It's Christmas morning and Santa was generous, leaving me a new Kindle Fire HD under the tree. Terrific and I'm excited to try the Kindle reader, except I'd really like to be able to browse Amazon and buy ebooks directly on the Kindle itself. Can that be done, can I use the Kindle and just leave my computer off, browse the online bookstore and buy and download a book directly?

For some reason I set the parental controls on my kindle while I was fiddling with it, goodness knows why? I now wish to remove it, but cannot remember my password, even with the 'hint' that comes up. I am a pensioner with an awful memory, and although I've put in every password I can think of, I cannot remove the controls, which I do not need on my kindle. Please could anyone help me? I'm worried that if I ask kindle for a new password - if indeed that is possible - I will lose the 300-odd books I have at present on my kindle.

I'm so excited to have gotten a new Amazon Kindle Fire HD for my teen son, but now I'm afraid that I've opened up an unexpected doorway to the Internet since it apparently has full Internet access, a Web browser, an app store, and much more. I just wanted a way to keep up with his voracious reading habits. Is there some way to disable wifi access, games, the app store, etc, on the Kindle through the parental controls??

Since the Kindle makes it easy for kids to go onto the app store and get new games, and since it's pretty darn easy to go online and visit Web sites too, I like to constrain my children's use of my Kindle Fire to just when I'm around. But now they've figured out my security code. Darn it! How do I change it?

My Mom and I are both devoted fans of our Amazon Kindles and I recently learned that there's a feature where someone can highlight a passage or even leave a note and then have others see it as they're reading too? Brilliant. How can my Mom and I share our own notes and highlights as we go through Kindle ebooks simultaneously?

My sister keeps ranting about how wonderful her Kindle reader is, but I don't want to get a tablet. I have a PC laptop and love it. Can I read Kindle ebooks from Amazon on my Windows system without needing an actual Kindle device, so I can share books with my sister without having to spend hundreds of dollars on yet another device?

My friend likes to read Kindle books and I'd like to send him one as a gift. I know how to have Amazon ship a printed book to someone, but how do I have them send my friend a Kindle book?

My brother sent me a gift code for a Kindle book but I'm a bit confused as to how to actually get it onto my Kindle Fire. Can you walk me through the steps so I don't mess up?

I don't want my Mom getting onto my Kindle Fire and poking around so I want to set up a password like I have on my cellphone. Can I do that on the Fire HD, and if so, how?

It's so frustrating! I just plugged my new Kindle Fire HD into my computer and... nothing. The device shows up on my Windows 7 system, but I can't get to the files within. What am I doing wrong? I really want to drop some photos onto the device to share with friends...

One of the things I've most disliked about the Amazon Kindle was its lack of parental controls. It's ridiculous that the company wants me to hand one of these devices to my child and then won't let me manage what they can access while they're ostensibly reading an ebook on it. The newest Kindle apparently has these controls, though, so can you show me how to enable parental controls on the Kindle Fire HD?

Before I buy one of the amazing new Kindle Fire HD units I want to make sure I understand the deal with the sponsored advertisements that are apparently part of the new Kindle. Are they super intrusive? Do they get in the way of everything? Can I opt out, and if so, how? Thanks, Dave.

Now that the Nexus 7 Android tablet's come out with the same form factor and Kindle app, but faster processor and better screen, well, why would I keep my Kindle Fire when I can get the upgrade? So I'm selling my Amazon Kindle Fire but before I give it to its new owner, I want to to a full system restore / reformat so I can reset it to factory settings and ensure the new owner can't get to my apps, my Kindle account, etc.

I've had my Kindle Fire since they first came out and it just struck me that there might well be some updates to the operating system firmware (software? what is it called on the Fire?) on the device. How do I check for a firmware update on the Kindle?

I heard from a neighbor that the local public library now lets you check out books on a Kindle or iPad. Terrific: my dad's not in very good health and would greatly appreciate being able to browse and download books, and since he reads really fast, even if it's just a seven-day loan, that'd work fine. How do I check out Kindle ebooks from my local public library?

Since I assume you see them all, Nook or kindle, color or black and white? Bbased on best overall value, usefulness and ecosystem. Leaning toward kindle fire due to Amazon ecosystem and prime... plus free book rentals from library.

I really like my Kindle Fire and have found that I'm reading more now that it's so easy to carry even the longest book with me. Some of the books I read are okay, but there's an occasional ebook that's just terrific. When that happens, I'd like to loan it to my Dad so he can sample it and either read it -- he's a quick reader -- or buy it for himself. I remember reading that one of the features of the Kindle is that you can loan people ebooks, but I have no idea how to do it. Can you explain?

Every time I go to Amazon.com I see that the Kindle version of a book I want to buy is less expensive than the print edition. Coupled with it being more environmentally friendly (no shipping, no printing, no hassle with it taking up space on my shelf) I'd like to switch over. But I don't want to buy an actual Kindle device. Is there a way to read Kindle ebooks on my Mac or PC system?

I have a Kindle DX that I really like and use to read books. I also have an Apple iPad and occasionally want to pick up my book and continue it on the larger iPad screen. Problem is, when I buy a book at Amazon, it asks which device I want it to appear on and when I pick my Kindle, it doesn't show up on the iPad. How do I have it appear on both or transfer it from the Kindle DX (or Kindle Fire, when I get one) to my iPad's Kindle app?

Now that I have a Kindle Fire, I'm excited to copy some of the PDFs that are on my computer and read them on the slick little color device. Problem is, I can't figure out how to copy PDF files onto my Kindle and then read them on the device itself!

I'm enjoying my new Kindle Fire, even if some of the industry pundits are saying it's a fail when compared to the iPad. I don't care, I'm a Kindle fan. Anyway, I'm wondering if you can offer up some tips on how to copy photos to my Fire so I can share them with my friends?

I saw that you wrote an article about adding movies to your Kindle Fire [see How to convert an AVI movie to watch on your Kindle Fire] but I'm wondering about music. Is there some easy way to copy music onto the device and then listen to it?

I've had my Kindle Fire since they first came out and it just struck me that there might well be some updates to the operating system firmware (software? what is it called on the Fire?) on the device. How do I check for a firmware update on the Kindle?

I heard from a neighbor that the local public library now lets you check out books on a Kindle or iPad. Terrific: my dad's not in very good health and would greatly appreciate being able to browse and download books, and since he reads really fast, even if it's just a seven-day loan, that'd work fine. How do I check out Kindle ebooks from my local public library?

Since I assume you see them all, Nook or kindle, color or black and white? Bbased on best overall value, usefulness and ecosystem. Leaning toward kindle fire due to Amazon ecosystem and prime... plus free book rentals from library.

I really like my Kindle Fire and have found that I'm reading more now that it's so easy to carry even the longest book with me. Some of the books I read are okay, but there's an occasional ebook that's just terrific. When that happens, I'd like to loan it to my Dad so he can sample it and either read it -- he's a quick reader -- or buy it for himself. I remember reading that one of the features of the Kindle is that you can loan people ebooks, but I have no idea how to do it. Can you explain?

Every time I go to Amazon.com I see that the Kindle version of a book I want to buy is less expensive than the print edition. Coupled with it being more environmentally friendly (no shipping, no printing, no hassle with it taking up space on my shelf) I'd like to switch over. But I don't want to buy an actual Kindle device. Is there a way to read Kindle ebooks on my Mac or PC system?

I have a Kindle DX that I really like and use to read books. I also have an Apple iPad and occasionally want to pick up my book and continue it on the larger iPad screen. Problem is, when I buy a book at Amazon, it asks which device I want it to appear on and when I pick my Kindle, it doesn't show up on the iPad. How do I have it appear on both or transfer it from the Kindle DX (or Kindle Fire, when I get one) to my iPad's Kindle app?

Now that I have a Kindle Fire, I'm excited to copy some of the PDFs that are on my computer and read them on the slick little color device. Problem is, I can't figure out how to copy PDF files onto my Kindle and then read them on the device itself!

I'm enjoying my new Kindle Fire, even if some of the industry pundits are saying it's a fail when compared to the iPad. I don't care, I'm a Kindle fan. Anyway, I'm wondering if you can offer up some tips on how to copy photos to my Fire so I can share them with my friends?

I saw that you wrote an article about adding movies to your Kindle Fire [see How to convert an AVI movie to watch on your Kindle Fire] but I'm wondering about music. Is there some easy way to copy music onto the device and then listen to it?

Just bought an Amazon Kindle Fire and it's very slick, but I want to drop my own movies onto it, not just be trapped having to buy them - again - from the Amazon store. I already know how to rip my DVDs into "AVI" format for portability across devices, but how do I turn an AVI movie into something that the Kindle Fire can play?

As a happy new iPad owner, I don't really need my Amazon Kindle device any more, so I plan on selling it on Craigslist for whatever I can get for it. Honestly, I think that the Kindle instantly obsoleted once they released the Kindle app for the iPad, but that's another story. My question is: how do I reset my Kindle DX so that the new owner can't buy things against my Amazon account?

Now that my son is using our Amazon Kindle, I would like to have some control over what they check out in the online bookstore and, more importantly, would like to turn off their Internet access from the device, but as far as I can tell, there's no control at all. Is that true? And if so, what the heck is Amazon thinking?

This is just bizarre. I have been adding PDF documents to my Kindle so I can review them while on the road, and suddenly after having everything neatly organized, they've vanished from the device. In fact, all i can see now are books, everything else has vanished completely from the Kindle system. Here's the odd thing: when I hook up the Kindle DX to my computer via USB, I see everything. So what's up??

I don't know where to turn: My Amazon Kindle is being a bit weird and I want to restart it, but don't have any clue how to do so short of just running the battery completely out and recharging it. How do I restart or reboot my Kindle??

I know that the my Kindle DX can read the text of some books and magazine articles, but I heard that you can also listen to music on the Kindle while you're reading? Sweet, but how the heck do you do that??

I've been reading some of your terrific Kindle help here on Ask Dave Taylor and am dying to know: how are you getting those screen captures / screen shots from the Kindle for your articles?

I just subscribed to the Wall Street Journal on my new Kindle DX and don't like it. I don't want it and want to cancel the subscription. How do I cancel a magazine subscription on my Kindle?

Got an Amazon Kindle for my birthday but haven't had much time to get into it, but I understand I can subscribe to my favorite magazines and have them automatically show up on my Kindle the same day the print magazines are published? That's pretty cool, but I'm at a bit of a loss. How do I find what magazines are available and how do I subscribe to a magazine on my Kindle?

I've heard I can use my Apple iPhone 3GS as a Kindle without actually buying a Kindle from Amazon. How is this possible and how do I do it?

My parents bought me an Amazon Kindle ebook reader for Christmas. Very cool. They also told me that they bought me a few books on Amazon (we share an account). I'm baffled, though: how do I get those books onto my Kindle?

[This review is written by contributing editors Deb and Thomas Frey]

Most product review are written shortly after the product is announced, but we thought it would be interesting to give our assessment of the Kindle 2 after using it for a year, and talk about how it has changed our lifestyle and the way we do business.

The Kindle 2 was first announced on February 24, 2009. We placed our order soon after it was announced, but had to wait a couple weeks for it to ship because of the intense demand. Our home looks like a library with books scattered from one end to the next, so we felt this would a good investment. The price we paid was $359 plus extra for incidentals, bringing the total outlay to over $400. Other than missing out on the major price reduction to $259 base price in October, we have not been disappointed.

On a personal note, once we received the Kindle 2, Deb instantly laid claim to the device, and Tom was only granted occasional visitation rights. Deb has since logged several hundred hours of intimate one-on-one time with "Johann," the name she has given to her Kindle, and the following are thoughts and observations from this extended road test.

If you are still clinging to your love for the printed word, there are several features on the Kindle that make it worth giving up the ink-on-paper version of books.