Amazon Releases Free 'Kindle for iPhone' Application

[kdarling]

Steve Jobs forgot that the other side of "40% only read one book", is the other 60% who read more than one.

I was sitting behind a Kindle user the other day on a plane. It was surprising how much interest she got, especially from other women asking questions.

The most common question was, why not just get regular books? Her answer was perfect:

She said that she traveled the world a lot, and not only was it a pain to carry lots of books in her luggage, but that _after_ they were read, she used to have to leave room to carry them back home to add to her library.

With the electronic book, she could reload new ones for each trip. And save space in her luggage, which is important now. This sounds exactly like the whole iPod concept.

 

[scmac85]

I can't seem to download any of the Papers keeps saying my iPhone isn't registered is it just me or are others having same issue?

You are in the UK, of course it won't work.

 

[sushi]

Downloaded the app and have purchased a couple of books.

Sweet.

I can't seem to download any of the Papers keeps saying my iPhone isn't registered is it just me or are others having same issue?

No issue here.

Downloaded the iPhone/touch app. Then logged into my Amazon account to register my touch. Then purchased and DL'ed some books. Worked well.

don't they deliver free glasses ? How can one read on such a small screen and not go blind ?? Beats me.

You can change the font size.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

This new Kindle app is just what the doctor ordered. I bought a Kindle v2 last week and love it, but it's a little large to carry around with me unless I have my backpack on me. Now I can read the same books outside of the house on my iPhone and leave the Kindle at home if I want to. (Books are still easier to read on the Kindle. I still absolutely love the thing.)

Genius!

Hey, not to criticize your purchase but why would leave it at home if you just bought it? Is it really that unimpressive that having an app on the iPhone to simulate is just as good?

I ask because I've been very interested since v2 was announced but it just does not seem worth it in any way.

 

[Romanesq]

The Government....

You can't even DOWNLOAD the app outside the US, nor can you buy their ebooks outside the US.

In France, I got around getting the app by buying a US iTunes card on eBay. That gave me a "US" account in iTunes, which then let me download the amazon app.

But once I logged in (and I even have a US amazon account), my iPhone WILL NOT REGISTER on the site - YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR IPHONE or KINDLE to do to do ANYTHING with ebooks. To repeat: You cannot even buy an ebook on Amazon without a US account, and you CANNOT use a gift certificate to buy an ebook (i did that, still doesn't work), and you cannot download the amazon app without a US iTunes account. PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG ANYONE!

Philosophically speaking, I don't understand this "eBlocking"; you can certainly buy paper books and have them shipped here. If the same book is in digital form, what's the difference beside saving trees? And aren't we supposed to be a "globalized" world with globalized capitalism? What's with all this sorry nationalism crap?

Richard

I suggest you contact your local representative or better yet Brussels.
You should it sorted out in about several years.

But first, the government must decide what tax to impose on you. For your own good.

Don't worry, this joke doesn't come at just your expense. The global taxation plan has also reached our shores.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

Steve Jobs forgot that the other side of "40% only read one book", is the other 60% who read more than one.

I was sitting behind a Kindle user the other day on a plane. It was surprising how much interest she got, especially from other women asking questions.

The most common question was, why not just get regular books? Her answer was perfect:

She said that she traveled the world a lot, and not only was it a pain to carry lots of books in her luggage, but that _after_ they were read, she used to have to leave room to carry them back home to add to her library.

With the electronic book, she could reload new ones for each trip. And save space in her luggage, which is important now. This sounds exactly like the whole iPod concept.

Without a doubt its a brilliant concept, but SJ feels that its a niche market nonetheless. Fewer people read than watch movies/tv shows, and out of the people that DO read, an even smaller percentage are willing to accept/try some kind of eBook reader, even one very well designed like the Kindle.

 

[dgdosen]

To me, this is a further indication that there's a new device heading our way in the not too distant future...

It will have a bigger screen and higher resolution, and will at least be as powerful as the iPhone.

I think the kindle as a hardware device will soon become extinct.

anyone have a screen shot of the app showing different font variations?

Without a doubt its a brilliant concept, but SJ feels that its a niche market nonetheless. Fewer people read than watch movies/tv shows, and out of the people that DO read, an even smaller percentage are willing to accept/try some kind of eBook reader, even one very well designed like the Kindle.

Steve Jobs feels like its a niche market because he doesn't have a hardware device with the same screen size as a kindle (yet!). Do you think Apple wants you to buy a kindle?

I think this idea of digital paper is dead, unless it were very cheap, because you can see much better on a nice led.

 

[clayj]

Hey, not to criticize your purchase but why would leave it at home if you just bought it? Is it really that unimpressive that having an app on the iPhone to simulate is just as good?

I ask because I've been very interested since v2 was announced but it just does not seem worth it in any way.

The problem with the Kindle (if you can call it that) is that while it is smaller than a typical hardcover book, it is larger than any pocket you may have in your pants or jacket. So while I can easily carry it around with me when I have my backpack on me, it's not that easily portable when just walking around town with no backpack. The iPhone, obviously, fits in a pocket and so I will always have it with me.

 

[northy124]

You are in the UK, of course it won't work.

I have US accounts for iTunes and Amazon (both with US Credit cards), so that shouldn't be an issue.

IDK I'll work it out later.

 

[the vj]

just downloaded. kind of annoying that you have to go to the website to download stuff. wondering why it cant be built into the app. oh well.

Oh God, you are the mother of laziness... all you have to do is to move your FINGER!!!

Or would you rather:
Take a shower
Dress up
leave your house
get in to your car (in the winter)
drive 10 minutes to the book stort (plus the traffic)
park your car (after looking for a parking spot)
get off your car
walk to the store (if is in a mall you would have to walk more)
enter the store (if is open)
ask for a book
search for it
get the book (if you find it)
pay for it
get back to your car

... you get the point

 

[spazzcat]

Downloaded the app and have purchased a couple of books.

Sweet.


No issue here.

Downloaded the iPhone/touch app. Then logged into my Amazon account to register my touch. Then purchased and DL'ed some books. Worked well.


You can change the font size.

I am able to download books, but not newspapers...

 

[regularg0nz0]

Yatta!

Excellent timing.

I was 1-click away from ordering a Kindle 2 yesterday afternoon after seeing the Cali's Geek-brief unboxing.

Glad I waited.

Still need to find about 30 more useful things to buy from Amazon to pay for Amazon Prime, tho. Maybe an Optimus Prime via Amazon Prime?

 

[spazzcat]

I have US accounts for iTunes and Amazon (both with US Credit cards), so that shouldn't be an issue.

IDK I'll work it out later.

Can you download books? Click on book and see if it will let you download a sample.

 

[bytethese]

anyone have a screen shot of the app showing different font variations?

Why do you need a screenshot? Just download a sample like I did and play with the font sizes.

I have US accounts for iTunes and Amazon (both with US Credit cards), so that shouldn't be an issue.

IDK I'll work it out later.

And credit cards never get stolen and marketed around the world? I'm sure there's a combination of US-based cards and country specific IP-filtering. If there isn't, there should be.

 

[pyramid6]

Took about 3 minutes to install the app, and get a book from Amazon. It's not as nice as the Kindle's screen, but it's a way cool app. Especially, sense it syncs were you last read. I'm extremely happy.

 

[Greg McBride]

Unable to purchase books

I installed the app on my iPhone. When I go to Amazon to purchase a book, it says that I don't have a device registered with them. However, on the site, I am able to see my phone as being registered Is anyone else experiencing this? Any suggestions?

 

[huck500]

Reading on a device is not as big a deal as people make it out to be... you don't see a whole page from the book shrunk down to iPhone screen size; in fact, you can make the text whatever size is comfortable for your vision. The only thing that changes is how often you need to turn the page.

Advantages:

-having a book to read at all times
-reading in bed with the lights off and no clunky book light
-being able to read comfortably with one hand (I've gotten good over the years at turning a paperback page with one hand... but Stanza is easier)

Disadvantages:

-the couple of days it took to get used to reading on a screen
-I still miss holding a book with the proper formatting... sometimes

The Kindle app has one major disadvantage that could be fixed easily: you have to swipe the screen to turn a page. In Stanza, you can set either side of the screen to advance pages, which is a critical option for me.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

I'm liking the Free samples. Lets you get a good feel for the app before spending any money.

 

[Tones2]

The Kindle iPhone app itself is no where near as good as the eReader app at this stage. The Kindle app has no page turning options, background options, auto scrolling and many other things that eReader has. And at least in terms of the books that I read, the selection and prices are similar.

It's good to have another option, but there is really no reason to switch from the eReader as my main source of eBooks at this point.

Tony

 

[slapppy]

One device

I love having just one device to do almost everything that I need for work, play and relaxation. Now for books on the go, this is it. Finally.

 

[spazzcat]

I installed the app on my iPhone. When I go to Amazon to purchase a book, it says that I don't have a device registered with them. However, on the site, I am able to see my phone as being registered Is anyone else experiencing this? Any suggestions?

Were you getting a book or newspaper. I get this message when I try to get a newspaper...

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

To me, this is a further indication that there's a new device heading our way in the not too distant future...

It will have a bigger screen and higher resolution, and will at least be as powerful as the iPhone.

I think the kindle as a hardware device will soon become extinct.

I think you are totally misreading this market, as well as the importance of the device itself.

All people need is access to content. The iPhone is perfectly acceptable as an eBook reader. By comparison to Kindle, it makes no difference.

After using this particular app for 45 minutes, I feel like I just got a Free Kindle.

As far comparison to reading a book, the Font size I'm using on the Iphone screen is twice the size of a paperback book. Lower the brightness you're good to go.

 

[pjgeer]

Exactly. Bring on the $399 7-inch iPod touch, and I'll be first in line.

Diddo!

 

[QCassidy352]

I've tried it, but there's just no comparison between reading books on my Kindle or on the iPhone. It's not even close. The new Kindle is amazing for reading. The iPhone is amazing for a ton of other things, but not this.

no way I can read a book of the iPhone screen...I'll stick with my Kindle 2

ebooks on the iphone are not meant to compete with the Kindle; they are for different markets. the iphone does ebooks "well enough" to use on the train in the morning, while you're waiting in line, basically whenever you have a few spare minutes.

think of ebooks on the iphone as the ipod shuffle to the kindle's ipod classic.

Steve Jobs forgot that the other side of "40% only read one book", is the other 60% who read more than one.

Agreed. That was a surprising statement by Jobs, especially given that Apple's business model has never been to appeal to everyone. They have proven that you can make gobs of money selling to only 5% of the population (at least as regards computers), so I don't know why Jobs didn't think 60% of the country was a big enough market.

Reading on a device is not as big a deal as people make it out to be... you don't see a whole page from the book shrunk down to iPhone screen size; in fact, you can make the text whatever size is comfortable for your vision. The only thing that changes is how often you need to turn the page.

Totally agree. I don't know why people don't get this. It's not like viewing webpages where a smaller screen may mean bits get chopped off or are unreadable.

 

[Rojo]

I installed the app on my iPhone. When I go to Amazon to purchase a book, it says that I don't have a device registered with them. However, on the site, I am able to see my phone as being registered Is anyone else experiencing this? Any suggestions?

Yep, I'm getting the same message. But I've only tried getting a magazine (and sounds like other people are experiencing the same problems with magazines and/or newspapers).
A shame, as I'm not really interested in reading books on my iPhone, but magazines/newspapers would be cool for my subway rides...