Amazon’s newest Kindle Scribe is better than ever – but I’d recommend this model instead

Amazon simply launched its latest Kindle Scribe final week, however I have been utilizing the older Scribe mannequin for 2 years now, and I do not plan on upgrading any time quickly. Positive, it is tempting to spring for a brand new gadget, however Amazon launched a handful of {hardware} and software program updates for the first-generation Kindle Scribe that considerably enhance its performance. 

I up to date my authentic Kindle Scribe to the 5.17.2 software program and am very happy that Amazon continues to boost this pen-enabled e-reader regularly. If you have not seen the replace pop up by yourself Kindle, you might have to run it manually. Simply go to this Amazon web page for step-by-step directions. It is very straightforward for a Home windows pc, however takes a bit extra work for a Mac because you first must obtain and set up the Ship to Kindle utility.

ZDNET’s Kyle Kucharski not too long ago went hands-on with the second-generation Kindle Scribe, and lauded the Lively Canvas in his evaluation as considered one of its standout options. So I used to be joyful to search out it’s also now obtainable on my authentic Kindle Scribe. Personally, I hardly ever make notes in my Kindle books, however I admire that the function is there ought to I wish to attempt it.

I do, nonetheless, like making notes and lists. Paper notes was once strewn round my desk, however now you’ll solely discover the Kindle Scribe. I seize notes for conferences, product briefings, activity lists, outlines of bigger paperwork, convention notes, and extra. A few of my notebooks are a number of pages lengthy so it takes time to return by these to search out key information that I want for different conversations or to incorporate in submittals.

The AI-powered options carry some additional usefulness to your notes that I admire. To attempt them out, go right into a observe, faucet the highest proper and discover the AI icon, then faucet on it to disclose two choices; Summarize and Refine writing. The Summarize function makes use of AI to supply an outline of both the present web page or the complete pocket book, and is customizable with the font household, font measurement, and line spacing to your choice. 

The Convert to textual content function takes your handwritten notes, runs it by the conversion and e mail course of on Amazon’s servers, and generates a textual content doc. Useful if you do not have the best handwriting on the planet. 

The brand new Refine writing choice is helpful for checking the textual content conversion in your Kindle Scribe previous to sending by way of e mail or saving it. When you begin the method, you will notice a splash web page after which your handwritten notes will seem on the show in script font in a format much like the way you wrote the notes, comparable to define, indented bullets, numbered lists, and extra.

The identical Customise and Add to Pocket book choices seem within the backside proper of the refined web page. I like these choices since you’ll be able to nonetheless preserve your authentic handwritten observe and complement it with this conversion. My spouse has problem studying my handwriting, however Amazon’s generative AI constructed on Amazon Bedrock appears to have little bother parsing it. 

I’ve been very impressed with the velocity and accuracy of each the summaries and handwriting conversion of the brand new AI function. I want to research the AI mannequin since I do not wish to share delicate enterprise data with a public information supply and violate our work AI coverage. 

For personal notes and people that aren’t confidential data, I’ll seemingly use the Summarize function with most of my notes to behave as an index the place I can discover extra particulars throughout the pocket book. The truth that these options work so properly within the first-generation Scribe means this gadget is much from out of date.