Amazon has released the latest version of its Android implementation, Kindle Fire OS 3.1. The free update for Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX tablets adds a number of updates, with the integration of Goodreads adding book rating and quote sharing through the community, friend update feeds, and the option to import both print and digital books bought from Amazon into the Goodreads account.
A new “Second Screen” option lets movies and TV shows be streamed to a nearby television, with the tablet’s own screen being used for playback controls and for X-Ray features, as well as using it for other tasks while the content continues playing. The Amazon equivalent of Chromecast will apparently work with Samsung smart TVs and the PlayStation 3, with PlayStation 4 compatibility being touted for later this year.
The update also includes changes making it more suitable for enterprise users. The Kindle Fire HDX can now connect to secure enterprise Wi-Fi networks, will run corporate apps such as SharePoint, includes a native VPN client and SCEP client for accessing corporate networks and retrieving certificates for secure resources. Kerberos authentication support lets the Silk browser be used to view secure Intranet sites, and new Kindle-specific device management APIs will integrate with existing mobile device management systems used by IT departments.
Other extras include voice dictation, Cloud Collections of books and other media with Whispersync synchronization across devices, “1-Tap” archiving of items, wireless printing, battery life improvements, and extra accessibility enhancements for the blind and visually impaired.
