iPad Kindle App 2.2 Released

kjk · 07-29-2010, 08:56 PM

http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/29/kin...ia-and-google/

Quote:

Now in the Kindle app when you highlight a word, a definition will automatically appears at the bottom of the screen. And that’s not all — there you’ll also find links to further investigate the word on Google or Wikipedia. Though this dumps you out of the app and into the iPhone/iPad web browser, it’s a pretty nice feature.

Some nice refinements!

Jonimeesermann · 07-31-2010, 06:56 AM

Great news! Although it take a little bit long to download the dictionary (it has about 26 mb size)

Bremen Cole · 07-31-2010, 08:02 AM

Excellent update. I really like the way the dictionary works, very smooth integration.

arcadata · 07-31-2010, 09:31 AM

Yeah, it's a great update. Kindle's dictionary beats the iBooks dictionary by a mile too! Now, if only there was a way to side-load to the Kindle app too...

JSWolf · 07-31-2010, 09:48 AM

The margins are way too big.

arcadata · 07-31-2010, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The margins are way too big.

The iBooks margins are waaay bigger

JSWolf · 07-31-2010, 03:58 PM

The margins in iBooks is about .7 of an inch. The margins of Amazon Kindle is about .9 of an inch. That makes the margins for the Kindle app larger. But to be honest, both are too large. I'd like no margins, but would be OK with .1 or .2 of an inch margins.

HarryT · 08-01-2010, 11:10 AM

A very worthwhile improvement. The dictionary works very well.

Maggie Leung · 08-01-2010, 11:55 AM

Cheers for the dictionary. I'm still reading a bunch on Stanza, but am looking forward to trying out the improved Kindle app.

Yoshi 1080 · 08-01-2010, 04:49 PM

I have a feeling the line height has finally increased to a readable amount. I’m not quite sure, though. Before, some eBooks had text that was so cramped vertically that it was really hard for me to read. The line height in iBooks still feels more comfortable to me. And the vertical margins after paragraphs are kinda distracting, in iBooks they are just indented. And apparently still no options to change fonts.

I also miss the two-column landscape view from iBooks very much. The single column in Kindle has a much too long line width. So even though iBooks still lacks hyphenation, in my opinion it’s still way ahead in terms of typography.

But despite all that, I like the update. Definitely improves Kindle considerably. I absolutely don't mind the margins at the sides. I don't have to pay per page, so frak it. The margins feel comfortable to me.

Edit: Still that fugly eye-burning blue for internal links. Hey Amazon, it’s not 1996 anymore!

JSWolf · 08-01-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoshi 1080

I also miss the two-column landscape view from iBooks very much. The single column in Kindle has a much too long line width. So even though iBooks still lacks word separation, in my opinion it’s still way ahead in terms of typography.

Typography has nothing to do with two-column landscape mode or not. It has to do with kerning, hyphenation, proper spacing between lines, etc. And to be honest, there is yet to be any reader or reader app that supports any sort of real typography.

Yoshi 1080 · 08-01-2010, 05:16 PM

@JSWolf: Typography has absolutely to do with the width of a text. If a text is too wide, i.e. if it has too many words per line, then it is harder to read because your eyes have to track a longer way. Line height is another part of typography.

Obviously, there is so much more to typography, but I never argued that. And to be honest, I am glad enough both iBooks and Kindle support basics like real quotation marks, indents and the like. At least that's something! BTW I’m still desperately missing the n-dash on the iPad keyboard.

drofgnal · 08-02-2010, 08:02 AM

Very nice update. I was getting frustrated at the lack of a dictionary, but now that is no longer a problem. It works very well.

Bremen Cole · 08-02-2010, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The margins in iBooks is about .7 of an inch. The margins of Amazon Kindle is about .9 of an inch. That makes the margins for the Kindle app larger. But to be honest, both are too large. I'd like no margins, but would be OK with .1 or .2 of an inch margins.

You know I'm in agreement with you on this. Both apps need to have at least some options. This is one of the reasons Stanza is still my main reader.... The options to customize margins and line spacing would IMHO be a huge improvement in iBooks and the Kindle.

The Old Man · 08-02-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Typography has nothing to do with two-column landscape mode or not. It has to do with kerning, hyphenation, proper spacing between lines, etc. And to be honest, there is yet to be any reader or reader app that supports any sort of real typography.

I notice the manual of the new Kindle 3 indicates that in addition to font size, line spacing and words-per-line (affecting margins) will be available.

Not having a Kindle of any type I was wondering if all these features are unique to the upcoming Kindle 3. Would you consider this "real typography"?

08-01-2010, 04:49 PM	#10
Yoshi 1080 Addict Posts: 303 Karma: 204 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Germany Device: iPad, iPhone, Mac	I have a feeling the line height has finally increased to a readable amount. I’m not quite sure, though. Before, some eBooks had text that was so cramped vertically that it was really hard for me to read. The line height in iBooks still feels more comfortable to me. And the vertical margins after paragraphs are kinda distracting, in iBooks they are just indented. And apparently still no options to change fonts. I also miss the two-column landscape view from iBooks very much. The single column in Kindle has a much too long line width. So even though iBooks still lacks hyphenation, in my opinion it’s still way ahead in terms of typography. But despite all that, I like the update. Definitely improves Kindle considerably. I absolutely don't mind the margins at the sides. I don't have to pay per page, so frak it. The margins feel comfortable to me. Edit: Still that fugly eye-burning blue for internal links. Hey Amazon, it’s not 1996 anymore! Last edited by Yoshi 1080; 08-01-2010 at 04:52 PM.

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07-31-2010, 06:56 AM	#2
Jonimeesermann Connoisseur Posts: 82 Karma: 12 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Nokia e71, Ipod Touch, Sony PRS 300	Great news! Although it take a little bit long to download the dictionary (it has about 26 mb size)

07-31-2010, 08:02 AM	#3
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	Excellent update. I really like the way the dictionary works, very smooth integration.

07-31-2010, 09:31 AM	#4
arcadata Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,230 Karma: 4651787 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle, Kindle Fire, iPad, iPod Touch, Sony PRS-350	Yeah, it's a great update. Kindle's dictionary beats the iBooks dictionary by a mile too! Now, if only there was a way to side-load to the Kindle app too...

07-31-2010, 09:48 AM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,985 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The margins are way too big.

07-31-2010, 03:58 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,985 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The margins in iBooks is about .7 of an inch. The margins of Amazon Kindle is about .9 of an inch. That makes the margins for the Kindle app larger. But to be honest, both are too large. I'd like no margins, but would be OK with .1 or .2 of an inch margins.

08-01-2010, 11:10 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	A very worthwhile improvement. The dictionary works very well.

08-01-2010, 11:55 AM	#9
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	Cheers for the dictionary. I'm still reading a bunch on Stanza, but am looking forward to trying out the improved Kindle app.

08-01-2010, 05:16 PM	#12
Yoshi 1080 Addict Posts: 303 Karma: 204 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Germany Device: iPad, iPhone, Mac	@JSWolf: Typography has absolutely to do with the width of a text. If a text is too wide, i.e. if it has too many words per line, then it is harder to read because your eyes have to track a longer way. Line height is another part of typography. Obviously, there is so much more to typography, but I never argued that. And to be honest, I am glad enough both iBooks and Kindle support basics like real quotation marks, indents and the like. At least that's something! BTW I’m still desperately missing the n-dash on the iPad keyboard.

08-02-2010, 08:02 AM	#13
drofgnal Wizard Posts: 1,378 Karma: 9964334 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Ipad Pro/Kindle Oasis 3/iPhone 13 Pro Max	Very nice update. I was getting frustrated at the lack of a dictionary, but now that is no longer a problem. It works very well.

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