Kindle Keyboard (Kindle 3) Software Update v3.3 ready for archiving, viewing, downloading and WhisperSYNC'g of Personal Documents; Voice Guide Shortcut; AmazonLocal deals on Special-Offers-Kindles

SOFTWARE VERSION v3.3 IS READY for delivery to all Kindle Keyboard / Kindle 3 models.

  This is for the physical-keyboard model (Kindle 3 U.S.  [UK: K3]) first released August 2010 and not for the coming Kindle Touch devices nor for the new $79/$109 Kindle Basic (which recently got its own update)

  This update for Kindle Keyboard models includes the following changes, which I'll quote from the Amazon page.   Here's Amazon's info page for the v3.3 software update.

Kindle Keyboard Version 3.3 Overview

Some of the features included in this update are:

• Download your archived Personal Documents on Kindle Keyboard: You can now view and download your archived personal documents to your Kindle Keyboard conveniently anywhere at any time. Your personal documents will be stored in your Kindle library until you delete them from Manage Your Kindle.
• Whispersync for Personal Documents on Kindle Keyboard: Just as with Kindle books, Whispersync automatically synchronizes your last page read, bookmarks and annotations for personal documents (with the exception of PDFs) across the Kindle devices. Learn more about Kindle Personal Document Service on www.amazon.com/kindlepersonaldocuments
• AmazonLocal deals on Kindle Keyboard with Special Offers: Kindle Keyboard with Special Offers users in many regions can now view, purchase, and redeem AmazonLocal deals directly from Kindle Keyboard -- no computer, no printer, no hassle. AmazonLocal offers savings up to 75% off products and services from businesses in your city, national chains and online merchants. Learn more about AmazonLocal on www.amazonlocal.com.  

• Voice Guide Shortcut: Kindle Keyboard users can now quickly turn the Voice Guide feature on and off by holding the Shift key and pressing Spacebar.  Voice Guide reads aloud menu options, content listings and item descriptions. To learn more about using Voice Guide on Kindle Keyboard, visit Customize Your Reading on Kindle.

More from the Kindle Keyboard software update page - Downloading Version 3.3
You can download the update at the update page.  All Kindle Keyboard users will receive this software update automatically via Wi-Fi.

To see if your Kindle Keyboard has already been updated, from the Home screen press the Menu button and use the 5-way controller to select "Settings."

  If the Settings screen displays "Version: Kindle 3.3" (or later) at the bottom of the screen, your Kindle Keyboard already has the latest software installed.

  To update your Kindle Keyboard software, turn your wireless on and connect to an available Wi-Fi network.  (For those new to the Kindle: Learn how to set up Wi-Fi on your Kindle).

  From the Home screen, press Menu and select "Sync and Check for Items."  The software update will automatically download in the background and install when your Kindle Keyboard goes into sleep mode.

  Here's how to manually download the v3.3 update to your Kindle and transfer it to your Kindle Keyboard via USB -- click on the link (Computer Link: bit.ly/kv3-3#download ) to see the steps described at the v3.3 download page via that link.

I haven't been been able to be here enough to respond to questions lately but am catching up now, so please feel free to ask or give your own personal experiences or info learned that will help (as usual - and thanks for the valuable input).

BIG thanks to K.Hugh Acton for the heads-up



Kindle Touch 3G   Kindle Touch WiFi   Kindle Basic   (UK: KBasic)   Kindle Fire
Kindle Keybd 3G   (UK: Kindle Keybd 3G)   K3 Special Offers   K3-3G Special Offers   DX

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

Read More >

A special Kindle v3.3 Software version was used for public library access tests - Update

KINDLE SOFTWARE AND PUBLIC LIBRARY ACCESS


Amazon's info page for the latest Kindle 3 software still shows v3.1. My Kindle 3 (UK: K3) is on v3.1.

  The overall "Kindle Software Updates" page leads to no software version later than v3.1 for the Kindle 3's.

However, Kindle Special-Offers model comes with v3.2.


  However, Michael W. Perry of Inkling Books in Seattle just wrote to say that he was able to download a public library book, looked at his Kindle's Menu/Settings' bottom-right corner and found that the Kindle software version on his Kindle 3 is v3.3.  Thanks to Michael for the captured image.

 Kindle-Special Offers devices have been on v3.2.1 after an update for them, from v3.2 as delivered, but there is no software update page for that on the Amazon servers and v3.2 would have just come with that unit (which would monitor ads exposure etc.).  I could find no v3.3 discussed on any of the Mobileread forums, which would know about them.  Michael mentioned that he saw the update happen (boy reading under tree, which serves as both a screensaver image and a restart image except that there are messages that come with the latter).

  So, yes, they are likely using a further-updated software version, but since it was delivered without comment to a regular Kindle customer, it seems a beta at a quite late stage.

UPDATE: Two commenters from Seattle were still on v3.1 when they were able to get loan books. On Mobileread, two who downloaded from the Library last night wrote today they were upgraded to v3.3. On the Kindle Forum, someone with v3.1 was able to do it.

V3.3 is going to regular Kindles also ( I saw two of these last night) , so since library lending HAS started on Wednesday, 9/21, it probably adds checking for 3G downloads and has something about that not being possible for this type of download.

  Michael said that the loan period there is 21 days, and public-library due-dates are understood by the software.

  I also had thought that Amazon would have to do SOME software upgrading to interact with Overdrive and processes involving a Kindle customer hoping to borrow a book, in that there should be Help Error messages for those using Overdrive, especially when hoping to download via 3G if there was no WiFi in the area (or for the older Kindles, which use only cellular network 3G rather than include local WiFi network access).

  We heard earlier that the Kindle-SO updates for AmazonLocal coming "in a few weeks" would be PART of updates for Latest Gen Kindles.  That also doesn't mean that there wouldn't be separate udpates at the time for older Kindles as well.

  All Kindles will have access to the library, Amazon has said, but those depending on only 3G wireless access will have to download borrowed books by USB cable, as Amazon pays for the 3G access -- and there will be a flood of people downloading as often as possible from the library, in search of free books, for which Amazon won't see revenue to charge the expense against.  People downloading by wireless from smart phones pay for their own 3G data time.

  So, again, things seem to be moving along.


Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($139)   DX Graphite

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

Read More >

AmazonLocal due for Kindle w/ Special Offers ALONG WITH software update for Latest Generation Kindles- UPDATE

AmazonLocal is coming to "Kindle with Special Offers" (along with a "software update for Latest Generation Kindles")

  The parenthetical part is the more important item in this announcement for some of us.

  The actual wording is:
  "The functionality for receiving AmazonLocal deals on Kindle with Special Offers will be delivered as part of a software update for latest generation Kindles in the coming weeks."

  The Kindle DX Graphite with Pearl Screen is a "Latest Generation Kindle" along with the various Kindle 3's.

  I'm personally hoping that Amazon *finally* puts the screen-contrast adjustment feature, for PDFs, on the DX as they did for the Kindle 3's with Pearl Screen (which the DX uses also), as well as updating it for other features the Kindle 3 has had for over a year, especially since it's so expensive (but very good for PDFs via eInk).

  Bear in mind that Public Library Lending will be made available to ALL Kindles, but this particular update is for Kindle 3's only.
  However, if a separate, soon-to-come software update were to be made available to Kindle 1 and Kindle 2 as well (but with no option for AmazonLocal offers as the Kindle 3 software will probably have), it could also mean getting the various Kindle devices ready for public library lending via Overdrive.

  Owners of the Kindle 3 WiFi with Special Offers and Kindle 3G with Special Offers "will soon start receiving special offers from AmazonLocal on their Kindle screensavers when they aren't reading."

  Obviously (to me), the Latest Generation Kindles all MAY receive, in that larger update, the capability of displaying Special Offers if wanted -- Amazon will probably offer the option of enabling the display of those for those who choose that. 

 Amazon didn't say that -- it's just my own take, but they've said in the past that they were considering offering the option to non-ad-Kindle owners due to many requests by them (seen in the forums too) for the choice.  And, certainly, it would benefit advertisers and Amazon.

  This program is "launching in New York City and expanding to all AmazonLocal cities later this year."

  In the meantime I received my first AmazonLocal email this morning, but NOT on my Kindle With No Special Offers of course.  It came to my regular email.  Southern California started a bit over a month ago, from what I saw.

  Amazon's partner LivingSocial, which Amazon has invested in heavily since last year (more than $175 million), is involved.  I'm already a member with them and enjoy seeing the local offers, and so far, the offers are a bit different.

  When this program begins on the Kindles with Special Offers, they'll be viewable on the screen savers but,  unlike what's involved with current special offers, customers will be able to purchase the deal directly from the Kindle, and they'll receive a voucher directly on the Kindle's Home Screen. Then they'll be able to redeem the vouchers by just showing this voucher ON the Kindle to the local merchant or by showing the merchant a printed copy.  To print one, they'd visit www.local.amazon.com/purchases.

Here's more on AmazonLocal.com.
  Also, Amazon adds, in its press release, the info:

' AmazonLocal is now available in 44 locations, including New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Seattle, across 15 states (Alabama, California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, North Carolina, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington State).  Customers across the country will find deals sourced through our strategic relationship with LivingSocial, as well as directly by AmazonLocal in select markets.  Anyone can go to AmazonLocal.com and sign up to be notified when AmazonLocal is available in their area. '

But, I remain very interested in what the larger "software update for latest generation Kindles in the coming weeks" means to us.



UPDATE - Engadget's Brian Heater wrote an article on this, and the comments to it are interesting too.

  Heater's amusing take on this, as indicated by his headline, "Ad-supported Kindle getting AmazonLocal to distract you from all that pesky reading," drew some lively comments to the article from people who would never get an e-reader, much less one with ads and offers, and from people who've used this model for awhile.



Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($139)   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.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

Read More >