Amazon Kindle for PC available for download

This morning Amazon announced the availability of Amazon Kindle for PC application, which allows you to read Kindle books on your home computer or notebook.

According to the Amazon Kindle for PC product page the application is currently only available in BETA for the Microsoft Windows Operating System. However available for Kindle book readers in over 100 different countries. 

The Amazon Kindle for PC application is completely free, and you may notice in the picture below that a Mac OSX version will soon come available as well.

Paul Thurrott, Editor in Chief of the SuperSite for Windows, has written an article that summarizes the announcement very well. However let’s start with some general facts:

“The U.S. Kindle Store currently offers more than 360,000 books, including New Releases and 101 of 112 New York Times Bestsellers, which are typically $9.99 or less. The Kindle Store is the only place to find some of today’s most popular books in digital format. Kindle books can now be read on the Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch and PC.” 

With announcing the Amazon Kindle for PS application, Amazon is taking a true cross-platform approach which shows some similarities with Microsoft’s three screen strategy. Providing the end-users choice independent of the device or platform is a realistic approach which I can only support.

Amazon Kindle for PC:  Whispersync and multitouch

Just a few weeks ago, during the Windows 7 launch event in New York, it is the first time that we could see the Amazone Kindle for PC in a demo of Brad Brooks, Corporate VP Windows Consumer Marketing.

You certainly need to check the keynote video with the timer on 22:30, where you can see the Amazin Kindle “reader” supporting touch and multitouch on a Windows 7 powered PC.

Paul Thurrott, Editor in Chief of the SuperSite for Windows, continues in his article with a key feature that is not only cool, but very clever and functional in everyday practice:

“Kindle for PC features Amazon’s Whispersync technology that automatically saves and synchronizes bookmarks and last page read across devices. Whether you read Kindle books on a Kindle, Kindle DX, or one of the free Kindle applications, you can always have your reading with you and never lose your place.With Kindle for PC, you can read some on your PC, read some on your Kindle, and always pick up right where you left off”

I must admit this is a killer feature, that reminds me of the Newsgator technology that was embedded in their rss-readers across different platforms and operating systems. Wayne Schulz, Senior Editor @ Geardiary.com, has discussed the power and the possible future potential of the Amazon Whispersync technology.

UPDATE

On the Windows 7 Team Blog you can find the article: “Kindle for the PC Announced – and it’s awesome!” in which Brandon LeBlanc demos the Kindle for PC application and shows off the perfect integration with Windows 7 (for example jumplists). 

Concluding thoughts and wrap-up 

The announcement of the Amazon Kindle for PC application is the start of a true cross platform strategy that brings digital reading of books to a new level.  Remark the note that a Mac OSX version will be available soon as well.

Furthermore I think the Amazon Whispersync technology has some great potential, and I hope to see some new applications and developments in the (near) future.  

Also very cool is the support of multi touch of the Amazon Kindle for PC application, wich we could see in the demo of Brad Brooks, Corporate VP, Windows Consumer Marketing during the Windows 7 launch event. These new -more natural- ways of interacting with your computer will hopefully drive more innovation as well.

Concluding there is absolutely no reason, not to download the Amazon Kindle for PC application. You can download it directly from here, and please drop a comment with your first thoughts and experiences.

Johan van Mierlo, Windows Mobile MVP, has published a review on the Amazon Kindle 2 here on MobilityMinded.com. The announcement of the Amazon Kindle for PC application combined with the availability of a version with an international wireless module will drive the Amazon Kindle 2 to show up on many Christmas lists (in Europe).