Amazon Releases Kindle for Mac

[admin]

Amazon Releases Kindle for Mac
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Posted by: Glenn

Amazon today announced the release of Kindle for Mac, a free application that allows users from around the world to read Kindle books on their Mac. With the application, users will be able to do the following:

- Purchase, download, and read hundreds of thousands of books available in the Kindle Store
- Access their library of previously purchased Kindle books stored on Amazon's servers for free
- Choose from 10 different font sizes and adjust words per line
- Add and automatically synchronize bookmarks and last page read
- View notes and highlights marked on Kindle, Kindle DX, and Kindle for iPhone
- Read books in full color including children's books, cookbooks, travel books and textbooks

Amazon also noted that several features will be added to the Kindle for Mac application in the near future, including full text search and the ability to create and edit notes and highlights.

The Kindle for Mac application weighs in at 8.8MB and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later.



Http://www.123macmini.com/news/story/1468.html

[blazer]

Now, will Apple let them do something for the iPad. I think they know the hammer is about to come down with iBooks.
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1.42GHz Mac mini
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo Mac mini
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo Mac mini (2009)
2.5GHz Core i5 Mac mini (2011)
24" Dell LCD & 42" Sharp TV
EyeTV 250 Plus
1G, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G iPod nanos
16GB 3G iPhone

[Bandit Bill]

Smart move on Kindle's part. However, I think Apple is going to crush this company with the iPad launch. Time will tell.

Hopefully Kindle can hang in there as a niche product, but they'll have to make their product look better and offer color. I find it funny that you will be able to view their books in color on your Mac (and likely the iPad).

[blazer]

I think they should have spent a little more time on the user interface though. That's about the most vanilla looking app I've seen for the Mac in a long time. I just have a feeling that Apple is going to come in and wipe them all out. The ease of buying through iTunes and the overall look of iBooks seems like such a lethal combination.
_________________
1.42GHz Mac mini
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo Mac mini
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo Mac mini (2009)
2.5GHz Core i5 Mac mini (2011)
24" Dell LCD & 42" Sharp TV
EyeTV 250 Plus
1G, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G iPod nanos
16GB 3G iPhone

[g5g5]

I can't see myself using Kindle for the Mac. I tend to get eyestrain and headaches with similar reader applications.

Personally, I see that as being the only potential problem for Apple and the iPad. They could have everything in place and looking fantastic, but the screen could end up being less than ideal for reading on. The screens on the Kindle and Sony e-Readers are very easy on the eyes.
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1.25GHz Mac Mini / 1.8GHz iMac G5 / 2.0GHz C2D Mac mini (2009)
4GB iPod mini / 2G iPod shuffle / 16GB iPhone 3G
Apple TV 2
iLife's a Bitch!

[theGimpiest]

Have you noticed the Kindle commercials on TV? Amazon is getting scared and trying to woo as many Mac users before the iPad is released.

[ESUNintel]

[devo]

[ottmar]

I tell you the problem with Kindle. The name. Just reading these posts and saying Kindle to myself only a few times was enough to annoy me. Try saying Kindle a few times and you'll see what I mean.

Anyway iPad, Kindle or whatever, nothing will ever beat a physical book for being easy on the eye and the senses in general. Imagine a world where everyone has glasses at an early age due to reading everything on a screen.
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1.66 GHz Core Duo Mac Mini/2GB RAM
500GB Lacie Mini Hard Drive and Hub
22" Samsung T220
Apple Keyboard
4GB iPod nano

[Cypher]

I'm having a little chuckle to myself over the Kindle.

The Kindle was released as usual in the US way before it was in Europe, at the time I really wanted one and I repeatedly emailed Amazon to find out when we were due to receive them. Sadly it was a long time before they released the Kindle in the UK, by which time I'd sort of gone off the idea. I was wondering if it would be a device I would actually use being that all it was was an ebook reader. If I could have quickly got a knidle I probably would have bought one but the longer I sat waiting for its release the more I convinced my self I didn't need one. I started using Stanza on the iPod Touch and was happy with the experience. I know I will be even happier using the iPad with the larger screen.

The iPad is a Kindle killer for me. It gives me everything the iPod touch does and also a larger screen to use as an ebook reader. It offers me so much more than the Kindle. Amazon would already have my money if they had released the Kindle earlier but by holding out on us they lost the sale and that makes me really happy now

I hope the iPad launches quickly in the UK or the iPad might go the same way :p
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Phil

Mac Mini 2.53GHz - iMac 2.0Ghz - Macbook Pro 2.4GHz - iPad 1 32GB 3G
6TB Netgear Ready NAS NV+ - 6TB Drobo S

[ESUNintel]

It looks like Amazon will release a Kindle App for the iPad (BN will be releasing something too):
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/22/amazon_reveals_all_new_kindle_e_book_app_for_apple_ipad.html

I think this is actually good - it create competition with Apples own eBook store. ...plus I still have a few eBooks I purchased back when I had a Kindle which I would love to finish reading (the iPhone screen is small - that's been my excuse )