Kindle PW2 Software Update 5.6.1

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It would be better for all concerned to take discussions of jailbreaking, hacks, etc, to the "Kindle Developers' Corner" sub-forum. This main forum is intended for discussions of the "standard" firmware, and use of the Kindle, not how to hack it.

Thanks.

Indeed.

Perhaps the relevant posts could be split off into a new thread?

[HarryT]

Moved to a separate thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=251689

[Ruskie_it]

• Support for Family Library
• Support for Kindle FreeTime Unlimited
• Word Wise – See Hints for Difficult Words
• X-Ray Improvements
• Deeper Goodreads Integration
• Periodical Improvements

Given that I mostly read sideloaded italian books, and that my english is good enough to let me read most books without the need to use the vocabulary, it seems this update has not much for me if not the proper handling of collections (which I never used, because of the way Kindle used to handle them).
So, to who has updated: apart from these new or improved features, are there any other improvements with this new version?
That is, more speed, less battery consumption, maybe swype on the keyboard :-P or anything like that?

[Kraftwerk]

Originally Posted by Ruskie_it

• Support for Family Library
• Support for Kindle FreeTime Unlimited
• Word Wise – See Hints for Difficult Words
• X-Ray Improvements
• Deeper Goodreads Integration
• Periodical Improvements

Given that I mostly read sideloaded italian books, and that my english is good enough to let me read most books without the need to use the vocabulary, it seems this update has not much for me if not the proper handling of collections (which I never used, because of the way Kindle used to handle them).
So, to who has updated: apart from these new or improved features, are there any other improvements with this new version?
That is, more speed, less battery consumption, maybe swype on the keyboard :-P or anything like that?

Exactly what I want to know.
I don't need any of these new features, but the update inlcudes 'general improvements'.
What are these improvements?

[NiLuJe]

Being a PITA to third-party developers?

Ooops, did I say that out loud? .

Jokes aside, they unified the FW for the latest hardware platform, so it includes a lot of various stuff, which may have a wide range of effects, but as lab126 works in mysterious ways, an exhaustive list is out of the question. But basically, the full R&D run behind the latest devices (KT2 & KV).

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Being a PITA to third-party developers? Ooops, did I say that out loud?

[Ruskie_it]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Being a PITA to third-party developers?

Ooops, did I say that out loud? .

Jokes aside, they unified the FW for the latest hardware platform, so it includes a lot of various stuff, which may have a wide range of effects, but as lab126 works in mysterious ways, an exhaustive list is out of the question. But basically, the full R&D run behind the latest devices (KT2 & KV).

Heh.
Yeah, I am understand that technically this has been quite a change, no questions, but here I meant: for the final users, other than the mentioned new features is there any other practical confirmed change like the onese I sampled?
So far, the only one I have read about is proper handling of collections.

[HarryT]

I would always install a firmware update as a matter of principle; they generally fix bugs and improve performance as well as add new features.

[Ruskie_it]

Hah! Working in the IT industry, I can tell it is not like that.
They (might) fix some bugs... only to introduce fresh new ones! That when discovered, still do not have a solution.
Golden rule is if it ain't broken, don't touch it!
Not that this would apply to a reading device, sure, but one has to balance advantages and disadvantages. If my kindle was "pure" I would follow your strategy almost light-heartedly, and that's what I did with my brother's and mother's pw2.
But mine is jailbroken, so update means a few disadvantages, and I have to balance them first with advantages.
That's why I was asking, aside the new features that I don't use, what specifically gets improved with the new fw?
If anyone knows, of course.

[eschwartz]

The big new bug is of course the broken jailbreak.

Although the JB should carry over; still, it's a shame they have to make things so difficult.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Ruskie_it

Heh.
Yeah, I am understand that technically this has been quite a change, no questions, but here I meant: for the final users, other than the mentioned new features is there any other practical confirmed change like the onese I sampled?
So far, the only one I have read about is proper handling of collections.

Another useful enhancement in 5.6.1 that I don't think anyone else has mentioned is the way that the "Search" facility now works. Previously, when you did a search, you had to specify the scope of the search (eg "Current Book", "My Items", "All Text", "Wikipedia") before carrying it out. Now, you get a default search scope (eg when you do a search from inside a book, the default scope is to search just that book), but there are a series of links on the page for performing the same search in different scopes. It's a nice feature.

[Cath]

Before this latest update, I could easily view which books weren't in any collection by choosing "books" and "collections". This still works for me in "on device" mode, but in cloud mode all my books are listed after the collections regardless of whether or not they're in a collection. Is there any way now to see which books are, so to speak, orphaned?

[bosshard]

With 5.6.0 I could go to the menu, Go to Index, Search and CHOOSE INDEX, and perform a search of the index file.

After 5.6.1 I can no longer choose INDEX but and forced by default to Search n Book.

This may seem trivial, but in a book, such as "The New American Bible - Second Edition 2011" it becomes impossible to find a particular chapter and verse.

I was happy with 5.6.0 and would like to back date my PW2 - 90C6 to the previous version. I accidentally turned Airplane Mode OFF and got bit.

I can connect via usb and move files, but not sure of the exact and correct procedure and also I do not have the update 5.6.0 file and if I did, not sure exactly how to use.

Thanks and Best regards,

Steve Bosshard

Also, this is my first post to this forum - go easy on me if this is in the wrong place or if I have broached protocol.

[eschwartz]

I would suggest you edit your post and remove the serial number of your Kindle.

We don't need it and it could be used by the Forces of Evil.

EDIT: NiLuJe. And, of course, the first four characters are useful, to tell us which model you have. But no more than that.

[NiLuJe]

@eschwartz: Done .

@bosshard: That said, your S/N actually reveals that you don't actually own a PW2, but a Kindle Basic (or KT2, as we like to call it) .

Granted, it's mostly irrelevant to your original query, but, still .