# Jealous, Kindle 3 Features?



## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

Don't get me wrong, I love my kindle 2i!  I was looking at the kobe reader ads and I have to say I am jealous of the book thumbnails and the bookshelves in the pictures. Since I started playing mp3's and audiobooks on the kindle and use it instead of having to carry around an mp3 player also, the sd card option would be nice. Those files take up a lot of space.  Just thinking what a Kindle 3 might look like and do if I made it:

Back to the Future . . .

1. SD card slot comes back, this allows the kindle to add easy picture viewing as a feature.  Just plug in a photo loaded SD card and you can view the pictures and transfer them to kindle main memory. Now with media on your SD cards your carry around library is not limited in size. 
2. Larger "stick" for the five way controller with a rubbery nonslip surface on the tip for easier navigation.
3. Real PDF and epub support.
4. Amazon Changes the serial number characters for the Kindle 3 so it is library ebook friendly. No comment about this from Amazon.
5. Charcoal and flat black join the traditional white as choices, readers say the darker kindles
give the illusion of higher contrast.
6. Whiter eink technology now allows 32 shades of gray, but the whiter background for higher
print contrast is really the big feature with the new "eink 32."
7. New, larger wafer speakers increase the volume and sound quality.  Small additional sound ports
on the front of the kindle 3 utilize wave tube construction and mean you no longer have to turn to the back to hear it clearly.
8. Wifi syncing and support is added. Amazon joins retailers (bookstores in addition to general merchandise) to allow permission granted downloads of advertising, coupons and free media such as books and music to customers for coming in their stores. Many bookstores support in store purchasing of ebooks by wifi. The line is blurring between what is a bookstore and what is a store.  Most computer syncing can now be done wirelessly. Target and Walmart allow you to make an in store wish list by wifi and even order items from it on the web, later to be delivered to your home.  A partnership with drugstore.com gives kindle users a special website to order for discounts and home delivery.  Jeff Bezos says more partners are coming soon.  On the web there are hints at McDonald's and other fast food outlets offering free and paid kindle content.  Of course there is a new Amazon website feature that makes ordering anything from Amazon a snap!
9. The screen is slightly thicker and more durable, but even with the added features the kindle 3 only
weighs a little over an ounce more than the kindle 2, mostly due to battery advances that keep the same battery life with a lighter battery and using a glass filled plastic resin that is stronger but can be made thinner, making a stronger and lighter case. The additional slots for sound reduces weight slightly.
10. The usb socket is moved to the side so that you can read your kindle while charging or connected to a computer without the cord being in the way.  No more cable problems when sitting the kindle on a reading stand.
11. The home page font is now adjustable and Bookshelves are a display choice.
12. The earphone jack is beefed up.  This gets a workout now with improved audio features.
13. Software becomes available so you can view, hear or display kindle media from your kindle on a variety of devices.  With additional hardware you can do this with your television.  It is not popular at first, but Amazon develops a gateway through the kindle to other avenues and tv is not only a reading aid for the visually impaired but becomes an easy way to shop and get news feeds on your tv.

Calls for Jeff Bezos to run for president.

Just thinking,
Scott


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## simonz (May 19, 2010)

Great ideas for Kindle 3 features! You certainly have thought a lot about the Kindle and how to make it better.



> 4. Amazon Changes the serial number characters for the Kindle 3 so it is library ebook friendly. No comment about this from Amazon.


I would love to see this as well to give us access to DRM coded EPub and Mobi library books. However, I think the Amazon may balk at this because it would require them to provide an addition layer of DRM management. But one can hope.

To expand on your audio playback features, I'd like to see a full MP3 player that runs in the background with it's own play lists. Something like a Winamp or Audacious would be great.

I have a Sony PS3 which implements a DLNA compliant Upnp Media Server. With this I can stream media from my Linux PC, using software called 'fuppes' to the PS3. The Kindle is also running Linux and could also stream (book pages) to various devices such as a PS3 or XBox 360. This is rather complicated and could be put into a Kindle 3.5 or 4.0 release.

Most importantly, I'd like to see a selection of font choices for reading books. My late-fifties eyes have a hard time seeing the default Kindle font and have been using various font hacks. I'd like to see a choice of 4-10 different font styles and with the option of making each of them bold.

The Bookshelf Home page would be nice, but it may be rather disappointing in B&W when compared to IPad and others with color. But maybe E-Ink 32 with a brighter background and improved contract would help render the book images with some snap.



> 5. Charcoal and flat black join the traditional white as choices, readers say the darker kindles
> give the illusion of higher contrast.


Offering Kindles in a variety of colors is a great idea. Would help Amazon get more Kindles into the market.

Simonz


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## Blanche (Jan 4, 2010)

I love your ideas...would buy your version of K3.  And yes, I am a bit smitten with what I have been reading about the Kobo Ereader.  I'm definitely thinking of taking on a second ereader and may take that on if Amazon doesn't rethink the .epub and .mobi  library book option.  I also like the single push button for page advancement on the Kobo.  From what I have read about it, if it had been available when I was wanting an ereader, that is the route I would have taken.


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