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So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

Summary: HP and Amazon told us the Kindle app would be on the TouchPad at launch. Review units had the Kindle app installed, but why isn't it on shipping tablets?

James Kendrick

By for Mobile News |

HP and Amazon wanted to make sure everyone was aware that the Kindle app would be front and center on the TouchPad at launch. The Kindle app is even featured in the Pivot magazine that is part of the TouchPad app for finding good apps. Reviewers of the HP TouchPad prior to launch covered the Kindle app on review units.

Friday was launch day for the TouchPad and I picked one up early. I couldn't wait to fire up the Kindle app as I use it on all of my mobile devices. Imagine my surprise when I fired up the Kindle app on the brand new TouchPad only to see this in response:

That's right, the Kindle app in the TouchPad app store is simply a placeholder for the real app when it is available some time in the future. So what happened to the Kindle app? The app was installed on TouchPads supplied to reviewers so it was available at some point. PC Magazine even named the Kindle app a top 10 app for the TouchPad. HP's Pivot magazine installed in the app store that points out good apps for the TouchPad has the Kindle app featured prominently:

Something apparently happened to the Kindle app for the TouchPad between when HP sent review units out and the official launch. The existence of a placeholder app by Amazon is very bizarre and indicates perhaps the app was released and then pulled for some reason. Whatever is behind the mysterious disappearance of the Kindle app for the TouchPad I hope it gets rereleased soon. I need me some ebook reading on my new TouchPad.

Topics: Hewlett-Packard, Amazon

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19 comments
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  • It's coming and hopefully Nook Reader

    Jon Rubinstein director of Mobile and the old Palm division of HP is on the Board of Directors for Amazon, so I suspect it is on the way and soon.

    I'd personally prefer having a Nook Reader options since my wife also owns a Nook Color and I'd also like to have ePub options provided to those interfaces from my public library.

    Loving my TouchPad 32gb with dedicated Multitasking, Synergy, Just Type, and the awesome Beats Audio sound makes it a great tablet. Flash and the full web browser experience has also been perfect allowing Hulu, CBS, and other video content not available on the iPad 2 w/out Flash! Sorli...
    sorli
    Reply Vote

  • RE: So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

    Yes, thats what I checked first when I was there BestBuy. I am not sure what happened to the Kindle app. I am playing with one currently and will decide to keep it or not in a couple of days. I like the size, the card interface, and the way we could close an app. The cons, I dont like the battery life, understandable because of true multitasking, webkit based browser. It crashed on me more than 5 times already in few hours of playing and at one time it brought down the OS too. Had to reboot the touchpad. Also I think 499 is expensive when it doesn't have back camera, expandable memory support, and good number of apps. Yes, he email, and SMS experience was so good and much much better than iPad, and other than that a normal tablet buyer wouldn't look for it, they will go for iPad2 without any other thought except for hard-core WebOS lovers (edit: if I remove - or space between hard core, ZDNET thinks it is bad word). But definitely this is much better than Playbook, so called Android tablets with various versions and flavors of Android, <img border="0" src="http://www.cnet.com/i/mb/emoticons/wink.gif" alt="wink">.
    Ram U
    Reply Vote

    • Re: Jame's prior blog about a lack of TouchPad apps at launch

      @Rama.NET

      Your experience with WebOS crashes on this new tablet seem to mirror those of James and other online reports.

      When James poised the question on how the TouchPad could prosper during it's introduction with a weak app ecosystem in place, I suggested three suggestions. One of those required HP to make their tablet WebOS "rock solid".

      Unfortunately, published reports and observations indicate that WebOS needs further work to achieve that goal.
      kenosha77a
      Reply Vote

      • RE: So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

        @kenosha7777 <br>I totally agree with you.
        1. HP should sell the tablet for cheaper price to registered developers to attract them to build the ecosystem
        2. HP should eliminate all the issues related to Webkit or replace it with other engine. for some reason Webkit on this has some issues, I may be wrong but I felt mobile safari is much better than the browser on this eventhough both share same webkit.
        3. HP should improve the batter life, couple of hours of using brought the battery power down by 25%, on iPad, it stays at 95% for the same amout of time.
        4. HP should bring back camera and some external expandable memory capability. For the same price iPad 2 WiFi 16GB comes with 2 cameras and much app ecosystem.
        5. Main issue is touch response. The touch response is not crisp like iOS devices or Windows Phone 7. HP has to finetune it. This is the main thing.
        Ram U
        Reply Vote

      • RE: So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

        @kenosha7777 I can state that stability has improved over time. It's not rock solid yet but it is pretty close.
        JamesKendrick
        Reply Vote

    • RE: So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

      @Rama.NET I love the battery life on my Touchpad. I have streamed video, and have had several playing cards open all at once all day and I can't get the battery to expire in a full day. When not in use, the battery hardly expires at all. It is just outstanding. I expect that I have overused my Touhpad, just by exploring it, and have yet to have it freeze or otherwise need a rebooot. So far, it is the best Tablet out there, except for the app size, which will be less of an issue over the coming months. Plus the first issue of Pivot was absolutley awesome, and I am looking forward to is monthly delivery. With 82G of menory the Touchpad is a storage beast. Plus, I can't see using the touchpad as a cmaera, so the second camera is no issue to me, but Skype worked flawlessly on the Touchpad.
      Detfan
      Reply Vote

      • RE: So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

        @Detfan <br>Well my device may have issues with battery, i actually am going to BB to check with them again because my friend who also bought along with me has no issues with power. And leaving Box.NET integration, I am looking for some SD Card interface for external memory support and if HP wants to stand agains iPad2, they should have given the second camera, I am not sure how many of iPad2 users, Android Tablet users use the back camera on their tablets (I never did), but that would have given HP a chance to make their device comparable with iPads and Android tablets. Also the touch response (which I feel is the first thing users notice) is not that great. It lags, definitely not crisp like iOS devices or WP7, and is noticeable, if someone is comparing the two devices side by side.
        Ram U
        Reply Vote

  • Why not ask Amazon or Palm/HP?

    What did they say when you asked?
    rlawler
    Reply Vote

  • Steve Jobs ate it

    N/T
    nomorebs
    Reply Vote

  • RE: So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

    I spent almost an hour with the Touchpad in Best Buy, but it didn't make the grade for me. All the things that others have mentioned, plus the fact that the iPad3 will be available in a few months. It would have been a nice tablet two years ago, but HP didn't "invent" anything new, they just produced an inferior copy. I don't understand how the other tablet makers expect to have any success if they can't do something *better* than the iPad, anything.
    terry flores
    Reply Vote

  • RE: So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

    Incidentally, the UK versions of the Touchpad never saw an official Kindle version. There is a workaround, though: http://www.uisgeek.com/2011/09/06/uk-touchpad-does-not-come-with-kindle-software-preinstalled/
    Rod@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: So what happened to Kindle on the TouchPad?

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