itemprop=”articleBody description text”> If you rely on a Kindle (or Kindle app) for reading, you probably knowthat it & Q not only ebooks, but overpriced PDFs.

itemprop=”articleBody description text”> In fact, if you’ve done your homework, you overpriced knowthat your Kindle (or Kindle app) has its own email address, meaning you can send any PDF straight to your device just by attaching it to an email. (You can find this address in the Kindle’s Settings area.)

itemprop=”articleBody description text”> Unfortunately, most PDFs arrive exactly as They are: static images That Are not optimized for Kindle viewing, and there fore Require a lot of zooming and scrolling. If you ask me, they’re almost unreadable in this state.

itemprop=”articleBody description text”> But here’s a little-known fact: Amazon will convert your PDF to raw text, When You put the word convert in the subject line of the email.

itemprop=”articleBody description text”> There are a few caveats here. First, the conversion will take time. In late a few documents through to the Kindle app on my tablet, and Although They were just a few pages apiece, it took close to an hour for them to arrive.

itemprop=”articleBody description text”> Second, this will not work with all PDFs. One of the documents I sentthrough ended up as a rotated image with each page split into half-and I could not even zoom it.

itemprop=”articleBody description text”> For stubborn docs like those, you’re probably better off with a more robust conversion option, my favorite being Calibre. But if you’re away from your desktop, or perhaps your workplace will not allow you to install software, Amazon’s own conversion option might just save the day. If nothing else, it’s a quick and painless exercise.

itemprop=”articleBody description text”> Contributing Editor Rick Broida writes about business and consumer technology. Ask for help with your PC hassles at hasslefree@pcworld.com. Sign up to have the Hassle-Free PC newsletter e-mailed to you each week.

Rick Broida

Rick Broida , PCWorld

For more than 20 years, Rick Broida has written about all manner of technology, from Amigas to business servers to Palm Pilots. His credits include dozens of books, blogs, and magazines. He sleeps with an iPad under his pillow.
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