Kindle 2 update adds battery life, native PDF reader

Today, Amazon announced that an automatic update to its popular Kindle 2 e-reader will extend the device's battery life by 85% and add a native PDF reader to its repertoire of functions.

The Kindle 2 could previously stay on for four days with wireless connectivity activated, following the firmware update, Amazon says the device will be able to stay turned on for a whole week.

Formerly, PDF documents had to be converted to Kindle format to be viewable on the family of e-readers. Now, users can e-mail PDF documents or upload them to their Kindle through a USB connection and be able to read them without conversion.

It's a small, but significant upgrade as e-readers are looking like some of the most desirable gadgets this holiday season and the competition to Amazon's Kindle 2 is stronger than it's ever been.