Kindle Skills - Read While You Charge

Horrors! You are in the middle of the best adventure/hot steamy/romance/comedy/biography (take your pick) ever, and that awful low battery message appears. What to do!

Well - If you don't mind spending a little quiet time by your computer, you can continue your story while you charge your Kindle with the USB cable.

Hook the Kindle up via the USB cable, then eject it, but leave it connected. Your Kindle will continue to charge but your normal screen (either your Home or the page you were on in the book before you connected it to the USB) will appear and you can continue reading while your Kindle continues to charge.

PC Users: Click the Start button, then click Computer and look for your Kindle. Right click on the Kindle drive and choose Eject. Do NOT disconnect the USB if you want to let it continue to charge.

Mac Users: To safely remove your Kindle from your Mac, drag the icon to the trash. You will see the pointer change to an eject button when you have it over the trash bin... drop it and the icon will disappear, indicating you can safely disconnect the USB cable. Do NOT disconnect the USB if you want to let it continue to charge.

Oh... When the light turns green, you can un tether your Kindle.

Ask Mrs. Wizard: Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - Don't turn it off...Put it to sleep

There is no need to turn your Kindle completely off. With the e-ink technology, the battery drain is darn near zero unless you are turning pages or doing something Internet related.

Put your Kindle to sleep instead. It will come on faster and be more ready when you are. When your Kindle is asleep, you will see one of those lovely images, rather than a blank screen.

First generation Kindle: While holding down the Alt key, press the Aa key to put your Kindle to sleep or wake it up. There is a power switch on the back of this Kindle to do a full shut down.

Kindle 2, and DX: The on-off switch is on the top. To do a complete shut down, slide the switch and hold it to the side for several seconds. You will see your screen go blank. To just put the Kindle to sleep, slide the switch over, then let it go (no holding). You will see the sleep image appear. To wake up your Kindle, repeat the process (switch slide).

Latest Kindle (wi fi and 3G):  It is pretty much the same as the Kindle 2 and DX, only the on-off switch is on the bottom instead of the top.

Ask Mrs. Wizard: Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Free on Amazon Today

One of these is a "second chance" free book... Enjoy!
Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about the book. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind.

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can!

The New World

Patrick Ness

Kindle Edition

$0.00

Blood of the Wicked

Leighton Gage

Kindle Edition

$0.00

	Phenomenal Girl 5 ~ A. J. Menden Available for free in the following regions: Australia, Asia & Pacific*, Africa*, United States, Canada, Europe*, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Conspiracy in Kiev ~ Noel Hynd Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Danger in the Shadows ~ Dee Henderson Available for free in the following regions: Canada, Australia, Asia & Pacific*, United States, Eu rope< font color='#990000'>*, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*

	Curious Folks Ask: 162 Real Answers on Amazing Inventions, Fascinating Products, and Medical Mysteries ~ Sherry Seethaler Available for free in the following regions: United States
	The Truth About Starting a Business ~ Bruce Barringer Available for free in the fo llowing regions: United States
	The Rules of Life, Expanded Edition: A Personal Code for Living a Better, Happier, More Successful Life ~ Richard Templar Available for free in the following regions: United States, Africa*, Asia & Pacific*, Australia, Canada, Europe*, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Clearing the Mind for Creativity ~ John Kao Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Putting the Public Back in Public Relations ~ Deirdre Breakenridge Available for free in the following regions: United States
	In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life ~ Sinclair Ferguson Available for free in the following regions: United States, Afri ca*, Asia & Pacific*, Australia, Canada, Europe*, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Walt Disney's Way ~ New Word City Available for free in the following regions: United States

	The Winners Manual ~ Jim Tressel Available for free in the following regions: United States, Africa*, Asia & Pacific*, Australia, Canada, Europe*, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Deadly Sanctuary ~ Sylvia Nobel Available for free in the following regions: United States, Australia, Canada
	The Justice Game ~ Randy Singer Available for free in the following regions: United States, Africa*, Asia & Pacific< font color='#990000'>*, Australia, Canada, Europe*, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Happily Ever After (Deep Haven Series #1) ~ Susan May Warren Available for free in the following regions: United States, Africa*, Asia & Pacific*, Australia, Canada, India*, La tin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*

Ask Mrs. Wizard: Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Audible - An Amazon Company

I don't know how far behind the times I am but yesterday I discovered what I had only suspected for some time now... Audible.com is now part of Amazon. It happened when I signed on to my Audible account and was offered a chance to use my Amazon user id and password to log in to both.

I love the notion that now you can purchase great audio books from the same folks who have the largest bookstore in the world. I have been an audible.com member for years and love listening to audio books when I am doing things that don't allow for Kindle or hard copy use, like long walks with the dogs or "quiet" chores.

Several years ago I was introduced to audio books because I could no longer read physical books comfortably. It took a while to learn to not be distracted and just jump into an audio book, but I love them now. Now that my eyes are better (good technology and surgical lens implants) I am loving being able to hold a book (my Kindle) and get lost in a book visually again, but I appreciate those audio books and they still have an important place in my days.

If you haven't tried an audio book on an mp3 player yet, there are all kinds of links to a free trial of audible.com from books on Amazon. Give it a whirl and treat yourself to a free audio book (or two)! If you are a long time member of Audible.com already, you will love being able to access both with your Amazon user id and password. If you prefer to keep them separate, that is ok too.

Kindle Skills - Pass it around

When you find yourself out and about, be sure to take your Kindle with you. It is amazing how even strangers can't resist touching it or asking about it, no matter where you are. It is a terrific conversation starter.

Don't worry about the fingerprints, it is easy to keep wiped down with a simple eyeglasses cloth (you DO keep one handy, right?). Actually, you will find your Kindle screen doesn't show fingerprints much at all. It is very nice when you think of it.

Another thing I like to do is keep a small spray bottle, you can pick up empty ones in just about any all purpose store or drug store, filled with alcohol. Every now and then I will spritz a lint free cloth, then use it to wipe down the Kindle all over. The same thing is great for your computer keyboard.

Kindle for Christmas?

You lucky dog! You are about to rediscover books and have the time of your life! No matter what your taste in reading is, there is always something neat to read.

Discovering how easy it is to use your Kindle, and how easy it is to shop the Amazon store with your Kindle, it won't be long before you are overwhelmed by the sheer number of books (free and otherwise) available with just a few buttons clicks.  Be sure to visit the Kindle store on your computer and look to the right on that main page. You will see a list of best sellers, both free and paid. Click each tab to browse to your heart's content. In the free area, click the "buy now" button and purchase normally... it just won't cost anything, but it will be sent to your Kindle instantly.

My advice to you? Relax and take your time. You will discover you will be able to read so much more than you ever did before. I'm not sure why, except perhaps because it is so easy to have a wide assortment of books on your device at once.

Subscribe to a Kindle blog or two so you can get the most out of your new little machine as soon as possible.

Bottom line? Just ENJOY!

Free on Amazon Today

Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about the book. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind.

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can!

	Heidegger's Glasses ~ Thaisa Frank Available for free in the following regions: Canada, United States
	The Potluck Club (The Potluck Club, Book 1) ~ Linda Evans Shepherd Available for free in the following regions: Middle East*, La tin Am. & Caribbean*, India*, Canada, Africa*, United States

	Carved in Bone with Bonus Material ~ Jefferson Bass Available for free in the following regions: United States
	The Crossroads Cafe ~ Deborah Smith Available for free in the following regions: Europe*, Canada, Asia & Pacific*, Africa*, United States, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*, Australia, India*

Ask Mrs. Wizard: Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - Scareware and Crapware

You can't transfer ebooks to your Kindle from your computer if it is messed up with viruses or a big fat trojan (software that sneaks viruses into your machine disguised as something nice).

Make yourself lower risk by being careful what you click and what web sites you visit. If it sounds too good to be true... trust me.. it is on the Internet. Lately I have heard from two people (two too many) who got sucked in by a scareware program called System Tool.  Basically it weasled its way onto their computer from an infected website or infected email (not sure which). The software comes up saying "your computer is infected, let me check it for you," then wants $$ to clean up the "malware and viruses" for you. Everything about this is bogus. If you see anything like this, make a note of the name exactly, then do a google search to find out how to get rid of it. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, it would be a good idea to take your computer to your local PC doctor and let a professional clean it up for you.

Stay SAFE!

Free on Amazon Today

A little bit of a lot of stuff!
Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about the book. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind.

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can!

	Sukkwan Island Free Novella with Bonus Material ~ David Vann Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Dead Drop: A Lawson Vampire Bonus Story ~ Jon F. Merz Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Craving God eBook ~ Lysa TerKeurst Available for free in the following regions: United States
	A Dog Named Slugger ~ Leigh Brill Available for free in the following regions: Canada, Australia, United States, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*
	The Year She Fell ~ Alicia Rasley Available for free in the following regions: Europe*, Canada, Australia, Asia & Pacific*, Africa*, United States, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Sweetie ~ Kathryn Magendie Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Slave ~ Cheryl Brooks Available for free in the following regions: India*, Europe*, Canada, Australia, Asia & Pacific*, Africa*, United States, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Mossy Creek ~ Deborah Smith Available for free in the following regions: Europe*, Canada, Australia, Asia & Pacific*, Africa*, United States, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Cowboy Trouble ~ Joanne Kennedy Available for free in the following regions: India*, Europe*, Canada, Australia, Asia & Pacific*, Africa*, United States, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	A Taste of Magic ~ Tracy Madison Available for free in the following regions: India*, Europe*, Canada, Asia & Pacific*, Africa*, United States, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*
	Traitor's Wife ~ Susan Higginbotham Available for free in the following regions: Canada, United States

	Circle of Friends Cookbook - 25 Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes: Exclusive on-line cookbook ~ Gooseberry Patch Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Circle of Friends Cookbook - 25 Mac & Cheese Recipes: Exclusive on-line cookbook ~ Gooseberry Patch Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Circle of Friends Cookbook - 25 Meatloaf Recipes: Exclusive on-line cookbook ~ Gooseberry Patch Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Deadly Sanctuary ~ Sylvia Nobel Available for free in the following regions: Australia, United States

	Romeo, Romeo ~ Robin Kaye Available for free in the following regions: India*, Canada, Asia & Pacific*, Africa*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, Middle East*, United States, Australia
	Millies Fling ~ Jill Mansell Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Cat Calls ~ Cynthia Leitich Smith Available for free in the following regions: United States, Canada
	Start to Love Not Smoking ~ Ben (C) Fletcher and Karen Pine Available for free in the following regions: United States, Africa*, Canada, Europe*, India*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*

Ask Mrs. Wizard: Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - Multitasking

I don't know how it happens sometimes, but I have caught myself more and more lately with several books on my Kindle going at the same time. The worst part is, they are still making sense. I never used to be able to do that before! I was a "one thing at a time" kind of gal.

One of the great things about our Kindles is how we can read a book, go on to another one, then return to any other book we have begun, knowing when we open it, it will be exactly where we left it before.  And we don't have to do a thing, other than open it and begin reading. Our places are always saved.

I love it!

I have found myself reading a lot more than I had been able to before. The Kindle is certainly easier on my eyes, and since it is no bigger than many paperbacks, it is easy to carry an entire library around at all times, no matter where I happen to be, which makes reading several books at a time a lot easier.

I have been reading a lot on my iPhone too. That is turning out to be a device I want to have close all the time now. The Internet, Audible.com (I have an app for that), Amazon and Kindle (an app for that of course) are all just a touch away. Heck, I was at a meeting not too long ago and discovered a new perfume I fell in love with, asked the gal what it was, and without even thinking, looked it up on Amazon and had it ordered and on the way to my house before the meeting was even over. Now that has to be some kind of a sin. Talk about an impulse purchase!

Reading in a car isn't a bad experience either. I don't know why either, because when I was a kid, reading in the car was a certain ticket to barf city for me. Maybe it is an age thing, because now I can lounge in the front seat or the back seat with a good book on the Kindle or iPhone (great after dark) while hubby drives (he loves it) all over the country. We do enjoy road trips, and now I have reason to love them even more.

Looking forward to 2011 and all the good things my Kindle has for me. I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season and are looking forward to the next year too!

Kindle Skills - checking stuff

To check to see if any of your books are still being indexed (drains the battery a little more than normally)...

From the home screen, go to Search and type a nonsense term (for example, xx or yy). If the system is done indexing books, it will display ‘No Items’. If there are still items being indexed, the Kindle will display “Indexing Still in Progress”.

Indexing happens when you add any new books. It takes a little while, but you will appreciate it when you need to find something in any one of possibly hundreds of books already on your Kindle.

If you have downloaded a lot of books, from Amazon, as well as other places, you might want to let your Kindle do its indexing at night so it will be out of the way and nice and frisky by morning.

Before going to bed at night, plug your Kindle in, leave it on, and leave it in that state for the rest of the night. Make sure WhisperNet is on in case you have any books to be downloaded or software updates to be made, giving your Kindle the ability to catch up. You will be glad you did.

Free on Amazon Today

Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about the book. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind.

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can!

	It's About More Than the Money (Introduction & Chapter 4): Take Responsibility ~ Saly A. Glassman Available for free in the following regions: United States
	The Truth About Managing Change: The Essential Truths in 20 Minutes ~ William S. Kane Available for free i n the following regions: United States
	Valeria's Cross ~ Kathi Macias Available for free in the following regions: Middle East*, Latin Am. & Caribbean*, India*, Europe*, Canada, Australia, Africa*, United States
	Insights from Remarkable Businesspeople (Collection) ~ FT Press Delivers Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Success Built to Last: Creating a Life that Matters ~ Jerry Porras Available for free in the following regions: United States
	So What?: How to Communicate What Really Matters to Your Audience ~ Mark Magnacca Available for free in the following regions: United States
	Leading at a Higher Level, Revised and Expanded Edition: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations ~ Ken Blanchard Available for free in the following regions: United States

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog