Bring back TTS, Kindle – Baltimore Sun

Amazon’s Kindle is common enough in American life to be “the Official E-reader of the National PTA.” But it could enrich the lives of many more people if recent E Ink models weren’t missing text to speech (TTS) technology. TTS costs next to nothing and was available in earlier Kindles, starting with the Kindle 2.

With TTS, blind kids could hear new Kindles read “Alice in Wonderland” to them. Or how about read-aloud for people with severe dyslexia? Or commuters, or exercisers living out Michelle Obama’s “Let’s move” slogan?

The Federal Communications Commission could have unmuted Kindles. Yet on Jan. 28, the FCC granted Amazon and other e-reader makers another year-long waiver from the 21st Century Communications and Video Access Act (CVAA). This 2010 law requires covered products to be usable by Americans with disabilities, including blind people.

I won’t swallow the FCC’s rationale that it may grant Amazon an accessibility waiver because the Kindle’s primary purpose is not as an “advanced communication device.” Sighted people can send Gmail (via a Kindle Web browser) or read long e-mailed files in the e-book mode as if they are books. Also, Amazon could afford read-aloud in earlier E Ink Kindles without going into bankruptcy. Millions of e-readers have been sold, and their makers shouldn’t be able to dodge the accessibility act. As described by Sen. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, the CVAA is to “provide full access for Americans with disabilities to the technological tools vital to complete participation in 21st century society.” More and more libraries and schools offer e-books, so Kindles and the like certainly should be covered here.

Bringing back TTS to Kindles could cost less per e-reader than a Big Mac. The related microchips are dirt cheap, and Amazon even owns Ivona, makers of text-to-speech software. And a headphone jack? Hardly a design problem. A thicker “lip” just at the bottom of the case could allow for a jack in the thinnest Kindle. Or Amazon could simply use an extra-thin jack and offer an adapter for people to plug in ordinary headphones or ear buds. But now text to speech is AWOL even from the $ 200 Amazon Voyage, billed as a deluxe reader. Apparently TTS doesn’t count as “reading.” If nothing else, read-aloud can be a godsend for power readers with tired eyes.

Aggravating matters, Amazon has not added an all-text bolding option for older Americans, like me, who can read better with more perceived contrast between text and background. Missing, too, is a font for dyslexic users.

Granted, TTS is available on iPads, cell phones and such, but not everyone wants a tablet or smart phone. E-Ink readers have longer battery lives and are generally cheaper, and the newest screens are lit up from the front to avoid the usual glare when you’re reading with your eyes.

Having written on e-book-related matters since the early 1990s, I can tell you that Amazon actually would come out ahead with the restoration of audio to E Ink Kindles. It makes money off content, not just devices. And TTS means that people would have more time to enjoy books. They could start them on the jogging path in audio and finish them the usual way. Furthermore, related audio capabilities in new E Ink Kindles would broaden the market for audiobooks from Amazon’s Audible division.

I’m a huge fan of Amazon’s better side — I buy most of my electronics there — but the read-aloud muting reminds me of another blunder: the overpriced, over-featured Amazon phone. Other steady customers can join me in complaining to jeff@amazon.com.

Amazon donated at least 1,000 Kindles to the National PTA in return for an endorsement as “The Official E-reader of the National PTA,” and at my suggestion, the organization is laudably asking to discuss accessibility issues with Amazon.

Even If the e-reader companies and the FCC wise up, we should make the 2010 legislation more lobbyist-proof. Same for other disability laws that could help school kids and other e-reader users and potential users. How about it, Senator Markey? Remember — in your days in the House of Representatives, you helped write the CVAA. Let’s finish the job.

David H. Rothman runs LibraryCity.org, a library advocacy site calling for a national digital library endowment, and founded the TeleRead e-book site now owned by North American Publishing. His email is davidrothman@pobox.com.

Copyright © 2015, The Baltimore Sun

Inaugural Books from Amazon Kindle Scout Next Week – Zacks.com

In October last year, Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN - Analyst Report) introduced a crowd-sourced publishing platform, Kindle Scout, that allows readers to vote for those unpublished authors that they would like in their devices. The company is now ready to release the first batch of titles on Mar 3.

To date, Amazon has approved 21 titles from unknown authors via this platform. First, the company will release 10 books that cover a range of genres comprising romance, thriller and science fiction, which can be pre-ordered now. The remaining 11 books will be published at a later date.

The Process

Kindle Scout provides readers with extracts of certain unpublished literary works. After reading them, users can vote for up to three books they wish to be published and will also have the option of constantly reassessing their votes once new works are added.

Though the program gives readers the feeling they are the ones deciding which books get published and which don't, the final decision lies with Amazon.

After the 30-day reader voting period is over, the Kindle Scout team reviews the books with the highest number of votes and selects which three will ultimately be published.

However, the readers who voted for the approved title enjoy the perks of being awarded a free, full-length Kindle edition of the book a week prior to the official release.

The Authors

The authors of the books selected for publishing will be given $ 1,500 in advance along with a five-year renewable term, easy rights reversions and Amazon marketing. The royalties will be split 50-50 between the author and Amazon.

However, Amazon does give these authors the right to take their business to another publisher in case their book doesn't earn at least $ 25,000 over a five-year period.

Looking Forward

We know that there are probably millions of talented, fantastic, undiscovered authors and books out there. Realizing this, Amazon holds its “Breakthrough Novel Award” contest every year, which searches for the best up-and-coming authors and rewards them with publishing contracts from Penguin.

The Kindle Scout is a great platform for an unpublished author. Getting his books published quickly and with the help of Amazon's marketing power would be a dream come true for any budding author.

Now let's wait and see if Kindle Scout produces a literary genius.  

Amazon currently holds a Zacks Rank #3.

Stocks That Warrant a Look

Other better-ranked stocks in the industry include PetMed Express, Inc. (PETS - Analyst Report), EVINE Live Inc. (EVLV - Snapshot Report) and Autobytel Inc. (ABTL - Snapshot Report). While PetMed sports a Zacks Rank #1,  EVINE Live and Autobytel carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Kindlebox lets you send eBooks direct to your Kindle with Dropbox – The Next Web

Kindlebox is a free web app that makes transferring eBooks to your Kindle easier.

The app connects a Dropbox folder to your Kindle and sends books and other readable files over automatically.

You'll need to authorize the app in your Dropbox and Amazon accounts to get it working. Transferring files to and from the Kindle was already pretty easy, but if you use Dropbox, this is definitely a handy addition.

➤ Kindlebox

Amazon’s In-House Kindle Scout Publishing Platform Set To Release First 10 … – The Consumerist

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Consumerist is currently testing a new user experience. If you received an invitation to participate in the beta test, please sign-in below.

Interested in participating? Learn more here.

{* #userInformationForm *} {* traditionalSignIn_displayName *} {* traditionalSignIn_password *}

{* traditionalSignIn_signInButton *}

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{* #forgotPasswordForm *} {* traditionalSignIn_emailAddress *} {* /forgotPasswordForm *}

If you are part of the beta test group, you will receive a link that will allow you to create a new password. If you are not part of the test group, you can learn more here.

The 40 Best Kindle Fire Apps – PC Magazine

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With a huge and ever-growing list of apps available for your Amazon tablet, how do you know which ones to download? Our list can help.

Since the Kindle Fire’s debut, the number of high-quality apps for the platform has grown dramatically. Whether you have a newer Kindle Fire HDX , or a slightly older Kindle Fire, Amazon’s tablet is only as useful as the apps you put on it. This list of the 40 best Kindle Fire apps aims to help you see all the possible uses for your tablet, from entertainment to productivity.

Some of the apps that made this list focus on collaboration and task-management, while others are designed for consuming videos, books, music, and other media. Some apps are great for the whole family, and others, such as those for taking private notes or accessing personal documents, you might want to keep as your own little secret.

Missing from this list are apps that come pre-installed on the Kindle Fire, which include Pulse, Audible, IMDb, Quickoffice, Facebook, and a few others. Many of these apps are indispensable, but, seeing as you already have them, there’s no need to mention them.

Here are 40 of the best apps available for the Kindle Fire, and Kindle Fire HD and HDX. Note that in testing and verifying these apps, I used a Kindle Fire HDX (which is a marked improvement over the original Kindle Fire, I might add). If you know of a great app that isn’t on this list, please mention it in the comments, and we’ll consider including it in a future update to this article.

Kindle: Odds at the Oscars – East Oregonian (subscription)

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Published: February 21, 2015 12:01AM

Odds for the Oscars.

It's that time of year again; a time for Hollywood stars to adorn themselves with outfits conceived by high-end fashion designers and strike poses for paparazzi. A time for speculation on what films will be crowned the most culturally significant by a select number of industry insiders. Yes, it is time for the Academy Awards.

Despite its pomp and circumstance, the Oscars feels like a fixed horse race. It is no secret they aren't awarded on merit — the fact that Stanley Kubrick never received a golden statuette in his lifetime is enough proof of that. Industry considerations and Hollywood politics take prominence over cultural importance. Sometimes it is simply a matter of having distributed the most screener copies to voting Academy members (i.e. "Annie Hall").

Regardless, it is still fun to speculate on who will bring home an Oscar on Sunday and what films will receive a boost at the box office for the next few weeks. In some ways the Oscars are more fun to wager on than the Super Bowl because of myriad deciding factors that are more difficult to quantify than merely one team's athletic ability over another. Ladies and gentlemen, for your gambling pleasure, I give you my odds for "Best Picture."

American Sniper: This felt like a sequel to Clint Eastwood's "chair" speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention — a half-baked commentary on patriotism and violence that almost feels like an attempt to troll conservatives. In the end it was just a confusing mess. It will be even more confusing if American Sniper wins Best Adapted Screenplay. (8-1)

Birdman: A rebuke of mean-spirited critics who get a kick out of putting down honest actors who are earnestly just trying to make a comeback while making some genuine high art. One can imagine that many Academy members with a bone to pick will vote "Birdman" Best Picture out of spite of highfalutin' critics. (2-1)

Boyhood: Epic in scope and impressive in terms of its technical ability, Boyhood's ability to make the viewer feel the passage of time is unlike anything in cinema (The "7 Up" series is a close second, though). "Boyhood" lacks a lot of the glamour and grandeur associated with big Hollywood dramas and may not get the recognition it deserves. (4-1)

The Grand Budapest Hotel: Wes Anderson, one of the last great auteurs standing in modern American cinema, will have his films passed up a couple times before he gets his due. That's not much of a problem in his eyes because he is still allowed to churn out a "Wes Anderson film" every couple of years and they will inevitably be crossover successes between art house cinemas and multiplexes. (9-1)

The Imitation Game: The messages of tolerance and acceptance of those who are different (even if they have the capacity to win a global armed conflict) aren't too heavy-handed, but the breadth of "The Imitation Game" pales to some of its competitors. Expect Benedict Cumberbatch to win Best Actor instead. (19-1)

Selma: Not quite the sadomasochistic guilt cinema that "12 Years A Slave" was and much more enjoyable for that reason. However, the chances that for two years in a row a film dealing with America's racist past taking home Best Picture are quite low. (13-1)

The Theory Of Everything: The filler of the category. One has to wonder if this film was successful due to Eddie Redmayne's uncanny resemblance to a young Austin Powers. (99-1)

Whiplash: The dark horse of the bunch. It has the right amount of solid, non-star actors (J.K. Simmons) while sporting new faces (Miles Teller) to fly under the radar of the majority of the film going public and then come out of nowhere for a surprise finish. Bet your money on Simmons winning Best Supporting Actor if nothing else. (9-1)

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Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 & 7 review – Techlife

Home » Reviews » Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 & 7 review

by Dan Gardiner February 20, 2015

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Price: Fire HD 6, $ 149; Fire HD 7, $ 199

From: Amazon

Critical specs: 1,280 x 800-pixel display (at 6- and 7-inches respectively), 1.21GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB onboard storage, VGA (front) and 2MP (rear) cameras, 290g (6-inch), 337g (7-inch)

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Lets be frank from the outset: Amazon's latest Kindle Fire tablets aren't going to win any awards for performance of sleekness of design. Unlike their HDX counterparts released earlier this year, these new models, available in 6-inch and 7-inch screen sizes, are all about value for money, coming in at $ 149 and $ 199 respectively. And slightly differing size aside, these are pretty much the same tablet under the hood — performance here is around 10-15% slower than Google's 2013 Nexus 7 tablet, which is actually quite respectable considering Amazon's asking price. Battery life was adequate too — we managed around 8-9 hours of general use in testing, and around 4.5 hours for gaming.

Both displays are 1,280 x 800 pixels jobs that give decent-enough visuals to get by — and they're markedly better than most other tablets at this price. The main caveat for us when testing these was storage space (there's only 8GB on each, with no ability to expand on that) and physicality: these are rather chunky and heavy devices — considerably thicker and weightier than their HDX siblings, and without the soft-touch plastic that makes the latter nice to hold in the hand. The 7-inch model is a little more comfortable and usable; the screen on the 6-inch is just a little too small for a tablet, and feels more like an oversized phone.

The other main drawback, of course, is that these Kindles running Amazon's Fire OS 4 — a custom version of Android based on version 4.4.2 of the latter. That means you don't get the Google Play Store, so your main avenue for getting apps and games is through Amazon's own Appstore. And there's no way to buy and watch movies and TV — Amazon's streaming services aren't available in Australia yet.

Still, at this kind of price, those are caveats that some people will surely be able to live with — and these are undeniably some of the best-built budget tablets around.

How to get free Kindle books, free 1 day Amazon delivery and unlimited access … – Mirror.co.uk

Amazon recently relaunched LoveFilm Instant into Amazon Prime – an online service that offers users access to over 1,500 movies, TV shows and documentaries through Prime Instant Video.

And the best bit is that because it’s linked to Amazon, you get free 1-day delivery when you sign up and unlimited access to their huge e-book store – perfect if you own a Kindle and love to read on the go.

But there’s a hidden trick. Here’s how to get the above benefits without spending a penny!

How to get Amazon delivery, movies and more for FREE

Catch up on your favourite movies, TV shows and more for free, when you register for Amazon Prime’s 30 day trial – and cancel after a month.

After your free trial, Prime is £79/year, but there’s no smallprint to say you can’t cancel straight away.

What freebies will I get?

For an entire month, you’ll get:

• Unlimited free one-day delivery on millions of eligible items

• Unlimited streaming of more than 15,000 movies and TV episodes with Prime Instant Video

• Free unlimited photo storage with anywhere access

• Borrow from thousands of Kindle titles for free

• Read one of four pre-release Kindle Books for FREE each month

• No minimum order size

• Share your delivery benefits

How to sign up

To register for your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial, click here. Don’t forget to set a reminder to cancel before the subscription ends.

Got a deal to share? Like Mirror Money on Facebook

Kindlebox Automatically Sends Books From Dropbox To Your Kindle – Lifehacker Australia

It's pretty easy to send just about anything to your Kindle, but if you're looking for an even more automated solution, Kindlebox does the job by linking a Dropbox folder to your Kindle and sending anything over automatically.

Once you authorise Kindlebox on both Dropbox and Amazon, you'll have a new folder in your Dropbox Apps folder. Put any PDF, MOBI, DOC or other type of Kindle-friendly file in there, and Kindlebox will send it over to your Kindle automatically. If you use both Dropbox and your Kindle a lot, this makes syncing the two up a lot easier. Unfortunately, you can't delete stuff directly from the Dropbox folder, but you can delete from your Kindle as normal.

Kindlebox

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New Kindle Fire HDX crosses into tablet territory – Sydney Morning Herald

Kindle Fire HDX 8.9

E-READERS

Is it a tablet? Is it an e-reader? Is it enough to convince traditional book readers to betray more than 500 years of bound paper pages for words in sRGB pixels?

Amazon’s first Kindle cornered the e-book market in 2007, selling out in five hours and remaining out of stock for the next five months. The Fire HDX 8.9-inch tablet e-reader pushes Kindle’s digital content credentials further into tablet territory with a screen that could send Narcissus spinning head first into its dazzling liquid-like 339 pixel per inch (PPI) display.

There’s no denying this 2560 x 1600 LCD screen, with more than 4 million pixels, is glorious, and the Dolby Digital Plus audio adds cinema sound to the experience, but what is the HDX like to read on?

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At just 374 grams, it’s definitely light, about 34 per cent lighter than the previous model; its indented corners make for beautiful grip, a matte surface keeping it from slipping.

As with the Kindle Paperwhite, the HDX is backlit but the text here is definitely sharper. If you’re concerned about reports that bright screens can delay the body’s production of sleep-inducing melatonin, you can adjust the brightness in your settings, but I’m reluctant to dial down the spectacular clarity.

A 2.2GHz quad core brain makes this thing fly. You can also display two pages at once, which gives you that free-flowing eye scan and the look of an open book.

A clever X-Ray feature spotlights characters, ideas and places, and the social integration with book community Goodreads lets you share, rate and discuss books, starting with the e-books in your library.

Battery life is about 12 hours, which is a long way off the 28-hour run of the Paperwhite, but the versatility of the Fire HDX is undeniable, particularly appealing for families who want a multimedia device for books, magazines, movies, music and web browsing.

If you simply want an e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite is a better option at a third of the price, delivering weeks of charge, and less strain on the eyes.

RRP $ 479 at Big W, Dick Smith and Amazon.com.

The Fantasy Black Book is now available on Kindle and ITunes – FakeTeams

Ray provides an excerpt from the recently launched 2015 edition of The Fantasy Black Book, written by Joe Pisapia.

Joe Pisapia is the author of the #1 best selling Fantasy Baseball Black Book 2015 Edition on the Kindle Store andiTunes for Apple Devices . He is also host of the Fantasy Black Book on Sirius/XM Fantasy and the Dear Mr. Fantasy Podcast .

I recently had the opportunity to meet Joe Pisapia, an author of a best seller fantasy baseball book,The Fantasy Black Book. A few weeks ago, Joe invited me to be a guest on the fantasy baseball show he hosts, The Fantasy Black Book show, on SiriusXM Fantasy Radio on Friday and Saturday evenings from 10:00 pm – 12:00 am. is a co-host on the top rated Dear Mr. Fantasy Podcast with Chris McBrien.

Whether you are new to fantasy baseball or a veteran of many years like me, one must never stop seeking out and honing their fantasy baseball knowledge. The Fantasy Black Book offers fantasy players another way to value players, via the Relative Position Value (RPV). RPV breaks down the position scarcity equation, telling you how to value players at each position, and across positions, and can be applied to all types of leagues, whether you play in roto or points leagues. The Fantasy Black Book can be used to get a leg up on your competition and ensure you are prepared on draft day.

Below you will find an excerpt from the 2015 edition of the Fantasy Black Book for your reading pleasure.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE RETURNING TOMMY JOHN PITCHERS?

An epidemic. This was the best way to describe last season’s rash of Tommy John surgeries. It was a death knell for many fantasy owners right out of the box when Jose Fernandez went down for the year. The list of pitchers needing the surgery last year is staggering:

1.   Jarrod Parker, A’s (2^nd TJ)

2.   Luke Hochevar, Royals

3.   Bobby Parnell, Mets

4.   Kris Medlen, Royals (2^nd)

5.   Cory Leubke, Padres (2^nd)

6.   Brandon Beachy

7.   Matt Moore, Rays

8.   David Hernandez, D’Backs

9.   Patrick Corbin, D’Backs

10.                 Bruce Rondon, Tigers

11.                 Jameson Taillon, Pirates

12.                 Josh Johnson, Padres (2^nd)

13.                 Ivan Nova, Yankees

14.                 Jose Fernandez, Marlins

15.                 Martin Perez, Rangers

There are additional minor leaguers who went under the knife in 2014 as well. Take note of several players who are having their second procedure. This is a reminder that not every pitcher is “fixed for good” after this surgery. Those players going on number two were not quite as effective after the first one. Parker of the A’s never regained the full velocity on his fastball that made him a top prospect once upon a time. Josh Johnson was once a dominant hurler only to be a shell of his former self post-surgery. Adam Wainwright initially struggled with his command the year following surgery number two, though he eventually regained his status at the top. But he is in the minority.

Which leaves us to ponder the initial question: where should we value these arms on the comeback trail? And should we be considering them at all in single season leagues?

Matt Harvey (whose surgery took place in late 2013) is the furthest along the return track despite being slowed down by the cautious Mets. This was more than likely a wise decision, as Harvey is the franchise and the Mets were a non-contender yet again. You have to love his spunk, though. Harvey had every intention of pitching in September and is truly a ferocious competitor. This can be a double edged sword. The mindset that makes Harvey great could also be his undoing in his journey back. Will he listen to his body telling him it is not 100% this year and push beyond where he should? It’s quite possible. Will the Mets do everything they can to baby him and potentially limit his innings like Stephen Strasburg was a few years ago? Yes. Of all of the guys on this list, only Harvey and Fernandez have the potential to be the best pitcher in baseball, and, for that reason, Harvey should warrant reasonable investment in all leagues and formats. He has too much upside to i gnore. If Strasburg’s 2012 season is any indication (15-6, 3.16 ERA, 11.1 K/9) when he returned from TJ, then Harvey should be a very productive #2 starter in most leagues. I would not be comfortable with him as a rotation anchor at this stage, however.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that those further removed from the surgery are safe investments, but they are still far from a sure thing. The same is true for the young guys with upside. Dylan Bundy seemed lost toiling in the minors last year after holding the #1 pitching prospect title heading into 2013. His control was spotty and velocity was inconsistent. Most TJ recoverees, experience better results in year two following the process. By that logic, none of these names on last year’s list should be counted on for much in 2015.

In dynasty drafts, I would be seriously targeting a few of these guys because their value may never be lower. You may have to wait until 2016 to see substantial dividends, but there are some worth the risk. Obviously, Jose Fernandez is number one on that list, but Matt Moore is a close second in my eyes. Moore was a dominant lefty strikeout machine in his minor league career and had decent success in the majors as well. His walk rate is a bit higher that you may like, but, on raw ability, he has the potential to be an impact fantasy pitcher. The other interesting name is Ivan Nova. He really turned a corner in the second half of 2013 and it was unfortunate that his '14 season was cut short. The Yankees will always field a competitive team and Nova showed real growth and maturity on the mound. Some may like Patrick Corbin, but I see him as a one year wonder based on his minor league career peripherals and second half collapse in 2013.

As for the guys on surgery number two, I’ll politely pass on all of them. Chances are you are wasting roster spots on them. There will be plenty of owners wasting draft picks in single season leagues hoping to stash them and catch lightning in a bottle in the second half. It’s more likely that they will show inconsistent results (if any results at all), and you are better served using late round picks on HEALTHY young upside talent or building roster depth to cover your weaknesses. The owners that shy away from this list will be grateful that they aren’t left holding the bag come July.

Union Cabinet Meetings Will Use Kindle. To Go Fully Paperless In 6 Months – Trak.in (blog)

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The ruling party might have taken a drubbing at the recently concluded Delhi assembly elections but that is not keeping the dynamic Prime Minister from going all out to propose and try out new ideas.

In something which will mark the beginning a new paperless era, the meetings of the Union Cabinet are all set to go paperless. The government is already working on giving finishing touches to a plan which will then help put all Cabinet notes on Kindle devices. The ministers will be able to access those notes from their eBook readers at meetings and then return these devices to the Cabinet Secretariat immediately after.

While plans and proposals earlier would take at least half a decade in the incubation, implementation and execution stage, this new government surely deserves to be applauded for acting at lightning speed. In keeping with the same, the National Informatics Centre (NIC), which is the technology arm of the government, has been instructed to implement the aforementioned project within six months as well.

The new move will not only cut down on the usage of paper significantly but also, believes the Prime Ministers' Office, help plug the leakage of sensitive information to the media before they have reached a decision making stage.

The proposal, at present, involves giving all ministers and secretaries a Kindle device loaded with Cabinet notes and annexures by the Cabinet Secretariat when they arrive to cabinet meetings instead of carrying briefcases stuffed with papers. These devices will then be handed back to the Secretariat when they leave the meeting.

Now, why Kindle devices? Why not something more 'happening' like iPads or more stylish like the umpteen tablets out in the market? After all, our governments are known to shower lots of love by way of swanky cars, foreign trips, latest gadgets, etc on their top bureaucrats and ministers! Why then the smaller screened Kindles and not the 10 inch tablets?

The NIC explains that they compared all other available alternatives and picked up the Kindle only after evaluating the pros and cons associated with each of those.

"Ease of access and absolute secrecy were the two things we evaluated all options on," another source said.

"To ensure an additional level of security, the notes in Kindle would get erased if there was an attempt to access its ports with a wire (USB link) or if there was an attempt to copy the information even through wireless using technologies like Bluetooth. Since each minister would have a digital signature, they could also sign on the Cabinet decisions," said the sources.

That does not mean that the ministries will go paperless totally. They will continue to use paper for communicating among themselves while drafting Cabinet notes. Those paper notes would be circulated to every ministry as per the current practice.

After the ministers make their final comments and the file reaches the cabinet secretary concerned, the documents will be transferred to the electronic format. Cabinet decisions will then be taken from the electronic format which will also be used for releasing information to the Press Information Bureau or other agencies while the paper files will not leave the Cabinet secretariat at all.

The idea is partly modeled on Andhra Pradesh, where the N Chandrababu Naidu government has moved to an e-cabinet mode.

J Lakshminarayana, adviser to the government of Andhra Pradesh (e-governance, electronics and IT), had earlier said that the e-cabinet mode had helped facilitate and expedite the decision-making process. While Cabinet notes in the state are right now available both in paper and electronic format, Naidu's ministers use their own devices to access those.

The central government proposal is different from that of the AP government in that respect, since they have no plans of giving their ministers the right to access the confidential information in the paper format after the plan becomes operational.

Are our ministers (most of them on the wrong side of seventies) tech savvy enough to be able to handle Kindles? If they can indeed manage these devices comfortably, it would indeed be a great beginning in making a move towards paperless government offices.

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Bootloader unlock for Kindle Fire HDX tablet now available – Android Community

John Hoff

The Kindle Fire HDX Tablet is just one of those tablets, you know – the ones that you love so much for the robust specs but hate so much because of the software embedded in it. In this case it is Amazon's proprietary Fire OS. Nothing against the concept of tweaked Android stuff, because we love that. It's just the locked bootloader on the tablet – which means you can't easily change software – that tick us off.

The Kindle Fire HDX is one robust piece of tech – we dig the 7-inch and 8.9-inch full HD displays, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors, and the 2GB of RAM. What's not to like? Well, the locked bootloader, for one. If you grow tired of Fire OS, there is no easy way to get to a stock Android-based ROM. (There is a way, but it's just not easy or as safe.)

Enter XDA member "dpeddi", who has published a procedure to unlock the bootloader – the first step to safer and more generic flashing of custom ROMs to your Kindle Fire HDX. There are a couple of caveats to this process though. First, you need to have root access to your device. How you do that is your issue to do (besides, it's fun to finally get root access). Then, you need to be running the Kindle Fire HDX firmware version 3.1.0 through 3.2.4 ONLY. If you're running something newer, you have to find a way to downgrade. Lastly, the commands are run from a Linux PC. We're pretty sure someone can translate that to a Windows-driven process soon, though.

Oh, and please note – if you want to do this to a Fire Phone, you're out of luck, it's not going to work. Pretty rough hack, at this point. But if you exercise a little patience, we're pretty sure this is going to get easier as the hack matures. Check out the original thread here at XDA at your own risk.

VIA: Liliputing

Story Timeline

• Amazon Kindle Fire HDX gets an early holiday treatment with new installment plan
• Amazon unveils new Fire HDX 8.9, Fire OS 4 “Sangria”
• Kindle Fire HDX 7″ bundled with Fire Phone, only from AT&T

Modi government plans to put Cabinet notes on Kindle to maintain secrecy … – IBNLive

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday came down heavily on reported plans of the BJP-led government to put all Cabinet notes on Kindle devices to stop leakage of information, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not even trust his own ministers.

“PMO, it appears, has passed a ‘no-confidence vote’ in the entire Cabinet. While ‘unilateralism’ and ‘autocarcy’ have become hallmarks of style of functioning of the PM, the latest decision is a clear affront to the constitutional scheme of applying collective wisdom of Union Cabinet on all important issues of policy and legislations,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

According to some media reports, the government is finalising a plan to put all Cabinet notes on Kindle devices, which ministers will use at meetings and return to the Cabinet Secretariat immediately after.

According to reports, government is planning to put Cabinet notes on Kindle, which ministers will use at meetings and return to the Cabinet Secretariat immediately after.

Seeking to know the reasons behind the move, he asked, “Is it because some Cabinet colleagues are raising their voice against a spate of issues being bulldozed through ordinances or is it Modi’s fear that someone will point out the obvious absence of dialogue, discussion and democratic functioning in his apparatus?”.

Surjewala said if ministers are leaking confidential information to media, then the PM should remove such ministers instead of making the process autocratic.

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