YumSugar

Amazon Releases Kindle For Mac

GeekSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:47:53 -0700

Even if you don't buy a Kindle (or an iPad for that matter), you can still read thousands of books on demand with Amazon's new Kindle for Mac software. Fresh off the heels of the BlackBerry Kindle app, Amazon announced Kindle for Mac this morning, which gives you access to all of Amazon's offerings including novels, cookbooks, and children's books for you to digest right from your computer. And it's free!

But if you do decide to invest in one of Amazon's eReaders, the Whispersync technology will allow you to pick up where you left off (on either the Kindle or your Mac), and you can access all of the books you've purchased on both devices. Is this a ploy to keep Apple customers coming back to Amazon for the Kindle instead of throwing down for an iPad? Maybe. Either way, having more options is never a bad thing.

Amazon Releases Kindle App For BlackBerry

GeekSugar — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:00:30 -0800

If you don't have the dough to throw down for a Kindle, you don't have to be left out in the cold - nearly a year after the debut of the Kindle app for the iPhone, Amazon finally released its Kindle app for BlackBerry users. This free app gives you access to more than 400,000 titles in Amazon's ebook library, plus, if you already have a Kindle in your gadget arsenal, you can sync up your ereader and smartphone to access the books you've already downloaded, remember the last page you read, and see any notes you left in your reader.

This is great for times you just can't carry your Kindle around with you or when you want to lighten your load for short trips!

Should eBooks Cost the Same as Traditional Books?

GeekSugar — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 09:30:39 -0800

Though many were skeptical at first, eReaders like the Kindle, Nook, and soon the iPad are hotter than ever. And while the main argument against them will always remain the same ("Don't you prefer holding an actual book?"), I don't see eReaders going the way of the pager anytime soon. Amazon's top eBook price was $9.99, but will rise to $14.99 for new releases and best sellers. Current eBook customers aren't happy about the price increase, but publishers hope that new customers will adopt the price increase with no problem.

The change raises an interesting question: when we buy a book are we paying for the content or the physical product? Supporters of a lower price point out that digital books carry no physical production costs, and the lack of a tangible product should equal a lower price. I tend to agree; after all, who pockets the additional $5 from the price change? Publishers? Authors? What do you think?

Rumor Mill: Amazon Wants to Give Prime Members Free Kindles

GeekSugar — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:15:00 -0800

I'm a member of Amazon Prime - a service that costs $80 a year and offers you free two-day shipping on all your purchases. It's a service I definitely take advantage of since I order so many gadgets and want to get them in my hands as quickly as possible. However, it may come with a new and exciting benefit: rumor has it that Amazon may be attempting to roll out a program where all of its Amazon Prime customers get a free Kindle. The only question remains is how they can do that without losing money.

Amazon apparently tested a pilot program earlier this year that sent out Kindles to a select number of members and allowed them to keep the Kindle and get a refund of the purchase if they were unsatisfied. My guess is, they were counting on the customers to pack their Kindles with books to make up for the free ereader.

Although nothing in my account says that there's a Kindle on its way to my shipping address, I'm definitely keeping an eye out from now on!

Miniature Books For the Kindle: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45:39 -0800

In what seems like a testament to our ever-shortening attention spans, one company is offering downsized versions of books for the Nook and Kindle. Instead of a full version, the books are between 1,000 and 2,000 words and cost about $2 each, kind of like a digital version of Cliff's Notes. Currently, the only titles being sold this way are business books geared toward professionals who may not have time (or the desire) to read the full version of a book.

But it raises an interesting point; what if more publishers sold shortened summaries or even partial books for a reduced price? While this model wouldn't work well for fiction or other books with plot development throughout, it could be a good model for reference books or college textbooks. It's reminiscent of the iTunes sales model; instead of buying the full album, buy a few songs; instead of a full book, buy only the chapters you need. What do you think?

Source: Flickr User TheCreativePenn

Protect Your iPad (or MacBook or Kindle) in a Book!

GeekSugar — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:00:40 -0800

Can you spot the iPad case in there? Lemme help you out - it's the one in the middle. You've already fallen in love with the Book Book, which encases your MacBook in an old-timey hardback book, so you're totally gonna love this. The similarly-designed Book Case ($79) protects your iPad, 13" MacBook, or Kindle with a custom hard-cased fit.

The best part, the Book Case is made from natural and sustainable materials, so you can sleep soundly knowing that your purchase didn't wreak havoc on mother earth. Due to ship in April, these cases are a crisp and clean alternative to heavily-designed cases you'll find elsewhere. I love 'em! Maybe you should consider one for that new 64GB iPad you're dreaming of winning . . .

View 5 Photos ›

Touchscreen Technology May Come to the Kindle

GeekSugar — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:45:00 -0800

This is potentially very exciting: Amazon has purchased a startup company specializing in touchscreen technology. It plans to merge it with the Kindle hardware division, which leads one to believe that maybe the next generation Kindle will have a touchscreen. The company claims its technology can distinguish between a finger and a stylus, as well as support simultaneous touch points (oooh . . . more multitouch?)

As an avid iPhone user, I find myself trying to touch just about any screen to navigate it, including both my Kindle and my computer screen, and a touchscreen Kindle would be quite appealing. The Nook already features a color touchscreen navigation, and obviously the iPad is one giant touchscreen. While I doubt the technology will show up anytime soon, here's hoping Amazon jumps on the touchscreen train - I'd upgrade in a second!

Amazon's Kindle Sales Continue to Grow

GeekSugar — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:30:58 -0800

Amazon was recently excited to announce that the Kindle was its best-selling gift item ever, and now they have more positive Kindle news to report. Despite all the hype surrounding this week's iPad announcement, the Kindle's success continues to grow. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos revealed that they have already sold millions of Kindles, and apparently for every 10 actual books Amazon sells, they sell six Kindle books.

Though there was some speculation that Apple's tablet would be a "Kindle-killer," reports have already started to surface over why opinions vary, but many people think that the iPad is no Kindle competitor, since the Kindle is made for one thing: eReading. The e-ink screen doesn't hurt or strain your eyes, and the absence of other "distractions" like Twitter or web browsing makes it easier to stay focused.

Source: Flickr User madaise

I Want This! An LED Light For eReaders

GeekSugar — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:00:06 -0800

Meet the Kandle ($25), an LED light that attaches directly to the top of your eReader to light your text in the dark. Besides being brilliantly-named, the device illuminates your reader's screen, perfect for late night or airplane reading. It's movable, so you can position it to show light exactly where you want it, and works equally well for regular books made from paper.

The lifetime LED lights are specifically designed to reduce glare on the screen. I love my Kindle, but don't like that I need to turn on the light to read it at night. I guess it's a bit of a double standard; I don't mind turning on the light to read an actual book, but my inner geek tells me there's something strange about needing to keep the light on while reading the digital version.

View 5 Photos ›

Amazon Opening Up the Kindle to App Developers

GeekSugar — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:30:17 -0800

With the heat of the Apple Tablet on its heels, Amazon announced earlier today that it will be opening up the Kindle to developers, making the gadget a book-reading, app-running machine. The Kindle is in more hands than ever after the holiday season, and it only makes sense to make the machine a multitasker, especially if the rumors of Apple's Tablet being a portable ereader are true.

Limited beta testing for the developers will start next month, after which the apps will be available alongside books in the Kindle Store. EA is already on board to incorporate games into the Kindle, so it's just a matter of time before we see maps, music, and location-based apps spring up on the device, making the Kindle more than just a tool for literature.