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Amazon releases Kindle for iPhone
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Books, New Apps, Free Apps,
We knew that Amazon was planning on bringing their Kindle e-books to other devices, but we didn’t think it would happen this soon. This evening, Kindle for iPhone was released on the App Store, available for free. In a nutshell, you are able to associate your iPhone or iPod touch with your Amazon account, and can then buy Kindle book content and have it sent to your phone for reading. Kindle for iPhone is also compatible with the Whispersync service, which allows you to continue reading any Kindle content from where you left off, no matter which device you are reading on. That means you can start reading on your iPhone, stop, then power on your Kindle and continue from the same page you left off on. Very nice.
If you are a Kindle or Kindle 2 owner, and you’ve purchased books for those devices, when you download Kindle for iPhone you’ll have an Archived Items category that will list all your purchased books, which you can access immediately. In using the app, we found that it works extremely well—not as well as a Kindle, mind you, but as an extra way to read the e-books (or as a way to save yourself the $359 Kindle price tag,) the app shines. Go ahead and hit the App Store to grab Kindle for iPhone.
Read More 
| Kindle for iPhone
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Amazon gives in: Text-to-Speech now decided by book publisher
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Handhelds, Portable Audio / Video,
The text-to-speech feature of the Kindle 2 in one of the main features that Amazon was touting when they debuted their latest e-book reader. However, Roy Blount, Jr., president of the Author’s Guild, made it immediately known that the Guild objects to the feature that he believes undermines the market for professional e-book. While this is overly cautious, since the Kindle sounds nothing like a real human being, Amazon has decided to step up (or back down?) and allow book publishers and authors the right to allow their works to be compatible with the text-to-speech feature or not. We are hoping that most will see that it’s harmless, and just allows folks to enjoy their work in a different way, albeit on the same device. You can read Amazon’s full statement after the jump.
You can pick up the Kindle 2 at Amazon, be sure to check out our Kindle 2 review.
Click to continue reading Amazon gives in: Text-to-Speech now decided by book publisher
Amazon Kindle 2 review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Handhelds, Product Reviews,
We’ve spent a few days with the Amazon Kindle 2, which has been the talk of the gadget world this week. We know some of you are wondering if you should pick one up, so we are here to give you our thoughts on the latest iteration of Amazon’s e-book reader. If you’re like us, you already know that the Kindle 2 is available for purchase now, and you likely have one in your hands - but for the rest of you, join us for our full review of the Kindle 2 (and if you missed it, check out our Kindle 2 gallery.)
Okay, so while we were working on the review, we sent a couple of questions out to some of our Twitter peeps asking what they thought of the device, and Lisa from EllisLab hit us back with so much info, that we are using her feedback to break this down for you. Sometimes you need the point of view of a “real world” user anyway, as opposed to one of us gadget fiends. So what we will do is give some of our thoughts on the Kindle 2, and then bring in Lisa’s thoughts as well.
The Kindle 2 was announced on February 9th, and just started shipping on February 24th. The announcement came with the promise of a 25% improvement in battery life, 20% faster page turns, a better screen that supports up to 16 shades of gray (as opposed to 4 shades with the original,) and a much thinner design.
Click to continue reading Amazon Kindle 2 review
Amazon Kindle 2 unboxing gallery
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Galleries, Handhelds, Miscellaneous,
It’s a happy day here at Gear Live HQ, what with the arrival of both the Amazon Kindle 2 and Resident Evil 5, thanks to UPS. We figured we’d tear right in to the Kindle 2 upon arrival so that we could bring you another unboxing gallery full of e-book reader goodness, and we think we succeeded. We’ve got 30 images of the Kindle 2 available for you to check out in our Kindle 2 unboxing gallery, showing off all aspects of the device, the packaging, and the included USB cable and charging add-on (which, we think, is pretty neat.) Go ahead and check out all the images yourself, and give your thoughts. Also, any questions on the device itself that we can answer for you?
You can purchase an Amazon Kindle 2 now.
Read More | Kindle 2 unboxing gallery via Amazon Kindle 2
Gallery:
Our Amazon Kindle 2 is here…
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds,
Oh, happy day, our Kindle 2 has arrived. We are opening it up now and snapping images for your enjoyment. Be sure to keep at eye on Unboxing! Back to work…
UPDATE: We’ve put up our entire Kindle 2 unboxing gallery - check it out!
Read More | Amazon Kindle 2
Daily Show: Jeff Bezos on the Kindle 2
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds, Videos,
We are fans of The Daily Show for reasons like this - only Jon Stewart can get this type of reaction from powerful mogul like Jeff Bezos. Watch as Bezos comes on The Daily Show to let the world know about the Kindle 2, while Jon makes fun of just about every aspect of the product, from the price, to the notion of e-paper. Great stuff.
Authors Guild Concerned With Kindle 2 Read-to-Me
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech,
Amazon has run some opposition with its Kindle 2‘s text-to-speech function. The Authors Guild claims that Read-to-Me may violate authors’ rights. Executive director Paul Aiken said, “They don’t have the right to read a book out loud. That’s an audio right, which is derivative under copyright law.”
The Guild is worried that audio book sales will be compromised by the feature, but we all know that hearing an electronic voice isn’t even close to that of the author or other human reader. We don’t think they really have to worry at this point, do you?
You can pick up a Kindle 2 at Amazon now.
Read More | Real Tech News
M-Edge Kindle 2 Executive Jacket
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech,
File this under “that was quick.” M-Edge has released an Executive Jacket for the Amazon Kindle 2. The padded case has a mounting system to keep your new toy from dirt and bumps, and includes pockets for business cards or notes. Access to ports is available even when closed. Shown here with the e-Luminator (sold separately,) the 100% leather cover is available for $44.99. M-Edge has covers for other e-books as well including the Kindle 1, the eFlybook, Sony’s PRS-505 and the iRex ILiad.
Read More | M-Edge
Amazon Kindle 2: $359, 20% faster, 25% more battery life
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Design, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,
This morning at a press conference from the Morgan Library, Amazon finally announced the long-awaited Kindle 2 e-book reader. The updated version will cost $359, and sports quite a few worthy improvements. First, it is much thinner than the original Kindle at just .36-inches thin. Yes, that is just about as thin as a #2 pencil, and thinner than an iPhone. It also sports 7 times more storage than the original, which means it can hold over 1,500 books. Battery life is 25% longer as well, which means you should be able to go a couple of weeks between charges.
When it comes to actually, you know, reading, the display is what matters. Luckily, Amazon improved that as well, as the new display can display 16 shades of gray, which results in clearer text and crisper images. By far, though, we think the biggest feature is the one they are calling Read to Me. It is a text-to-speech feature that lets the Kindle read any book, magazine, blog, or newspaper out loud to you. Kind of cool.
As we said, the new Kindle will sell for $359, and it starts shipping on February 24th. They are sold on a first come, first served basis, but if you are a Kindle 1 owner and order before midnight PST on February 10th, you will receive first priority. You can order one now at the Kindle 2 product page on Amazon.
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Plastic Logic E-Newspaper
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: CES, Corporate News, Misc. Tech, Wireless / WiFi,
Plastic Logic’s black-and-white bendable plastic substrate e-newspaper is about to be sprung. Larger than the Kindle and eReader, it has a full 8.5 x 11-inch display and works by gesturing. The device can be continuously updated wirelessly and can both store and display hundreds of books, documents, and newspaper pages. It is compatible with Word, Excel and Powerpoint files as well as PDFs. Available during the first half of 2009, the price and name should be announced at the next CES.
Read More | The New York Times
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