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Here are some handy tips from actual Kindle owners to newcomers who just got one in the past few days. I cribbed most of these from this Amazon Discussion Forum thread, and although I’ve edited it down to the ones I personally vouch for, the whole thread is worth a look if you’re just getting started.

Shopping

  • Don’t feel compelled to grab every free book offer just because it’s free. At the same time, don’t hesitate on free offers that interest you, because a lot of deals are time-sensitive.
  • Pressing Alt+Home will take you straight to the Kindle store on your device.
  • Take advantage of samples to help curb your impulse buys.
  • Use eReaderIQ.com to keep an eye on expensive Kindle titles, so you can be alerted if the price drops.
  • If you share your Kindle account with others, or if you like to maintain a gift card balance just for books, consider setting up a second account on Amazon that’s reserved solely for the Kindle.

The Device

  • Learn which Kindle model you own, so you can troubleshoot it or look for accessories for it without confusion.Here’s a chart to help you out.
  • If you only occasionally deal with damp places when reading your Kindle, try a Ziploc-style plastic bag that seals. However, don’t rely on it for higher-risk areas like pools or boats–invest in a waterproof case or bag.
  • Instead of turning it off, put your Kindle in sleep mode when you’re not reading it, by sliding and releasing the power button. Only turn off your Kindle completely (by holding the power switch for 5-7 seconds) if you’re not going to use it for a week or more.
  • To save battery life, turn off the wireless function if you don’t need it. You can turn this on/off under the main menu.
  • Download Calibre and use it on your PC the way you would use iTunes–that is, to organize all of your ebooks. It won’t let you open DRM-locked Kindle books from the Amazon store, but it will let you add meta data, change titles, and collect your Kindle purchases with the rest of your growing ebook collection.
  • A padded 6″x9″ mailing envelope will work as a super cheap Kindle sleeve.

Troubleshooting

  • Download to your PC a backup copy of your Kindle user guide. (All guides are located athttp://www.amazon.com/kindledocuments.) It will be easier to access and let you look up info even if you don’t have your Kindle in front of you.
  • Also, read the user guide that’s pre-loaded on your Kindle. Seriously, it will make your life a lot easier, and it’s not dense or too technical.
  • If you bought one of the new non-lighted Amazon Kindle covers and your Kindle does weird things (losing places in books, rebooting, not maintaining a charge), contact Amazon about replacing the cover. This is a recently identified issue with some of the unlighted covers, although it hasn’t yet been formally confirmed by Amazon.

Finally, subscribe via RSS to this blog or others like it for regular tips and news. It’s an easy way to stay up to date on what’s going on with the Kindle marketplace.

(Photo: kisocci)

Via Chris Walters’ BookSprung blog

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