We reported earlier last month that Amazon has released a SDK for developers and has posted job postings for a new web browser, and it looks like they have some new applications for Kindle users.
Amazon has announced that they are integrating Twitter and Facebook into its next firmware update termed 2.5 around May 17th. Amazon will be also releasing new software features for both the Kindle DX and Kindle 2. One of the post popular is a program called collections, which allows you to “organize your ebooks and documents into one or more collections” and likely comes as a response to criticism that navigating page after page of on-device texts is a cumbersome way of managing content. It will also be possible to password protect the Kindle, together with seeing which passages in the current text you’re reading are being most highlighted by other Kindle users.
Other features in the new firmware update include two new larger font sizes, sharper fonts and password-protection capability. Other enhancements include the ability to zoom into, and pan around, PDF documents.
The integration of Twitter and Facebook allow users to share passages of eBooks via those popular social networking features. With over a billion people on Facebook right now, it is great for Amazon to be on these platforms.
We have heard that in July we should see the new Kindle Web Browser debuting, as well as new applications from its developer community.
The New May edition of our Good E-Reader Magazine has just been released, Amazon is a big part of our new issue with tons of great information.
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.