Kindle for Android is OUT!

[=X=]

Amazon has just released the Kindle for Android (link) app.

Apparently the app will come pre loaded on the Samsung Galaxy Android phone in addition to the Dell Streak.

For those with Android devices you can download it from the Android market.


=X=

[AnemicOak]

Gonna check it out now, thanks for the heads up.

[Dulin's Books]

is there some rule that says they arent allowed to have a download link on their own page if the app is in the market?

Kobo doesnt have their android app for download from the kobo site either. Id like to try these apps on the eken/haleron mids I have but cant because i cant use the market

i emailed kobo about it and they said basically "you're correct, its not."

[AnemicOak]

Well it seems decent enough. Works well in both portrait and landscape, pages turn quickly and all. On first blush at least it doesn't appear you can load your own mobi files though. I tried putting a .mobi file into the kindle folder where downloaded books go and it crashes on startup (also tried renaming the file to .prc just in case). While I get that loading your own stuff isn't probably anything Amazon necessarily wants, it'd be nice if you could.

[=X=]

Google had made it clear that they do not control nor have any desire to control what apps can be loaded on your phone [1]. They do control the Google Market but do allow other markets to exist. There are many develoeprs/vendors such as Gameloft and such do allow users to directly downloads of their apps.

However some phone vendors like Verizon do not allow users to install apps that are not from the Android Market.




[1] Okay there was on big brother incident that happens a few days ago, but for some reason this did not make big news, maybe Google has great PR or maybe folks tend to be more forgiving towards company X vs company Y. :srug:

[Lemurion]

Originally Posted by =X=

Google had made it clear that they do not control nor have any desire to control what apps can be loaded on your phone [1]. They do control the Google Market but do allow other markets to exist. There are many develoeprs/vendors such as Gameloft and such do allow users to directly downloads of their apps.

However some phone vendors like Verizon do not allow users to install apps that are not from the Android Market.

(emphasis mine, L)


[1] Okay there was on big brother incident that happens a few days ago, but for some reason this did not make big news, maybe Google has great PR or maybe folks tend to be more forgiving towards company X vs company Y. :srug:

I have a Droid from Verizon and have had no problems installing non-market apps. I downloaded B&N's ereader app direct from their site on my Droid and it installed just fine, and I have also been able do download .apk files on my computer and transfer them to the SD card to install.

All you have to do is tick the little checkbox to authorize installing non-market apps.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

is there some rule that says they arent allowed to have a download link on their own page if the app is in the market?

Kobo doesnt have their android app for download from the kobo site either. Id like to try these apps on the eken/haleron mids I have but cant because i cant use the market

i emailed kobo about it and they said basically "you're correct, its not."

It's irritating, isn't it? My solution was to make friends with someone who had a legit Android phone and was geeky enough to get the apks off.

I have of these apps on my blog:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...e-for-android/
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...ndroid-tablet/

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

It's irritating, isn't it? My solution was to make friends with someone who had a legit Android phone and was geeky enough to get the apks off.

I have of these apps on my blog:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...e-for-android/
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...ndroid-tablet/

Just so you know, there's a newer version of the Kobo app out. Updated mine today.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

I have a Droid from Verizon and have had no problems installing non-market apps. I downloaded B&N's ereader app direct from their site on my Droid and it installed just fine, and I have also been able do download .apk files on my computer and transfer them to the SD card to install.

All you have to do is tick the little checkbox to authorize installing non-market apps.

Ah it must be phone vendor specific. I tried to install an APK package on the HTC Droid Eris and I got an error stating the Vendor only allows apps downloaded from the Android Market. I figured the "Vendor" was Verizon, it must have been HTC.

Thanks It's good to know Verizon is not blocking apps.

=X=

[pendragginp]

Nate

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by =X=

Ah it must be phone vendor specific. I tried to install an APK package on the HTC Droid Eris and I got an error stating the Vendor only allows apps downloaded from the Android Market. I figured the "Vendor" was Verizon, it must have been HTC.

Thanks It's good to know Verizon is not blocking apps.

=X=

Most phones have the use of non-marketplace disabled by default and on most it can be enabled by...

1) Go to Settings and Application Settings.
2) Enable Unknown Sources
http://pocketnow.com/how-to/how-to-i...-android-phone



According to Kobo during the beta...

The Motorola Droid, Milestone and Backflip are prevented from downloading non-Market applications

...which must be at least partly wrong if Lemurion has a Droid and is able to do it.

[pendragginp]

One question: where should I copy the file to? Just in the root?

[Dopedangel]

As far as I know AT&T is the only carrier that blocks non market apps from their android phones. For the rest you just have to enable the option for installing non market apps

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Well it seems decent enough. Works well in both portrait and landscape, pages turn quickly and all. On first blush at least it doesn't appear you can load your own mobi files though. I tried putting a .mobi file into the kindle folder where downloaded books go and it crashes on startup (also tried renaming the file to .prc just in case). While I get that loading your own stuff isn't probably anything Amazon necessarily wants, it'd be nice if you could.

Exact same experience here (crash on startup) with non-Amazon mobi files. I'll be sticking with Aldiko unless and until that changes.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by bwaldron

Exact same experience here (crash on startup) with non-Amazon mobi files. I'll be sticking with Aldiko unless and until that changes.

Same here. I'm sure I'll occasionally use the Kindle app if I'm reading a book from Amazon and want to sync, but most of my Mobi stuff is not from Amazon. Aldiko is still the number one reading app on my phone.