A software update has enabled the Amazon Kindle e-reader to gain new functionality. Double Tap to Page Turn: You can now double-tap on the sides or back of your device to turn pages in books or scroll down in Home and Library. The Kindle does not use a touch sensor for this new feature; Amazon is likely taking advantage of the accelerometer or orientation sensor.
The Kindle and Kindle Scribe also have a new feature called Recaps for Books in Series: You can now access short recaps for thousands of bestselling English language Kindle books in series you have purchased or borrowed. Refresh your memory of what happened in a previously read book before starting a new book in a series. It is not explicitly mentioned in the Scribe notes, but showing or hiding the Writing Toolbar on the Scribe finally turns the side margin icon on or off.
The Amazon Kindle 5.18.1 update is available today and will be pushed out for most Kindle devices, from the latest 12th generation to the 10th generation. Generally, most Kindles released in the past 4-5 years should be able to fetch the new firmware. If you cannot wait and need to install it, you can visit the manual update page and sideload it.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.