Kindle Paperwhite for Dummies (45 page)

Technical Manuals (guilty pleasures and erotica)

Have Fun with Words

Here are a few tips for having fun with words on your Kindle Paperwhite:

Use the dictionary to look up unfamiliar words.
Simply press and hold on a word. The dictionary definition appears automatically.

Share new words on Facebook or Twitter.
From the dictionary definition, tap More, tap Share, add a note, and tap Share. The information will be posted to your Facebook page and Twitter feed. A notation (superscripted number) will also be linked to the passage on your Kindle Paperwhite.

Translate words into another language.
The Kindle Paperwhite allows you to translate words (and phrases) into fifteen languages, including Chinese, Hindi, and Russian. Press and hold down on the word. From the dictionary definition page, tap More, and then tap Translation. On the screen that appears, tap To: English to see the list of languages and choose one. (To see the entire list, drag it up and down with your finger.)

Translate words into English.
Are you reading a book that contains words or phrases in another language? You can translate them to English. The Kindle Paperwhite will even detect the source language!

Play Every Word.
Every Word is a fun word-building game designed for the Kindle and available for free from Amazon.

Keep Your Device Safe

The following list provides tips for keeping your Kindle Paperwhite safe and in working order:

Don’t drop the device.
A drop from just a few feet can be enough to destroy the screen. Take our advice: Treat the device carefully and try to prevent drops.

Keep the device away from water.
The Kindle Paperwhite and water don’t mix. A spill into the tub or pool is a sure way to turn your Kindle Paperwhite into a paperweight. If you want to use your Kindle Paperwhite in watery environments, protect it. Many users report that heavy duty Ziploc bags work well. Others opt for custom waterproof jackets, such as those sold by M-Edge or TrendyDigital. (See Chapter 8 for details.) Even with protection, however, the device can be damaged if an accident occurs.

Keep the device clean.
Sand or dust can damage the internal circuitry and make your Kindle Paperwhite unusable. If you opt to read at the beach or the Mojave, protect your Kindle Paperwhite with a bag or a plastic jacket. A can of compressed air is great for getting dust out of the corners of your Kindle Paperwhite, too.

Don’t use, store, or charge the device in extreme temperatures.
By
extreme,
we mean below 32°F or above 95°F (0° C to 35° C). Outside these temperatures, the e-ink display might become damaged. If you’re waiting on an elevated platform on a frigidly cold day in Chicago, keep your Kindle Paperwhite in your briefcase, warm and protected.

Keep the device in a cover, sleeve, or jacket.
Even if you prefer to hold the Kindle Paperwhite without a cover for reading, keep it covered when you’re not using it to protect the screen. You can find many attractive covers, sleeves, and jackets from simple to fashion-forward, from inexpensive to pricey. To keep your Kindle Paperwhite safe, consider this an important investment. See Chapter 8 for accessories.

Don’t let young children handle the device.
Many people ask, “How old does a child need to be to use a Kindle Paperwhite?” We think a good guideline is that if children are old enough to read chapters in books, they’re probably old enough to handle a Kindle Paperwhite with minimal supervision. Children younger than five might not understand that the Kindle Paperwhite is delicate and needs to be treated gently. To be on the safe side, keep your Kindle Paperwhite out of their hands completely.