Update for Kindle Scribe (5.16.1.3)

[tomsem]

Version 5.16.1.3 – April 2023

Here's what's new:

Contrast Slider in Aa Menu: In Write-on Kindle books and Send to Kindle PDFs (sent with original layout), you can adjust the brightness or crispness of the content in the book or document.

Two-Column Layout in Aa Menu: In most books, you can use the Aa Menu "Layout" tab to switch to landscape orientation and then choose between one or two columns of text.

Notebook overview: You can preview multiple pages of your notebook at a time in a tiled layout in a notebook overview, as well as add, delete, and move individual notebook pages.

Some welcome improvements, will be checking this out.

[tomsem]

Not seeing a 2 column option yet. However a Reddit post says they see it. Presumably it will show up at some point.

And disappointing that of all the improvements to Print Replica that are needed, that Contrast slider is the only one in this update.

(in case anyone is wondering, it is still not a functional replacement for PDF: you cannot select and highlight text, etc.)

Notebook overview is as described and useful.

[Strether]

I don’t see any 2 column layout available on the several books I tried. Maybe not available for sideloaded books? New screensavers, though.

Jim

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Strether

I don’t see any 2 column layout available on the several books I tried. Maybe not available for sideloaded books? New screensavers, though.

Jim

I did a Sync, then a restart, now the option is there. I did try a restart before to no effect, so maybe it just happened on its own.

At any rate: finally. This was probably the first bit of feedback I sent when I first got Scribe. I've set up a landscape theme, with minimum margins and smaller text (same size as I use on smaller screens) to see if I like it. In any case, landscape was pretty worthless without a 2 column option, unless you really had to crank up the text size to read anything comfortably.

I think it should work with side-loaded content as well, but have not tried it myself.

I'm not seeing any new screensavers. They were always different than those for other Kindles. I've never switched to Cover view, for some reason I find it too 'loud'.

[DuckieTigger]

Two page in landscape appears to be only for KFX. Not sure about sideloaded KFX, don't currently have regular books in KFX sideloaded.

[tomsem]

It seems the Microsoft Word features are rolling out now (for Windows MS 365 users, with Mac and Web 'to follow').

A new way to import documents. Windows users can send documents directly to Kindle Scribe from Microsoft Word, write notes directly on the page, or insert handwritten sticky notes (Microsoft 365 subscription required). Mac and Web experience to follow.

By 'directly', can it possibly mean 'over Bluetooth or WiFi' and not through some intermediate server? Would be nice.

And Coming Soon:

New lasso select tools. Simply circle around a word or paragraph to move, cut, paste, and scale your notes. Convert to text feature. Convert, edit, and send your handwritten notes to yourself, friends, or colleagues.

Not sure if this is first mention of convert to text (and is this on-device? guessing it is not, since there is no Notebook text editing). Again 'it would be nice' if only so you could search for text in notebooks.

[Mr. Goodbar]

It's working for me on sideloaded AZW3, but it only shows as as option once you select the landscape orientation

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Two page in landscape appears to be only for KFX. Not sure about sideloaded KFX, don't currently have regular books in KFX sideloaded.

Yes, it seems so. However Send to Kindle will convert ePub to KFX. I don't side load very much except to experiment, but probably side-loaded KFX will support 2 column.

I have a few dozen personal documents that were sent prior to the availability of the official S2K ePub support (as dual format MOBI) so I'll need to resend them as ePub (which in most cases I already have them in).

I'm guessing when the other Kindles get onto 5.16.x they'll get KFX for these converted ePubs as well. And the Kindle apps will start getting them too at some point.

[dedeca]

Is there any chance that only Kindle Scribe will receive KFX from epubs uploaded using S2K?

[HLS]

I took the update today via download from the website and I do not have the contrast slider or the column thing. But I have a LOW VISION toggle under manage themes, and it doesn’t do a thing when I toggle it. Lol.. also the three dots on the top right where you could choose sync to the furthest page read periodically disappears and reappears

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by HLS

I took the update today via download from the website and I do not have the contrast slider or the column thing. But I have a LOW VISION toggle under manage themes, and it doesn’t do a thing when I toggle it. Lol.. also the three dots on the top right where you could choose sync to the furthest page read periodically disappears and reappears

Manage Themes lets you hide themes from the list of choices using the toggles. There are 4 immutable preset themes: Compact, Standard, Large, and Low Vision, each with various fonts, bold settings, sizes etc. But having created custom themes, I hide these presets.

I haven't noticed Sync coming and going, but rarely use that option.

[drvenom]

Are all these annotations options, two column option, and backed up highlights available for sideloaded stuff? I will mainly be sideloading all my epubs? In such case how does the scribe world for sideloaded epubs? Is it worth getting in such case, or is the scribe main use for items purchased vía amazon?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by drvenom

Are all these annotations options, two column option, and backed up highlights available for sideloaded stuff? I will mainly be sideloading all my epubs? In such case how does the scribe world for sideloaded epubs? Is it worth getting in such case, or is the scribe main use for items purchased vía amazon?

Minor nit being that you can not sideload epubs to a Scribe. The Scribe seems to be happiest with KFX though I prefer KF8/azw3 since I truly despise Amazon forcing font size, line height, etc.

[tomsem]

I can confirm that only side loaded KFX gives you 2 column option. This is a little silly, since the Kindle apps give you 2 column option for any of the reflow-able formats they support.

But KFX is the order of the day, and Kindle devices have never had 2 column support prior to this, so it's not a regression. But it is awkward when you have a 2 column theme in effect, and happen to load a format that doesn't support it: you need to change the layout to read it, then change it back to 2 column mode for the supported content.

Of course, they could add support for legacy formats later (do not hold your breath).

I am happy with the way KFX looks, so it's not an issue for me. Rather, it is that the 'other' books (a small percentage of what is in my library) don't look as good to me.

If I were side loading a lot, I would get something other than a Kindle. My Pocketbook Era is a nice device for this, and very friendly to side loaded content, and if you like koreader, it is dead simple to install it. It also will upload the side loaded content to cloud and the mobile apps are not bad. It pays attention to series and tag metadata, etc.

I am enjoying 2 column mode, but then I'm a sucker for trying out new features. Will have to see if it sticks with me.

For some reason I have never liked to use 2 column mode on tablets. When I use Kindle app on my iPad Pro 12.9, I use Stage Manager to control the app window proportions and size so it's more comfortable in portrait and landscape. And on smaller iPads I have been know to use Split Screen to reduce the app window so it isn't so wide in landscape.

I fired up my old Windows computer to see if Word had Send To Kindle Share option: not yet, for me (I do have MS 365 subscription). Based on how Share works without this option, it doesn't look like you'll be able to do it without 1) saving to OneDrive and 2) sending it to some Send To Kindle API. I don't think I have any use for it, but am curious to learn more about how it works, so will be checking (I just installed Office today on that machine and it has some other updates so maybe it'll show up soon).

[rupan88]

Anyone here reading in Japanese on Scribe? When I set a custom font the position of smaller characters is misaligned to the top. There's no such behaviour on Oasis. Where can I submit such bugs?