Firmware Update Kindle adds Page Numbers (and more)

[Ortep]

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?

[/I]

No it is not because a page number is not fixed. It is totaly depended from the font you choose, its size and right,left allingnements. The are even different from going forwards of backwards because the way a new page starts.

And if you arbitrary add pagenumbers to a book at the exact spot were they were in a certain version (print, hardcover, paperback, pocket) of the pBook it is nothing more than a location in your book. So in that case there is no difference.

But in any case: They are not visible when you read and I do not think it adds to the pleasure of reading to check every 10 page turns at wat location/page you are so you can remember were you were when the reader crashes.

So with this new firmware I loose functionality

[maianhvk]

one question: when I upgrade mine to 3.1, do I have to jailbreak it again to use my own screensavers?

EDIT: Oh I don't have to jailbreak it again Upgraded it, took a while - much longer than I expected. waiting for it to finish indexing.

[DMSmillie]

My understanding is that the 3.1 update breaks the install/uninstall process for jailbreaking and other hacks. You can, I believe, install the update over the jailbreak and screensaver hacks and these will still work, but until someone comes out with an update for those hacks, you won't be able to uninstall them once you have 3.1 installed.

[pqtuanvietnam]

Could you please tell me whether this firmware update which provides the capability of showing page numbers also work on Kindle 2? Thank you a lot.

[DMSmillie]

No - to the best of my knowledge, this works only for the Kindle 3.

[speedlever]

I'm reading a book that does not support page numbers. Yesterday I searched for a name to refresh my memory about the character. I then tried to get back to where I was in the book, but was unable to sync to last page read. If I went to the home page and then re-opened the book, it just took me to where I last read (where the search took me).

I didn't think to note my location before doing the search. I'll know better next time. I would like the option to display location and/or page number in addition to the %age since I can't go to a %age after a search (which would have only got me to a general location anyway.)

[speedlever]

Originally Posted by Ortep

No it is not because a page number is not fixed. It is totaly depended from the font you choose, its size and right,left allingnements. The are even different from going forwards of backwards because the way a new page starts.

And if you arbitrary add pagenumbers to a book at the exact spot were they were in a certain version (print, hardcover, paperback, pocket) of the pBook it is nothing more than a location in your book. So in that case there is no difference.

But in any case: They are not visible when you read and I do not think it adds to the pleasure of reading to check every 10 page turns at wat location/page you are so you can remember were you were when the reader crashes.

So with this new firmware I loose functionality

I don't believe this is correct. From what I've read, the page numbering system is setup to mimic the page number in a book and is not dependent on fonts, line spacing, etc. (I would have thought that to be one way to provide page numbers too). Apparently, Amazon decided to use some complicated algorithm that keeps the page numbering in line with a specific copy of the book, regardless of your choice of font, line spacing, etc.

Unless I misunderstand what you're saying.

[speedlever]

Originally Posted by Ortep

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.

I wonder if the crashing associated with your airline traveling could be an altitude related issue? I don't know why it would be since the cabin probably doesn't go above 8000 feet, if that high, but still...

I have yet to have mine crash.

[highwayman]

I loaded 3.1 (UK) 3G as soon as it came out. I can confirm that it not only does what it says, but has not caused any problems. The 'extra' page at the end of each book is really no problem. Simply don't read it if you don't want to.

Earlier someone asked for an example of a sample with page numbers - Alana Sugar - What you see is what you get has page numbers.

Even better news, Calibre has a brand new release that takes care of page numbers during conversion to MOBI.

I am very pleased with this release. It looks like Amazon have put some work into making this a stable piece of firmware

[DMSmillie]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

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

If you mean a TOC that displays the location number that each entry links to, no. The TOC is simply a list of links to locations in the book, using chapter headings, for example.

Originally Posted by Ortep

No it is not because a page number is not fixed. It is totaly depended from the font you choose, its size and right,left allingnements. The are even different from going forwards of backwards because the way a new page starts.

Actually the page numbers as supplied by Amazon are fixed, and don't change depending on font size, etc. They match the content with the page numbers for the same content in the print version specified by the ISBN provided in the book product details on its Amazon list page.

Originally Posted by Ortep

And if you arbitrary add pagenumbers to a book at the exact spot were they were in a certain version (print, hardcover, paperback, pocket) of the pBook it is nothing more than a location in your book. So in that case there is no difference.

I don't understand what you're saying here. I can understand when you say that not having the location or page number visible all the time makes it less than useful for you, but since you're saying the point of having it visible, for you, is to be able to return to that point in the book if for some reason the Kindle loses its automatic "pointer" to where you'd got to in the book, then surely something which provides "a location in your book" is exactly what would enable you to return to that location subsequently?

Originally Posted by highwayman

Even better news, Calibre has a brand new release that takes care of page numbers during conversion to MOBI.

Just be aware that the Calibre version only provides an approximation of print version page numbers, unlike the page numbers provided by Amazon which do map to an actual print version (to the best of my knowledge, anyway!). But for anyone who prefers the smaller numbers you get in print page numbers (or pseudo page numbers) compared to the larger numbers you get with Kindle "locations", the development in Calibre will be a much-welcomed feature.

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by DMSmillie

If you mean a TOC that displays the location number that each entry links to, no. The TOC is simply a list of links to locations in the book, using chapter headings, for example.

So ... what one can do is to determine that the final (text) chapter starts at location X, and the next item (say "acknowledgments") is at location Y, meaning that the book "ends" at location Y-1 (obtained by clicking "Go To Y" before starting the book) - make sense?

And, just because I feel like saying it ...

It is childish to "attack" other devices in forums such as "Help - can't decide!"; you explain why yours handles a feature well ... or that it really doesn't. To go into another forum to malign that one ("I have a Kindle and touch screens are gross!" at Sony, or "I have a Sony, so I'm not (heavily) linked to the Kindle store" here) is R-U-D-E!

[goaspy]

I can add a 'last page location' option to ApnxGen if anyone is interested.
That way you can generate pages from location X to location Y, and know when the story is about to end.
Too bad the pages are not displayed on the status bar, or at least have the option to display them.

[DMSmillie]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

It is childish to "attack" other devices in forums such as "Help - can't decide!"; you explain why yours handles a feature well ... or that it really doesn't. To go into another forum to malign that one ("I have a Kindle and touch screens are gross!" at Sony, or "I have a Sony, so I'm not (heavily) linked to the Kindle store" here) is R-U-D-E!

Ummm... if that was aimed at me (it being part of a reply that was directed at one of my posts) then I'm afraid you lost me - I'm not aware that I've ever done that. I'd tend to agree with you, in fact.

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by DMSmillie

Ummm... if that was aimed at me (it being part of a reply that was directed at one of my posts) then I'm afraid you lost me - I'm not aware that I've ever done that. I'd tend to agree with you, in fact.

No - it had absolutely NOTHING to do with you at all.

[DMSmillie]

OK... no problem at all SeaBookGuy. Was just worried in case something I'd posted somewhere had come across that way to you and others. Glad to know it wasn't that.