Amazon adds Word Wise and Family Library to Kindle family in latest software update

Amazon has revealed its latest firmware update for the Kindle eReader family, adding a range of new features to multiple Kindle devices designed to speed up search, make it easier to access books already purchased by a family member and understand more complex writing.

Beyond the addition of the Family Library, which lets you access books from the AMazon account of a spouse or family member, expanded X-Ray for Books which gains a timeline view to browse the most notable passages in a particular book, and an improved Search which includes preview results from your Library and the Kindle Store on the same page, the update also adds Word Wise.

Word Wise is designed for anyone learning to read, or learning English as a second language, with short and simple word definitions appearing automatically above difficult words – helping you keep reading without having to go away and find a dictionary. Tapping the pop-up word will display a card with definitions, synonyms and extra details. You can manually adjust the number of definitions you see as your vocabulary improves.

“We can’t wait to hear what customers think about these new software features,” Peter Larsen, Amazon’s VP of Devices, said of the update. “Word Wise makes it easier for kids learning to read and readers learning English to understand more challenging books more quickly.”

The over-the-air update should be arriving on all Kindle devices automatically over the net few weeks, as long as they are connected to the internet. That includes the recently launched £59 entry-level Kindle and the flagship Kindle Voyage, as well as the most recent edition of the ever-popular Kindle PaperWhite.

If you’re desperate to get the new features on your Kindle today, you can head to Amazon’s Kindle website and download the update manually.