Kindle for iOS 4.0 app gets Collections

For those of you who don't read the MR Apple Devices forum, I thought I would let you know that Kindle for iOS updated yesterday and it now has Collections like the eInk Kindles. I cannot help but wonder if Collections will make it to the Android app too. I suspect they will never make it to the Fire though.

[Ocicat]

Originally Posted by jswinden

For those of you who don't read the MR Apple Devices forum, I thought I would let you know that Kindle for iOS updated yesterday and it now has Collections like the eInk Kindles. I cannot help but wonder if Collections will make it to the Android app too. I suspect they will never make it to the Fire though.

Thank you! I just installed it. I only read tech manuals on iPad2 sitting on the sofa, too heavy to hold it requires my lap desk.
On another post you gave me an idea, to buy a mini iPad instead of a new e-reader. I fell in love with the mini at Sam's and played with it several times.
Now, I need to compare books on iPad2 and my husband 3 to see if there is a big difference with the retina display, and whether I should wait for the new retina mini.

Originally Posted by Ocicat

Thank you! I just installed it. I only read tech manuals on iPad2 sitting on the sofa, too heavy to hold it requires my lap desk.
On another post you gave me an idea, to buy a mini iPad instead of a new e-reader. I fell in love with the mini at Sam's and played with it several times.
Now, I need to compare books on iPad2 and my husband 3 to see if there is a big difference with the retina display, and whether I should wait for the new retina mini.

I haven't seen a Mini up close yet, so I cannot speak for its screen. I had an iPad 1 but the resolution of text was too low for me and I couldn't read on it very long before my eyes gave out. But I'm 55 with non-line bifocals! I got an iPad 3 1-1/2 years ago to replace the iPad 1 and the text is beautiful on it. I do hope they release a Mini with retina this year as it would be so much easier to hold than my big iPad 3.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by jswinden

For those of you who don't read the MR Apple Devices forum, I thought I would let you know that Kindle for iOS updated yesterday and it now has Collections like the eInk Kindles. I cannot help but wonder if Collections will make it to the Android app too. I suspect they will never make it to the Fire though.

It is actually (for the most part) better than Collections on eInk Kindles. You can add anything in your Library (Books or Docs) even if the item is not on the device, and can view the entire membership even if none of the items are on the device (a check mark indicates which items are on the device).

You can also drag the items into the order of your choosing (but no automatic sorting).

Thus you can have a collection for a book series and arrange them in the proper order, and you can view the list without having them all on the device. Or you can use it for maintaining an Unread list without having to have all the books on the device.

On the 'needs improvement' side Collections have no List view and cover thumbnails don't always show enough detail to be useful. It seems the app is not able to extract thumbnails for many of my third party books (where the Android app is able to). These issues would be mitigated somewhat if there were a List view.

Also having set up collections there is no way to import them to a Kindle or another app instance.

Here are a couple of screenshots from my iPad 3 for those who don't own an iOS device. I really like this addition to the Kindle app. I think this looks way better than Collections on the Kindle eInks. Eat your hearts out Fire owners, you'll never see the likes of this!

[Katsunami]

"Disaster Preparation"... an entire shelf.

LOL

[Ocicat]

So far no collections on Android 4.0 and 4.2, the grid or list views are the same and a fairly recent carousel view with latest books, like the KFire. Pressing on a book icon will take you to Shelfari, not the Amazon store for a description.

How do you get a book description on the iPad Kindle app?

[xendula]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

"Disaster Preparation"... an entire shelf.

Jack, this shelf would be more at home on an eink kindle. How are you going to get to these books when the power goes out?!
Oh, never mind. You have a KT!

[krazy4katz]

I'm puzzled because only 2 collections are showing up on my iphone. I have at least 7.