Kindle Paperwhite for Dummies (2 page)

Introduction

F
or many, the Kindle family of e-readers has “rekindled” their love of reading. Whether it’s the convenience of having an entire library stored on a 7.5-ounce device or the ability to enlarge the font so you can read more comfortably, Kindle users seem to be unanimous in their praise for this handy gadget. Even people uncertain about the idea of an e-reader tend to get hooked after they lay their eyes on the crisp, clear e-ink display — one that truly mimics a printed reading experience.

If you’re new to the Kindle world, welcome to the club. If you’re a seasoned pro who’s owned every generation of the device, we’re pleased to count you among the readership. And if you fall somewhere in between, well, we’re glad you’re here, too. Our motto might be, “Kindle enthusiasts, unite!” We’re here because of our love of reading, and we’ve discovered that Kindle e-readers, particularly the Kindle Paperwhite, make reading
better.
How? That’s what we share with you in this book.

Conventions Used in This Book

This book uses certain conventions to make it easy for readers to understand the techniques that are presented, whether they’re shortcuts or keywords for searching the Kindle Store:

Bold:
Indicates an action you take on the touchscreen. The bold, numbered text in a numbered list indicates the action(s) you take to accomplish a task. Similarly, if you need to type something using the on-screen keyboard, those instructions will be printed in bold.

Italics:
Indicates a term we define. We also use italics to indicate a term you search for on the web. Italics are also used to indicate placeholder text, such as
yourname
@free.kindle.com and
yourname
@kindle.com.

Monofont
: Indicates a
URL
(a web address). Note that URLs are links; just tap the URL with your finger to go to that web page — if you’re reading this on your Kindle Paperwhite, of course!

In addition to URLs, chapter and section references are links; just tap the chapter title or section listing to select it and then instantly jump to the place you chose in the e-book.

Foolish Assumptions

This book was written about the latest generation e-ink Kindle, known as the Kindle Paperwhite, which came out on October 1, 2012. We assume that’s the Kindle version you own, or at least have access to, to try out the tips, tricks, and procedures that we discuss.

We assume that you have some sort of computer (Windows or Mac) that has a USB port so that you can connect your Kindle Paperwhite to the port with the USB cable that ships with the device.

We don’t expect you to be a computer genius. However, we assume that you know the basics of navigating on your computer, how to search the web, the difference between files and folders, and how to copy and paste items from one place to another.

We assume that you’re familiar with Amazon and have an active account there to which you can log in and purchase content.

How This Book Is Organized

This book is clear, practical, down-to-earth and full of helpful hints. We’ve written 11 chapters, but you don’t need to read them in order — each chapter stands on its own. So if you’re interested in a particular topic, jump ahead to that chapter.

Chapter 1: Hello, Kindle Paperwhite

Chapter 1 describes the major features that make using a Kindle Paperwhite such a pleasure: its touchscreen technology, built-in light, and e-ink screen. In addition, we describe the four models of the Kindle Paperwhite, in case you’re undecided about which one to buy.

Chapter 2: First Things First

We keep you busy in Chapter 2. You turn on the device, connect it to Wi-Fi, and register it at Amazon. You also discover how to put your Kindle Paperwhite to sleep when you’re not using it, and how to keep it charged.

Chapter 3: Getting to Know Your Kindle Paperwhite

In Chapter 3, you find out how to how to navigate the touchscreen and how to use the toolbar icons to get navigate a book. We take you on a whirlwind tour of the Home screen and review the various toolbars that you might see on the Home screen, in a book, or in a periodical.

Chapter 4: Reading

Chapter 4 covers basic reading functions, such as viewing and sorting the content loaded on your Kindle Paperwhite and the effective use of collections to organize your reading material. You also find tips for efficiently reading periodicals, such as magazines and newspapers, and specialized content, including comic books and manga. We also discuss reading on other devices using the Kindle app.

Chapter 5: Loaning, Borrowing, and Gifting

In Chapter 5, you discover the ins and outs of loaning, borrowing, and renting books both from the library and from Amazon. We also discuss how to share your favorite e-books with others by giving them as gifts.

Chapter 6: Finding Content

You love to read and you’re eager to get started — this is the chapter to turn to! We describe finding books — including freebies — at Amazon and other sources. We also detail how to search effectively at Amazon so that you can find hidden treasures and how to sample content so you can get a taste before committing to a purchase.

Chapter 7: Adding Documents

Your Kindle Paperwhite is useful not only for reading published e-books but also for loading with your personal documents so that you can easily read them, anytime and anywhere. In Chapter 7, we show you how to add documents using the Send to Kindle application, whether for your PC or Mac or through your browser. You find out how to convert a variety of documents into a Kindle-compatible format by e-mail and how to store documents in the Cloud — your library at Amazon.

Chapter 8: Accessorizing

We discuss covers, skins, sleeves, envelopes, styli, power adapters, and other add-ons in Chapter 8. Are accessories essential or just a fun way to dress up your Kindle Paperwhite? You can decide after reading this chapter. In addition, we talk about extended warranties.

Chapter 9: Expanding the Reading Experience

In Chapter 9, you dig deeper in the Kindle Paperwhite reading experience and uncover additional features such as the dictionary, word and phrase translation, annotations, and X-ray. Find out how to share your books and reviews using Facebook and Twitter. Have a combined listening-and-reading experience by using Whispersync for Voice, Kindle books, and audiobooks from Audible.com. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the experimental web browser.

Chapter 10: Troubleshooting

Having problems? Head here first! Chapter 10 lays out the most common ailments that your Kindle Paperwhite might encounter — and gives troubleshooting tips to resolve them quickly.

Chapter 11: Ten Helpful Kindle Paperwhite Tips

This book concludes in traditional
For Dummies
fashion with ten tips, tricks, hints, and shortcuts about the Kindle Paperwhite.

Icons Used in This Book

For Dummies
titles use icons to highlight information. Look for the following icons in this book:

Quick hints, helpful tips, and other tidbits of information are included in the paragraphs that are highlighted with the bull’s eye and arrow.

Tie a string on your finger and keep these things in mind. Remember items are mostly gleaned from our experience.

Although it’s pretty hard to break a Kindle Paperwhite, you can do things inadvertently that you might not be able to undo, such as permanently delete a favorite e-book. These pitfalls are highlighted with the little bomb in the Warning icon.

Occasionally, we provide details of interest to the technically curious. This nitty-gritty information is flagged with the Technical Stuff icon.