UPDATE 7/25/09: Shortcut for both Web-browser tip. Some Kindle owners take advantage of the free, included, 24/7 Sprint cellular wireless when in the car, without a GPS unit or suitable map, and wanting to find out how to get somewhere.
This works for Kindle 2's and Kindle DX's, although any map that appears, while quite readable in the DX, is not particularly readable on the Kindle 2. However, the text navigation directions are very readable on both, and you can enlarge the font for those.
When you've been busy using the Kindle for a number of things, sometimes the first attempt at web-browsing will cause the Kindle to reboot to clear memory for a clean start. After that, it should be fine.
1. Press the Menu button to get the "Experimental" option.
2. Click on "Experimental" to choose/accept the "Basic Web."
You'll need to use the SYM key at bottom right of keyboard to get any unusual characters such as '@" sign as well as the question-mark symbol. While slow and an irritation, it's still useful in a car if you don't have phone access to the web.
3. At the Web browser page (though it may take you to bookmarks page instead),
press Menu to choose "Go to Top"
That gets you to the top line to type a link or URL
4. TYPE:
maps.google.com/?output=html
5. Five-way to the right until you get "GoTo" and then press down on that.
That should fetch the Google map/directions page for you.
(SHORTCUT for Steps 1-5 is at the bottom of the page.)
6. Press the Menu button to BOOKMARK this page so you don't have to type this again.
Also, the screen should show "Advanced" or "Desktop" at top center as your browsing mode. "Basic mode" won't work with this. This is normally done automatically, but if not, then press Menu/Settings to choose "Advanced."
7. Then you can use your 5-way button/cursor to get, slowly, to the input boxes to enter city, state (or zip) for a Map of the area.
If you want "Directions" - then add an address before city
8. If you check "Directions," you'll see the START-address input box and most of a small map.
9. TYPE the From: address that you want.
10. 5-way down slowly :-)
11. Then the screen shifts and gives you the rest of the map and the END-address input box.
12. TYPE in the To: address there.
Again, the text directions from Google are very readable on either Kindle screen, and you can increase the font size of that text with the Aa font-key.
You'll need to play around with this to get used to it. On the DX, zooming-in on a map will make the street names clearer of course.
Let me know if you have any problems with this.
ADDENDUM for KINDLE 2 and KINDLE DX USERS: (added 7/25/09 at 2:59 AM)
There is a shortcut (Kindle 2/DX) for getting to a URL from the Home Screen.
The traditional way was shown above.
INSTEAD of 1 through 5 above:
AT HOME SCREEN
1. Press Enter key (below the DEL key)
This brings up the tubular text-input 'box' at the bottom.
2. TYPE in:
maps.google.com/?output=html
3. Five-way to the right until you get "GoTo" and then press down on that.
You'll be placed right on the Google map/directions page.
Then go to Step 6 (or to Step 7 if you've already bookmarked it previously).
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE SHORTCUT to the one above.
AT HOME SCREEN
1. Press Enter key (below the DEL key)
This birngs up the tubular text-input 'box' at the bottom.
2. TYPE in:
@url maps.google.com/?output=html
3. Press merely Enter-key (below DEL key) to choose default "Search my items"
You'll be placed right on the Google map/directions page.
The last alternative forces you to use the SYM key use for the "@" sign, which is a slowdown.
But it also lets you just press Enter key instead of 5-waying several times to the right.
UPDATED 7/25/09
ONE MORE ALTERNATIVE SHORTCUT
You can type in the URL while reading a book or article
IF your cursor is NOT on the screen.
Then start typing in the website url (no http://) and then
5-way to "my items" and press down.
After finishing with website, press 'Back' key to return to book page.
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