Kindle OWNERS wish list

jacksonunit · 02-20-2008, 07:56 AM

I'd like to see a (sticky?) list of things Kindle OWNERS would like to see changed, especially on the Kindle they have in their hands RIGHT NOW. For example...

Scroller Wrap. - This would be the option to have the scroller "wrap" off of the top or bottom around to the bottom or top respectively. A little thing, but it would be a nice option to have.

Granular Show/Hide - Put more properties in the show/hide menu for the home page. Just toggles for SD memory, Main memory would be a good start but I would also like to see toggles for ALL of the types (books, newspapers, blogs, magazines, audobooks, MP3s ...) Of course a simple user configurable folder system could probably do this in a way that would make more people happy with it.)

Simple User Configurable Folder System - This would not need to be an ACTUAL OS oriented folder system but just a tag view type system where users could create tags, associate them with objects and view only those objects in the home menu when that tag was "activated".

Security - Probably my number one want. I almost didn't get the Kindle because of the lack of security. Ideally the whole machine would go into locked mode in the screen saver mode and be really easy to wake up if your password was "ab" or hard if it was something like "5kunkW3rkz!4". I'm an old palm head so I enjoyed the option of not having security at all. Of course it would be nice to have document level security but that is another development issue.

Colour - Just kidding. This is an example of something a non-owner would want. Honest question that I explain to people in my E-Ink spiel. Of course... if it's just a firmware mod...

Paging/Texting/messaging- I probably would NOT use this feature but I would recommend it and wonder why people aren't screaming for it. Seems like the infrastructure is already there. Amazon could probably make a fat wad of cash for very little investment by charging a monthly of per msg fee.

Image Zoom - This feature would allow viewing of images at original size as published, and/or provide a zoom effect when selecting an image. Navigation on the image could be accomplished using the number buttons for various degrees of L/R or the old "I,J,K,L,M" for Up, Left,Center,Right,Down step-per-push type navigation within the image.

Font Selection - This feature would allow the use of third party fonts or at least an expanded selection of proprietary ones.

Search Scope - Allow the user to limit the scope of the search to a type of item or an individual item. Get really granular and allow searc scope limiting to chapters or Read/Unread materials.

Direct Search - allow the user to highlight a phrase or term and put it straight into a wiki or google search.

Power Management. - provide power settings that intelligently disable the wireless until feature that requires it is used. Allow the user to schedule on-off time to receive periodical content or just leave it on full time.

NOTE: There are quite a few things I'd change about the Amazon store and whispernet coverage but those would be other lists. For instance, it is despicable stupid to recommend I read "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" when I have indicated I already own it. What, did they think I was using it for a coaster? Perhaps if I write a review they will suggest I buy three more copies? Bahh...

ps Of course an Improbability Drive would be a nice feature but THAT would be a hardware mod.

Nate the great · 02-20-2008, 08:03 AM

This is a very good list. Most of this should be possible to do in a software upgrade. Again, well done.

wallcraft · 02-20-2008, 09:13 AM

I second the scroller wrap suggestion.

I would like to see a native resolution (larger than the screen) image zoom option in the reader. I'm not sure what the best navigation method would be, but perhaps the 1-9 keys for horizontal center in 1/10th of the width and the scroller for vertical center.

jacksonunit · 02-20-2008, 12:01 PM

EXACTLY!

That addresses one of my few actual dissapointments with the Kindle. Image support seems really sloppy. Several books I have dl'd for sample I will not buy unless they can do something about the poor image translation. Try sampling "Upgrading and Reparing PC's" for a good example of this problem. Many of the charts were full page in the 3d version and are illegable in Kindle.

I'll add this to the list...

Nate the great · 02-20-2008, 12:04 PM

I second your request for higher granularity in the show/hide, especially if the options include mp3 and audiobooks.

Choisya · 02-20-2008, 12:39 PM

I would like to see the Kindle available for sale in the UK! I have been hoping to get one for my 75th birthday in March but am told by Amazon.com that I cannot purchase from them and that their 'whisper' wireless technology' will not work in the UK. I see that they are available on Ebay but I am scared to purchase one and then find it will not work here. If there are any UK users out there I would welcome their advice.

HarryT · 02-20-2008, 12:51 PM

Am I right in thinking that the Kindle only has a single font? The ability to load any TrueType or OpenType font you like onto the CyBook Gen3 is a really nice feature - that would be a great new feature for the Kindle!

mdibella · 02-20-2008, 12:52 PM

I've suggested these to Amazon directly...

I often read books in a series...and there is no way to determine which books to read in which order. I would like a way to mark a sequence number on them, or even better, when I finish a book, I'd like to be able to tell the Kindle to go get the next one in the series. The Amazon website does show series lists, but the Kindle storefront does not.

The Kindle storefront has 4 pages of recommendations, based on previous purchases. The problem is, there's no way to delete the ones I've already read in paper version. At this point, my recommendations list has 4 pages of books I've already read!

HarryT · 02-20-2008, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Choisya

I would like to see the Kindle available for sale in the UK! I have been hoping to get one for my 75th birthday in March but am told by Amazon.com that I cannot purchase from them and that their 'whisper' wireless technology' will not work in the UK. I see that they are available on Ebay but I am scared to purchase one and then find it will not work here. If there are any UK users out there I would welcome their advice.

Don't do it. The machine will work, but you won't be able to buy any books from Amazon (without jumping through a lot of hoops) and you'll effectively be buying it with no warranty.

Have you considered the CyBook as an alternative?

wallcraft · 02-20-2008, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Am I right in thinking that the Kindle only has a single font? The ability to load any TrueType or OpenType font you like onto the CyBook Gen3 is a really nice feature - that would be a great new feature for the Kindle!

It has a single font. Even the iLiad now has two, and the PepperPad 3 MobiPocket Java reader allows any font you want (the Kindle's reader software is very similar so we know this is possible). It does seem that there are more "support" issues with fonts on the Cybook than with other features. So perhaps Amazon could sell font packs (I assume we could work out how to install our own if they did this). I would buy Arial Black for example, because the Kindle really needs a bolder font.

HarryT · 02-20-2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

It does seem that there are more "support" issues with fonts on the Cybook than with other features.

There's only 1 font bug on the CyBook that I'm aware of. It caches the fonts in a file in the system folder, and the cache doesn't always get updated correctly when you add or delete fonts. All you have to do to fix it is delete the cache file; it gets automatically recreated when you restart the machine.

tompe · 02-20-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's only 1 font bug on the CyBook that I'm aware of. It caches the fonts in a file in the system folder, and the cache doesn't always get updated correctly when you add or delete fonts. All you have to do to fix it is delete the cache file; it gets automatically recreated when you restart the machine.

There are more bugs. One book crashed the Cybook when I used the liberation font for example. Also if you add too many fonts the menu will not work properly.

HarryT · 02-20-2008, 01:33 PM

I think the liberation font thing is a problem with the font itself - from what I've seen reported, it seems to be specific to that particular group of fonts.

Yes, the Gen3 doesn't like having more fonts installed than will fit onto the font selection box; you do have to be careful about that!

jacksonunit · 02-20-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdibella

...At this point, my recommendations list has 4 pages of books I've already read!

I know, that drives me nuts too. The regular Amazon store does not act that way but for some reason, it keeps wanting me to read kindle books I already own. Not really a Kindle device issue but I agree it needs to be fixed. Smart people are annoyed by sloppy things like this. Glad you wrote to them about it. I will too.

tompe · 02-20-2008, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think the liberation font thing is a problem with the font itself - from what I've seen reported, it seems to be specific to that particular group of fonts.

Yes, but it is a font related bug. It should not crash because the font is different.

02-20-2008, 07:56 AM	#1
jacksonunit Sand Bender Posts: 107 Karma: 35218 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Antonio, Tx Device: Kindle1/iPhone/iPad/Droid/KindleDX/Kindle 3G/Kindle Touch/Kindle Fire	Kindle OWNERS wish list I'd like to see a (sticky?) list of things Kindle OWNERS would like to see changed, especially on the Kindle they have in their hands RIGHT NOW. For example... Scroller Wrap. - This would be the option to have the scroller "wrap" off of the top or bottom around to the bottom or top respectively. A little thing, but it would be a nice option to have. Granular Show/Hide - Put more properties in the show/hide menu for the home page. Just toggles for SD memory, Main memory would be a good start but I would also like to see toggles for ALL of the types (books, newspapers, blogs, magazines, audobooks, MP3s ...) Of course a simple user configurable folder system could probably do this in a way that would make more people happy with it.) Simple User Configurable Folder System - This would not need to be an ACTUAL OS oriented folder system but just a tag view type system where users could create tags, associate them with objects and view only those objects in the home menu when that tag was "activated". Security - Probably my number one want. I almost didn't get the Kindle because of the lack of security. Ideally the whole machine would go into locked mode in the screen saver mode and be really easy to wake up if your password was "ab" or hard if it was something like "5kunkW3rkz!4". I'm an old palm head so I enjoyed the option of not having security at all. Of course it would be nice to have document level security but that is another development issue. Colour - Just kidding. This is an example of something a non-owner would want. Honest question that I explain to people in my E-Ink spiel. Of course... if it's just a firmware mod... Paging/Texting/messaging- I probably would NOT use this feature but I would recommend it and wonder why people aren't screaming for it. Seems like the infrastructure is already there. Amazon could probably make a fat wad of cash for very little investment by charging a monthly of per msg fee. Image Zoom - This feature would allow viewing of images at original size as published, and/or provide a zoom effect when selecting an image. Navigation on the image could be accomplished using the number buttons for various degrees of L/R or the old "I,J,K,L,M" for Up, Left,Center,Right,Down step-per-push type navigation within the image. Font Selection - This feature would allow the use of third party fonts or at least an expanded selection of proprietary ones. Search Scope - Allow the user to limit the scope of the search to a type of item or an individual item. Get really granular and allow searc scope limiting to chapters or Read/Unread materials. Direct Search - allow the user to highlight a phrase or term and put it straight into a wiki or google search. Power Management. - provide power settings that intelligently disable the wireless until feature that requires it is used. Allow the user to schedule on-off time to receive periodical content or just leave it on full time. NOTE: There are quite a few things I'd change about the Amazon store and whispernet coverage but those would be other lists. For instance, it is despicable stupid to recommend I read "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" when I have indicated I already own it. What, did they think I was using it for a coaster? Perhaps if I write a review they will suggest I buy three more copies? Bahh... ps Of course an Improbability Drive would be a nice feature but THAT would be a hardware mod. Last edited by jacksonunit; 02-27-2008 at 08:15 AM.

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02-20-2008, 08:03 AM	#2
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	This is a very good list. Most of this should be possible to do in a software upgrade. Again, well done.

02-20-2008, 09:13 AM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I second the scroller wrap suggestion. I would like to see a native resolution (larger than the screen) image zoom option in the reader. I'm not sure what the best navigation method would be, but perhaps the 1-9 keys for horizontal center in 1/10th of the width and the scroller for vertical center.

02-20-2008, 12:01 PM	#4
jacksonunit Sand Bender Posts: 107 Karma: 35218 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Antonio, Tx Device: Kindle1/iPhone/iPad/Droid/KindleDX/Kindle 3G/Kindle Touch/Kindle Fire	EXACTLY! That addresses one of my few actual dissapointments with the Kindle. Image support seems really sloppy. Several books I have dl'd for sample I will not buy unless they can do something about the poor image translation. Try sampling "Upgrading and Reparing PC's" for a good example of this problem. Many of the charts were full page in the 3d version and are illegable in Kindle. I'll add this to the list...

02-20-2008, 12:04 PM	#5
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	I second your request for higher granularity in the show/hide, especially if the options include mp3 and audiobooks.

02-20-2008, 12:39 PM	#6
Choisya Member Posts: 16 Karma: 42 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Kindle	I would like to see the Kindle available for sale in the UK! I have been hoping to get one for my 75th birthday in March but am told by Amazon.com that I cannot purchase from them and that their 'whisper' wireless technology' will not work in the UK. I see that they are available on Ebay but I am scared to purchase one and then find it will not work here. If there are any UK users out there I would welcome their advice.

02-20-2008, 12:51 PM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Am I right in thinking that the Kindle only has a single font? The ability to load any TrueType or OpenType font you like onto the CyBook Gen3 is a really nice feature - that would be a great new feature for the Kindle!

02-20-2008, 12:52 PM	#8
mdibella Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 1107 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Infinite Kindles, Occasional Sony's	I've suggested these to Amazon directly... I often read books in a series...and there is no way to determine which books to read in which order. I would like a way to mark a sequence number on them, or even better, when I finish a book, I'd like to be able to tell the Kindle to go get the next one in the series. The Amazon website does show series lists, but the Kindle storefront does not. The Kindle storefront has 4 pages of recommendations, based on previous purchases. The problem is, there's no way to delete the ones I've already read in paper version. At this point, my recommendations list has 4 pages of books I've already read!

02-20-2008, 01:33 PM	#13
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I think the liberation font thing is a problem with the font itself - from what I've seen reported, it seems to be specific to that particular group of fonts. Yes, the Gen3 doesn't like having more fonts installed than will fit onto the font selection box; you do have to be careful about that!

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