(Or, are you still frantically searching for a gift for the Kindle lover in your life? Grab some Kindle gift cards!)

Kindle Accessories -

The first thing you might want to consider, if you got a Kindle Fire or other Kindle tablet, is upgrading it with a few of the great accessories out there! The first place you can check is the accessories page on Amazon to see what is the most popular. However, here are a few ideas to get you started if nothing there touches your fancy -

1. Kindle reading lights – If you have an e-ink Kindle and want to read at night,, a good light is essential. Check out Amazon’s selection of Kindle reading lights here.

2. Kindle Cases – If you are clumsy like me, a Kindle case is essential! Don’t put your Kindle at risk of dropping it! Check out Amazon’s selection of Kindle covers here, or if you want to make sure your Kindle does not suffer from water damage, check out our post on waterproof Kindle cases.

3. Kindle headphones – If you have a Kindle Fire or any of the Kindle models, a junky pair of headphones just won’t cut it when it comes to your overall experience with the device. Spend a few extra bucks and get a good set of earphones for your Kindle here.

Kindle Books

Hey, what good is a Kindle without books? You may have a few ideas for books that you want, but you should also spend some time shopping the Kindle store and deciding which is right for you. The Kindle has lots of books that are not available anywhere else, so it is worth doing some shopping! You can check out the bestsellers and selection here.

Kindle Games

A lot of people do not even realize that there are games on the Kindle! There are so many different game choices these days. Check them out here.

Kindle Fire Apps

Finally, don’t forget about the Kindle Fire Apps that are out there now! The amount and quality of apps rival the iPad and the Android Marketplace, with many more coming! Check out all the Kindle Fire Apps Here.

These are all great options to use your Kindle gift card or to load up your Kindle with cool stuff! Other ideas? Let us know in the comments!

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Even more interesting is the fact that Foxit allows for editing and adding notes to PDF documents. Some are predicting that this is the real reason why Amazon bought the company – to allow them a way to add a feature for Kindler users to be able to edit their PDF’s, something I would absolutely love!

You can read more about the acquisition at ZDnet.

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Protecting That Brand New Device

So you bought the newest Kindle from Amazon, and now you need to keep it covered? While there isn’t a lot out there to base any reviews on quite yet. I have tried to pick a few that will fit and that come from good companies. Once we are able to actually get our hands on some, I will update this post as well, as I update the other threads on kindle covers.

In the meantime, here are a few Kindle Fire covers that look spectacular. You can see Amazon’s current full line of them here

1.splash SIGNATURE Folio Leather Case Cover for Amazon Kindle FIRE with Stand (BLACK) – Man is this case cool or what? It’s made out of leather, which I am a big fan of when it comes to covers. It also converts into a stand as well. It appears that they are running a special on it if you will go ahead and pre-order it before November 15th. They have it at $19.95 right now, which is most definitely a steal!

2. Marware C.E.O. Hybrid for Kindle Fire Cover – this cover is also a stand, and it appears to be a modification of their Galaxy Tab covers to fit the Kindle Fire. It is certified by Amazon as a “Made for Kindle” cover, and their previous covers are quite popular. I like the stand feature as well.

3. Verso Kindle Fire Cover, Prologue Antique – Tan – I love this one! This is unique among the Kindle Fire covers, as it makes your site look like an old book. They have some other colors coming out as well. I picked this one for the picture because it was the coolest looking to me!

4. Kindle Fire Zip Sleeve – If you don’t really want an actual case or cover and want to just keep your Fire protected while you are carrying or storing it? This will do the trick! And it comes in a bunch of different colors as well -

5. Kindle Fire MicroShell Folio Cover by Marware – This is very similar to the above Microshell cover, except this one is made of polycarbonate similar to cell phone cases.

There are plenty of other Kindle Fire covers coming out as well, and I am sure we will see an absolute flood of them come November when the device is finally released, so we will make sure and keep this post updated with all the new ones!

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These are some very cool Kindle covers by the folks over at ReAuthored. – check out this picture of the one they sent me in exchange for an honest review recently -

Basically, they are taking old books and recycling them by using them as covers for the Kindle! The idea came as they saw a stash of books that were on their way to the trash heap. They scooped them up and came up with this clever idea!

Essentially, what they do is cut a section of the pages out of the old book in order to allow for the Kindle to fit into that notch that is formed. They use some cloth to fill in the space, which gives it plenty of strength and does not allow the old pages to move around on you. I think they might even glue the pages together in order to keep them from getting flimsy on you.

Maha and JC a ReAuthored have been very great to work with, and it has been fun doing this review for them. I know that you will get great service from them if how they have treated me is any indication. I also know that they are very open for improvements and this product is still a work in progress for them and they are trying to continually improve it, but they already have an excellent product!

I have replaced my old Kindle cover with this one and don’t plan to go back! You should definitely give them a try if you want something unique and different!

Brought to you by Kindle Owners Blog, your favorite Kindle Review site!

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If you are a Kindle owner and a Chrome user, head’s up! There is a new Chrome app for searching for Kindle books that will make you search easier and more enjoyable.

It is called the Bravais Book Browser (or the Kindle Book Browser), and it makes finding a book much simpler, in my estimation, than the Amazon site itself. Here are a few reasons why I like it –

• It has a clean interface
• It has a Similar Books function (Amazon does, too, but this one is easier)
• It is easier to navigate
• It goes straight to Amazon when you are ready to buy
• The search function seems to work quite well for title, author, and genre.

Overall, it just makes looking through books to buy a little more fun and interesting.

Things I don’t like/would like to see –

• At least for me, the interface gets a little bit messed up when the pictures for different books don’t fit in the designed box, so it gets a bit out of alignment. I am sure they will get that fixed soon enough.
• I would like to be able to see the title of the books without hovering over them. Maybe the author as well. This would just help me to know what books I want to check out without hovering over each one.
• The database of books does not seem to be comprehensive, yet. I could be wrong on this, but I don’t think all the books are in there.

I recently spoke with the developer, and I know he is working hard at continually improving the app, so I bet it will just get better and better. It is not a total replacement for the Amazon site, but it is a nice bit of a change and definitely worth trying out! If you want to try it out, you do so here –

http://bit.ly/kindlebookbrowser

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Have you heard about the new “Kindle to Chrome” app? If you are like me, you would much rather read just about anything on your Kindle instead of on your computer. However, much of the regular articles and other content that you find on the web may not be as available for you on the Kindle as books and other items are.

That is where the new Kindle to Chrome extension comes in. It allows you to send just about any web page straight to your Kindle to read later!

Personally, I use Firefox as my primary browser. However, I do have Chrome installed, so I am able to copy and paste any url to Chrome that I want to read.

The setup seems fairly straightforward – simply add the extension to Chrome (just Google “Kindle to Chrome” within your Chrome browser to find it), then set up the Kindle options within the “manage my extensions” screen in your browser. You will need to go to your Manage My Kindle page in Amazon and get the e-mail address for your Kindle (did you know you had one?!) and add it to the options within the extension.

If you have a Kindle 3, you can use your “free.kindle.com” address. If not, make sure you use your “kindle.com” address instead. You can change that in a drop down menu within the app’s settings.

Once it is all set up, there will be a little orange checkbox next to your address bar in the top right side of your browser. Just click on that when you find a story you want to read, and it will go straight to your Kindle!

It will not work on every website, and it does strip out pictures, so you will get only text. Also, keep in mind that Kindle for Chrome is a new app, so it does have a few bugs right now, including the fact that it does not seem to be functioning properly on a Mac. However, it does appear that the developer is working to get those bugs fixed and has been answering questions on the page for the application.

So, if you want to quickly send several articles to your Kindle to read later, the Kindle for Chrome app is a great option. There are a few other services similar to this out there as well, such as Instapaper, which I use, that you might want to check out, but Kindle for Chrome seems to be at least as simple as Instapaper for those of you who like the option of an app built into your browser!

Looking to keep your Kindle safe? Make sure you check out our post on waterproof Kindle covers!

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The completion of the first list of Kindle Christmas gifts only served as impetus to compile a second list, because there were so many items left unmentioned. We knew from the start that one list wouldn’t be enough! Here are a few more options for the Kindle user in your life -

1. Subscription to a magazine or newspaper

Kindle serves as an electronic reader and this is not limited to paperbacks or novels. You can also subscribe to periodicals and have them electronically delivered to a Kindle well before the paper copy hits the stands of the street vendor. If a loved one enjoys reading from the pages of Time Magazine or the New York Times then you can purchase a yearly subscription from the Kindle store for him or her. This is a very thoughtful gift, because it will save your loved one a frosty walk to the vendor on a winter’s morning.

Click here to Check Out Amazon’s Kindle Newspaper Subscriptions!

2. Kindle Carrier Case

Kindle offers a few carrier cases which can be sealed with a zipper. These are akin to the protective cases often used for religious texts. They look great and ensure that the Kindle remains out of harm’s way at all times. Nothing is more irritating than reading through a scratch that could have been avoided.

Check Out Amazon’s Current 50% Off Sale on Many Kindle Covers!

3. Kindle Neoprene Covers

Neoprene is used for wetsuits and Kindle has started using this soft, but durable material to make covers. Neoprene covers are water resistant and serve as fantastic protectors against splashes of wine or cola. The soft texture will also protect the Kindle from damage in the likely event of an accidental drop.

Click here for a selection of several neoprene Kindle covers!

4. Car Chargers

Road and camping trips offer the opportunity to relax and catch up on reading, but the electronic age could potentially limit the amount of time that we can spend read. Kindle offers a solution to this limitation through car chargers. These affordable accessories will ensure that no matter where you are, you will be able to charge the Kindle and read as much as you want to.

Check out several of Amazon’s Kindle car chargers!

Can’t decide? As we mentioned in the first list, you can always get a Kindle gift card!

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Note: This is part one of a two part series on Kindle Christmas gifts. Check back next week for part 2!

Shopping for an avid reader in the electronic generation could not be easier, because Amazon provides a wide range of accessories designed to make reading easier and trendier. The Amazon website has an entire section dedicated to funky extras which can bought to compliment every Kindle model available on the market. To help you decide on what to buy, we have compiled a list of the hottest potential Kindle Christmas gifts.

1. Kindle Lights

Every reader likes to read before going to bed, but nothing could be more frustrating than leaving the warmth of bed covers to switch off the light. Some people would argue that a bedside lamp could rectify this problem, but hugging the bed corner in search of a little light is less than comfortable. Kindle lights provide an easy solution to both of these problems because they are attached directly to the device. You can freely change your reading position whenever you please. There is a wide range of available options and they vary in price and style.

Click here for our review of the Kandle, a great Kindle light.

2. Funky Protective Covers

Cell phone covers were initially designed to protect the delicate electronic interior of the phone, but they soon turned into stylish symbols, easily identified by their unique designs. Kindle has latched onto this trend and now offers a range of interesting protective covers which look great and protect the device from scratches. The diverse catalogue of options ensures that any personality (regardless of the level of eccentricity or insanity) can find a match.

Click here for our review of several waterproof Kindle covers.

3. Kindle Gift Card

If you are hesitant gift buyer then just purchase a Kindle gift card and allow the Kindle owner to choose a gift independently. The Amazon website offers Kindle gift cards for books or any of the wide range of products from the Kindle store. It might seem like a cop out, but it ensures that the receiver of the gift is left satisfied. Buying a Kindle voucher will also give you more time to peruse the catalogue of electronic texts which are available on the website.

Kindle Gift Card – Click Here To Get One from Amazon!

Check back next week for part 2!

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Amazon just launched a new program that allows Kindle books to be read inside a web browser.

This is an interesting take on Kindle books, as it allows users to share book excerpts and even embed excerpts on their own sites. If someone buys the book after reading the excerpt, the site owner can get a commission.

What do you think? Is it worth it for Amazon? Seems like a great way to share books (and maybe sell a few more, too!).

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If you are like me, sometimes you might not have your Kindle with you when an unexpected opportunity to read comes along – in traffic, at work on a break, etc. This is when I love having a Kindle app on my phone.

As an Android user as well, I am happy to see Amazon taking their Android app seriously! Here are some of the cool new features -

• Voice Search
• In-text Search
• Ability to add notes
• Ability to sync notes between devices
• Text highlighting to bring up results from wikipedia and dictionary.com
• Content from Shelfari – Amazon’s book related social network
• Screen lock to avoid unwanted screen rotation

These features make the new Kindle for Android app a fully functional Kindle app, with many of the features found on the iPad/iPhone Kindle app. It still doesn’t replace my Kindle, but it is nice to have when my Kindle isn’t with me! Android owners rejoice!

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