from Amazon newest kindle it’s unlike any Kindle before it. First of all, its 10.2-inch e-ink screen is gigantic. Second, it now comes with a pen that you can use on the Scribe screen to take notes, draw, or highlight text.
Amazon currently sells two different versions of Scribe, one that comes with the basic penand another that comes with a first class pen. There are also different levels of storage, ranging from 16 GB to 32 GB and 64 GB. The basic pen has no extra features: just place the tip on the screen and write. However, the premium pen has a shortcut button for quick actions like activating the pen’s highlight mode along with a dedicated eraser on the opposite end of the pen.
Also: How to turn your old devices into Amazon gift cards
Scribe offers a whole new way to use a Kindle, and I’m here to show you how to make the most of Kindle’s new note-taking features. Here are nine tips and tricks to help you do just that.
How to create a notebook, adjust settings
To take notes, create a calendar, planner, or to-do list, you’ll need to create a notebook. You can have as many laptops as you want, as long as your device has the storage for them.
To create a new notebook, wake up your Kindle, and then tap the Notebook icon with a plus sign to the right of the search bar.
You’ll immediately be prompted to name the notebook, and you’ll see a grid of 18 different templates you can choose from.
After entering a name with the keyboard (unfortunately, you can’t type it with the stylus) and selecting a template, tap the button To create button.
If at some point in the future you decide you don’t like the template or want to change the name of the notebook, tap near the top of the screen to display some options, and then tap the notebook icon (note that this time has a setup gear on it). You can enter a new name, change templates, and choose the behavior you want for the cover. At this point, your options are to use the first page of the notebook as the cover, or to use the current page you are viewing as the cover.
When you’re done adjusting the settings, tap the down arrow near the top of the popup to close it.
How to create more pages in a notebook
Once you’ve filled a page full of notes, you can create a second page by swiping, with your finger, from right to left on the screen, as if you were turning the page.
You will see a page number indicator in the lower left corner of the screen. You can hide it by touching it, just like when you read a Kindle book.
Note: If you change the template for a notebook, it is changed for the entire notebook, not the current page you are on. As far as I can tell right now, there is no way to use multiple templates within the same notebook.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/ZDNET
Use the toolbar to change and control pen behavior
You’ll notice a small circular button with an up or down arrow on the screen whenever you’re in a Kindle notebook, document, or book. This is the Scribe toolbar that houses the controls for the pen, highlighter, and eraser, along with a switch to switch between writing and touch mode, as well as undo/redo buttons.
To switch between the different tools, touch the icon of each one. For example, if you have the basic pen and need to erase something, tap the third icon from the top, the eraser, then use the pen to delete any stray notes, then go back to the pen.
Also: The best tablets for taking notes
There are additional controls for the pen, highlighter, and eraser when you tap their icon when that particular mode is active. For example, if you’re writing with the pen and want to adjust the thickness or density of the “ink”, tap the pen icon and then select one of its options.
The same goes for the highlighter. As for the eraser, you can control the width of the erase tool, but also enable a selection tool to erase whatever you select, or you can erase an entire page and start over.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/ZDNET
How to customize the Pen shortcut button
The premium scribe pen has a shortcut button near the end of the pen. When you press and hold the button and then use the stylus, it rapidly changes its behavior, then changes back when you release the button.
I currently have the button set to act as an eraser, so I don’t have to constantly flip the pen over.
To change the behavior of the button on your premium pen, select the button Plus at the bottom of your Kindle, and then tap Settings > Pen > Pen shortcuts. Then select the behavior you want in the shortcut tools section. Right now, the options are Highlighter, Pen, Eraser, or Sticky Note.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/ZDNET
What you can do with the Pen on a Kindle book
You may have had a strange look on your face when I mentioned sticky notes in the last section. Yes me too. But listen to Amazon.
When you’re viewing a Kindle book, you can create and leave sticky notes on the book with your stylus. These notes can be exported after you’ve finished reading the book, so you have all your notes in one place.
If you don’t have a premium pen, you can use the sticky note button on the toolbar to create the note, or if you have the premium pen and have the shortcut button set to sticky note, simply hold the button, tap the The pen tip will appear on the page and notes interface.
How to Get Documents, PDF Files on Kindle Scribe
Like the rest of the Kindle line, you can send your own documents and files to Scribe for future reading, bookmarking, and note-taking.
There are a few ways to send documents from your computer, phone, or tablet to the Scribe. If you are on your computer, you can use the updated version from Amazon Send to Kindle website where you can drag and drop documents and upload them to your kindle.
You can also send documents to Scribe from your phone or tablet by using the Share button and selecting the Kindle app as the destination.
Depending on the number and size of your documents, it may take a few minutes to sync to your Scribe. Once they’re available, you’ll see them on the Home tab.
You can mark up PDFs and sometimes sign documents
What you can do with the pen in terms of adding notes, highlighting, or adding sticky notes depends on the type of document you’re viewing. I found that images and Word documents are restricted to sticky notes, while I can write, highlight, and do whatever I want on most PDF documents.
There have been a couple of PDFs that Scribe just wouldn’t open. They weren’t password protected so I’m not quite sure what the problem was.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/ZDNET
How to access your Notebooks on other devices
It’s simple: install the Kindle app. That’s right, your Notebooks will sync through Amazon’s Kindle app, putting them right on your phone, for example. You can’t edit or add to your notes, but at least you’ll have access to them while you’re away from your Scribe.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/ZDNET
How to share a notebook or document
When you’ve finished signing a document or have a notebook you’d like to send to someone else, you can do so. Just know that what you send will arrive in PDF format.
To send a document or notebook, open it on your Kindle Scribe, tap near the top of the screen for additional options, and then tap the Share button. Your Amazon account email address will appear as the default, or you can choose to enter a different email.
The recipient of the notebook will receive a link to download the PDF valid for 7 days.
Source: news.google.com