Kindle, the popular e-book reader from Amazon.com, addresses a very old complaint from its users, in which the page numbers of the print edition of the books and online editions used to be different.
Now, the page numbers in Kindle will be just the same as they are in print. The software update has been made available only for the latest generation of the Kindle (with software version 3.0.3 and earlier) readers. The update is free for the Kindle users, though you still need to pay for the device itself.
Page numbers will soon be available for the users of ‘Buy Once, Use Everywhere’ Kindle apps on the iPad, iPhone, Android and Windows Phone 7 platforms. Those who own the older edition of Kindle are not eligible for the updates at this juncture. The company is also changing the magazine and newspaper layouts, as the users will now be able to look at the table of contents as well. The users can also rate the book once they are finished reading it, and share their opinion with their friends and family when the experience is still fresh in their minds.
Public notes is the other notable feature which allows users to take notes and highlight portions which will be viewable by others. This is an opt-in feature wherein the users will make a decision to share their thoughts on book portions with their friends, relatives, reviewers and the overall Kindle community. Reading the book in a community atmosphere will make the reading experience more enjoyable for the readers.