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Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

Summary: I just posted about the Amazon Kindle iPhone application availability and now I'll take you on a walk through the software and let you also see how it works with a Kindle 2 device. As you can see in my image gallery the software is easy to use and gives you all your Kindle ebook content on the iPhone. I am not sure if newspapers or magazines are supported yet, but plan to try that out soon as well. You can see in the video how the Whispersync technology keeps the Kindle 2 and iPhone in sync so no matter where you are or what device you have with you at the moment (Kindle or iPhone) you can always maintain your current location in your book.

Matthew Miller

By for Smartphones and Cell Phones |

I just posted about the Amazon Kindle iPhone application availability and now I'll take you on a walk through the software and let you also see how it works with a Kindle 2 device. As you can see in my image gallery the software is easy to use and gives you all your Kindle ebook content on the iPhone. I am not sure if Newspapers or magazines are not supported yet, but plan to try that out soon as well. You can see in the video how the Whispersync technology keeps the Kindle 2 and iPhone in sync so no matter where you are or what device you have with you at the moment (Kindle or iPhone) you can always maintain your current location in your book.

Image Gallery:Check out 22 screenshots of the Amazon Kindle iPhone software in use on my iPhone. Image Gallery: Kindle iPhone launch page Image Gallery: Kindle ebook library
When you first launch the software on your iPhone/iPod touch you log into your Kindle account. I already have a Kindle 1 and Kindle 2 so logging into my account immediately showed me my library of ebooks under the Archived Items category. You don't need a Kindle to use this software or buy books, but you will need to buy books through a web browser on your computer or iPhone. If you have books like I do already you simply tap the book title in the Archived Items and the book is download to your iPhone for reading.

The AMAZING feature is the Whispersync technology that will now allow you to read on your Kindle and then hit the road and read on your iPhone while maintaining the exact same place in the selected book. This is HUGE for me, and others too I am sure, since I have my phone with me at ALL times while my Kindle is not always with me. I imagine I will be reading a lot more books and this is good for me and Amazon since I will also probably be buying more books.

While Kindle and iPhone owners like myself will greatly appreciate this new software, it will be interesting to see how other ebook fans currently using clients like eReader or Stanza will use this software. The major benefit of using the Amazon service is you should be able to get full access to the Amazon library of over 200,000 ebooks. I don't think the software alone is what is appealing, but the functionality when combined with a Kindle and the ebook catalog are what sets it apart.

You can save bookmarks, but it doesn't appear that notes or annotations are supported with the current software. Magazines and newspapers also do not appear to be supported at this time. You cannot read books in landscape mode and there are no custom options for text or backgrounds colors. This is version 1.0 of the software so Amazon may add lots more functionality to it later. I am still impressed, primarily with the ease of accessing my library and the Whispersync capability.

BTW, people have asked me and YES you can use this without owning a Kindle. You buy the books via a computer web browser and they are sent to your iPhone/iPod touch.

Are you as excited about this as I am? Will this energize the ebook market?

Topics: iPhone, Amazon, CXO, Hardware, Mobility, Software, IT Employment

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25 comments
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  • Great Idea for Amazon. But why stop there?

    With all of the 3G devices and PDA's out there why should Amazon limit their market? Android and Palm await.
    tcalbaz@...
    Reply Vote

    • Just the beginning

      I honestly think this is just the beginning for Amazon with the Kindle software. They see how popular the iPhone is and I think they jumped on this platform first due to the momentum with it. I think we will eventually see a BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Android client too.

      We may even see Windows/Mac versions, but publishers may have an issue with the ability to print out books or something on them so I am not as sure with computer platforms.
      palmsolo (aka Matthew Miller)
      Reply Vote

      • Waiting for the next step...

        The release of this software for my iPhone did raise my interest. But the fact that it still requires navigating to their web site to buy books is the one thing that is keeping me from jumping on the bandwagon. Leaving the reader to buy books on a cluttered web page that loads slowly just seems like a kluge. I'll wait until I see streamlined, integrated book purchasing before I make the jump. I'm sure they are working on it for the next version. At least, I hope so.
        BillDem
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    being able to read Kindle books on my I phone is great, any time anywhere I can get a few pages read.
    epictour@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    Wow - I have just begun reading books on my touch using eReader, but their catalog isn't nearly as big as Amazon's. Like you, I always have my touch with me and I find that I read a lot more than I did before. I can't wait to download this app - I'll do it tonight!
    leslee@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    I have been using Stanza on iphone for books and purchasing
    books through Fictionwise but now that the Kindle is loaded on
    my iphone, I plan to do my purchased through Amazon as their
    books are much less expensive. Competition does breed savings.
    Thanks Amazon.
    brucefoote
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    Currently the limited customization is a deal-killer
    for
    me. Stanza still seems the better choice because
    of this;
    especially in the text/background color selection
    and the
    Landscape view for reading.

    Guess I'll wait for v.2
    Vulpinemac
    Reply Vote

  • Interesting move by Amazon.......

    I did not expect an iPhone App this soon. Now I don't have to get a Kindle Device (which I thought was ugly, expensive) just to use their service. I think we are seeing where they want to go with this move. They want to push the software/service onto every device going forward to dominate the eBook space early.
    dave95.
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    OK, I was ready to get the Kindle 2 (I already have the Kindle 1), but with the iPhone app that I just downloaded, I need to think about this. While a little more flexibility in the client would be great, what I have is easy to read, easy to use, and it is too cool that it keeps track of where I am between devices...

    Thanks Amazon, cant wait to see what added features you attach in the next rev.
    davidvose65
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    While we buy books (often from Amazon), we are also very heavy users of our local public library .. and also use the Ipod Touch (and other devices). Is there a role for libraries in the era of ebooks? Are there standards and technologies that will allow libraries to loan books electronically? Can we expect the Google Book Project to deliver downloads to such devices?
    alexdiament@...
    Reply Vote

  • How it works on an iPod?

    Ok, on a iPhone it must work with the service provider (AT&T??) (Is there a conection charge?)
    But, on the iPod?? wiresly? on a Hotspot??.
    Please tech me
    raphael.munoz@...
    Reply Vote

    • it just works

      Tried it out on my iPhone, bought The Graveyard Story using Safari on iPhone and it was delivered by opening up the app in less than 2 minutes onto my iPhone. So easy to use and the interface and font work fine and look great.
      nothingness
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    Big limitation in that you can't use landscape mode, so the amount of reading (squinting) you can do before your head explodes is limited. Still, the notion is good.

    Since AT&T iPhones come with a $30/month unlimited data plan, there's no need for wifi or direct connect - 3G takes care of downloads. V2 MUST include landscape, though.

    I can download ebooks from my library, as well as "books on tape" (in MP3 format); now if I can only figure out how to read novels while driving . . . (;-)

    Seriously, if you think a cell phone turns drivers into rolling catastrophes, can you imagine what is in store as more and more visual-related content comes to the phone? Numbskulls will do anything while driving.

    I salute Amazon for creating this app, though. Now if only we could get high school and college textbooks on these things, they could kill the backpack market (but what a hassle for exam proctors).
    gsteele531@...
    Reply Vote

  • My question is . . .

    will this app let you put your own books on the device, or do you still have to go through Amazon's on-line service?

    I have a lot of amateur fiction on my current device, which I am in the process of converting from Mobipocket to ereader format. If there's an easy way to do this, I'd consider it when I make the leap to an iPod touch (got my Tax refund, now to convince the wife ;) ).
    JLHenry
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    I think this reader is limited to online kindle format, but I use Stanza, http://www.lexcycle.com/, to read ebooks on my iphone. It works well and even supports widescreen reading.
    jdh201
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    Have used eReader on a Palm for over 5 years, and now use it on my iPhone.
    Don't really see the need for Kindle on the iPhone, unless the content availability is that much more compelling.
    gilreath@...
    Reply Vote

  • What would be really nice....

    What would be really nice is if some company like Amazon allowed those of us who own 500+ real books to somehow get those into our ereader libraries, too. If I could get my entire current library into my ereader as a starting point at little or no expense, I would convert in a heartbeat.
    BillDem
    Reply Vote

  • How about for my Blackberry?

    I'm a Blackberry user. I don't care for the iPhone. I want to be able to view Kindle books on the Blackberry. How 'bout it, amazon?
    miristar@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Hands-on image gallery and video of the Amazon iPhone Kindle software

    What I want to see is kindle for my laptop. Wanted to read a book yesterday but I couldn't because I didn't have a kindle, so I brought it on ebay, now I got to wait a week.
    P_J_Nagy@...
    Reply Vote

    • Transmissive not as good as reflective

      There is going to be a lot of eye strain reading text on an iphone with transmissive background rather than the Kindle reflective background. But I still love that is on the iPhone.
      mitch@...
      Reply Vote
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