Downloader: Amazon introduces Kindle eBook app for BlackBerry

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Amazon introduces Kindle eBook app for BlackBerry

Amazon is taking another step at showing that Kindle is a platform rather than simply a piece of hardware for reading eBooks. The company has already released Kindle eBook software for the iPhone and Windows PCs. And today Amazon launched a beta version of a BlackBerry Kindle application.

In other words, you don't need an Amazon Kindle in order to find, purchase, download, or read eBooks from the Amazon Kindle store. You can use a PC or two popular smartphone platforms. There's no news regarding Android, Symbian, Palm WebOS or Windows Mobile versions of the Kindle app yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're on the way.

The BlackBerry Kindle app includes all the functions you would expect. In addition to using a BlackBerry to read books, you can also browse the Amazon Kindle store from your phone and make purchases. You can create bookmarks and view annotation created on other Kindle eBook readers.

BlackBerry users will also be able to access their library of books already purchased from the Kindle store.

Kindle for BlackBerry Beta is available as a free download from Amazon. Or you can grab it by visiting amazon.com/kindlebb on your BlackBerry device.

Of course, most BlackBerry smartphones have ridiculously tiny displays and I can't imagine anyone would want to read eBooks on them. But the Storm might actually have enough screen real estate to make reading an eBook somewhat pleasant.