[Android App] Calibre Companion and Kindle Fire HD?

[DoctorOhh]

With all of the new Kindle Fire HD folks unable to access their device through calibre's new MTP interface because they are on Windows XP or Mac OS how long before you are able to release a version through the Kindle App store for these folks to try?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

With all of the new Kindle Fire HD folks unable to access their device through calibre's new MTP interface because they are on Windows XP or Mac OS how long before you are able to release a version through the Kindle App store for these folks to try?

This is a something we have been debating.

It seems that there are two issues we must address before releasing on the Amazon market, both related to making CC more "kindle friendly". The first is finding a way to launch Kindle 4 Android when the user taps on an amazon-format book. Given that K4A doesn't publish its existence or its capabilities, we would need to "snoop" around on the device to see if K4A is installed and, if so, propose it as a choice. This would not solve the inability of K4A to auto-open a book, but it would simplify for the user the process of getting to the book.

The second issue is related to the first, and that is the choice of default folders. It seems that we should change the default folder for amazon formats to "kindle" (where K4A wants the books), but probably only on fires. How to make the choice? We could try to do device detection, or perhaps better would be to add a "first use" dialog where the user chooses between "kindle" and "standard" defaults.

On the good side, Steven and Annie are very experienced with the mechanics of releasing on amazon's app market. The process is longer than with Google Play because someone from amazon will test the app to ensure that it meets some minimal standards (e.g., runs on fires. ). For that reason updates take longer as well.

Bottom line: We could ignore the questions and release the existing version, and solutions for the above two issues are not hard to implement once we decide exactly what to do. The problem is that we must get it right the first time. It is so easy to shoot ourselves in the foot, and it is so hard to recover if we do.

All three of us want to make CC available on the amazon market soon, but I don't know when it will happen. We had already planned to discuss this topic on Monday. If we can answer the above questions to our satisfaction, then we might be able to submit CC to amazon this week.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by chaley

The problem is that we must get it right the first time. It is so easy to shoot ourselves in the foot, and it is so hard to recover if we do.

You definitely want to get it right the first time.

Good Luck.

[chaley]

Calibre Companion is now available on the Amazon Appstore for Android.

However, CC is not available on the version of Amazon's appstore seen by Kindle Fire users. This situation is not likely to change, but we will try.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by chaley

However, CC is not available on the version of Amazon's appstore seen by Kindle Fire users. This situation is not likely to change, but we will try.

Curious... what or who is preventing this?

Edit: You might want to include the required Calibre version in Amazon and Google Play stores.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

Curious... what or who is preventing this?

Edit: You might want to include the required Calibre version in Amazon and Google Play stores.

Amazon doesn't seem to want alternate reader-related programs on the fire. Understandable from their point of view - protecting their "walled garden" and "user experience". In addition, the reader app (the equivalent of kindle for android) behaves differently from the non-fire app, at least on the fire my son has, making it difficult to integrate with.

Steven is going to talk with his marketing contact at Amazon to see what possibilities exist to overcome these challenges, if any.

Regarding the calibre version, you are right.