Amazon has rolled out yet another major update to it Kindle Scribe e-reader – making it the third since the device launched in November 2022.
Users will receive four new features in this patch. Chief among them is the long-awaited support for “direct to page writing”. Unfortunately, you may be disappointed in part because it is not as large as some would like. It only works with some content like “guided journals and word games” like crossword puzzles.
Amazon has a section on it online market which highlights which ebooks support the writing component. Or you can visit Scribe’s Kindle Store to view the same item. For the latter, be sure to watch for content that has “Writing Books” or “Writing the page” listed as a feature.
Moving on to the list, Amazon introduced a ribbon tool for selecting written notes or pen strokes on the device. Unlike on-page writing, lasso isn’t limited to just a few apps. You can use it to cut, move, copy, paste, or edit selected content “in your notebooks, sticky notes, and PDFs.” Having said that, PDFs are easier to read because users can “switch between portrait- and landscape-view mode”. Margins can also be trimmed “to increase font size”. Additionally, text in PDFs can be highlighted so you can look up the dictionary definition of a word or a translation in another language.
The final inclusion is the ability to convert your Scribe notebook into a .txt file so you can share it via email. There are two ways to do this, according to Amazon. To send your notes quickly, you select “Convert to text and send quickly” in the device’s Share menu. If you want enough time to make some edits, you choose “Convert to text and email” – also in the Share menu.
In better condition
Along with the previous two updates, Amazon has now introduced 10 new features to its e-reader.
Keep an eye out for the patch as it makes its way to a Kindle Scribe near you. If you want, you can force the installation by going to the Kindle E-Reader Software Updates webpage and downloading the package from there. But this is not the end as the tech giant promises more “free software updates” later this year.
It’s good to see Amazon paying more attention to the new device. When the Kindle Scribe was first released last year, it fell short of expectations. The Scribe is not terrible at launch – far from it. However, it faces stiff competition from the best E Ink tablets at the time like the Kobo Elipsa and the Onyx Boox Note Air2. This constant flow of updates brings it more in line with the competition.
Needless to say, we’re looking forward to Amazon’s future plans for Scribe and we’d love to see the notes that sync between the e-reader and the Kindle mobile app get a major upgrade.
Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best Kindles for 2023 if you don’t know what to buy or our guide to the best ereaders if you want more options.
