Kindlerama » mobile

Next up for Kindle: Android devices

Chris Walters — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:06:57 +0000

So far we’ve got access to the Amazon Kindle ecosystem on the iPhone and iPod Touch, Windows PCs, Blackberry devices, and naturally Kindles. Next up appears to be devices running Android, the operating system Google developed mainly for smartphones, although other types of gadgets are starting to make use of it too.

The biggest impact will be on phones. If Android gets a Kindle app, then owners of phones like the Droid, the Nexus One, and the original G1 may eventually be able to buy and read Kindle books.

Beyond that, though, are a small but growing number of devices that use Android. The Entourage eDGe, a combo E-ink/LCD dual-screen tablet, uses Android to power the LCD side of things; currently it uses a proprietary bookstore, but it’s possible that in the future an eDGe owner could buy ebooks from Amazon as well. Dell’s new iPod Touch competitor, the Mini 5 (or maybe it’s called the Streak?) uses Android and has confirmed that it will have a Kindle app.

As a side note, the Nook ereader from Barnes & Noble also uses Android to power its mini-nav color LCD section, but somehow I doubt that any Nook owners will be seeing an Amazon Kindle store any time soon.

The main question now, especially for Android smartphone owners, is when will this version be released? Unfortunately even the rumor sites don’t have that information yet, although Dell’s Mini 5 is likely to go on sale within the next 2-6 months.

“Leaked Dell Streak flyer shows multitude of color options, confirmed specifications” [Engadget]

Amazon releases BlackBerry app

Chris Walters — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:05:12 +0000

If you’ve got a BlackBerry and you don’t mind reading on it, welcome to the Amazon Kindle family. Today Amazon released their free mobile app for Blackberry devices.

The app works for the following BlackBerry phones:

Bold 9000
Bold 9700
Curve 8520
Curve 8900
Storm 9530
Storm 9550
Tour 9630

The best thing about mobile Kindle apps (and the PC app) is they let you buy and read Kindle books without investing hundreds of dollars in a Kindle. If you know a BlackBerry owner who wants a Kindle but can’t spend the money right now, this is an easy and free way to get started.

You can download it from Amazon, or type amazon.com/kindlebb into your BlackBerry browser.

iPhone Kindle app updated, slightly better than before

Chris Walters — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:58:47 +0000

Amazon has updated their Kindle app for the iPhone and iPod Touch to provide a few small improvements, like landscape view and a couple of new color settings. I appreciate the beige/brown option, but I really wish Amazon would roll out some more significant updates, like the ability to make and read notes, highlight text, and receive magazine subscriptions. I read from my iPhone about as much as from my Kindle these days, and really notice the reduced functionality.

Oh well. Gripe gripe gripe. Launch the App Store on your iPhone/Touch and grab the Kindle app or update. They’re both free.

By the way, if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch and read ebooks, you should really download the free Kindle app even if you don’t own a Kindle, because the Amazon store has the cheapest ebooks you’ll find online. (Yes, they’re locked to your device via DRM, but unfortunately this is the case for all ebook stores.)