Kindle App for iOS and Kindle Fire News: Kindle Fire HD Sale -'FIRE4MOM' promo code gets $20 off as Mother's Day offer on Kindle Fire HD 7-inch. tablet. Kindle for iOS update v3.7 adds accessibility for the visually impaired

Promo code FIRE4MOM brings $20 off for any Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tablet through Mother's Day, May 12, 2013. (US only)

That means the price for the 16 GB model will be $179, and for the 32 GB model it'll be $209.

As before, I highly recommend, because of the size of multimedia files, the 32 GB model; think of it as deciding on an additional built-in 16GB SD Card for the additional $30.  It'll help avoid having to swap apps in and out of the Kindle Fire HD to keep from running low on space (which can slow down some program processes). This is for the standard Kindle Fire HD with 'Special Offers' on the Lock Screen only, and many do prefer to know about Amazon's special offers.  If you don't like that idea, $15 more does away with them.  Many of us choose to keep them though.

Be sure to know that Amazon's promo codes cannot be applied to orders placed with 1-click purchasing, so you'd need to turn that off if wanting to use the promo code.

Also, they specify only one promo-code purchase per customer.


Kindle for iOS: the new Accessibility Features
Amazon's forum announcement of these new accessibility features for its Kindle reading apps for Apple iPhones, tablets, and iPod touch (those running iOS 5.0 or higher) is followed by Kindle customer comments that include advice by Apple device owners about where to find the various features and how to use them.  Worth a look if you've one of these devices.

  There is good general info and help on these apps at the Amazon Kindle for iOS Help page.

The new features, using Apple's VoiceOver technology, are aimed at visually impaired users and include the ability to have read aloud to you ~1.8 million Kindle Store titles, added navigational help, as well as more accessible X-Ray and sharing features.

Important also is that Amazon promises a similar update for NON-iOS versions of the app eventually, and it would be a good use for the Ivona Software they acquired in January, already used in the Kindle Fire for text-to-speech, voice commands and "Explore by Touch."  Ivona offers voice and language portfolios with 44 voices in 17 languages

  Lifehacker describes the use of Siri's voice for this, pointing out that it's not done with a tap of a button.  "You have to enable VoiceOver in the accessibility settings in iOS before you can have Siri read to you, and even then she only takes one line at a time as you move your finger down the page...For those who are blind or have poor vision, VoiceOver support makes navigating the Kindle app and reading books possible."

  Here are more details, from the Amazon Kindle forum announcement and thread:

' New accessibility features of the Kindle app enable blind and visually impaired customers to:
- Read aloud over 1.5 million titles available in the Kindle Store using Apple's VoiceOver technology. Over 300,000 of these books are exclusive to the Kindle Store. Over 700,000 books are less than $4.99; over a million are less than $9.99.
- Seamlessly navigate within their library or within a book, with consistent title, menu and button names; navigate to a specific page within a book and sort books in the library by author or title.
- Read character-by-character, word-by-word, line-by-line, or continuously, as well as move forward or backward in the text.
- Search for a book within their library or search within their book and navigate to specific text.
- Add and delete notes, bookmarks, and highlights.
- Use customer-favorite features like X-Ray, End Actions and sharing on Facebook and Twitter.
- Look up words in the dictionary and Wikipedia.
- Customize the reading experience including changing the font, text size, background color, margin, and brightness.
- Use iOS accessibility features like Zoom, Assistive Touch, and Stereo to Mono, as well as peripheral braille displays.

Other new features include:
- Easily rate and review books by accessing `Before you go...' directly from The `Go to' menu
- Enhancements to `Before you go...' including the ability to download a free sample and email yourself a reminder about recommended books.
- Additional Font Selection for Japan - Hiragino Mincho ProN (Serif)

These new accessibility features are available first on the Kindle app for iOS and accessibility features will be added to other Kindle apps in the future. Customers can download the new Kindle for iOS app for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone or iPod touch or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore.  Blind and visually impaired customers interested in using a Kindle app can also choose Kindle for PC with Accessibility Plugin, a free application for Windows PC's.

You can download [for free] a quick reference guide here: Kindle for iOS Accessibility Gestures - Quick Reference Guide.

If you need assistance with this update, please drop by the Kindle Help Forum '

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Current Kindle Models, worldwide for reference, plus free-ebook search links.

  NOTES on newer Kindles.

US: Updated Kindle Fire 2 Basic  7" tablet - $159 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB - $199/$229 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 16/32GB - $269/$299 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G 32/64GB - $399/$499 Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $69/$89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $99 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $119/$139 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi+3G - $179/$199 Kindle Keybd 3G - $139/$159, Free slow web Kindle DX - $379 $299 Discontinued

UK: Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £69 Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - ~£89 Refurb'd Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - £109 Kindle Paperwhite 3G, UK - £169 Kindle Fire 2, UK -  £129 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB, UK - £159/199 Canada - Kindlestore, CDN-$ Kindle Basic, NoTouch - $79 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $129 Kindle Paperwhite, 3G - $199

*OTHER International* Kindle NoTouch Basic - $89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $139 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Paperwhite WiFi $139, 3G/Wifi $199 France Boutique Kindle Deutschland - Kindle Store Italia - Kindle Store Spain - Tienda Kindle Brazil - Amazon Brazil China - Amazon China [?] Japan - Amazon Japan

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Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

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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.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Kindle News: Paperwhite at $99 thru' April 30 at 11:59pm (Little doubt, U.S. only)

Amazon has a rather hidden promo for $20 off Special-Offer models of the Kindle Paperwhite through 11:59 PM (PST) on Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The promo page was mentioned by TechnoBuffalo, but the promo code didn't work for me.  They also didn't reply to my question of where the rather hidden actual promo page could be found.  Commenters, though, let us know where we can find the brief promo page.

  HOWEVER, the promo code of " KINDLEPW " still might not work for you, as it was initially sent some via email and probably targeted certain customers.

 What some people have done, if they have a problem, is to just contact Kindle Help (as described below) and choose to have them chat with you.  The Chat feature entails typing with them.

  LessthanZach, who happens to be a Sales Manager for AT&T, advises the following, which worked for him:

' Ok guys. Here's the wrap.  The offer is only available for the Special Offers edition[s] of the Kindle.  As of right now, the code doesn't seem to work.  Simply go to "help" then "contact us" and click the option to chat about "payments or promotional codes".  I chatted with a very helpful representative who had me place the order without the code and then he manually applied the discount.  It only took about 5 minutes to get it taken care of.  It is a bit of a shame you have to live with the ads, though.
@David Nguyen I appreciate your suggestion of chatting with them and I can confirm it indeed works just fine. '

This would work with the Special-Offer edition only, remember, and the promo doesn't mention at all the 3G model BUT it also does say "Add any Kindle Paperwhite device to your shopping cart..." so the links to both are WiFi only or WiFi+3G models with Special Offers.  Again, they don't specifically show the 3G model as eligible for the discount, but they did say "any Kindle Paperwhite device."

  My guess is that it's limited to US customers (as are most brief Kindle device promos) but they don't say.

  Reminder of a few other rules (full rules are at the promo page)
. Promotion applies only to new Kindle Paperwhite devices sold and shipped by Amazon Digital Services. It does not apply to the same products sold by other sellers or to Certified Refurbished Kindle products.
. If you do not purchase Kindle Paperwhite prior to April 30, 2013 11:59 PM (PST), the promotion will not apply.
. Each promotion code can be used only once
. The promotion code is not transferrable and may not be resold.
. Limit one promotion code per customer.
. Does not apply to orders placed with 1-Click.
. Offer good while supplies last.

An answer to what happened here found after I wrote the above.
At the Amazon Kindle Forums, flipoid writes the following:
  "I called Amazon Kindle CS and was told by the CS rep that the code was sent out in emails to non-Kindle owners who purchase lots of print books from Amazon.  He told me that if you didn't receive an email, you can't use the code.  So it seems that they're trying to get non-ebook purchasers/readers to get on the digital train. (-: "

And my answer to that is that apparently Amazon is allowing people who call them about this, to buy it, because the promo in no way holds language limiting this offer to people who don't already own a Kindle, and there are many who have older Kindles and DO want a Paperwhite, and it seems only fair that they could get the benefit of the promo if they know about it (which is what has been happening).

The ones that were allowed to go through with customer service chat help were bought many hours after the forum member's phone call got a negative for current Kindle owners.

  And, the promo code entry validation is no doubt programmed to work only for those who don't already own a Kindle device, which is why the automated discount would work for some people but not for others.

  Normally, if they want only a subsection of customers to be eligible, they'll add the language "For new Kindle [device] customers only" but they didn't.

So, this will be your call. Customer reps, in chat mode, have been asking customers to go ahead and buy one and they will issue a refund after the purchase process.  Those were allowed to be purchased with discount half a day or more after the morning explanation to a Kindle owner by phone.

Please let me know if any customer rep does not allow this to be done after you've let them know that manual purchases with customer service rep help on the promo have been going through.  It's a dilemma of sorts for two more days :-)



  For daily free ebooks, check the following links:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics USA: by:    Publication Date      Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular The Kindle Daily Deal What is 3G? and "WiFi"?       Battery Care Highly-rated under $1,  Newest: $1-$2, $2-$3

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. USEFUL for your Kindle Keyboard (U.S. only, currently):   99c Notepad 1.1,   99c Calculator,   99c Calendar,   99c Converter

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button


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.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!