Amazon Kindle, 3rd Generation: FAQ plus shortcuts and tricks

[Ann in Arlington]

What have you discovered (especially undocumented stuff) about the K3?  Let's use THIS thread for you to tell what you've found out.  I figure 20,000 heads are better than one, so, even if all you have is a question that you haven't found the answer to, post it and someone else can answer. . . when we have it nailed down I'll delete extraneous posts so that the answer is reasonably clear.


For each Question or Tip, please note what it has to do with . . .say, Collections, or Indexing so we can get it sorted properly in the "official" thread.  If you know, it might be helpful to note if it worked the same way or differently with the K2.


To start off, here's a thing I learned this morning about Indexing:

You can find which specific book is causing an indexing hang-up via the "Items Not Listed" link when you search, and delete it.  Search using a nonsense string. It will return "Items Not Yet Indexed (xx)" where "xx" is the number of items.  If after an hour or so the number hasn't changed, click on "Items Not Yet Indexed".  Page through the listing and notice if any of the books are shown as grayed out.  Note them, go back to home, and delete them the usual way.  Then indexing will start.


edit 10-2-10:  I've removed some extraneous posts and made this thread a sticky so it's easily found.  Some topics are more fully discussed in other threads; let me know if there's a particularly useful thread that answers a common question and to which this thread should link.

For First Generation Kindle Questions look here:  http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,285.0.html
    
For Second Generation Kindle Questions look here:  http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,4494.0.html
     (note that in many cases there is overlap between the K2 and K3)

Oh, and here's a link to Amazon's Kindle Support page which may answer your question.  There's also a link there to the User's Guide which may be downloaded as a PDF:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=sv_kinc_8?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200127470

And here's a link to information on how to contact Kindle Customer Support:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_rel_topic?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200212360

[Jeff]

To check the time, battery condition or otherwise expose the hidden top line, press Menu then press it again when you've seen enough.

[tomatogirl]

Question about the Web Browser:

1) How do you delete bookmarks?


Answer in this post:  http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,34768.msg629586.html#msg629586

[Linjeakel]

Question about Hidden Features:

How do you open/use the hidden calculator feature?


Answer in this post:  http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,34768.msg634555.html#msg634555

[dimples]

Question about the Web Browser:

1) How do you delete bookmarks?

Open your browser. Hit Menu and chose Bookmarks. Select the bookmark you want to delete. Move the 5 way pad button thingie to the left. You will now have the option to delete the bookmark.

[w5jck]

On the MobileRead forum (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94129) isotherm and others pointed out that the K2 trick to decrease margins works on the K3. I can confirm that it works on my K3. To decrease the margins on the K3 follow these steps:

Step (1): If using Windows be sure to set Folder Options to Show hidden files, folders, and drives and uncheck the Hide unprotected system files option.

Step (2): Close all books and go to the K3 Home screen.

Step (3): Connect your K3 to your PC via the USB cable.

Step (4): Using windows Explorer locate the following file KINDLE:\system\com.amazon.ebook.booklet.reader\reader.pref. Where KINDLE equals the drive Windows assigned to your K3.

Step (5): Using Notepad edit KINDLE:\system\com.amazon.ebook.booklet.reader\reader.pref and change the setting HORIZONTAL_MARGIN=40 to a smaller number like HORIZONTAL_MARGIN=20.

HORIZONTAL_MARGIN=40 equals 20 pixel margins on left and right for a total of 40 pixels. So decide how many pixels you want your margin left to be and multiply it times two. Using 20 works well. Using 10 it gets a little small. Using 0 (zero) gets rid of margins but makes it difficult to read.

Step (6): Save the file KINDLE:\system\com.amazon.ebook.booklet.reader\reader.pref.

Step (7): Eject and unplug your K3.

Step (8 ): From the K3 Home screen press Menu and select Settings to go to the Settings page.

Step (9): From the K3 Settings screen press Menu and select Restart to restart the K3.

NOTE: Once the K3 restarts your margins are reset and will remain reset unless you change the Words per Line setting which will return to margins to factory settings.

[Ann in Arlington]

Three ways to place a bookmark:

1.  Use the keystroke combination <alt> B

2.  Use the menu and select "Add a Bookmark"

3.  Use the direction key to move into the book in cursor mode and press the center twice -- sort of a double click.  (This method seems to allow you to pick any location on the page for the bookmark to attach to. . .the first two methods just attach it to the first location on the page.)

             

[911jason]

Question about Hidden Features:

How do you open/use the hidden calculator feature?

On the Home screen, press any letter to open the search window. Delete that letter, then press the SYM key and enter your calculation (2+2, 4*1, etc.) then press the enter key (the one to the right of the SYM key), your solved equation will be the first search result.

[Linjeakel]

Primary Dictionary

I bought my K3 in the UK and so it came with the Oxford Dictionary of English as well as the usual New Oxford American Dictionary. I automatically assumed that the English Dictionary would be the default, but I've only just noticed that that isn't the case, at least not on mine.

To check which dictionary your K3 is using, look up a definition within a book and then press the return button (the one to the right of the Sym button) and it will open up the dictionary and the title will be at the top of the page.

To change your Primary Dictionary, on the Home Screen go to Menu --> Settings --> Change Primary Dictionary.

Edit: sorry that should be Menu --> Settings --> Menu --> Change Primary Dictionary

[grizedale]

On the MobileRead forum (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94129) isotherm and others pointed out that the K2 trick to decrease margins works on the K3. I can confirm that it works on my K3. To decrease the margins on the K3 follow these steps:

Step (1): If using Windows be sure to set Folder Options to Show hidden files, folders, and drives and uncheck the Hide unprotected system files option.

Step (2): Close all books and go to the K3 Home screen.

Step (3): Connect your K3 to your PC via the USB cable.

Step (4): Using windows Explorer locate the following file KINDLE:\system\com.amazon.ebook.booklet.reader\reader.pref. Where KINDLE equals the drive Windows assigned to your K3.

Step (5): Using Notepad edit KINDLE:\system\com.amazon.ebook.booklet.reader\reader.pref and change the setting HORIZONTAL_MARGIN=40 to a smaller number like HORIZONTAL_MARGIN=20.

HORIZONTAL_MARGIN=40 equals 20 pixel margins on left and right for a total of 40 pixels. So decide how many pixels you want your margin left to be and multiply it times two. Using 20 works well. Using 10 it gets a little small. Using 0 (zero) gets rid of margins but makes it difficult to read.

Step (6): Save the file KINDLE:\system\com.amazon.ebook.booklet.reader\reader.pref.

Step (7): Eject and unplug your K3.

Step (8 ): From the K3 Home screen press Menu and select Settings to go to the Settings page.

Step (9): From the K3 Settings screen press Menu and select Restart to restart the K3.

NOTE: Once the K3 restarts your margins are reset and will remain reset unless you change the Words per Line setting which will return to margins to factory settings.

Left Justification

It is also within this file that you can alter the justification from full to left...

[w5jck]

Press Shift+Alt+G similtaneously to capture a screen image. This will save a GIF file in the documents folder on the Kindle. When you connect the Kindle to your PC just copy over the captured image and then you can post it rather than a blurry photo of your Kindle's screen.

[Jeff]

Press Shift+Alt+G similtaneously to capture a screen image. This will save a GIF file in the documents folder on the Kindle. When you connect the Kindle to your PC just copy over the captured image and then you can post it rather than a blurry photo of your Kindle's screen.

Where's the Shift key?

[Luvmy4brats]

Where's the Shift key?

Next to the ALT key.

(note that it looks like an upward pointing arrow.)

[Jeff]

Next to the ALT key.

That's what I thought but Shift+Alt+G doesn't seem to take a screen shot.

[Luvmy4brats]

That's what I thought but Shift+Alt+G doesn't seem to take a screen shot.

It does. It makes the screen flash a bit. Then when you hook your Kindle up to the computer, you'll find the screen shot in the Documents folder.

(it looks like it's just doing a screen refresh, but it's really capturing a screen shot)

[Jeff]

It does. It makes the screen flash a bit. Then when you hook your Kindle up to the computer, you'll find the screen shot in the Documents folder.

(it looks like it's just doing a screen refresh, but it's really capturing a screen shot)

Haha. I think my fingers may be too fat (or one not quite fat enough) to press the Shift and Alt keys simultaneously.

[nairbyeklep]

Alt + Q = 1
Alt + W = 2
Alt + E = 3
Alt + R = 4
Alt + T = 5
Alt + Y = 6
Alt + U = 7
Alt + I = 8
Alt + O = 9
Alt + P = 0

http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2010/08/29/kindle-3-shortcuts-hot-keys-and-hidden-features/

[Jaffa]

Hi folks

I've put up a list of K3-specific keyboard shortcuts and some other tips at http://bit.ly/k3shortcuts.

If you want to keep a copy of them as a book on your Kindle, you can download them as a mobi file (complete with TOC and 'chapter' markers) or as a simpler AZW, direct from you Kindle. The files themselves have links so you can check the website for updates and download updated files from within the 'book' on your Kindle.

This is a work in progress, so further updates are likely. It represents the accumulated knowledge of Kindle users everywhere, so feel free to copy or otherwise use the list as you see fit

Edit to add full URL for those who prefer it: http://blog.diannegorman.net/2010/09/kindle-3-keyboard-shortcuts-et-al/

[tomcl]

How to read web PDFs and doc files on a kindle 3.

As you know, you can't download them or view them normally. But you can paste the URL into google viewer and click view button (near bottom of page.

It would be nice to have a browser cut & paste facility which would make this easy, but perhaps soon...

BTW anyone using web browser on  kindle 3 hardware should upgrade to the pre-release 3.0.1 - it is a lot more stable.

Best wishes, Tom

[Xopher]

On my K1, pressing Alt+T while reading a book displays the time in the bottom corner. Does this still work on the K3 (since Alt-T = 5)?

[Jeff]

On my K1, pressing Alt+T while reading a book displays the time in the bottom corner. Does this still work on the K3 (since Alt-T = 5)?

On the K3, pressing the menu button displays the time, battery, etc. on the top bar.

[unknown2cherubim]

I know that it is standard practice to send pdfs and docs/docx (MS Word) to the Kindle with the subject line of CONVERT.  I didn't know that so I sent my doc/docx documents without any conversion.  I just emailed them without subject header to my Kindle.  My docs still work like a charm on the Kindle, only having problems with tables.

BTW, I love saving paper by bringing my Kindle with my meeting docs loaded on it.  It saves paper and is very readable for me.  I even sent directions to myself.  I still may eventually get an Ipad or other tablet for this type of multi-use but the size of the platform and readability of the K3 makes it convenient for me to do this.  FWIW.

[Linjeakel]

I think in fact you only have to put 'convert' in the subject line for .pdfs since they are supported natively by the Kindle and you need to tell Amazon if you want to convert it or leave it as it is.

[cmhodge]

I just figured this one out: Write up a doc in Word or some other app that supports hyperlinks, containing your favorite web bookmarks, email it to you Kindle, and now you have a quick way of getting to your favorite web sites without having to negotiate the clumsy browser bookmark interface.

[Jeff]

I just figured this one out: Write up a doc in Word or some other app that supports hyperlinks, containing your favorite web bookmarks, email it to you Kindle, and now you have a quick way of getting to your favorite web sites without having to negotiate the clumsy browser bookmark interface.

You can do the same thing with Mobipocket Creator and avoid the email. Just import the Word document and save it as a PRC file (which is native to the Kindle).