Kindle adds file support

Amazon on Wednesday announced its Personal Document Service for the Kindle e-book reader has been updated and, starting May 4th, will support RTF text files in addition to DOC, HTML, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TXT, AZW, MOBI, and PRC. At the same time, Amazon changed its fee structure for sending personal documents to the Kindle, now basing it on the file size. Each megabyte costs 15 cents to send, and Amazon rounds up to the next whole megabyte. Previously, file transfers cost 10 cents each, no matter how big in size. The service, offered via Whispernet wireless delivery system, will also now send through DOCX files for conversion to be compatible on the device, though Amazon warns some complex PDF and DOCX files may still not format properly on the Kindle.

The service, which uses Amazon's 3G-based Whispernet to shuttle the files, will also now send through DOCX files for conversion to be compatible on the device, though Amazon warns some complex PDF and DOCX files may still not format properly on the Kindle.

Users can, however, download personal documents for free or access them via a computer in areas where their Kindles do not have data network access when they send attachments to an @free.kindle.com address. Documents transferred to the Kindle via a USB port can also be converted for free.

By Electronista Staff