Showing posts with label kindle book gifting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kindle book gifting. Show all posts

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Kindle for PC Update ready. GiveKindleBooks report by Thomas Palmer


The Kindle for PC page has again been updated (see features of original, basic Kindle for PC) with the following new features:
* Use the built-in dictionary to seamlessly look up the definitions of
    English words without interrupting your reading.
* Read in the standard one-column mode or take advantage of a larger screen
    with a multi-column view, which will automatically adjust
    according to your screen size. [ Very slick. ]
* Choose whether you'd like to browse your library in a tile view or in a list view.

I don't know when the Kindle  (UK: K3) Search feature was added, but it's there now and very speedy.

Being a keyboard-shortcuts type (speedier for me and avoids repetitive mouse/arm movements), I especially like the keyboard shortcuts they made available in the prior update.

The general Kindle for PC Help webpage is easily reachable through the app's Help option, and the most helpful sections for day-to-day functions, can be found under the Using Kindle for PC page.

  The Navigation icons are explained under Using the Reading Tool Bar section which also details the three methods for turning pages.

  The highlighting and notes guide is at the Using Highlights and Notes section.

At the Future Improvements page for this app (easily reachable from the app's Help menu's Future Improvements choice), Amazon tells us what they are thinking of bringing to the app in the "near future."
* Library Management
    A new way to manage and organize your content

As before, the Kindle team says they'd like to hear from Kindle for PC users.
  "You can send them to the Kindle team at kindleforpc-feedback@amazon.com or via the feedback form available in the application - we'd love to hear what you think!"


HOW THE NEW GIVE-KINDLE-BOOKS FEATURE WORKS - BY THOMAS PALMER
While browsing the Amazon Kindle Community Forums, I saw a posting by Thomas Palmer describing what he experienced using the new feature to gift himself a Kindle book and letting us know what we should expect.  For those of you who don't do the forum scene, here is his write-up
' Thomas Palmer says:
OK folks, I just tested it.  I used one of the books in my Kindle Wishlist to test it out. (I already wanted it so what the heck, gifting it to myself. ;) )

When you buy it as a gift you are sent to a new type of shopping cart page where you can enter in the recipients email address, their name, your name and some text for the gift email that will be sent.
  You are asked to log in again if you have not already fully logged in (like when you normally use the shopping cart) If you went to the book through the person's Kindle Wishlist the email address is already filled in.

[ Note by Andrys: Gifters cannot see the recipient's email address though. ]

It looks like you can send it to anyone even if the book isn't available in their country as well.  The fine print on the gift order page says "Title availability may vary by country.  If this title isn't available for your gift recipient, we will exchange your gift for an equivalent value Amazon.com gift card."

Your order receipt will list it as "[Kindle Gift Purchased]" instead of "[Kindle Edition]".  The recipient will get an e-mail from Amazon with the subject "Amazon.com: A Gift from Thomas Palmerþ", with your name instead of mine of course. ;)
  The body of the email is designed like a little gift box with the book you gifted them in it, your name and the message text you wrote down when you ordered it.  It includes a link that says "Get your Kindle Book Gift Now".

When the recipient clicks on that link they are sent to a new type of Kindle Book product page.  The main part of the page is the same as the book's normal product page, but now the top of the page says "Accept Your Kindle Book Gift", it again gives the senders name and message, and the buy box on the right side has an "Accept Kindle Gift" button instead of the "Buy Now" button.  It has the same drop down Kindle selection box as normal.

It also has the standard "Send Sample Now" box as well.  I guess so the recipient can check the book first to see if they want it.  While the buy box doesn't have a button to not accept the gift, the "How does this work?" link informs the recipient that they can exchange the gift for a gift card by contacting customer service and referencing the gift order number, which it also gives them.

The "How does this work?" link also gives them links to pages about the Kindle apps and the Kindle devices in case they are "new to Kindle".

Once you click on the "Accept Kindle Gift" you get a confirmation page and the book is sent to the Kindle you selected in the drop down box and it's added to your Kindle account, just like any other Kindle book you order. '

It's worth noting that you cannot gift any of the free Kindle books.  As someone else noted, if you really want someone to see or read a specific free Kindle book, just send them the link.

Also, for convenience, here again is the tiny FAQ at the givekindlebooks page posted yesterday:
'

Frequently Asked Questions about Giving Kindle eBooks

Do I have to own a Kindle to give or receive a Kindle ebook as a gift?
  No. Kindle ebooks can be given and received by anyone with an e-mail address.  Kindle ebooks can be read either on Kindle or on your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, or Android Phone using one of our free reading apps.

What if the recipient doesn't like or want their gift?
  Kindle ebooks received as gifts can be exchanged for Amazon.com gift cards.

Are all Kindle ebooks eligible to be given as gifts? All ebooks available for purchase in the Amazon.com Kindle Store can be given as gifts. '


The Kindle forum discussion on this feature may be of interest to some of you, as there are people who'd rather not be getting Kindle books as gifts and there are more people who are building their public Wish Lists to make it easier for friends and family :-)


Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's),   DX Graphite

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or highest-rated 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.

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!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Amazon finally does Kindle-book gifting - UPDATE

AMAZON FINALLY DOES GIFTING OF KINDLE BOOKS

I'll just quote the press release while providing my earlier version of of the portion in this press-release that highlights again the Editors' choices for the best Kindle books of 2010.  Amazon starts it off with this:

"For the First Time, Give the Gift of Kindle Books (No Kindle Required)
Kindle Store the first major bookstore to offer eBook gifting"


Well, in fact, Kobo offered eBook gifting a day earlier (Thursday), and since the Kobo is sold at Borders and other stores, I think that qualifies -- Amazon nodded off at the wheel there but they're awake now and ready :-)

 Here's the press release with my modifications that include links to the books they have recommended for 2010.
' SEATTLE, Nov 19, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

(NASDAQ: AMZN) - Kindle is the most gifted item in the history of Amazon.com and millions of people around the world are reading Kindle Books on Kindle devices and free Kindle apps.  Beginning today, just in time for the holiday season, customers can give Kindle Books as gifts to anyone with an e-mail address -- no Kindle required.  Kindle Books can be read on Kindle devices and free Kindle reading apps for iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry and Android-based devices.
  For more information or to give a Kindle Book as a gift, go to amzn.to/givekindlebooks.

"We are thrilled to make it easier than ever for our customers to give their favorite Kindle book to a friend or family member as a gift," said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President, Amazon Kindle.  "We're making this functionality available in time for the holidays to offer an easy, stress free holiday shopping option for anyone - not just Kindle owners."

To give a Kindle Book as a gift, customers simply choose a book in the Kindle Store, select "Give as a Gift" and send their gift to anyone with an email address.  Notifications of Kindle Books gifts are delivered instantly via e-mail and the recipient redeems the gift in the Kindle Store to read on any Kindle or free Kindle app.

Just in time for holiday gift-giving, Amazon editors' picks for the best books of the year are:

  [ CAUTION: A small change for this list only:
    These won't open a new window, so don't close the book-browsing window
    but instead use the Back button to get back to this page --
    otherwise, it would be hard to get back here. ]

1. "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
2. "Faithful Place: A Novel" by Tana French
3. "Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War" by Karl Marlantes
4. "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand
5. "The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson
6. "Freedom: A Novel" by Jonathan Franzen
7. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson
8. "To the End of the Land" by David Grossman
9. "Just Kids" by Patti Smith
10. "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine" by Michael Lewis


[And here's the usual press-release paragraph that I `normally omit, but some new to the Kindle may be interested.]

  With over 725,000 books, the U.S. Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore) has the largest selection of the most popular books that people want to read - including New York Times Bestsellers and New Releases from $9.99. Kindle lets you Buy Once, Read Everywhere - on Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry and Android-based devices.  Amazon's Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off.  With Kindle Worry-Free Archive, books you purchase from the Kindle Store are automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon where they can be re-downloaded wirelessly for free, anytime. '

As I said, finally !

UPDATE - For convenience, here's the tiny FAQ at the givekindlebooks page linked earlier above:
'

Frequently Asked Questions about Giving Kindle eBooks

Do I have to own a Kindle to give or receive a Kindle ebook as a gift?
  No. Kindle ebooks can be given and received by anyone with an e-mail address.  Kindle ebooks can be read either on Kindle or on your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, or Android Phone using one of our free reading apps.

What if the recipient doesn't like or want their gift?
  Kindle ebooks received as gifts can be exchanged for Amazon.com gift cards.

Are all Kindle ebooks eligible to be given as gifts? All ebooks available for purchase in the Amazon.com Kindle Store can be given as gifts. '


Also, here is the November 5 blog article on other Amazon best-book links for 2010 so far.


Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's),   DX Graphite

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or highest-rated 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.

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!

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