Kindle 2: Linux eBook from Amazon
Kindle eBooks have been around since the '90's, and although sales are still uncertain, Amazon has now upped the ante by not only releasing version 2, but also publishing parts of the Linux source code.
Linuxdevices.com has taken a closer look at the device. First of all, it looks good and is thinner than Kindle 1.While the display hasn't changed that much, the device now has 16 gray shades which help greatly with contrast adjustment. Pages turn 20% faster and thanks to the new user interface, turning the page, making notes and skipping pages has become a lot easier.
Hardware:
The SoC (System on Chip) is a Freescale I.MX31 processor, based on ARM11 architecture with a 532 MHz tact. Kindle 2 has 32 MByte RAM and 2 GByte memory with 1.4 available to the user. Large enough for 1.500 books, says Amazon. The original SD slot of its predecessor has been replaced by a mini USB 2.0 port and a 3.5 mm audio line-out has been added. Improved battery performance should keep the device running for four to five days.
Presently aimed exclusively at the US market, Kindle 2 will cost 360 USD, with downloads available via the 3G wireless Whispernet.
Source Code:
The source code for Kindle 2 can be downloaded here. The 138 MByte TAR.GZ archive contains a U-Boot 2.6.22 Linux kernel, Alsa, Busybox, Powertop, Gstreamer, Bootchart and other popular open-source programs. Developers are calling attention to the short boot-time and energy saving functions of the device. More information on Kindle 2 can be found here.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
ONLYOFFICE v9 Embraces AI
Like nearly all office suites on the market (except LibreOffice), ONLYOFFICE has decided to go the AI route.
-
Two Local Privilege Escalation Flaws Discovered in Linux
Qualys researchers have discovered two local privilege escalation vulnerabilities that allow hackers to gain root privileges on major Linux distributions.
-
New TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro Powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300
The TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen10 offers serious power that is ready for your business, development, or entertainment needs.
-
Danish Ministry of Digital Affairs Transitions to Linux
Another major organization has decided to kick Microsoft Windows and Office to the curb in favor of Linux.
-
Linux Mint 20 Reaches EOL
With Linux Mint 20 at its end of life, the time has arrived to upgrade to Linux Mint 22.
-
TuxCare Announces Support for AlmaLinux 9.2
Thanks to TuxCare, AlmaLinux 9.2 (and soon version 9.6) now enjoys years of ongoing patching and compliance.
-
Go-Based Botnet Attacking IoT Devices
Using an SSH credential brute-force attack, the Go-based PumaBot is exploiting IoT devices everywhere.
-
Plasma 6.5 Promises Better Memory Optimization
With the stable Plasma 6.4 on the horizon, KDE has a few new tricks up its sleeve for Plasma 6.5.
-
KaOS 2025.05 Officially Qt5 Free
If you're a fan of independent Linux distributions, the team behind KaOS is proud to announce the latest iteration that includes kernel 6.14 and KDE's Plasma 6.3.5.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 Now Available
The latest Linux kernel is now available with several new features/improvements and the usual bug fixes.