Page Numbers in Kindle
February 18, 2011 5 Comments
Cover via Amazon
This week I ordered the new Kindle, upgrading from the original Kindle that I bought a few years ago. My new Kindle arrived in the mail today. I’ve already enjoyed its improved features.
Amazon has recently created a new firmware version that includes several new features. The most welcome feature is the possibility of determining the page numbers in hard copy for the Kindle ebook version of a book you happen to be reading. This is critical to readers like me who write and lecture and need to be able to document references to the reading we site.
There are things to know about this new feature and its availability:
- Even my brand new Kindle came with version 3.0.2 of the firmware. This was superseded by 3.0.3. Why my new Kindle is loaded with the older firmware is unclear to me. But more important, my new Kindle should have the very latest firmware—3.1. Why doesn’t it?
- Amazon provides a page of instructions about how to upgrade your Kindle firmware to version 3.1. But I found today that the link for downloading the software is not working. So for the time being, I’m not able to upgrade to 3.1. (This may have something to do with the browser I’m using, which is Firefox. I’ll try this download with a different browser later.)
- Not every book purchased for Kindle makes use of the page numbers feature.
- When you use the page numbers feature with your Kindle, the way to be sure which physical copy it corresponds with is to go to the product detail page for that book at Amazon and scroll down to find a line that gives the “Page Numbers Source ISBN” under the “Product Details” section of the page.
For Amazon’s own information about the page numbers feature on the Kindle, go here and here.
Related Articles
- Kindle for iOS updated, adds page numbers and progress meters (tuaw.com)
- Kindle Gets an Update (and Page Numbers!) (technologizer.com)
About Doug Geivett
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I think you’re right, David. But it’s odd that Amazon would have a page at their site with instructions and links for downloading the firmware when these links don’t work, and they don’t explain clearly why. And when can we expect the firmware to be pushed to our Kindles via Whispernet? I would have thought that Amazon would have this all worked out to minimize confusion for its customers.
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Yes, Matt, you can make notes using the keyboard at the bottom of the Kindle. It isn’t convenient to make extensive notes this way, since you aren’t “typing” on a full-sized keyboard. But it can be likened to the limited note-taking possible in the margins of a standard book. The notes you take are saved to your Amazon account, so they are lost if you remove the book from your Kindle. And notes can be shared with others.
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Doug,
I heard that they are holding off on pushing out the latest firmware update to everyone via Whispernet–probably an attempt to beta test it in case any problems come up. The number of Kindle users has probably grown significantly this year, and they could be exercising more caution in rolling out updates than in the past.
The new feature that shows the hard copy page numbers sounds really cool. I can’t wait to get that update!
Cheers,
David
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Thanks for posting this! I was wondering how to update my Kindle and now I know. My wife recently got me a Kindle for our anniversary and I love it.
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cool. I am thinking about buying one of these. Can you attach notes to the documents you read? Is it easy to type these notes in?
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