Kindle Fire updates to bigger browser, better e-mail

Amazon's latest software update for the Kindle Fire tablet (version 6.2.2) is now officially available as a free, over-the-air update.

Along with some general performance tweaks, the update gives users improved support for manually setting up e-mail providers in the tablet's Email app, as well as a new full-screen mode for Amazon's Silk Web browser.

I recommend the update, and if your Kindle Fire doesn't automatically detect its availability, you have the option of downloading the update directly and manually transferring the file to your Kindle's update folder.

In the two months since the Kindle Fire's launch, Amazon has released a handful of software updates offering subtle, yet important improvements. With version 6.2.1, Amazon added a much-needed measure for parental control, allowing users to lock out the tablet's Wi-Fi connection with a custom password.

These parent-friendly controls are still a far cry from the nuanced restrictions found in Apple's iOS devices (including the iPad and iPod Touch), but at least it's a workable solution for a tablet that has found its way into many small hands over the holidays.