Send to Kindle Chrome extension makes sending web pages to Kindle a single-click affair

If you follow the blog or Doc’s Tech Notes on Google+, you know that I enjoy the new Kindle Fire. This is not my first Kindle rodeo though. I was also the owner of the original model. This model is now in the good hands of my daughter and still in use, despite the funky page turning buttons.

One of the things I enjoyed about the original Kindle was the ability to send .pdf files to the device via the free 3G connectivity. The process was as simple as attaching a file to an e-mail and then sending it to your very own secret e-mail address. It was very convenient, but unfortunately it also cost 10¢ per file, apparently to subsidize the free 3G network connectivity.

The Kindle Fire also comes with this ability as well as the ability to render .pdf files properly. The difference though is that files are now sent via Wi-Fi only (the Kindle Fire does not support 3G). That means the files are sent for free. No more rationing. I can wirelessly send as many files to the Kindle Fire as I please.

The Kindle Fire still supports wireless transfer via e-mail address. You  can send/forward any message with an attachment and it will be sent to your device’s documents area. But what about web pages? What if you've found a large article online that you would like to read on the go? And on top of that, you would like a stripped down version devoid of ads and extraneous “stuff” you don’t need to read the contents? Well, thankfully we have the Send to Kindle Google Chrome extension for that. Hit the link below to learn more about this must have extension for Kindle Fire owners.

Let’s install the extension to begin. Thanks the Chrome Web Store this is a very simple process.

Get the Extension:

• Open the Google Chrome browser (this extension is available for other browsers at: http://www.klip.me)
• Grab the extension from the Chrome Web Store by clicking here
• Click the Add To Chrome button in the upper-right hand corner – once installed, you will see the Send to Kindle extension button in the upper-right hand corner of the Chrome window as shown in the image below:

Configure the Kindle Device:

• Visit the Amazon Manage Your Device page
• Click the Manage Your Devices link found in the Your Kindle Account area on the left-hand side of the page and as shown in the image below – you will find your Send-to-Kindle E-mail Address, as pointed out in the image below
• Note the address (I also recommend adding this to your e-mail client contacts at this point)
• Click the Personal Document Settings link found under at the bottom of the Registered Kindles area and as shown below – the Personal Documents Setting page will display, as shown below (click images for larger views)

• In the Approved Personal Document E-mail List area, shown in the image below, add the kindle@klip.me address (while there, and add your personal e-mail address as well so you can e-mail other documents to your Kindle Fire from your e-mail client)

Configure the Send to Kindle Extension:

• While in Chrome, select Window | Extensions from the pull-down menu or simply type ⌘+ comma  on the keyboard – the Chrome extensions window will appear in a new tab
• Locate the Send to Kindle extension settings and select the Options link as shown in the image below – the Send to Kindle options page appears

• In the My Kindle's e-mail address area: of the extension, as shown in the image at the right, add your custom e-mail address from the Amazon Manage Your Device page
• Review the other options on the page for any other configuration changes you prefer – I recommend the defaults for now
• Scroll a bit lower to the Others: options
• I recommend you select both the 1-Click Send (When click  button) and the Keep Images options – this will send web pages with a single click and also include the relevant images from the document
• Make any other changes
• Click the Save button to save your preferences – the window will remain, but the Save button will ghost to let you know the changes have been made
• Close the tab

Send a Page to the Kindle Fire:

• Browse to a page you want to send to the Kindle Fire for later reading, or use this page
• Hit the Send to Kindle icon in the browser – the page will be sent to the Kindle Fire

Preview a Page Before Sending to the Kindle Fire:

• Browse to a page you want to send to the Kindle Fire for later reading or use this page
• If you left the keyboard shortcuts as the default, as recommended, hit control+F12 – A preview window will open to show you how the document will look on the Kindle Fire
• If the preview is okay, hit the Send button found at the upper-right of the page – the page will be sent to the Kindle Fire

View the Page on the Kindle Fire:

• Turn on the Kindle Fire
• Click the Settings Cog  in the upper-right hand corner of the Kindle Fire
• Touch the Sync icon in the settings area – the Kindle Fire will sync with the Amazon servers, download to the Kindle Fire and appear in the carousel – it might take a minute or two for it to be available if the document is large
• View the document by touching it in the carousel or by selecting it from the Docs area of the Kindle Fire

That may seem like quite a few steps, but I tend to over simplify things for for new users to the whole Chrome Extensions and Kindle Fire processes. Give this new extension a shot and let me know what you think? If you also have a unique use, add to the note by dropping in a comment below.

I really enjoy the ability to locate an article and send it to the Kindle for a later read while I travel or am without Wi-Fi access. This extension just makes the Kindle that much more valuable as a content consumption and document archival tool.