Firmware Update Kindle firmware update 5.13.7

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Ironically, the white space is made possible because there are no longer banner ads with Special Offers Kindles.

In Grid view (which I believe is the default for new Kindles, and I can believe is the option most people like), the ‘extra white space’ is not as prominent, as the images fill most of the screen, and it is hard to see how space is ‘wasted’. You might be able to fit a slightly taller grid of 3 rows by 4 columns, but the smaller covers might be too hard to read. But you cannot get 3 rows in otherwise, and any designer would lay things out pretty much as they are.

So starting from there, it is easy to see how List view came to look the way it does. Sure you could probably fit another row in there by shrinking the outsized Search bar, but not without adversely affecting the way Grid view looks, or having entirely different layouts.

Well, why couldn't they leave the list view alone? It was pretty good as it was and it didn't affect the grid view then. Why just delete 3-4 rows from the list view and add nothing useful in return? What the heck is the point in that?

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

I am not seeing a reason to have the book at the bottom all jthe time since the last opened book is always the first large one showed on the library home page anyway, so it seemed kind of redundant in general. It is helpful, I guess, when browsing library, but again that is easy to do just by going to page 1 on library.

I thought it was redundant too until I realized that the first large item updates to reflect the last opened book and status from any device like the Kindle app on your phone. The icon at the bottom stays as the book you last opened on your Kindle. I realized that because I’m currently reading 2 books intentionally on different devices, a nonfiction book on my iPad and a fiction book on my Oasis, which made it obvious that these two icons can be different.

I agree with the comments from others on the ridiculously small fonts on the menu items. Not a big fan of the redesign but it’s usable.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I thought it was redundant too until I realized that the first large item updates to reflect the last opened book and status from any device like the Kindle app on your phone. The icon at the bottom stays as the book you last opened on your Kindle. I realized that because I’m currently reading 2 books intentionally on different devices, a nonfiction book on my iPad and a fiction book on my Oasis, which made it obvious that these two icons can be different.

I agree with the comments from others on the ridiculously small fonts on the menu items. Not a big fan of the redesign but it’s usable.

Ah I see, that explains it.
I don't leave Wi-Fi on so mine won't reflect that much, but that's interesting.

I also agree I wish they'd enlarge the menu icons and fonts when the menu is extended - after all, once it is down, there's tons of space for bigger icons, so not getting why it's kept tiny.

[Gripweed]

Originally Posted by jhowell

However I want to point out that you do not have to swipe page by page to move within the library. Tap on the "x of y" label on the bottom the the screen and a dialog will pop up that lets you go to any specific numbered page or to titles/authors starting with whatever text you enter.

I feel such a fool. How did I ever not know that? My swiping days are over. Thank you so much!

[tomsem]

The 3-dot menu. Yes, it has small text. But you won’t be actually using it very often, this is what is there:

Your Reading Lists (no, these are shopping lists)
Goodreads (better than nothing, I guess, but slow)
Amazon Kids (advertising this service)
Web Browser (good for almost nothing)
Settings (once you are set, you’re set)
Legal (if you are not bored enough)
—-
Create New Collection (again, once these are set, you are set)

No more redundant Shop Kindle Store.

This expands when you are in a collection to show other Collection operations (Add/Remove, rename, Hide, Delete).

The FILTER and SORT drop down menus are unchanged.

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I understand your criticism of the new release. However I want to point out that you do not have to swipe page by page to move within the library. Tap on the "x of y" label on the bottom the the screen and a dialog will pop up that lets you go to any specific numbered page or to titles/authors starting with whatever text you enter.

Originally Posted by Gripweed

I feel such a fool. How did I ever not know that? My swiping days are over. Thank you so much!

Hey, I didn't know it either! Although, since I'm just browsing for another book, getting to a particular index page doesn't matter to me. But it's nice to know about this!

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by tomsem

So starting from there, it is easy to see how List view came to look the way it does. Sure you could probably fit another row in there by shrinking the outsized Search bar, but not without adversely affecting the way Grid view looks, having list items packed together too tightly, or having entirely different layouts.

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Well, why couldn't they leave the list view alone? It was pretty good as it was and it didn't affect the grid view then. Why just delete 3-4 rows from the list view and add nothing useful in return? What the heck is the point in that?

I agree with Sirtel, there is no reason for anything about list view to be dictated by grid view.

Amazon certainly hasn't been shy about diabling page turn buttons for situations that scream for page turn button fuctionality on the Voyage and Oases models, including book reading in landscape. And that is even though there was an amazon blog post about crafting the shape of the Voyage button labels to make sense in either orientation. (Not to say that they necessarily make sense to me in any orientation.)

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Well, why couldn't they leave the list view alone? It was pretty good as it was and it didn't affect the grid view then. Why just delete 3-4 rows from the list view and add nothing useful in return? What the heck is the point in that?

It is -2 (if you have Special Offers) and -3 otherwise.

One might well think or assume that ‘more is better’, but my experience is that it feels more focused and relaxed. To the extent that I flip through pages of my library looking for something to read, it is easier to give focused attention to 5 items than 7 or 8. More focused attention is good, not bad. (By comparison, an iPad screen shows more items, but it feels harder to ‘browse’.)

Perhaps this parallels studies of ‘subitizing’ (the ability to enumerate objects without counting), which find that we can quickly enumerate 3 or 4 objects, but larger quantities require the cognitive load of ‘counting’, which is slower.

I’m not suggesting that the designer(s) took 5 to be the magic number, but I cannot agree that there is nothing to like about it.

“Don’t bite off more than you can chew”

I would like to take this even further and be able to Filter by Started, so that I only see books I’ve Started and the rest would be hidden until I’m ready to start something new. I am going to revive my Started collection and prototype this. But I’d like it to be more automatic.

Also, people like me who switch reading devices (iPad, iPhone etc) can appreciate the consistency of look and feel, though as I’ve said, please let us customize the tap zones to match as well.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Amazon certainly hasn't been shy about diabling page turn buttons for situations that scream for page turn button fuctionality on the Voyage and Oases models, including book reading in landscape. And that is even though there was an amazon blog post about crafting the shape of the Voyage button labels to make sense in either orientation. (Not to say that they necessarily make sense to me in any orientation.)

This has been my complaint ever since the Return of page buttons. They should be (and used to be on K1/2/3) more functional in other contexts (as page up/down etc.). I liked Voyage, but it was not because it had page turn buttons.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by tomsem

It is -2 (if you have Special Offers) and -3 otherwise.

One might well think or assume that ‘more is better’, but my experience is that it feels more focused and relaxed. To the extent that I flip through pages of my library looking for something to read, it is easier to give focused attention to 5 items than 7 or 8. More focused attention is good, not bad. (By comparison, an iPad screen shows more items, but it feels harder to ‘browse’.)

Perhaps this parallels studies of ‘subitizing’ (the ability to enumerate objects without counting), which find that we can quickly enumerate 3 or 4 objects, but larger quantities require the cognitive load of ‘counting’, which is slower.

I’m not suggesting that the designer(s) took 5 to be the magic number, but I cannot agree that there is nothing to like about it.

“Don’t bite off more than you can chew”

I would like to take this even further and be able to Filter by Started, so that I only see books I’ve Started and the rest would be hidden until I’m ready to start something new. I am going to revive my Started collection and prototype this. But I’d like it to be more automatic.

Also, people like me who switch reading devices (iPad, iPhone etc) can appreciate the consistency of look and feel, though as I’ve said, please let us customize the tap zones to match as well.

On a Kobo one can filter to see only the books one has started to read and has not yet finished. On a Kindle the filter includes the finished books too, so it isn't as useful.

As to the rest of your post, I don't agree. Excessive white space doesn't help me focus, it bothers me. And having to constantly turn pages while browsing the library certainly interferes with my focus as well.

But that's me. Some people seem to love all that white space, as seen from the comments here. Incomprehensible to me, but there it is.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Yes, but if the firmware prioritizes updates over book downloads, you are screwed.

What firmware version is your Voyage, and is it jailbroken?

5.13.6 and it's not jailbroken.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I don't get all this fascination with white space, be it a website, a UI or interior design. It's all the rage nowadays, but I've always thought it horrible.

Agreed. It's like someone loves their mouse and wants an excuse to use for it for scrolling as much as possible. I always thought it had something to with making the website more readable on mobile devices, but I don't even know if that's the case — as it seems less efficient there as well.

[binaryhermit]

Honestly, there's a sweet spot for white space, and this isn't at that point, but it's not as bad as y'all are making it seem.

But how much time do you really spend on the home screen looking for a book to read?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

Honestly, there's a sweet spot for white space, and this isn't at that point, but it's not as bad as y'all are making it seem.

But how much time do you really spend on the home screen looking for a book to read?

Almost none.

But it feels good to whine here about my first-world Kindle woes, y'know.

[binaryhermit]

That's fair, at least you admit it's kinda a petty first world problem. lol