New Kindle App 2.1 Out

kjk · 06-11-2010, 02:08 PM

http://gizmodo.com/5561246/kindle-21...search-options

Quote:

The iOS's Kindle reader app has had its first update since arriving on the iPad. Beyond UI tweaks, the 2.1 version allows iPad users to increase font sizes, while iPhone users can now search within books. The next update looks even better, however, bringing dictionary definitions and Google/Wikipedia searching.

Will download it tonight.

edit: Forgot I switched to Unlimited 3G. Downloading now.

scottjl · 06-11-2010, 02:10 PM

whoo hoo.. bring on the competition, and the better eReader apps..

Maggie Leung · 06-11-2010, 02:11 PM

Dictionary. I want it now.

scottjl · 06-11-2010, 02:14 PM

the problem with the dictionary is apple has reserved the "touch and pop-up definition" built in to the ipad for their own apps, they've even rejected apps that tried to hook into Apple's private APIs that allow this.

what this means is that if another ereader wants to implement this, they have to develop the software code themselves, license a dictionary for use, load not only their app but the size of the dictionary, and hope that apple doesn't reject their app in the end, all for one extra feature that doesn't necessarily help them sell books.

can you see why they don't bother?

Maggie Leung · 06-11-2010, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottjl

the problem with the dictionary is apple has reserved the "touch and pop-up definition" built in to the ipad for their own apps, they've even rejected apps that tried to hook into Apple's private APIs that allow this.

what this means is that if another ereader wants to implement this, they have to develop the software code themselves, license a dictionary for use, load not only their app but the size of the dictionary, and hope that apple doesn't reject their app in the end, all for one extra feature that doesn't necessarily help them sell books.

can you see why they don't bother?

Yup, I figured it was a pain or they would've added by now, but I still want it, lol. I've switched to Stanza for Gutenberg books because it has a dictionary. That's a loss for Amazon, because the more I use other book apps, the less likely I am to buy non-public domain books from Amazon as well. I've got no loyalty to companies. Serve me better, you get my money.

scottjl · 06-11-2010, 02:25 PM

amazon says it's "coming real soon" though..

personally i try not to purchase from amazon for fear of being locked into their platform .mobi books. i'd much rather purchase an .epub document.

Maggie Leung · 06-11-2010, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottjl

amazon says it's "coming real soon" though..

personally i try not to purchase from amazon for fear of being locked into their platform .mobi books. i'd much rather purchase an .epub document.

Yup, I figure Amazon knows many readers like dictionary features, so it's working on it.

I'm a technical doofus and all I wanna do is read. I'd rather not deal with DRM, either, but many books I want are DRM'd. I buy from Amazon because it's convenient and isn't tied to one company's hardware. I also buy from other publishers that make things easy for me. I don't buy iBooks, because I don't wanna be tied to Apple only.

scottjl · 06-11-2010, 02:34 PM

i'm with you there. purchase from apple's store will be locked forever into apple devices. at least amazon is available on all the popular platforms and hopefully their development will continue that way. amazon is in this for the long haul by the nature of their business. who knows, they could win in the long run by simply being the last man standing.

Maggie Leung · 06-11-2010, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottjl

i'm with you there. purchase from apple's store will be locked forever into apple devices. at least amazon is available on all the popular platforms and hopefully their development will continue that way. amazon is in this for the long haul by the nature of their business. who knows, they could win in the long run by simply being the last man standing.

Yup, that's my thinking, too. Amazon is in the content business whether or not Kindle hardware survives.

Bremen Cole · 06-11-2010, 03:22 PM

Signing off to go get mine.... this is great

Trubu · 06-11-2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottjl

personally i try not to purchase from amazon for fear of being locked into their platform .mobi books. i'd much rather purchase an .epub document.

I'm the opposite - I buy almost all of my books from there. Easy to liberate from their DRM and convert via Calibre. B&N books still seem pretty hit and miss as to whether you get an epub or a pdb (which are a pain to reformat), and I try to stay away from anyplace that uses the older version of ADE DRM...so Amazon it is for me.

scottjl · 06-11-2010, 05:08 PM

i've heard mixed stories on stripping .mobi books, i'll admit i haven't tried. the majority of the book purchases i've made have been oreilly and kobo. some from smashwords, some from some smaller vendors. if i'm buying something with DRM i try for adept since it's pretty simple for me to strip off before i add it into my library. maybe i'll start trying with .mobi as well.

can i ask, are there any formatting issues when translating .mobi into .epub? pdf to epub is pretty nasty.

Bremen Cole · 06-11-2010, 06:41 PM

I buy most from Kobo, simply because they are the easiest for me to liberate, and their prices are usually equal to Amazon. I bought by first book from B&N just a few days ago (for the B&N app) and the DRM came off easy.... If you got Python and such installed, there are some scripts now that are pretty painless....

I have never bought a song or book from Apple, the books are to expensive, and the DRM is too heavy anyway..... Music, I like Amazon MP3's.......

DixieGal · 06-11-2010, 07:12 PM

WHOOEE!! I LOVE THE UPDATE!! THE SUPERSIZED FONTS MAKE IT PERFECT!!!

scottjl · 06-11-2010, 07:53 PM

apple's music isn't wrapped in DRM any more.. B&N, they use adept right?

06-11-2010, 02:14 PM	#4
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	the problem with the dictionary is apple has reserved the "touch and pop-up definition" built in to the ipad for their own apps, they've even rejected apps that tried to hook into Apple's private APIs that allow this. what this means is that if another ereader wants to implement this, they have to develop the software code themselves, license a dictionary for use, load not only their app but the size of the dictionary, and hope that apple doesn't reject their app in the end, all for one extra feature that doesn't necessarily help them sell books. can you see why they don't bother? Last edited by scottjl; 06-11-2010 at 02:17 PM.

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06-11-2010, 02:10 PM	#2
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	whoo hoo.. bring on the competition, and the better eReader apps..

06-11-2010, 02:11 PM	#3
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	Dictionary. I want it now.

06-11-2010, 02:25 PM	#6
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	amazon says it's "coming real soon" though.. personally i try not to purchase from amazon for fear of being locked into their platform .mobi books. i'd much rather purchase an .epub document.

06-11-2010, 02:34 PM	#8
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	i'm with you there. purchase from apple's store will be locked forever into apple devices. at least amazon is available on all the popular platforms and hopefully their development will continue that way. amazon is in this for the long haul by the nature of their business. who knows, they could win in the long run by simply being the last man standing.

06-11-2010, 03:22 PM	#10
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	Signing off to go get mine.... this is great

06-11-2010, 05:08 PM	#12
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	i've heard mixed stories on stripping .mobi books, i'll admit i haven't tried. the majority of the book purchases i've made have been oreilly and kobo. some from smashwords, some from some smaller vendors. if i'm buying something with DRM i try for adept since it's pretty simple for me to strip off before i add it into my library. maybe i'll start trying with .mobi as well. can i ask, are there any formatting issues when translating .mobi into .epub? pdf to epub is pretty nasty.

06-11-2010, 06:41 PM	#13
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	I buy most from Kobo, simply because they are the easiest for me to liberate, and their prices are usually equal to Amazon. I bought by first book from B&N just a few days ago (for the B&N app) and the DRM came off easy.... If you got Python and such installed, there are some scripts now that are pretty painless.... I have never bought a song or book from Apple, the books are to expensive, and the DRM is too heavy anyway..... Music, I like Amazon MP3's.......

06-11-2010, 07:12 PM	#14
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	WHOOEE!! I LOVE THE UPDATE!! THE SUPERSIZED FONTS MAKE IT PERFECT!!!

06-11-2010, 07:53 PM	#15
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	apple's music isn't wrapped in DRM any more.. B&N, they use adept right?

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