Real page numbers part of next Kindle upgrade

By Molly McHugh February 8, 2011

Today, Amazon previewed a coming software update for the Kindle, and yes, real page numbers will be introduced. Many (but not all) Kindle e-books will now be numbered identically to their tangible copies.

“Our customers have told us they want real page numbers that match the page numbers in print books so they can easily reference and cite passages, and read alongside others in a book club or class,” Amazon said. “Rather than add pages numbers that don’t correspond to print books, which is how page numbers have been added to e-books in the past, we’re adding real page numbers that correspond to a book’s print edition.”

And even though it’s selling far more e-books these days, Amazon plans to take the idea of sharing between digital copies and the real things to the next level. Users will now be able to access the “Kindle community,” where they can share ideas or notes about their reads online through the new “Public Notes” feature, as well as the option to review a book once reaching the end.

The Kindle will also introduce a new layout for digital magazines and newspapers that allows readers to view a snapshot of the news before officially diving into an article. The Kindle has ably held its own as a high-quality e-reader against various tablets, including the iPad, but it hasn’t established itself as a preferred magazine and news e-reader as of yet.

Users can manually update their software here now. Amazon says latest-gen devices will automatically be updated via Wi-Fi when it’s officially available.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…

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