Amazon Kindle 2.5 adds social networks and more

Amazon late Wednesday posted a 2.5 update for the Kindle. The refresh adds an unusual social networking component and lets users share book quotes or other updates through Facebook and Twitter. Updates work in reverse as well, as a popular highlights section shows the book segments other Kindle users thought were memorable.

Revamping the software has also given Amazon the chance to add important usability features, such as a password lock option, larger and sharper fonts, and the option of zooming into and panning PDFs if their text is too small. Collections are new and help sort both books and carried-over documents into groups.

The update needs a second-generation Kindle but should push out automatically to the e-reader on its own.

By Electronista Staff