tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post8882287674999264866..comments2024-03-15T02:52:03.463-07:00Comments on A Kindle World blog: Amazon's required older Kindle E-Ink Reader software update for continued access to store and Cloud - with links to How to Manually Update older Kindles AFTER March 22 + additional software update for new interface for some models -- Workarounds if you don't like the interface. Also, reactions to Kindle Fire tablets getting Fire OS 5 update and the option to return to OS 4 if wanted. Updated 3/19/16.and 3/28/16 Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-12737696079424842032016-04-09T03:45:32.598-07:002016-04-09T03:45:32.598-07:00I sure agree, Tom, with your suggestion of a font ...I sure agree, Tom, with your suggestion of a font weight setting. Amazon Kindle Team doesn't seem to do much testing of this important feature -- basic *readability* ... the complaints on forums show that with the latest update. It makes no sense. <br /><br />Re the 8th Gen, I was tickled to see someone's wish list -- a speaker, good audio quality, but "thinner and lighter" ... I think it's exactly that it'd have to be somewhat heavier to have the speaker. <br /><br /> I want mainly more contrast, a heaier font again, a bit more speed (faster processor) and Text-to-Speech but outside of contrast improvement needed after the recent update, I don't feel much of a need for amything else. I like my Paperwhite 3, though I use my Kindle Fire HDX much more, including for reading.<br /><br /> It'll be interesting to see what they did decide on. I've never seen them announce a new model over a week in advance but it explains some discounts I noticed the other day.<br /><br /> Re the Voyage, I've never seen one. Staples carries Kindles, but not that one...<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-88862331839692497382016-04-06T13:04:36.243-07:002016-04-06T13:04:36.243-07:00I'm about 50/50 with fiction vs non-fiction. H...I'm about 50/50 with fiction vs non-fiction. Haven't tried a lot of non-fiction with Word Runner yet, but it is more happenstance than intention.<br /><br />I've read a number of reviews and reports comparing PW with Voyage, and not much is made of Voyage having markedly better contrast or clarity (some even complain about the optical effect of the glass). Given that over the last year I have done comparatively little reading on a Kindle, it has been difficult to justify the expense of Voyage, particularly as they only rarely been discounted (I think only twice, including a few days ago), and I have not ever seen one (I know Amazon has great return policy but my sense was that it wouldn't meet my expectations and so why bother ordering one in the first place?). <br /><br />Now we're about to learn more about 8th generation Kindles. Lots of wild speculation about feature sets, including my own, but I doubt I'll feel a need to get one ('unless Liquavista' that is).<br /><br />Regarding smooth scrolling, iBooks does that when Speak Screen is enabled. So does Queue. Both with additional overhead of TTS. And my considerably less powerful iPod Touch did years ago. But Fire Phone never achieved exit velocity needed to merit performance tuning. By the time I and most everybody else bought one (in wake of aggressive price drops), Amazon had already abandoned development. And I doubt many people even tried it one time.<br /><br />I don't know what it is with Amazon and fonts. Why not a 'font weight' setting?Tom Semplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127272649086914117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-71058017898457069942016-04-03T05:54:01.169-07:002016-04-03T05:54:01.169-07:00Tom - Oddly enough, I find many use their TVs and ...Tom - Oddly enough, I find many use their TVs and tablets at max brightness! I don't know how they can stand it (or maybe that's why they find them tiring on the eyes. :-)<br /><br />5 minutes per session? Don't you normally read non-fiction? I would expect fast rates when reading fiction / novels but not non-fiction ...<br /><br />Re Paperwhite 3. While I liked it better than my Paperwhite 1, the update they made to the Paperwhite 3 makes it LESS CONTRASTY than my Paperwhite 1. Thinner or smaller font that seems GRAYER than black. Maddening. Kindle Team needs to use older people for quality control of READING quality. I've mentioned this to them before. They do the same with some webpages -- GRAY on WHITE. All some care about is 'design style/look' and apparently could care less about the reader's eyes and comfort in reading. This is more and more the style on the Net, and it'ws disappointing to see Amazon follow this trend.<br /><br /> The Paperwhite 3 IS still clearer as far as clarity of the font, as in my earlier photo comparison. But CONTRAST is important and can't be minimized.<br /><br /> Re Voyage -- it does have more contrast than the Paperwhites. It's also considerably more expensive.<br /><br /> Re the Paperwhites. I often turn OFF the light in the daytime- preferring the old unlighted screen. It's better for contrast. As you add light, it seems to soften the contrast. Otherwise, I keep it around level 13 for the Paperwhite 3 and level 14 for the Paperwhite 1 (for my eyes).<br /><br />Maybe iBooks doesn't use auto-scrolling for the reasons you see in the Fire Phone's auto-scrolling. It may be harder to do smoothly?<br /><br />Like you, I do like TTS now. While Immersion Reading is a fun feature, I don't tend to get audio books...<br /><br />Supposedly, they're working on a bolder Helvetica to help with the loss of contrast with the latest update on the Paperwhite 3 (I don't know about Paperwhite 2.)<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-15947040624634001892016-03-31T12:44:57.954-07:002016-03-31T12:44:57.954-07:00I remember one 'study' about affect of rea...I remember one 'study' about affect of reading on an iPad vs books on sleep where they actually set the iPad brightness at maximum setting as their baseline. Ridiculous. In normal use, one would not set it at max brightness except maybe outdoors. <br /><br />f.lux is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, BTW.<br /><br />I'm still infatuated with Word Runner. I wish it would provide an estimate of reading time to complete current chapter when you start it up, as they do at each chapter break. I don't want it to be more than about 5 minutes per session, or at least I want to be forewarned. Other refinements would be to pause to display pictures/charts. My HD6 usage has gone from 5% share of my reading to about 80%. I was using my Fire Phone for reading a lot more before Word Runner. I want them to add Word Runner to the Kindle, too! I recently got new Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite, and they are both way better than my Paperwhite 1, but I can't bring myself to read on them. To be honest, the Kindle is more readable than the Paperwhite: screen is whiter and text is bolder at same font size. The front-light does nothing to improve contrast, and while it does render the background whiter, the text gets grayer and I cannot seem to ignore that. So I really prefer reading a back-lit device in Night Mode in most situations. I've never seen a Voyage, maybe it is better (glass vs plastic light guide). <br /><br />I liked the auto-scrolling feature of Fire Phone, which I like because there's no artificial breaks in the flow of text, and wish they'd add that to Fire tablets (and Kindle mobile apps). Fire Phone's implementation is flawed, as the scrolling is not smooth and alternately stalls or jumps, and unfortunately it will not be fixed, though clearly the hardware should be more than powerful enough to do it (my 6 year old iPod Touch had an auto-scrolling reading app, and it was entirely smooth). iBooks has scrolling mode, but not auto-scrolling (unless you turn on Speak Screen). <br /><br />Like Immersion Reading (or even TTS), I like being able to focus on reading without mechanics of turning pages.Tom Semplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127272649086914117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-79767574821223260402016-03-31T10:46:50.348-07:002016-03-31T10:46:50.348-07:00Tom, am eager to hear what you think about f.lux (...Tom, am eager to hear what you think about f.lux (not having an Apple computer or tablet, I hadn't paid attention to it but it sounds good, from what I've read). <br /><br />Good point about the effect of adjusting the brightness. I do have mine way low and wonder why others have theirs set so high. A blast of light into the eyes. <br /><br />I was reading a new non-fiction book today and finally noticed the tiny menu and found that I do have Word Runner with my 5.4.1.1 update in January. For non-fiction I hate it. And this book also has some beautifully constructed paragraphs that I want to go back and re-scan. Also, not able to take my eyes away for fear of missing a word is not to my liking. Otherwise it's kind of nice, being fed the words one at a time, but too much like the computer feeding me but at its own pace rather than mine unless I push the pause button when I don't feel like having my eyes fixed on the screen. I think relaxing your eyes by shifting the focus is probaby better for us. <br /><br /> Also, I love (on my 8.9" Kindle Fire that supports it and I think they recently added it to the 7" ?) to read books in Landscape orientation, using two pages at a time, and they're like small pages but with the larger fonts I like. I read faster with smaller segments to view and I like that my eyes don't need to go completely across even a portrait-oriented screen. Love the sepia background too.<br /><br /> I saw a graphic that claims there can be some bad health effects with blue light besides sleeping though...<br /><br /> I used the text-to-speech, and the new voice capability is actually pretty effective and even pleasant, sometimes too pleasant for the words being read. :-)<br /><br /> Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-82624035900879021842016-03-30T12:22:41.681-07:002016-03-30T12:22:41.681-07:00Note that f.lux now has an Android version. I have...Note that f.lux now has an Android version. I have not tried it, but anything would be better than Blue Shade.<br /><br />I see (Nate's blog and now other places) there's been push back on the idea that iOS's Night Shift does anything to reduce sleep disruption, because it doesn't reduce cyan enough. I think that's a little the point: I just find it more comfortable at night, and I'm also skeptical that mobile displays (including front-lit e-readers, which also generate blue) put out enough light to do much in the first place (at least if you are properly adjusting the brightness, etc.). Surely there are people who engage in all manner of late night activity that affects sleep in a negative way, but I would guess that exposure to blue light is responsible for only a small percentage of that.Tom Semplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127272649086914117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-25325497310623014522016-03-29T23:18:19.729-07:002016-03-29T23:18:19.729-07:00Tom, thanks for clarifying re 'cloud collectio...Tom, thanks for clarifying re 'cloud collections' rather than the more specific app collections or book collections, I guess. I use both. All that trouble for manual sort and it's not synced between device... too bad. I use the alpha sort with strange symbols to mildly control where a book is listed but others use prefacing alpha-numbers (with several numerical places) to make it come out the way they want.<br /><br />Word Runner: Report back your progress when you can. Sounds intriguing even if I don't think I could manage this method of reading.<br /><br />Re Blue Shade, I wrote about it and the similar Android app I used when trying it -- at <a href="http://kindleworld.blogspot.com/search/label/alternate%20blue-shade-type%20app%20for%20earlier%20tablets" rel="nofollow">http://kindleworld.blogspot.com/search/label/alternate%20blue-shade-type%20app%20for%20earlier%20tablets</a>.<br /><br /> The app is named just 'Twilight' -- it worked well but I don't like that color change...<br />I got it at 1Mobile. My Yr 2013 HDX 8.9" doesn't get OS5...<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-83395316125331010302016-03-28T14:57:16.372-07:002016-03-28T14:57:16.372-07:00By Collections, I don't mean 'app collecti...By Collections, I don't mean 'app collections' (which are device specific, and work as before) but rather 'cloud collections'. Other issues are that manual sort is not synced between devices.<br /><br />Word Runner takes a little getting used to. My plan (we'll see if I follow through) is to use the time savings to jot down a quick synopsis of each chapter as soon as I finish reading it. But even without that I think my retention is as good as it is in page mode. The Spritz folks say you need to push past the point at which 'internal voice' can keep up, so you are doing 100% visual processing. Don't think I'm there yet, I'm only at 375 wpm now. But I look at it like a skill that takes some time to master. <br /><br />'Blue Shade in the pure Android version'. Not familiar with that. Google's Play Books added something called 'Night Light', maybe this is what you mean? <br /><br />Tom Semplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127272649086914117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-55338575489354816442016-03-26T07:58:21.681-07:002016-03-26T07:58:21.681-07:00Tom, thanks. I'd made a note but forgot to pos...Tom, thanks. I'd made a note but forgot to post the Reading Progress info which I saw given in the forum for more than a few asking for it. <br /><br />While I don't have the new Fire OS, if I had it, I'd do exactly what you've done for the same reasons.<br /><br />Sorry to see Collections are even harder to access. They're a Godsend when my app icons keep shifting after I carefully arrange them but then Amazon wants to put its own app icons first. Hated that. I created and placed Collections of apps at the top after that and they stay in place -- until an update but at least all I have to do is move 4 Collection icons instead of all my apps. Certain things I want at the top and others way below.<br /><br />Word Runner. It bugs me just to think about it, staring at one space and making sure I catch everything that goes by in it (or maybe i misunderstand the concept). Good to see that it speeds things up for you though. <br /><br />Yes, I got the Blue Shade month ago in the pure Android version and I really did NOT like those hues and the discomfort to my eyes. Odd how that goes, depending on the person. Since I have my backlight on very dim, and choose Sepia, I've not wanted anything else except for it to turn into an e-Ink device while I'm reading the book :-) I remember there was some sort of prototype that had a tablet on the front and an e-Ink reader on the back. Heavy, of course.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-47003423651317817352016-03-23T18:43:55.996-07:002016-03-23T18:43:55.996-07:00Anonymous, the READING PROGRESS setting can be fou...Anonymous, the READING PROGRESS setting can be found in Display Settings (Aa in toolbar), which include FONT and PAGE settings as well. Or you can just tap on the current reading progress indicator in lower left corner to cycle through the available options. Note that 'Page numbers' option is not available for all books.<br /><br />As for upgrading to Fire OS 5, it took a couple of weeks but I'm used to it now.<br /><br />I turned off everything in Settings-Apps & Games-Amazon Application Settings-Home Screen Settings. For the most part, I only use HOME (for apps) and RECENTS (for content), and use the icon shortcuts on HOME (Books, Audiobooks, Music, Docs, Video, Newsstand) to navigate directly to respective Library screens. I really don't see the point of swiping repeatedly to get to a screen which lets me do almost nothing but go to Library or Store (particularly as I have turned off the unwelcome Recommendations that are there by default). It just seems too much swiping and tapping, so I just don't bother.<br /><br />Collections are pretty much buried and harder to access than before (why can't I add/remove items that show on the RECENTS screen?). And there are some bugs (Docs don't show up in them until you download them).<br /><br />I'm using Word Runner a lot the last few days. Really forces me to focus instead of 'skimming' that I'd otherwise lapse into, and helps me plow through a chapter a bit faster. I can think of a few refinements, but it's good enough as is. Spritz may have a little more refinement to it (uses color and aligns words more 'optimally' according to them) but I'm not sure it matters. Wish they'd put it on Kindles as well (I think they could handle the refresh since it is just a tiny area of the screen that is changing).<br /><br />Blue Shade is worthless though: I cannot read anything when that is turned on, it turns all of the Black to Orange. iOS 9.3's Night Shift is much much better, more like f.lux. I can just leave it on and it happens on schedule and just kind of takes the edge off instead of flattening everything as Blue Shade does.<br /><br /><br />Tom Semplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127272649086914117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-16626136952314644642016-03-23T09:06:37.812-07:002016-03-23T09:06:37.812-07:00Anonymous, I use helvetica because it's bolded...Anonymous, I use helvetica because it's bolded and has more contast. Supposedly they are working to make that darker again. Their programmers seem to be very young, with 20-20 eyesight...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-87301817816286022402016-03-22T02:14:40.386-07:002016-03-22T02:14:40.386-07:00Gary - I totally agree that the Kindle Model (Year...Gary - I totally agree that the Kindle Model (Year or Generation) should be displayed in the 'device info' section. The upshot is that, *of the Paperwhites*, only the Paperwhite 1 (Year 2012) requires the update, and the 'device info' box should show version 5.6.1.1 if it's been updated. The Paperwhite 2 and 3 don't require the update.<br /><br /> In fact, it seems models from 2007 through 2012 need the update. Monday, several sites had alerts popping up about this, and they didn't explain it pertains only to older Kindles.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-17527325071682463532016-03-20T13:23:38.222-07:002016-03-20T13:23:38.222-07:00I dislike the new update. The tool bar is horrible...I dislike the new update. The tool bar is horrible. To turn on the light is a joke in the dark. I have been unable to locate the ability to change the font to what is comfortable for my old eyes. Can not set page numbers.<br />The tool bar it self the font is horrible.<br />The only thing I do like is the page trader when the book is closed, so you can see if the book was read, THAT IS A BIG HELP.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-43765845621918454502016-03-20T10:36:31.105-07:002016-03-20T10:36:31.105-07:00I wish it were easier to tell by looking at the Ki...I wish it were easier to tell by looking at the Kindle which model it was...<br />It seems like it should be on the "device info" page.Gary LaPointehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15376397138498178987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-76336524505333557002016-03-19T03:12:56.770-07:002016-03-19T03:12:56.770-07:00MY bad, Edward ! Although I gave a link under tha...MY bad, Edward ! Although I gave a link under that table to see the actual table page for the <a href="http://bit.ly/kindle-reader-critical-update" rel="nofollow">software-update help page</a>, I definitely should have included the " * " and " ** " explanations on the blog entry itself, which I'll do when I've finished with this reply. Thanks for drawing my attention to that.<br /><br />I'm stymied that they don't require one for the Kindle DX 1 and mention only the DX 2. I have both, though the '1' is dead (power supply doesn't work) and I haven't been able to find the beautiful DX 2, which I stopped using after the tablets came out (that includes the original Nook tablet, which I used for about 8 months before Amazon made their first Kindle Fire tablet).<br /><br />Re your 2014 Fire HDX 8.9, if you use the feature to tap one of the icons at the bottom while using a device feature, you should get the option to quickly switch to one of your other currently-running activities (books, apps, music). It's very nicely done and smooth, from what I saw from a friend who now enjoys that feature. <br /><br /> My Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" 2013 is likely not getting the OS 5 feature. It's not something I really want, so I'm ok with that. I just wish the audio were louder.<br /><br /> Speaking of louder audio, it's certainly capable of it, as I notice with pain each time it gives me 3 loud chimes (no one at the forums has figured out what it's for but sometimes it happens when the battery is lower though not at a too-low point). The chimes are accompanied by the content audio (CNN news host or another TV show's audio) being about FIVE times louder and is very annoying! But this indicates the audio is low because it was a choice. It's fine with a small external speaker though.<br /><br />Thanks for the feedback re your various Kindles :-)<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-16371163891726122852016-03-19T02:04:12.369-07:002016-03-19T02:04:12.369-07:00Inkling, I mentioned in the blog article that ther...Inkling, I mentioned in the blog article that there was also a SECOND update (I highlighted dthat in red) to be done on some of the older Kindle e-Readers and that this was to get the interface to match what the newer e-Ink Kindles have.<br /><br /> My Paperwhite 1 has not received that one (but I'd rather keep the older one with the darker fonts since I don't use the other features listed, particularly). The Enhanced Table and IMage Viewer would be no doubt useful though ! Thanks for putting the list here.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Your list is good. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-60343808109263786692016-03-18T19:47:23.983-07:002016-03-18T19:47:23.983-07:00OK, I give up -- some of the updates listed above ...OK, I give up -- some of the updates listed above have a single asterisk; some two, but nowhere do I find what those asterisks are indicating. <br /><br />Two of my four e-ink kindles require the update. One, my KT, has already updated automatically -- it still has the old UI. My KDX needs to update over wireless. I received two emails from Amazon to turn wireless on. After the second (about a week ago) I turned wireless on -- so far it has not updated. If not by Monday, I'll do it manually.<br /><br />Both my PW2, & PW3 have updated to the new UI. I find it superficially different, but under the covers, the core functionality is unchanged. I'm not sure it's any better than the old UI, but it's not objectionable just different.<br /><br />My Fire HDX 8.9 did update to Fire OS 5 (Bellini). The carousel is gone, and UI (to me) looks much closer to stock Android. Again I don't see anything earth shattering -- I think a lot of the changes revolved around "kids" feature -- I don't have any so . . . (:grin)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856691481030828812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-19269886054226919632016-03-17T12:03:30.309-07:002016-03-17T12:03:30.309-07:00I got that upgrade-or-else email about a month ago...I got that upgrade-or-else email about a month ago and tried all sorts of tricks over the next couple of nights to get my Kindle 3 to auto-update. Nothing happened, so I went to the manual update webpage and did it myself. (I had to do two installs to get up-to-date.) You can tell when it updates (either way) because it leaves two documents in your book list:<br /><br />Update Successful<br />Your Kindle is Updated<br /><br />The latter document claims the update also gave me:<br /><br />New Font<br />Parental Controls <br />Kindle Format 8 (KF8)<br />Comic Books<br />Children's Picture Books<br />Enhanced Table and Image Viewer<br />Whispersync for Voice<br /><br />So, there's apparently more to this update that just continuing to download books. Old Kindles get some of the features of new ones.<br /><br />Inklinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05272203500649628022noreply@blogger.com