Kindle 2.3 update

[teiresias]

It would be great if we could drag and drop .pdf files into a folder on the Kindle and they would become available screensaver pictures.  I've taken a few pictures from my Lightroom library and simply converted them to pdf (color pdf as a matter of fact) and simply dragged them onto the Kindle and they look pretty great, even in the monochrome.  Macs make converting practically anything to pdf easy as pie since converting to PDF is available right in the pdf menu.

By default, the pdf doesn't take up the whole screen (since it uses the border to display page number, etc.), but it would be cool if they did that and perhaps negate the need for a "hack".

[kendall]

I think I successfully applied the 2.3 update --> it says "Version: 2.3" at the bottom of my Kindle 2 screen when I am in settings; also, when I select the "Aa" button, I have the ability to rotate the screen.

Unfortunately, when I drag a .pdf file from my computer to the Documents folder of the Kindle, I do not see the document in my list of documents. I see books I've purchased and .txt files I've previously dragged over, but no .pdf files.

It was my understanding that the 2.3 update provided .pdf support.

Any suggestions?

Thank you,

[meljackson]

I think I successfully applied the 2.3 update --> it says "Version: 2.3" at the bottom of my Kindle 2 screen when I am in settings; also, when I select the "Aa" button, I have the ability to rotate the screen.

Unfortunately, when I drag a .pdf file from my computer to the Documents folder of the Kindle, I do not see the document in my list of documents. I see books I've purchased and .txt files I've previously dragged over, but no .pdf files.

It was my understanding that the 2.3 update provided .pdf support.

Any suggestions?

Thank you,

Did you drag them to your documents folder on the kindle? That's where I was having trouble. I was dragging them to the root.

Melissa

[Susan in VA]

I'd tried alternate fonts. . .but I took them back off. . . .

Oh.  It seems that you liked the one you had...  I certainly liked it, I even made a note of the two fonts I looked at that day for when I finally got around to installing the hack.

Well, to me, that would be a little silly. . . .  I can see not removing hacks already installed because they really work for you and not needing what the update provides. . . . but to sort of sabotage yourself so you can't get the update seems silly.  The update isn't going to make anything but the hacks stop working.

I know:  you're just gun shy after your recent experience with the Windows auto update!     

LOL!  Yeah, that may be it...  It's partly that I really don't think I need this update, and partly that I want to be sure that I can do the hacks if and when that task percolates to the top of the to-do list.  So far it seems iffy whether that will be possible after the update.  So I guess I'd have to do it now, or take my chances...  no, better yet, I'll do nothing for a day or two, leave WN off, and wait to see whether someone writes a new hack!      See, no stress,  no worries, and one fewer urgent item on the list....

[kendall]

Yes, that's a good suggestion, but unfortunately my pdfs are in the documents folder along with all the other documents. I see .txt files and other books, but the pdfs never appear in the list of documents when I hit Home.

I also emailed Amazon support - I was just hoping it was something silly I was doing wrong...

Did you drag them to your documents folder on the kindle? That's where I was having trouble. I was dragging them to the root.

Melissa

[auntmarge]

To confirm. I just installed the UFH_Droid_Sans font hack from this link:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=666912&postcount=18

on my 2.3 Kindle 2 Int. (using the -k2i.bin file) and everything works as expected.

(no jailbreak needed)

Here is a screenshot of that font in landscape mode:



BTW The Newest Screen saver hack also works.. !!

If only the Kindle screen background was actually that light!

[marianneg]

Yes, that's a good suggestion, but unfortunately my pdfs are in the documents folder along with all the other documents. I see .txt files and other books, but the pdfs never appear in the list of documents when I hit Home.

Check the date on the document.  Copying a file to another device doesn't change the timestamp, so it probably won't appear at the top of the list unless you just downloaded it.  Eg., I put a PDF on my Kindle that I had downloaded sometime in August.  It didn't show up on the first few pages (I have a lot of books!), so I just sorted by title to find it more easily.  Once you touch (ie., open) it, it should appear at the top when you're sorting by most recent first.

[kendall]

Resolved!

Yes, I was doing something silly.

Someone pointed out that there's an option, just under your Kindle name, to filter the items being shown. So the default seems to be "books", but you need to select "All my items" for pdfs to appear. Evidently .txt files are considered books, but .pdf files are not.

So thanks for all the suggestions!

Best,

I think I successfully applied the 2.3 update --> it says "Version: 2.3" at the bottom of my Kindle 2 screen when I am in settings; also, when I select the "Aa" button, I have the ability to rotate the screen.

Unfortunately, when I drag a .pdf file from my computer to the Documents folder of the Kindle, I do not see the document in my list of documents. I see books I've purchased and .txt files I've previously dragged over, but no .pdf files.

It was my understanding that the 2.3 update provided .pdf support.

Any suggestions?

Thank you,

[Betsy the Quilter]

Kendall--

thanks for letting us know what solved the problem!  Who woulda thunk it?  We all learn from these threads.

Welcome to KindleBoards, congratulations on your first posts!  When you get a chance, head over to Introductions and tell us a little bit about yourself.  In addition to the great tech support here, there are Free and Bargain Book threads in the Book Bazaar and lots of great offerings by our resident KB authors.

Betsy

[V]

And K1s gather dust as if never created...

[DeoreDX]

This font hack worked on my 2.3 K2US.

http://www.avenard.org/kindle2/ufh-kindle2.3.tar.gz

from this thread over at Mobile Read.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63225

[vermontcathy]

Has anyone tried to move a PDF that has DRM on it. I had a free download of a book in PDF form that has DRM. When I moved it over it show up on the Kindle as PDF but when I try to access it an error message comes up "your kindle has encountered an unexpected error. If the problem persist, please restart your kindle."

I don't know if it's DRM, but I have a PDF that requires you to type a password, and it won't work on the kindle. I get a message that says something like "this PDF can not be opened because it uses PDF features not yet supported by the kindle."

[Jesslyn]

Did anyone notice that you have three settings for the number of words on a page?  The default setting has the most words, and the lowest setting has the least.  The fewer words you have the more narrow the area of text is from left to right.

Seems kind of odd to me to offer this feature and landscape display orientation at the same time, but there must have been a good reason for it.  I can think of an example where it would be good with people, who have limited fields of view.  With this feature, they wouldn't have to pan their heads as much to read a line.

As another person said earlier, I would like to see the option of different fonts, the ability to bold and unbold, and taking the font sizes up even more, maybe another four steps, for people with more severe vision loss.

I would also like to see a negative image option, so that the background is that the text is gray.  The benefit of this option is reduced glare, and for some people, better contrast.  

Finally, to have the ability to adjust the spacing between letters, words, sentences, lines, and paragraphs.

Oh, almost forgot this one, and it is really important, at least for me, and that is to be able to apply all these options or settings to the home screen, menus, dialog boxes, experimental screen, and especially the Kindle store while shopping and buying books on the Kindle.  Well, that's it for now, I would be curious to hear what the rest of you think of these suggestions.  While they may seem really odd, or would drive some crazy, these features are part and parcel when dealing with low vision.  Any be completely honest in your responses, I am just curious partially because I think most of us are middle aged or older.  And we all know how that changes things.

Gene

FYI, I am checking all my old keyboard shortcuts, but the line spacing one still works (Whew!).  Its. ALT+SHIFT+# --9 being the widest line spacing.  This is working on my K2u.  I can't imagine getting it to work on a DX because of the removal of the numbered row, but am interested if it works on the K2i as well

[Ann in Arlington]

I did notice with my DX. . . .even before the latest update. . . .that PDF's go in Personal documents.  So you have to set it to show personal docs or show all to see them. . . . .but you figured that out before I got to the end of the thread.

If you're in a PDF, you can't change font size and that might be why that option is grayed out.  Try using a regular book and see if it's there.  I would think you should be able to still change font size even when you're in landscape -- but remember you can't change font size on the home page either.

[Betsy the Quilter]

I don't know if it's DRM, but I have a PDF that requires you to type a password, and it won't work on the kindle. I get a message that says something like "this PDF can not be opened because it uses PDF features not yet supported by the kindle."

Yep, that's DRM.  Can't be used on the Kindle. 

Betsy

[LauraB]

FYI, I am checking all my old keyboard shortcuts, but the line spacing one still works (Whew!).  Its. ALT+SHIFT+# --9 being the widest line spacing.  This is working on my K2u.  I can't imagine getting it to work on a DX because of the removal of the numbered row, but am interested if it works on the K2i as well

I updated my k2I and the shortcuts for line spacing still work 

[mistyd107]

should I worry if my update is not loaded yet? via whispernet.  I really do not want to do it manually I'm scared to death I mess something up and my update kindle option is greyed out

[Betsy the Quilter]

Whispernet upgrades are rolled out slowly.  It could take up to a week to receive it via Whispernet.  Unless you really need to be able to read PDFs, you can just wait for it to happen naturally. 

Betsy

[mistyd107]

Whispernet upgrades are rolled out slowly.  It could take up to a week to receive it via Whispernet.  Unless you really need to be able to read PDFs, you can just wait for it to happen naturally. 

Betsy

ok Wonderful thanks Betsy

[Someone Nameless]

I really don't think you can mess it up.  Scroll down and read the instructions on the manual update here and follow them step by step.  This is what I did.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200324680

[AppleBlossom]

Yep, that's DRM.  Can't be used on the Kindle. 

Betsy

Betsy, does that apply to books from eHarlequin that require Adobe Digital Editions?  They still won't read on the K after this update?  Thanks.

[ed_lisle]

I have a Kindle 2 with 2.0.3 (327610024). Does anybody know how to tell if your unit is Global or US Wireless 
Is there an advantage one way or another - assuming it's all about G3 compatibility?
Since I'm in the US, I'm assuming that I should download the US Wireless version.
Thanks in advance.

[Ann in Arlington]

Guessing the Adobe Digital Editions are protected PDF files and likely won't open. . . but I don't know for sure.. .

As to telling whether your K2 is US or Global. . . .go back to check your original order.  Keeping in mind that if it was before last month sometime (someone here I'm sure can tell you the exact date when the Global Kindle was released, and when they stopped completely with the US except for refurbished units), it's definitely US.  If it's a recent purchase, well, your order should say which one you purchased pretty clearly.  The difference is really just whether it uses the Sprint or the ATT network.

[ed_lisle]

Thank you Ann, going back to my purchase history it was in Feb '09 - and also indicates it was the US version.

[markmcak]

This font hack worked on my 2.3 K2US.

http://www.avenard.org/kindle2/ufh-kindle2.3.tar.gz

from this thread over at Mobile Read.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63225

I just installed the updated versions of both the fonthack and the screensaver hack on my DX. Worked like a charm.

Mark