It’s nearly an understatement to say Amazon’s Kindle Scribe fell in need of our expectations when it first launched, however maybe there’s hope but for Amazon’s first 10.2-inch e-reader and writing gadget.
As we speak, the corporate launched 4 new Kindle Scribe options principally centered on bettering the lackluster note-taking expertise. Fact be advised, they’re comparatively minor updates, however any change helps.
First up, Amazon launched a “Fowl’s Eye View” button within the Kindle Scribe Pocket book app, which you’ll be able to entry from the highest menu while you’re on a pocket book web page. Clicking on it offers you a preview of 9 pocket book pages and in addition means that you can shortly add, delete, or transfer any of them round. It’s also possible to swipe to the following 9 pages for sooner navigation.
It’s not all new pocket book options, although. Amazon additionally added a brand new PDF distinction slider function that, theoretically, ought to make it simpler to learn some PDFs. In the meantime, Microsoft 365 prospects will now be capable of learn and annotate Microsoft Phrase paperwork on the Kindle Scribe through the brand new Microsoft “Ship to Kindle” button.
On the studying facet, Amazon additionally fastened a obvious challenge: now you can show content material in two columns while you’re studying in panorama orientation. That was a function that already existed within the iPad’s Kindle app, however for some cause, the Kindle Scribe lacked it at launch.
As we speak’s new options arrive two months after Amazon added subfolders and a “go to web page” choice for notebooks. That very same February 2023 replace additionally introduced extra fountain pen, marker, and pencil brush varieties with 5 thickness ranges. Mixed, all of those adjustments make for a barely extra organized, versatile, and environment friendly note-taking expertise.
Nonetheless, they nonetheless don’t tackle just a few of the principle complaints my colleague Alex Cranz raised in her review. You continue to can’t, for instance, sync the notes you make whereas studying a guide on the Kindle Scribe to the Kindle app in your telephone or browser. Notebooks sync, however you continue to can’t kind up any notes to them from one other gadget, nor can you exchange your handwriting to textual content as you’ll be able to on Kobo’s brand-new Elipsa 2E.
However, these small adjustments are steps in the appropriate path. Hopefully, Amazon will make extra strides in future software program updates.