Tip: Kindle's Archived-Items folder - Updated

A lot of people on the forums have asked what the 'Archived Items' folder is for while others have asked how to delete books.   At some point, people may want to re-download a book after deleting it and this is doable as well.

 This tip is only for Kindle 2's and DX's although there is one note about Kindle 1's different way of jumping to a Home listing page.  Thanks to My2¢worth for reminding me I should note this blog entry guide doesn't apply to the Kindle 1.

UPDATED to incorporate varying pop-up wording, thanks to the comment by Betty Reed.
When you want to delete a book purchased from Amazon, for which a copy is always on their servers, you just press your 5-way button to the left and a pop-up appears with the words "remove from device" on it to offer you that option for that book and you press down on the 5-way button.  That removes the book from your Kindle but it's still available on your Amazon book management page if you decide you want it back.  It is then also listed in your Kindle's Archived Items folder.

  If the book was not purchased from Amazon or if it is a Kindle periodical which is no longer on the Amazon server, your first pop-up says "Delete" and if you press that, you get another pop-up that says, "This item will be permanently deleted.  Would you like to continue.?" (Thanks to PaxtonReader for part of the info on when that pop-up appears, noting it does not appear for Amazon-purchased books.)

  If you don't want to delete the book or periodical because your cursor was on the wrong item, say, then you can either 5-way (button) to the right or hit my favorite Kindle button, the "BACK" button, and you'll be back to where you were before starting the delete function.

  If you confirm removal for any book, then the title is removed, and if you purchased it from Amazon the book is on their servers in the area they made for your book management and remains there.
  As a convenience, you'll find, as mentioned above, your removed Amazon-purchased book listed under the Archived Items folder on your Kindle as well, as an easy way to retrieve it when you do want it again.  This just tells you what is yours and available for download.
  (Remember that annotations you've made on an Amazon-purchased book are saved along with the book if you don't disable the advertised annotations backup feature under Menu/Settings/Menu option and that they are downloaded with any re-downloaded books).

It could be that you have another Kindle-compatible device on your account and if so, it may have a book sent to it that this Kindle doesn't have.  That book will show up in this Kindle's Archived Items folder because it's not listed in the Home directory as available for reading.

  My book orders are sent mainly to my most recent Kindle (a DX) but I may want to read it on the Kindle 2 as well.  In that case, I can send it to the Kindle 2 from the Manage Your Kindle page at Amazon by using my computer's web browser (where I'll find my book-library info at the bottom-left area of that page in expandable format [a "+" sign means you can open up that line and see more info and options], or I can just get my Kindle 2 and go to its Archived Items folder to click on the book title and get it that way.

How do we get to the Archived Items folder?
If you're new to the Kindle or haven't explored it much, be sure to see my blog article on Basic Kindle folders organization and access.  This shows how to limit the display to only Personal Docs, subscriptions, and books when not wanting the All My Items option.
  It also shows the 3 possible sorting methods of what you've chosen to display: by Most Recent, Title, or Author.  The images and text in that article show how to navigate the top-of-page organization options (often hidden) on the Kindle's Home listings page.

Tips on getting to the Archived Folder easily
  a. Primary method: Press Menu and then select and click on "View Archived Items"
  b. If you have your Home listing sorted by the 'default' setting, which is "Most Recent" at the top, then the Archived Folder will be at the end of your listing, which could be page 12.

  Getting to the last-page number (for any reason):
  You don't have to go through each page, as I've seen some complain we must.
  You can just start typing the number of the last page in your listing.  In this case, you'd type in '1' and then '2' (not too slowly).  Then you'll see the '12' on your search bar, but the Kindle knows you may just want a page number if the number is smaller than the number of pages for the Home listing.

  At that point press down on the 5-way button, and you'll be taken to the last page.  From there, you can type, say, '6' and press down the 5-way button again to get to page 6 if you want.

  NOTE: This Goto page-number for the Home listing works on ANY sort option - Most Recent, Title, or Author.   I don't think this is commmonly known.

  (Kindle 1 or 'Classic' model note:  You can type in the number of the last page and do not need to press anything else down to get there.)

  Getting to Archived Items folder with ANY sort option.:
  If your Home books-listing is sorted by Title, you're already at the 'A's. Then you type 'a' and the search bar will appear with the 'a' in there, at which point you can then press the 5-way button down and be shown not all the other titles that start with 'A' (or titles that begin with numbers) but only 3 items: Archived Items, Periodicals: Back Issues and any Items Not Yet Indexed (which means they haven't been catalogued for key word searches yet or that a subscription issue is no longer available).

  Notice that this is a short cut to Periodicals folder also.

  But since the sorting option is on 'Title' we could have typed 'p' to get there as well.  That typing of 'p' wouldn't work when on Most Recent sort-method though, although typing the alpha-character works with 'a' for Archived Items folder.

  The key thing is that although I mentioned getting to the Archived Items folder via Title above, you can type 'a' when your list is sorted by either Title or Author OR even Most Recent and you'll be taken to the listing of 3 items - the Archived Items, Periodicals and any unindexed items.

Again, whenever you're through with any unusual action, the BACK button is a great feature to get you back to where you were before a jump to another location was made.

UPDATE: A thanks to PaxtonReader for additional information, which has been included.

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LINKS FOR FINDING FREE OR LOW-COST KINDLE-BOOKS AND SOURCES
  A page of links and info for finding popular or latest free or low-cost Kindle-readable books

iPad's missing core apps. Free-books page update

Free and Low-Cost Books page Update
Added two free book online sources to the ongoing free-books article.  Also, Two RSS readers are not catching that article for some reason and it doesn't display for their subscribers, so this is a way to get to it.
    If there's interest, I can make a downloadable copy of it for the Kindle, for Kindle Edition subscribers, as a sort of reference, though it's currently not well-organized.

Minor Puzzle on iPAD's core apps

I first read from Trusted Review's Gordon Kelly that Apple has pulled core apps from the iPad.  While they mention the Daring Fireball blog has a possible answer, they reference a Wired article by Brian X. Chen for the basic details.

Chen noticed that Apple's press statement for the official release date of its iPad Apple suggested the iPad won't ship with all the apps that came with the iPhone.

' Apple’s press release states the iPad includes “12 new innovative apps designed especially for the iPad.”  That number presumably refers to the brand new Videos app and the redesigned iPod, Maps, Photos, Mail, Safari, App Store, iTunes, YouTube, Contacts, Calendar and Notes apps that were present on demo units of the iPad in January. '

He notes that the iPhone ships with some apps that appear to be left out from the iPad: Stocks, Calculator, Clock, Weather and Voice Memos.  Why?  He thinks they'll be in the Apps store for free download.

  I remember people talking about space for more core apps the way they were distributed on the screen at the time.  So, maybe they're working on revisions to suit the iPad.

  Chen mentions that blogger Kevin Fox thinks they'll reintroduce the missing apps as Dashboard widgets that run in the background, accessible with the F12 hot key, since they were originally Dashboard widgets, except for Voice Memos.

He adds: "(Contrary to popular belief, the iPhone can multitask, but it’s limited to running a select few apps made by Apple in the background...)"

See the pictures at Wired.

Trusted Reviews's Kelly explains Daring Fireball blogger John Gruber's theory that these particular apps originally made for much smaller screens just would not look very good on the iPad, either because they'd be really tiny, in a 3.5" rectangle, surrounded by a huge blank space, or the user could choose to fill the screen with it and it would then be in quite substandard resolution and the design would look odd.  Read the article for the full explanation of why it probably happened.  Gruber says they were therefore scrapped by "you know who."

The article also has a link to the long, official Apple introductory video by several excited executives using the mantra "It's the best...," "magical," "revolutionary."

 I like the look of the product but not this overdone delivery of it.

The article also carries the HP Slate video I linked to yesterday.  Competition looks fierce for both tablets and e-readers.

iPad competitors and Dell Mini that reads Kindle - Update

It seems the market will be flooded with tablets or slates competing with the iPad.

UPDATE 3/13/10 - Seven alternatives to the Apple iPad - Mainly large photos and specs, pro and con, at linked CrunchGear site.

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HP Slate
For those reading this on a computer, the HP Slate now has a 5-1/2 minute youtube video demo'g its flash support and Adobe Air (missing from the iPad) and it's very impressive.   Start it at minute 1:18 as he just talks for too long when introducing it.

ADAM by Notion Ink
Goodereader reports on the Adam from Notion Ink, the first gizmo that will be released with the Pixel QI screen, that can alternate between an e-paper type display and an LCD one and doesn't depend only on its own power source for the screen's light.
  Unlike the iPad, Goodereader says, its backlight can be turned on or off, reducing battery drain by 50% and allowing 16 hours of Internet usage while the iPad's is expected to be about 10 hours (the latest release info from Apple says the number of hours is subject to many conditions).

With a 10" screen, it uses the Android system, has HDMI output, 3 USB ports, can multitask, has GPS, a digital compass, a 3 megapixel camera, and is memory-card expandable to 32 gig. It weighs a bit over 1-1/2 lbs. Here's an article that includes an e-mail interview with the CEO (from India) and a chart of Adam features vs the iPad.

Smartmoney.com quotes a consultant who says the Adam "is probably closer to what the second-generation iPad will be than what the iPad currently is."

John Dvorak asks, "iPad killer from, uh, India?" and still wonders if there's a market for a tablet computer. Seems so! though not at some of the pricing we've seen when you want 3G cellular wireless capability and while being asked to forego multitasking capability, usb ports, webcam, flash support for the Web etc.

And here's iSlate headlining, "Notion Ink's Adam Considered to be a big contender against the iPad."  It's a detailed article if you want to read more on this.

The most attractive part from all that? Starting price will be about $325
.
DELL MINI 5 or "Streak"
Dell is apparently creating a small one that will be able to read Kindle books !   The screen size is smaller than the Kindle though but considerably larger than most smartphones and would be an "always-On" web device, running Android 2, with a 3G phone, WiFi, GPS, a 5-megapixel camera and a forward-facing camera for video calls, 1.6G internal storage (before system files) and a micro SD card slot.

Engadget received a flyer with confirmed specs and colorful models. Their earlier article on Feb. 26 reported the Dell Mini wouldn't be out for at least another month and referenced Wired's quote from Neeraj Choubey, GM of Dell's tablet division, that there'll be " 'a family of tablets' which will 'scale up to a variety of sizes' and that it'll likely be Android all the way, while Choubey also shared his company's intention to bundle 'inexpensive data plans' with the new devices...'

Choubey confirmed to Laptop that Dell is working with AT&T  (yikes, are they the carrier for most of the e-readers and tablets?).  The leaked internal document they got states:

' The second page details a content partnership that Dell may be entering with Amazon.  The document states that the Mini 5 will integrate with Amazon's Kindle, MP3 and Video services, and will include a Kindle reader app. '

  It also refers to the Snapdragon-powered device as the 'Streak.'  No solid release date or final price yet.

Hmmm, Infomobile has a huge picture of a proposed Dell ad about the Amazon deal and, in an earlier story, a brief video of the little unit, plus a description of the not-gonna-fly price - unsubsidized (no data plan: $1098 and maybe $600-$700 with plan).  It does have a phone.  See update below: Wired's writer feels Dell would tend to undercut Apple's pricing.

UPDATE - 11:35 AM, same day. Wired's Eliot Van Buskirk adds that

' The documents also indicate that — like Kindle owners — users of this Dell mini-tablet will have wireless (3G) access to the Kindle store with “no monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for a Wi-Fi spot.” If that’s the case, Dell’s tablets would have a significant advantage over the iPad, which can only access the 3G network if you pay for the more expensive version of the hardware and sign up for a $15 or $30 per month data plan in addition to whatever wireless data plan you have for your phone. '

IPAD VIDEO AD
And with all tablets, there's one unusual inherent problem for users: here's Apple's first iPad video ad.  Liliputing makes sport of the new, very effective iPad ad in that they draw attention to the odd positions of everyone using the iPad in that ad - their legs are in unusual positions because it needs to be propped up.  I guess there'll be holders for it.

Clues to new Kindle capabilities at end of year

StrategyEye has been looking at Amazon's Lab126 job ads and reports that Amazon may be planning to improve the Kindle web browser, as they posted an ad for an engineer to design new features on an "innovative embedded web browser."

The article reports fears that Kindle customers who are newspaper subscribers could just go to a newspaper website for free (specifically mentioning the NY Times) and then cancel their newspaper subscriptions.  It's not clear to me that StrategyEye knows that Amazon Users can already web to the NY Times online.

We can already read the NY Times online in its full-text format, which I have a link to in the downloadable file of mobile-device-optimized websites described and available

We can also go to the regular website but that would be masochistic as that is very slow.  The text-optimized NY Times though is fully available.

Wireless use drains e-readers quite a bit, but a full-throttle web-browser would drain it very quickly.

StrategyEye reports that some believe the planned improvements are "part of a damage control exercise in prepararation for next month's release of the iPad."

  But in no way would a new version be ready by that time anyway, unless one is thinking about e-readers that are rushed to market and unreliable.
  There ARE obviously plans for a touchscreen to be ready by the end of the year and almost surely some kind of color screen with it, from all that I read (rumors are heavy about both Touchco which Amazon now owns and Mirasol, the latter dropping hints but also trying to entice all e-reader makers with their impressive technology although the colors are somewhat muted and there may be less contrast).
  EInk/PVI has stated that they could also have color ready by the end of the year also.
  So, I think any web browser improvements would be slated for a new Kindle near the end of the year.

  In the meantime it would be very good if they could improve the current model's web browsing so that it's faster and handles 'https' links. But, as StrategyEye worries, a faster browser will eat up more bandwidth, especially when people use a much faster browser much more and then 24/7 web browsing would likely be put on tiered pricing.

  StrategyEye writes that "A better browser would open up the internet to Kindle users and could put serious strain on the AT&T network."  The Kindle is already open to the Internet and is the only e-reader that gives (free) cellular wireless for this -- the other e-readers confine customers' web access to their own stores.

  And there they note the possibility that "Kindle customers could potentially cancel their subscriptions to publications such as the New York Times and access the paper's website for free."
  Certainly, with the iPad, the publishers should worry about that even more, as they could access the regular web pages of the NY Times as opposed to accessing, more practically and slowly, the mobile-unit optimized text pages of the NYT.

I've always been patient with the slow Kindle browser because it's free and I need that kind of access outside only for quick lookups.  I imagine that any decent speed capabilities will bring tiered-browsing plans, so I'm not over-excited about this.

iPad: U.S. Pre-orders Mar.12, On Sale Apr 3. Details & Analysis

The Washington Post carries partner TechCrunch's report by Leena Rao on the availability of the Apple iPad.

  Both the WiFi and WiFi+3G wireless sets will finally be available for pre-order by U.S. customers from March 12 from Apple's online store (www.apple.com), or you can reserve a Wi-Fi-only model for pick-up on Saturday, April 3, at an Apple retail store.

Apple announced that the WiFi-Network-capable iPad will be available in the U.S. on April 3, delayed just a bit from the expected March date.
  The recent rumors that shipment was delayed until April turned out to be true, but I hardly see it as a problem when it'll be available that early in April.

The WiFi with 3G cellular-wireless-capable models will be ready in late April.

APPS FOR IPAD
With the WiFi network (home/office), you can browse, buy and download apps from The App Store.  The iPad comes with 12 new apps designed especially for it and will run almost all of the more than 150,000 apps on the App Store, including most of the ones on your iPhone or iPod though you would likely resize them, at lower resolution, to make better use of the larger screen.

All the apps and content you download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you connect with your computer.

However, iBooks will be available only in the U.S. until later this year, per the announcement.

  While the iBooks app for iPad including Apple's iBookstore can be downloaded in the U.S., for free, from the App Store on April 3, other countries will be added later this year.

BATTERY
Apple's announcement has only this statement about battery life.
  "*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors.
   Actual results vary."

PRICING
Pricing for the two sets of models hasn't changed.
  The pricing, as I said earlier, is very good for a web-device if you want one without the type of cellular-wireless feature that has made the Kindle, new Sony Daily Edition, and nook e-readers popular for the ability to download books to the devices from almost anywhere you are.

  In other words, the non-3G model will be used mostly in the home or in offices, but it won't be able to do web browsing anywhere you happen to be as can be done on smartphones, including the iPhone (with monthly charges) and in a slow, monochromatic, but free way with the Kindle.

Here are the pricing options:
For Wi-Fi network use only:
  16GB $499
  32GB $599
  64GB $699

For addition of 3G cellular wireless capability (like the Kindle's)
  and (before monthly web-data charges)
  16GB $629
  32GB $729
  64GB $829

Monthly web-data charges are $15 for an almost useless amount of data (mainly email-type use but not much web browsing) and $30 for almost unlimited data, which is a very good deal.

In other words:
  For the 3G wireless capability we have with the Kindle, Sony, nook, etc., in addition to the WiFi feature:
    the lowest actual cost (for the model with the smallest amount of memory for a device usable for videos) is:

$629 + ($30/mo. x 12) which gives you
$629 + $360 for the first year = $989.
    Add the kit that lets you use USB & photo-transfers: + $29
Total of $1,018 - Lowest model with 3G cellphone wireless network + WiFi .

One can choose month to month and opt out, but it's not likely that people who pay $130 more for the 3G cellular wireless would then choose not to use it.  With 3G (rather than with WiFi-only), you can use it in a car on trips or anywhere there is no WiFi network available.


However, if you can do without the ability to carry the iPad to do any web-surfing or email wherever you're out and about and would be satisfied to be able to do this only when finding WiFi hotspots or using home/office WiFi networks, then the price is only $499 + a $29 adapter kit (not yet carried at Amazon).
Total: $528 for lowest model with WiFi-networks only.

  The "camera connection kit" includes an adapter that is needed for file transfers (it provides USB-equivalent connection for that) as well as a Dock Connector-based SD Card reader for transfer of photos.

Engadget has an article on the optional keyboard (for more intense writing), dock, the camera connection kit, and Apple case.  The article includes a hands-on report with photos.

  I was interested to see that Amazon already offers 76 search-results for iPad kits and 234 results for iPad accessories

There is no general, direct USB port nor SD slot.  For people new to the iPad details, the much-discussed missing features, important for some and not for others, include:
  . no multi-tasking capability
  . no support for Flash video on web pages
  . no webcam for video conferencing
  . no dedicated, directly usable USB port (adapter is buyable)
  . no SD slot (an SD card reader is included in the optional camera connection kit)

But you can choose, move, resize, etc., with the Multi-Touch(TM) interface, which will be a fun way to browse the web or email while on your couch, watching tv -- although probably email-writing would be best with shorter notes with a virtual keyboard, though this keyboard is said to have, relatively, a very good response.

I wrote a more detailed analysis, on January 27, of what the given and projected pricing actually includes.

Again, beginning March 12, U.S. customers can pre-order the device (all models) either online or at their local Apple retail store and pick up a WiFi-only one on April 3.
  The iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK in late April. Other countries will be added later this year and announced in April.

International pricing will be announced in April.

The new iBooks app for iPad includes Apple's new iBookstore, of course.  As most following the news on this tablet device know, Apple's publishing partners include the Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group and Simon & Schuster.

Beginning a week from today, on March 12, US customers can pre-order both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models from Apple's online store (www.apple.com) or reserve a Wi-Fi model to pick up on Saturday, April 3, at an Apple retail store.

Amazon wants a physical presence in Canada

Quill & Quire's Stuart Woods reports, with help from Scott MacDonald, that Amazon's seeking government approval to establish physical operations in Canada.

According to documents, Amazon’s application to “establish a new Canadian business” – filed on Jan. 27 – is currently under review to see if it complies with the Investment Canada Act.  The new business would be called Amazon Fulfillment Services Canada Inc.

The article explains that if Amazon were to be given the go-ahead to open a Canadian warehouse or home office, it could mean the end of its distribution partnership with SCI Logistics.  It could also be a sign that Amazon plans to expand its offerings of non-book products in Canada.

Certainly it would be helpful for Canadians to be able to get some books that are not available to them via the U.S. Amazon site.

Apparently, members of the publishing community were the first to learn about the Privy Council review.

An unnamed industry source feels that an expanded Canadian presence for Amazon wouldn’t be a bad thing if it improved the company’s services for Canadian publishers.  In particular, the source said, a Canadian office might lead to more stringent enforcement of territorial rights on Amazon.ca: “If opening their own business in Canada means they’re going to tidy up their website, which is very frustrating for a lot of us now, that would be great.”
  I'm not sure that a more stringent enforcement of territorial rights is a great thing for customers though the publishers like restrictions that benefit them, of course.

When Amazon.ca was launched in 2002, there were objections from many in the bookselling community.
  Woods writes: "At the time, the Department of Canadian Heritage ruled that the Investment Canada Act did not apply to Amazon.ca because the company was not establishing a physical presence in Canada."

Best (paper) Books of the Month: 40% off

*NON*-KINDLE - These are paper books, but the 40% discounts should be noted, especially for books wanted when no Kindle edition has been made available.

Amazon has just created a new page that highlights what they consider "the best new books" to read every month.  These feature "editors' picks" and "reviews of the best new reads in fiction, nonfiction, and books for young readers, available at 40% off all month long."  The new page is titled Amazon's Best Books of the Month Store.  Again, these are not Kindle books.

My guess is that this was made to offset the delay in Kindle books being made available at the time of a book's release because the Big 5 (Random House excluded) want the Kindle releases of new books to be at higher rates or they delay their availability.
  Another reason would be to keep a focus on hardcover books, as publishers have been concerned that e-book sales will "cannibalize" sales of the hardback books.   And of course, it's another way to get revenue to offset losses on Kindle $9.99 books still being offered, as the traditional payment to publishers is 50% of the publisher-set List Price.