Question for Amazon Kindle users who use Linux

[hanzj]

Hello,
We're considering getting the Amazon Kindle 6" greyscale (the basic, $79 model at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051QVESA/).

Question 1: Can the Kindle work with a Linux computer?

Q2: Particularly, how easy is it to add PDF, HTML, JPG, PNG to your Kindle using a Linux computer?

Q3: How do PDF, JPG and PNG look on the Kindle?

[Paqman]

Hello,
We're considering getting the Amazon Kindle 6" greyscale (the basic, $79 model at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051QVESA/).

Question 1: Can the Kindle work with a Linux computer?

Q2: Particularly, how easy is it to add PDF, HTML, JPG, PNG to your Kindle using a Linux computer?

In answer to both, install Calibre. It'll handle transferring and converting your documents and books.

Q3: How do PDF, JPG and PNG look on the Kindle?

PDFs can be iffy, results vary widely. JPG and PNG are just images, so they'll be fine.

[kgarbutt]

I have the kindle keyboard and the kindle fire. The kindle you want is not very good with pdfs & forget about using it for the web (html). For those capibilites, you really need the kindle fire. As for the linux desktop, that isn't a problem as I us a linux desktop with my kindles. And finally, it is real easy to add files to your kindle. Just drag & drop it in or Amazon gives you an Amazon email address to use with your Kindle. You just email things to your address & they will appear on your kindle. This is generally limited to wifi & NOT there wispernet or 3G.

[Open Source Noob]

Own a that specific kindle model and use Calibre all the time, just drag and drop, no worries. Since this specific model has no option to resize the text you have to edit the files in calibre to change the text.

But (like others have said) I've had a few issues with resizing the fonts on some PDF files when trying to make it larger.

Still worth it though!

[cortman]

PDF's work great with my Kindle 3. I have Calibre and it is great software, however for adding files to the Kindle I almost never use it. Just drag and drop files into the "documents" folder on the Kindle.
I believe Kindle has an image viewer built in but it's an easter egg, so don't expect anything special from it.
HTML doesn't work AFAIK.
And if you can, it would probably make your life easier if you'd convert your PDF's and HTML to .mobi files in Calibre.

[hanzj]

PDFs can be iffy, results vary widely. JPG and PNG are just images, so they'll be fine.

Paqman, if it isn't too inconvenient, could you take a photograph of your kindle displaying a JPG picture and post a link to the original JPEG file?

[hanzj]

Dear all,
Thanks for the unanimously recommending Calibre. I plan on installing Calibre if we buy a Kindle.

[hanzj]

I have the kindle keyboard and the kindle fire. The kindle you want is not very good with pdfs & forget about using it for the web (html). For those capibilites, you really need the kindle fire. As for the linux desktop, that isn't a problem as I us a linux desktop with my kindles. And finally, it is real easy to add files to your kindle. Just drag & drop it in or Amazon gives you an Amazon email address to use with your Kindle. You just email things to your address & they will appear on your kindle. This is generally limited to wifi & NOT there wispernet or 3G.

Thanks, kgarbutt.

Is there a charge for using the Kindle email address? I can't recall exactly, but I vaguely remember reading that Kindle charges extra for some service.

[chamber]

No. You have to set one up initially anyway. I have never been charged.

[Paqman]

Paqman, if it isn't too inconvenient, could you take a photograph of your kindle displaying a JPG picture and post a link to the original JPEG file?

No need. Just check out the Kindle screensaver to see it displaying an image. You basically get a nice greyscale picture.