PDF on the Kindle – take 2
I just posted some notes on getting PDF content onto a Kindle two days or so ago. Today, Amazon announced a software upgrade to the Kindle that makes the device 100% more useful and versatile than it already was. The Kindle software version 2.3 that magically appeared on my Kindle and I noticed only once I received a notification mail from Amazon mentioning its existence adds native PDF support. No more messing around with file conversions or sending files to the Amazon Kindle account for half-baked PDF conversion: simply drag and drop a PDF file onto the device when connected to a computer, then read the PDF on the go.
I tested this with some Canon EOS instruction manuals and am happy to see PDF‘s in absolute detail and clarity – there’s simply no comparison to the conversion achievable with the PDFRead method I discussed earlier. This is where I see a lot of value in the Kindle: the ability to carry instruction manuals in PDF form anywhere, in a single, compact package. The sample below is not a screenshot taken from the Kindle, but the quality of the PDF in Acrobat Reader on the PC and on the Kindle is identical.
The addition of a native PDF reader is an absolute highlight – if you were still on the fence with regard to a purchase of a Kindle, this is one killer feature that may change your mind. Other improvements in the 2.3 firmware include the optimization of battery usage when the device is connected to the GSM network, the ability to view content in either landscape or portrait orientation and the ability to magnify sections of a document for clearer reading.
It’s just as well Amazon sent a note regarding the update – I probably would never have noticed even though the update had already taken place… Your Kindle will have the update too.
