MobilityMinded » Amazon

Amazon Kindle for PC available for download

Remo Knops — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:45:13 +0000

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).

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdD1-FKZ17I

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).

Amazon Kindle 2 review – now with International Wireless

Johan van Mierlo — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:00:47 +0000

We received a Kindle 2 with 3G connection for the US from Amazon for review. A new US and International Wireless is now available as well. E-readers are becoming more and more popular. From e-reader applications on the desktop, mobile device to the stand alone devices like the Kindle 2 from Amazon.

This review will give you an impression of our experiences with the Kindle 2 from amazon. The Kindle 2 is the 6 inch screen version. The bigger Kindle DX has a 9,7 inch screen size. below is a quick difference reference guide.

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Unboxing

The Kindle 2 arrived in nice small box which was secured by packaging on 2 occasions. In the first place you could only open the carton box by removing/ripping off a strip like you would open up a FedEx envelop.

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Secondly the storage container inside the carton box had a similar strip that needed to be removed.

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Included in the box are:

Kindle 2
USB cable charger/connector
USB to US plug conversion power adapter
Quick get started reference guide

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Besides the item in the box we also received the Amazon Kindle Leather Cover. The leather cover connects easily on the Kindle using a spring loaded clip. This gives the kindle a professional, clean look and protection.

The Out Of The Box Experience

The Kindle 2 comes out of the box pre-registered to your Amazon.com account. There is no need to connect it first to your computer at all. You can start using it right away. The quick start guide explains in text and images how to charge your Kindle and gives you a overview of the buttons and the different ways of navigating on the device.

The first time you start up your device by sliding the power button on the top of the Kindle, the screen will show you the Kindle user’s guide. The welcome chapter will give you a minimum to get started on the Kindle.

The Home Screen

The home screen of the Kindle shows all your books and other readings you are subscribe too or have purchased in the Kindle store. Basically this is your book shelve. By pressing the home button on the right hand of the device, it will create some small black and white flashes on your screen and will show you the home screen with all your listings.

Using the 5 way Navigation button (Up,Down, left, Right and Press to Select) on the home screen will allow you to select the reading you would like to read. If you scroll all the way to the top you can change the order of listing by : Most Recent First, Author or Title.

Included is “the New Oxford American Dictionary” which you can use to look up a particular word without leaving the book, newspaper or any other document you are reading. Using the 5 way navigation button on the right you can scroll to the beginning of a word and on the bottom of the screen will automatically give you a description an definition of that particular word.

The Menu Button

By pressing the menu button on the home screen you will get the following options:

Turn Wireless Off (preserve battery power)
Shop in the Kindle Store (this will get you live to the Kindle store to sample or purchase reading materials, wireless needs to be turned on)
Search (search for items,dictionary,kindle store,wikipedia,google or web) Some basic web browsing will work.
Settings (Registration, Device Name, Device E-mail, Personal Info)
Experimental ( Basic Web, Play MP3, Text-to-Speech) Try it and let Kindle know if it is something they need to continue.
Sync &Check for Items (this will update all your bookmarks, files that are synchronized to your account. For example if your Kindle reader for the IPhone is further into a document it will sync this to your Kindle as well)

The Menu button will have more possibilities depending on the screen your in. For example in the web browsing or books you can;

Go to the beginning
Table of Contents
Go to location
Sync to last page
Add bookmark
Search
Book Cover
Add notes and Highlights
And more…

Other Hardware Buttons and Keyboard

Some other hardware buttons makes the navigation a breeze on the Kindle.

Next Page – this will turn to your next page in your e-book
Prev Page – this will turn back to your previous page in your e-book
Back – this will turn back to your last screen throughout your navigation within the Kindle
Qwerty Keyboard – physical hardware buttons to type your words in the different search options.
5-way Navigation Button – scroll through text- forward to next chapter-highlight text-main menu per title

The Kindle’s Screen

I have to say that it took a little getting used to reading on this small black and white tablet. But the opaque e-ink screen gives it a great same look as reading the actual book. What I did miss was the option for a backlight. But just as reading a regular book, it is easy to read the screen with low and high light surroundings.

The Kindle Shopping experience.

All the items listed in the Kindle shop have a fee. To access the shop you will select from the Home page the Menu button and you select “Shop in the Kindle Store”. This includes the Kindle versions of the Books, Newspapers, Magazines and, yes indeed, Blogs. With the 5-way navigation button and the search box it is easy to navigate through all the different tittles. In the books section you have an option to download “Try a Sample”. This will give you a small excerpt to see if you would like to buy the book in full digital format.

On your Amazon account you can manage your purchases. As well as your devices. For example I share the same account with my wife and we are both able to read the same book purchased once on two different devices. The Kindle and the Kindle reader for the iPhone or iTouch.

Deleting a book on your Kindle is very easy as well. On the home page you scroll down to the title you would like to delete using the 5-way navigation button. Once you are there your press the 5 way navigation to the left and select delete.

Experimental Web Browsing

The Kindle has a search with Google build in. This one of the ways to get to the experimental internet browser. The browser is very simple but could be useful for a quick look up. Being used to many color screen on mobile devices it is not that attractive to browse on.

Conclusion

I really like the kindle to sit down and be able to read my books without dragging them around or have stacks of them laying around. The Kindle is a little pricey, but we will save some trees. The e-books are also cheaper compared to the real books. Most of them are $9.99. Similar priced to the soft cover versions. The battery life is very good. It even gets better if you turn the wireless off. The 5-way navigation button has so many different function per page that you kind have to experiment a little to know all the possibilities. I am not sure how the Kindle will work in a text book environment, but for reading a novel it is definitely now my first choice.

The Kindles are available on Amazon.com

Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6″ Display, U.S. & International Wireless, Latest Generation) goes for $279
Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6″ Display, U.S. Wireless, Latest Generation) goes for $259
Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7″ Display, U.S. Wireless, Latest Generation) goes for $489

Update: A question arised about extra possible charges for the wireless connection in your home country or outside your home country with the Latest generation wireless Kindle. When slecting your specific country in the box “Live Outside the U.S.?” on the product page it will states the following.

Free Wireless: Free 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle. No monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. For non-U.S. customers, there are also no additional charges for wireless delivery outside your home country.