Amazon Announces Kindle Publishing Tools v2.7

KingleGen and Kindle Previewer download v2.7
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Not to be outdone by Apple’s release of updates to iBooks and iBooks Author, the Amazon Kindle Publishing Team announced today the release of KindleGen 2.7 and Kindle Preview 2.7. Here is what we get in the update:

The updated KindleGen 2.7 software includes:
*) Enabled support for JP vertical rendering and multiple page writing modes (L to R, R to L)
*) Enabled support for facing pages (left or right)
*) Enabled support for double page spreads
*) Enabled properties to support spine for fixed format content
*) Added KF8 and M7 file size stats that will be displayed after conversion
*) Added Mobi7 support for HTML tags with multiple classes (e.g.,)
*) Data URI support for images and embedded fonts so that they can be referred directly in HTML and CSS files
*) Multiple bug fixes and enhancements.

The updated Kindle Previewer 2.7 software includes:
*) Kindle Fire HD viewing mode
*) Kindle Paperwhite viewing mode
*) Japanese vertical writing mode support in Kindle Paperwhite skin
*) Preview support for fixed layout books with virtual panels & double page spreads (Kindle Paperwhite)
*) Preview support for fixed layout books in both portrait and landscape orientations (when orientation lock is not specified in book) in Kindle Paperwhite viewing mode
*) Support for changing background color in Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD skins.
*) Provides device groups namely Kindle for eInk, Kindle for Tablets and Kindle for iOS. Enables Single click to switch between devices within a group.
*) Multiple bug fixes and enhancements

 

Both updates can be downloaded from the Kindle Format 8 page.

Update: The Amazon Kindle Publishing Guide has been updated to version 2012.5. It includes more information on Fixed Layout (FXL), dictionaries, and CSS for the Kindle Fire 8 (KF8) format.

Amazon has also updated their Kindle app for iOS to version 3.4. The new app now has:

• New Font Choice: Caecilia
• Publisher Font: Read the book in the publisher suggested font
• Support for Japanese, including Vertical Text & Manga

Are there any features in the Kindle software updates that you are excited to see? Is there anything else that should have been on this list?

8 Responses to “Amazon Announces Kindle Publishing Tools v2.7”

  1. Thanks for the heads up, Matthew. I’m not a big fan of FXL, but I look forward to seeing how our eBooks look in the new Paperwhite with Kindle Previewer.

  2. Just tried it out for a while on some eBooks and both KindleGen and the new Kindle Previewer work great. One nice thing on the previewer is you can now preview it with the black or sepia background. This will probably encourage people, including our shop, to think twice about the images they choose or forcing certain types of font colors.

    The Kindle Fire HD preview is almost exactly the same as the old Kindle Fire and Kindle Paperwhite is almost like Kindle Touch in the way it renders CSS declarations.

    One lousy thing about the new Kindlegen build is there is still no way to apply different styles to the different KF8 devices. The dropcap CSS on Kindle Fire looks great, but it comes out sort of weird on Kindle Touch/Paperwhite. I usually design for the Kindle Fire in mind, but that’s just us.

    The new Kindle Publishing Guidelines haven’t changed much. I think there’s some more information on how to do fixed layout, but I avoid FXL like a plague.

    Thanks, Matthew.

  3. Ram says:

    Hi
    In Kf8 Fixed layout with text images having noise surrounding the text in Previewer an KF8 Device also does u have any suggestions.

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