Tim Akinbo’s Blog
the web, mobile technology and location based services as I see it
Kindle for PC?
In: Gadgets
19 Nov 2009
This is hot! Just got an email from Amazon announcing the availability of a free download of the Kindle for PC. Ok like I just explained to a colleague, the Kindle is a device from Amazon that allows you to carry around and read ebooks that you download from the Amazon store.
The Kindle for PC on the other hand, is a software application you download from Amazon that enables you to read the same ebooks as you would on the Kindle device, on your PC.
Kindle for PC Books List
Why the excitement? Well for one, the Kindle was one of the things I had on my wishlist for the Christmas. Even though I still intend to get the device (or some other ebook reader), this is like a wish granted. May be after all, a netbook will not be a bad idea.
This is coming at a time when the Kindle is facing stiff competition from other new entrants. If you asked me, I think this strategy of creating a standalone PC application makes a lot of sense – at least to me.
- Tags: Amazon
Comment Form
About this blog
Tim Akinbo's Weblog is the personal weblog of Tim Akinbo. Here he discusses issues relating to technology. Special interests include the web, mobile technology and location based services.
Photostream
Categories
- Blogging (1)
- Computer Security (1)
- Events (2)
- Gadgets (1)
- General (5)
- GIS (2)
- Mobile (1)
- Open Data (2)
- Programming (6)
- Telecoms (1)
- Web Development (8)
- Daniel: Thanks Tim for coming over! Icant $get that day to me that was like a boost to my skills I was thnki [...]
- Iyinoluwa Balogun: i think curiousity comes first. those who have left footprints in the sands of time started by quest [...]
- Kizito S.M.: What I gather is that this G-Buzz is something like a blend between Facebook Updates and Twitter fol [...]
- concept37: They are trying to out-facebook facebook and out-twitter twitter, Folks who want to do these things [...]
- ray: Funny u took it from the LBS angle, which makes better sense. But from the social networking perspec [...]
- How it was done – Nigerian postcode data extraction
- Nigerian postcodes – a case for open data
- Just how buzz-worthy?
- Blacklisting Nigeria
- Thirsty?
- When unique isn’t really unique
- Google Latitude Apps Review (Location History and Alerts)
- Kindle for PC?
- Web APIs and Mashups Seminar in Jos
- Using git hooks to check syntax errors
2 Responses to Kindle for PC?
Kizito Mrema
November 19th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Yes I like Kindle Tim! What I do not understand/comprehend is on the Kindle app;
i- Why would I need another app for reading e-books on a PC while Amazon already told us on how awful reading on a PC can be and so introduced Kindle to us?
ii- Will that app be somewhat capable of reducing or adding something on the PC screen to make it as cool as Kindle’s.
iii- Should I trust amazon on PC e-book readers than I should trust iSilo or all other vendors?
Good update though, greetings from Arusha!
Tim
November 20th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Hi Kizito, thanks for your comments and welcome to my blog.
i. Before the Kindle, Amazon distributed e-books in the secured PDF format. I had a couple of those and I didn’t think it was a big hassle reading off the PC screen. When the Kindle came out, they stopped PDF distribution and went into their proprietary Kindle format. Making the Kindle e-books now readable on the PC is a plus and you’re not restricted to reading the books only from a Kindle.
ii. I doubt the software will be anything other than just an e-book reader for the PC – best that can be done will be to improve the user experience but it wouldn’t turn your PC into a Kindle
iii. Well I like to think of it this way – what’s the size of the distribution of iSilo and other e-book readers in comparison with the Kindle? Obviously as it stands today, Amazon probably has the largest collection of titles in the ebook format than any other. So I say sign up with the Kindle (at least for now).