Amazon has released a firmware update for the third generation of its phenomenally successful e-book reader, the Kindle. And unlike some updates that mainly prattle about removing bugs and making operations smoother, this one actually adds some very handy features to the Kindle. The update, named Kindle Version 3.1, adds real page numbers that match page numbers of print editions of books, making it easier to understand where one is in a book – most Kindle editions only showed how far you were into a book with the number of screens acting as page numbers (and the number of screens could change depending on the size of the text you were viewing the book in).
There is also a generous dollop of social networking and community building thrown in. One can now share book notes and highlights with other members of the Kindle community, and share a message about the book when it ends with one’s social network as well as give it a rating. Finally, there is a “new and improved layout” for newspapers and magazines, which promises to deliver a snapshot of the news up front and lets you decide where to go next.
The new firmware is available, alas, only for the new, third generation Kindle, which seems a tad harsh to us, considering the millions who have older versions of the now-iconic reading device. Users can download the early preview version of the update from here to their PCs and then transfer it to their devices, or can wait until it is delivered automatically over Wi-Fi in the coming days. We intend grabbing it and trying it out, as soon as possible. Watch this space for our take!
