Kindle update - PDF support, increased battery, and more

[Nate the great]

Amazon just announced a firmware update for the Kindle2. The K2 will finally get PDF support. This update will also include improved battery life. Amazon is claiming 85% longer run time with Whispernet on, but no improvement to the 2 week standby. It sound like they've added a standby mode to the software that manages the connection.

press release

********
Update: I went looking for the update and I found this page. The update also adds to the K2 the ability to rotate the screen. Shiny.

US Kindle update
Int'l. Kindle update
Kindle DX update

[chilady1]

This is clearly a joke right? I am not believing anything related to PDF, longer battery life or folders until I see for myself. All of these things will be nice if they actually become a reality.

[ashkulz]

Looks like there's no update for the Kindle 1.

[mtravellerh]

The DX updates look great, too, especially the automatic cropping feature for the PDFs. That enhances readability of PDFs enormously!

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Amazon just announced a firmware update for the Kindle2. The K2 will finally get PDF support. This update will also include improved battery life. Amazon is claiming 85% longer run time with Whispernet on, but no improvement to the 2 week standby. It sound like they've added a standby mode to the software that manages the connection.

press release

********
Update: I went looking for the update and I found this page. The update also adds to the K2 the ability to rotate the screen. Shiny.

US Kindle update
Int'l. Kindle update
Kindle DX update

And just in time for Xmas shopping!!

[wallcraft]

From the press release:

To read their personal or professional documents, Kindle customers simply email PDFs to their Kindle email address or move them over using a USB connection. Customers that prefer to have their PDF documents converted to the Kindle format simply type "Convert" in the subject of the e-mail when sending documents to their “@kindle.com” address.

Was the "Convert" option already available for the Kindle DX?

The Kindle DX does not reflow PDFs, the Kindle 2 probably needs to include reflow for this to be practical. Since Amazon is using Adobe Digital Editions, this is certainly possible.

[luqmaninbmore]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Since Amazon is using Adobe Digital Editions, this is certainly possible.

When did this happen?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

When did this happen?

The Kindle DX has always used ADE for PDFs, see Amazon, Others License Adobe Reader Mobile SDK. The Kindle does not support Adobe DRM, nor ePubs.

[AnemicOak]

I've got the font hack on my K2 and I can't remember, does it need to be removed for the update to work? Anyone updated theirs yet? Does the font hack still work (after reinstalling or whatever)?

[daffy4u]

I just installed the update and am putting it through it's paces. Will post some screen grabs in a moment.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Update: I went looking for the update and I found this page.

Thanks. Now downloaded an installed on my Kindle 2 Intl.

[Daithi]

Well they have announced PDF support for the Kindle 2.
They've announced you can rotate the Kindle 2 screen just like the Kindle DX. [Edit: manual rotation so not exactly like the Kindle DX]
They've announced that the screen saver won't pop on for 20 minutes (instead of 5).

I'm also happy about stripping the margins on PDFs when they are rotated. I have a PDF graphic novel that is just a little too small to read in portrait and switching to landscape didn't help with the wide margins. Now I should be able to read the stinking thing.

The above is for the latest software upgrade, but they also announced that in the first half of the year that they will start supporting folders/tags (or something similar).

I'm really starting to like Amazon.

[EDIT -- Added text below]

I hope they announce ePub support as some point, even if it is non-DRM ePub support only.

[rcuadro]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I just installed the update and am putting it through it's paces. Will post some screen grabs in a moment.

At least I will not be the only to jump on it... I just clicked on the update button and I have my fingers crossed

[Spankypoo]

Is the battery life update only for the int'l version because it was inferior relative to the US version, or is that now +1 in the int'l version's column?

[chilady1]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I've got the font hack on my K2 and I can't remember, does it need to be removed for the update to work? Anyone updated theirs yet? Does the font hack still work (after reinstalling or whatever)?

Yes, you have to remove both the screen saver and font hack to put this update onto your K2. Just did both however, I will caution you:

If you put this new firmware onto your K2, the running commentary right now seems to be that the font and screen saver hack cannot be placed back onto the K2. I have tried unsuccessfully to add them both back onto my K2 and the updates do not take so if either one of these is really critical to you then think twice about loading 2.3 onto your K2.

I am hoping that the developers that came up with both the screen saver and font hack can somehow get both to work with this new firmware version. Especially TedSans, the creator of the font hack because that has made a HUGE difference in the readability of the Kindle for me. The fonts are so much darker and crisper than what is pre-loaded by Amazon. Going to have to sit tight and wait on this.