This cloud thing is becoming bigger and bigger by the moment... don'tcha think? And I continue to be impressed with the way Amazon has embraced the concept of cloud computing and the way the company continues to make The Cloud part of its customer experience.
As regular readers know, i've devoted a fair number of electrons lately to blogging about Amazon and The Cloud. Now that's not because I own stock (I don't, but probably s should) or the fact that I"m a raving Amazon fanboy (I like the service but refuse to drink the Koolaide). No, I just think the management at AMazon is doing this the right way.
So, I was once again pleasantly surprised when I stumbled across the following:
In the latest update to the software the runs the Amazon Kindle, there are management systems built-in for your personal documents. One of the lesser known features of the Kindle, which has existed since the early days of the device, is the ability to store your personal documents. That's right, you can either connect your Kindle to your computer via USB and add documents to the device or you can email your documents directly to your Kindle. After doing that, the docs show up in the personal documents area in your Cloud Storage at Amazon. Once the documents are in your Cloud Storage they can be deleted or sent to any device linked to that account. In my case, that means documents can be on my Kindle, iPad, Xoom, iPod, and Samsung Galaxy S. Actually that's a bit of a fib. This only currently works on the Kindle, but the engineers at Amazon are hard at work to create updated Kindle apps that will allow the functions I just described on any device running a Kindle app.
This also means that, once the apps are done, reading your personal documents will be synced across the cloud just like things you have purchased and downloaded through the Kindle store.
It's just one more way to stay organized in both your reading for pleasure as well as your reading for your job!
Here are the details on the 3.3 update direct from Amazon:
Download Version 3.3You can download the update below. 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. 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 download the Kindle Keyboard software update version 3.3 and transfer it to your Kindle Keyboard via USB: - Determine your software version: From Home, select Menu, then Settings. On the Settings screen you will see the Kindle version at the bottom of the screen. If you see "Version Kindle 3.1" or earlier (3.1.2, 3.0.3, 3.0.2, 3.0.1, or 3.0), please proceed with the steps below to update your Kindle Keyboard to the latest software.
- Download your software: Click on the appropriate link below to download the software update file directly to your computer:
Kindle Keyboard Wi-Fi:Download 3.3
Your serial number will start with "B008" Kindle Keyboard 3G (Free 3G + Wi-Fi) - U.S. and Canadian Customers*: Download 3.3
Your serial number will start with "B006"
Kindle Keyboard 3G (Free 3G + Wi-Fi) - European Customers*:Download 3.3
Your serial number will start with "B00A" Your Kindle Keyboard serial number is visible at the bottom of the Settings Screen. From Home, select Menu, then Settings.
*We automatically ship your Kindle Keyboard with the best built-in wireless card based on the shipping country you select during checkout. If your country is not listed above, please check your serial number to determine which download to use.
- Transfer software to your Kindle Keyboard: Turn your Kindle Keyboard on and connect it to your computer using the USB cable. Drag and drop the new update file from your computer to the root Kindle drive. (The drive contains a number of folders - such as "audible," "documents," and "music" - and is typically displayed as a "device" icon).
- Monitor file transfer and disconnect: Check your file transfer progress to ensure file transfer to your Kindle Keyboard is complete before disconnecting. After the file has transferred successfully, eject the Kindle to safely disconnect Kindle Keyboard from your computer. Disconnect the USB cable from your Kindle Keyboard and your computer.
- Start the software update: Go to the Home screen, press the Menu key, and select "Settings." Press the Menu key again, and then select "Update Your Kindle." (This option will be grayed out if the most recent update has already been installed or if the file transfer was not successful.) Select "Ok" when prompted if you want to perform an update. Your Kindle Keyboard will restart twice during the update. After the first restart, you will see "Your Kindle is Updating".
- Once the update is complete: Your Kindle Keyboard will automatically restart a second time. When you go to the Settings page, you should notice Version: Kindle 3.3 at the bottom of the screen. Once you see this, you know your update is complete.
Free Access at AT&T Hotspots Enjoy free Wi-Fi access at AT&T hotspots across the U.S. to shop for and download Kindle content -- no AT&T registration, sign-in, or password required. You will need the Kindle Keyboard software update 3.1 or later to use free Wi-Fi access at AT&T hotspots. Update your Kindle software for free.
Troubleshooting Update Issues
Symptom | Cause | Resolution | "Update" menu option on the Settings page is grayed out. | The update file is in the incorrect directory, or was not transferred successfully. | Plug your Kindle Keyboard back into your computer and verify the update file is present in the root directory of your Kindle Keyboard, not in a folder. | File download won't complete or doesn't appear to start. | Your firewall software may be blocking the download. | Verify that your firewall is setup to allow the file transfer. | Internet Explorer may prevent downloads. | Right-click the download link and select "save as" to save the file to your computer. If this method is unsuccessful, complete the following steps to download as an Administrator: - From the Start menu, right-click on the Internet Explorer icon.
- Select "Run as Administrator."
- Return to this page and try the download again.
| Received an error message when selecting "Update Your Kindle." | Incomplete download. | Redownload the installer from the Download your software section of this page. | The software update file was renamed. | Delete the update file on your computer and Kindle Keyboard, and repeat the software update process above. | Unsupported software modifications are present. | Kindle Keyboard doesn't support software modification, and will be unable to update the Kindle software if it has been modified. Contact the original developer of the software modification for instructions on how to remove the modification. | Unable to download when selecting "Sync and Check for Items." | Not connected to a Wi-Fi network | Kindle Keyboard software update 3.3 is only available for download over Wi-Fi or from this page. Connect to a Wi-Fi network and the update will download in the next few days, or download the correct file listed above. |
If you still cannot successfully update your Kindle Keyboard software using the instructions above or encounter any difficulty with your software update, please contact Kindle Support by clicking the "Contact Us" button in the right hand column of this page. | |
