Tag Archives: kindle store

Review of Kindle HD Fire 7

This review is of the Kindle Fire HD 7: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-HD-Display-Wi-Fi-Black/dp/B00JXOXLP0
The Kindle Fire HD 7 allows the user to do far more than merely read books. The Fire also acts as a music player, enables the user to send and receive email, offers the ability to surf the web using Amazon’s Silk browser and perform many other tasks.
As a registered blind person I use the Fire’s text-to-speech facility which is of a very high quality. I do own an earlier version of the Kindle, however although this has a text to speech facility I am only able to read books with it (i.e. I cannot shop in the Amazon store or perform tasks other than reading). Consequently the Kindle Fire HD 7 is a good buy for people who are visually impaired, as they can shop Amazon on the device, (prior to me receiving the Kindle Fire as a Christmas present I had no option other than to purchase books and other items from Amazon using my computer, so the ability to shop using the device makes life much easier).
Although the device is very accessible, I do not like the on-screen keyboard as a light touch will activate a character meaning I, as a blind person cannot use it. I use an Apple Bluetooth keyboard which works well with the device.
Unfortunately Amazon’s Silk browser is only partially accessible to people with little or no vision. Amazon are aware of this and are looking into the issue.
My Kindle was purchased in John Lewis who offer an automatic 2 year guarantee with the Kindle, while Amazon’s guarantee is, I understand, only for 1 year. Consequently I would recommend that anyone thinking of purchasing a Kindle Fire HD 7 in the UK consider buying from John Lewis rather than Amazon.
I would recommend the Kindle HD 7.

Fun With Amazon’s Author Central

2 Replies

I have never had a problem with Amazon until today. I had experienced difficulties in adding my collection of poetry and prose, “Dalliance” (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QQVJC7E) to my Amazon author page (http://www.amazon.com/K.-Morris/e/B00CEECWHY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0). I contacted Amazon asking that they please add Dalliance to my existing author page and, low and behold they created an entirely new page showing only “Dalliance” (all 6 of my previously published titles remaining on the correct author’s page).

I contacted Amazon this morning and they advise that “Dalliance” has now been added to my existing Author’s page. However, on last checking it does not seem to be there.

Every organisation does, of course make mistakes. Companies are, after all composed of fallible human beings. The above incident does, however underline the importance of checking that your Author page (if you have one) accurately reflects all of your works together with any other information provided by you to Amazon.

Modesty Forbids

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I have blogged previously about my early new year’s resolution to start leaving reviews, on Amazon of the books which I purchase from the Kindle Store (please see https://newauthoronline.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/book-reviews/). I have got off to a flying start by leaving a review of a book which I recently purchased from Amazon. I was, therefore rraring to go, my fingers poised above keyboard, on receiving an e-mail from Amazon asking me to rate one of my recent purchases – that is until I read the title of the book which they wished me to review – “The Girl At The Bus Stop”, by K Morris. To explain, as the author of said book I don’t feel best placed to provide an unbiased rating/review of my writing (can’t think why)! It would have been fun to attempt to rate my own work just to see how robust Amazon’s systems are at weeding out author generated reviews/ratings, however I would have died of shame had my rating actually appeared on the site!

Why you may ask did I purchase a copy of my own book? Simple, I wished to check that “The Girl At The Bus Stop” could be read without difficulty using a Kindle.

Well the above certainly made me smile!