Kindle software update makes Kindle better

Amazon announced software version 2.3 yesterday, which improves a number of features, and adds new features to both the Kindle 2, and Kindle DX.

Their announcement‘s details are below:

Kindle 2 (U.S. wireless & International wireless) Updates:

• Better battery life: You can now read for up to 1 week on a single charge with wireless on. Turn wireless off and read for up to 2 weeks.
• Built in PDF reader: Your Kindle can now display PDF documents without losing the formatting of the original file.
• Screen rotation: Similar to the DX, you can now rotate your Kindle 2′s screen, so you can see the entire width of a web page or magnify the page of a PDF file. The page-turn buttons work the same in either orientation, and the 5-way controller movements are switched to match the orientation.
• Convert PDF to Kindle format: If you prefer to have your personal PDF documents converted to the Kindle format (so that they can reflow), type “Convert” in the subject of the e-mail when you submit your personal document to your @kindle.com address.

Kindle DX Updates:

• Better cropping of PDF files: In landscape orientation, white margins of PDF documents are automatically cropped to maximize the amount of content shown on the screen.
• Convert PDF to Kindle format: If you prefer to have your personal PDF documents converted to the Kindle format (so that they can reflow), type “Convert” in the subject of the e-mail when you submit your personal document to your @kindle.com address.
• View pages longer: The time before Kindle DX switches into screensaver mode has been extended— from 5 minutes to 20 minutes — giving you more time for reviewing your content.

Many of these “new” features are things that Barnes & Noble’s nook will do out of the box (better battery life, and PDF reader).  Could it be that Amazon was planning these new features all along? Or that they suddenly saw what the nook was doing, and upped their game?