suggesting she get one and let her try mine and she liked it but wouldn't get one because of the locations.

She still can't decide..

Have your mom look at a 650. I think she'll like it. There's no LCD bit and the screen is the same as the K3, nice touch interface and get this, page numbers for every ePub eBook.

[goaspy]

Generate your own apnx files! (aka add page numbers to your books)

[Ortep]

Originally Posted by DMSmillie

Location numbers are now only displayed when you press the MENU button - applies to all books, not just those with page numbers.

So that means I will not touch this 'downgrade' with a stick. Page numbers are in my opinion something left from the late middle ages when we went from scroll to book. They are arteficial and useless in eBooks. But locations can come in handy to find the exact positon in a book. The Kindle crashes every now and then and than it usefull that I know that I was reading somewere arround position 1234.
But now they are gone from my view and I have to look them up.

[djgreedo]

Originally Posted by Ortep

Page numbers are in my opinion something left from the late middle ages when we went from scroll to book. They are arteficial and useless in eBooks.

I agree, but I can see how they are useful for some people who have a need to compare to a paper edition (students, book clubs, etc.). But even then you need to be comparing to the correct paper edition.

I much prefer the location system, and I think it would be nice if it were universal and even used in paper books in some fashion. It really only need to be based on paragraph number or something.

But locations can come in handy to find the exact positon in a book. The Kindle crashes every now and then and than it usefull that I know that I was reading somewere arround position 1234.
But now they are gone from my view and I have to look them up.

Does this happen much? I find that when my location isn't correctly synced (e.g. when I read a bit on my phone) I can usually just skip forward a few 'pages' to find where I was. I have really never found locations to be useful in finding where I was in a book. I do have a convenient habit of reading in full chapter blocks, however.

To please everyone Amazon could implement a toggle for how the progress is displayed. Pressing a button could toggle between nothing, %, page, location, % + location, etc.

I'd also like to have indexes NOT count towards the % complete. I often unexpectedly reach the end of the book when I'm apparently 85% done. But that's just an annoying little thing that probably doesn't bother anybody else. But, I've noticed with the update I only get the 'now you're finished' screen if I page past all the indexes and so on, which I'm not likely to do. Perhaps they could show that screen when you delete a book as well/instead. That's when I'm likely to be interested in rating a book or seeing similar books.

[Exer]

Originally Posted by djgreedo

I'd also like to have indexes NOT count towards the % complete. I often unexpectedly reach the end of the book when I'm apparently 85% done. But that's just an annoying little thing that probably doesn't bother anybody else.

I'll add my voice to yours as well, that has always bugged me. But then again it was the same with many paper books that liked to throw in a huge glossary and/or previews of upcoming books at the back. I always try to read a little slower when the end is approaching, so I can enjoy it longer, but some books sneak the ending towards me like a ninja.

[Ortep]

Originally Posted by djgreedo

Does this happen much? I find that when my location isn't correctly synced (e.g. when I read a bit on my phone) I can usually just skip forward a few 'pages' to find where I was. I have really never found locations to be useful in finding where I was in a book. I do have a convenient habit of reading in full chapter blocks, however.

I'm only reading on my Kindle. I'm traveling around Asia now and I read a lot. I found that the Kindle crashes a lot in an airplane, and not on the ground on an island in the Gulf of Thailand. That indictes that people who are saying that it has to do with static electricity may be rigth. The air is dry in a plane an quite humid here on the beach.

But when it craches it goes in a reboot and everything is back to basic. I also loose the book and the position I was reading. That is why I find it important to have an idea of were I was in the book. I'm not always looking at the number but every once in a while I notice it. When I have to look up the number I will never do it.

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by Ortep

So that means I will not touch this 'downgrade' with a stick. Page numbers are in my opinion something left from the late middle ages when we went from scroll to book. They are arteficial and useless in eBooks. But locations can come in handy to find the exact positon in a book. The Kindle crashes every now and then and than it usefull that I know that I was reading somewere arround position 1234.
But now they are gone from my view and I have to look them up.

I see ... it is not useful to remember one was on page 123 and go there once the book is open?

Originally Posted by Exer

I'll add my voice to yours as well, that has always bugged me. But then again it was the same with many paper books that liked to throw in a huge glossary and/or previews of upcoming books at the back. I always try to read a little slower when the end is approaching, so I can enjoy it longer, but some books sneak the ending towards me like a ninja.

Do Kindle books have Tables of Content (by location)?

I once had a book "end" abruptly several hundred pages early (the rest was notes and such), so now I check the T of C for the end of the actual text.

Disclaimer: I came to this thread as I've just gotten a K3 for my folks, not in a "I'm a Sony person ... so there!" manner.

[JeremyR]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I see ... it is not useful to remember one was on page 123 and go there once the book is open?

His point is (and actually why I haven't upgraded mine either) that you don't see anything but a percent unless you hit the "Menu" button.

Whereas before, the Location number would always be at the bottom of the screen. Not only would you see the Location where you are at, but the last Location in the book.

Like for instance, my current book, I am at Location 930-936 out of 2048. Not only do I know that I am about halfway, I know that I am about 200 page-clicks from the end.

Now you just get shown the % on the bottom of the page. Which isn't too useful on its own. Yes, you can hit menu to see it, but that's intrusive...

[FF2]

No one will be totally happy until Amazon provides every available option with the ability to disable/hide the options that they don't want. But trying to remember either a page number of a 3 or 4 digit location value does not always work, at least, for me. Later that day or the next day I would be fuzzy in many cases unless I made a real effort. On real books, I would be reading and maybe glance at a page number and put the book down. My bookmark fell free and I was like ... damn, where was I in the book. One could set the periodic book mark or go to home which usually would preserve your location on reopening the book. I guess if it freezes in the middle of reading and the screen shows a location - that would be nice.