Thursday, October 13, 2011

Kindle Keyboard (Kindle 3) Software Update v3.3 ready for archiving, viewing, downloading and WhisperSYNC'g of Personal Documents; Voice Guide Shortcut; AmazonLocal deals on Special-Offers-Kindles

SOFTWARE VERSION v3.3 IS READY for delivery to all Kindle Keyboard / Kindle 3 models.

  This is for the physical-keyboard model (Kindle 3 U.S.  [UK: K3]) first released August 2010 and not for the coming Kindle Touch devices nor for the new $79/$109 Kindle Basic (which recently got its own update)

  This update for Kindle Keyboard models includes the following changes, which I'll quote from the Amazon page.   Here's Amazon's info page for the v3.3 software update.


Kindle Keyboard Version 3.3 Overview

Some of the features included in this update are:
  • Download your archived Personal Documents on Kindle Keyboard: You can now view and download your archived personal documents to your Kindle Keyboard conveniently anywhere at any time. Your personal documents will be stored in your Kindle library until you delete them from Manage Your Kindle.
  • Whispersync for Personal Documents on Kindle Keyboard: Just as with Kindle books, Whispersync automatically synchronizes your last page read, bookmarks and annotations for personal documents (with the exception of PDFs) across the Kindle devices. Learn more about Kindle Personal Document Service on www.amazon.com/kindlepersonaldocuments
  • AmazonLocal deals on Kindle Keyboard with Special Offers: Kindle Keyboard with Special Offers users in many regions can now view, purchase, and redeem AmazonLocal deals directly from Kindle Keyboard -- no computer, no printer, no hassle. AmazonLocal offers savings up to 75% off products and services from businesses in your city, national chains and online merchants. Learn more about AmazonLocal on www.amazonlocal.com.  
  • Voice Guide Shortcut: Kindle Keyboard users can now quickly turn the Voice Guide feature on and off by holding the Shift key and pressing Spacebar.  Voice Guide reads aloud menu options, content listings and item descriptions. To learn more about using Voice Guide on Kindle Keyboard, visit Customize Your Reading on Kindle.

More from the Kindle Keyboard software update page - Downloading Version 3.3
You can download the update at the update page.  All Kindle Keyboard users will receive this software update automatically via Wi-Fi.

To see if your Kindle Keyboard has already been updated, from the Home screen press the Menu button and use the 5-way controller to select "Settings."

  If the Settings screen displays "Version: Kindle 3.3" (or later) at the bottom of the screen, your Kindle Keyboard already has the latest software installed.

  To update your Kindle Keyboard software, turn your wireless on and connect to an available Wi-Fi network.  (For those new to the Kindle: Learn how to set up Wi-Fi on your Kindle).

  From the Home screen, press Menu and select "Sync and Check for Items."  The software update will automatically download in the background and install when your Kindle Keyboard goes into sleep mode.

  Here's how to manually download the v3.3 update to your Kindle and transfer it to your Kindle Keyboard via USB -- click on the link (Computer Link: bit.ly/kv3-3#download ) to see the steps described at the v3.3 download page via that link.

I haven't been been able to be here enough to respond to questions lately but am catching up now, so please feel free to ask or give your own personal experiences or info learned that will help (as usual - and thanks for the valuable input).

BIG thanks to K.Hugh Acton for the heads-up



Kindle Touch 3G   Kindle Touch WiFi   Kindle Basic   (UK: KBasic)   Kindle Fire
Kindle Keybd 3G   (UK: Kindle Keybd 3G)   K3 Special Offers   K3-3G Special Offers   DX

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers. Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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13 comments:

  1. The option to send personal documents to Kindle for PC or Cloud Reader is disabled for me. Is this the same for everyone? Or maybe it works for the Android or iOS apps?

    ReplyDelete
  2. You can send personal docs directly only to physical Kindle addresses.

    My Kindle for PC tends to have the personal docs on them in Archives though if I've sent them to one of my Kindles.

    Right now my manageyourkindle page says I have no send-to-Kindle addresses (why? they ask) and of course I do. They're all showing right there.

    I sense they'll be fixing things on the manageyourkindle pages for awhile.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I paid the $30 surcharge not to have ads; is the AmazonLocal thing going to impose ads on the Kindle?

    ReplyDelete
  4. karen,
    No need to worry. The AmazonLocal feature mentions it applies only to Kindles with Special Offers models (awkward model title though!) and to users of those models.

    Hope that helps!

    ReplyDelete
  5. "Just as with Kindle books, Whispersync automatically synchronizes your last page read, bookmarks and annotations for personal documents (with the exception of PDFs) across the Kindle devices"

    Does that include any documents I side-load onto my Kindle? Or must I use the Personal Document Service to get this feature?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Do you have any idea why the Kindle DX (latest gen) is being ignored so badly? K3 6" is at software v3.3 while KDX is stuck at v2.2. I am disappointed.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Got an email saying that they expect to extend syncing personal documents to the rest of the apps: "We expect to extend these features to Kindle Fire and Kindle apps (such as Kindle Cloud Reader, Kindle for Android, Kindle for iPhone, Kindle for PC, and Kindle for Mac) in the coming months."
    Nice.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ejan,
    The personal docs sync'g probably will not work with documents you sideload because Amazon would be picking up your personal docs on their own and there'd likely be an outcry about it.

    When you send them to your Kindle via Amazon servers, then they can have a copy on their servers and can sync the information across your devices.

    So, yes, I'd use the Personal Docs service when I wanted this to happen. It's mainly like uploading something to a server when you want it stored or available. This way they'll be able to deal with location #s on a document they actually have.

    ReplyDelete
  9. ejan,
    On your 2nd question,
    I have no real idea why Amazon is ignoring the DX Graphite "Latest Generation: (as of August 2010 when Kindle 3 was also 'latest generation" and when it costs so much AND is such a pleasure to read on.

    My GUESS is that they've had so much to focus on, they chose the items that affected the greatest number of customers first. I am still optimistic they'll do software improvements on the DX Pearl but I have nothing to base that on.

    They've just added a lot to Kindle 3 or Kindle Keyboard so that's going backwards and is appreciated.

    But to do it on the DX would mean a different software version to update but it just makes sense to me they'd do it. It took them a long time to get Kindle 2 the direct PDFs (when the DX had them early) but they finally upgraded the Kindle 2 for that also.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Corneliu,
    Yes, I got that welcome email also late Friday (re personal docs feature expansion to apps) and I'll do a blog entry on it and comment a bit.

    Thanks for making sure I noticed it or knew about it in case the email didn't make it through.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Makes sense. I hope too that they update KDX software as well. Regarding sideloading content on Kindle, I guess I can route it via Amazon to my Kindle and life should be good.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello. It's good news !

    ReplyDelete
  13. I had to re-send some of the PDs that I'd sent before the 3.3 update and the changes at MYK before they started behaving 'correctly'.(i.e. showed up in KK's Archived Items). All of my Kindles (real and future) are now enabled for Sent-to.
    I'm looking forward to updates that will add Kindle apps to the mix. Also (last time I checked) kindle.amazon.com does not include PD's, except as logged in 'Recent Activity'. Hope they will be hooking that up.

    ReplyDelete

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