Shouldn't Kindle be open to App makers?

markbot · 12-13-2009, 12:30 PM

One of the main competitive advantages of the iPhone is all the app makers willing to develop on the platform. Consumers have a great selection of apps. This greatly extends the feature set of the iPhone.

Why can't Amazon do something similar with the Kindle? Of course, they would have to prevent Apps from accessing the internet since that would be too costly.....but there are plenty of Apps that don't need to access the Net.

JMikeD · 12-13-2009, 12:44 PM

Nope. I just want to read books on the Kindle.

Mike L · 12-13-2009, 02:55 PM

Agree with JMikeD. I'm happy with the Kindle as it is.

kevindorsey · 12-13-2009, 04:20 PM

Yea, not time yet.

fugazied · 12-13-2009, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMikeD

Nope. I just want to read books on the Kindle.

Same here, but I already have an iPhone which does an insane number of tasks for me (internet, email, calendar, games, movies, many other apps).

I think with the Kindle they wouldn't have any of the underlying infrastructure in the code to allow the kinds of hooks needed for user designed apps, so it would be a massive re-write.

Another problem is, you wouldn't get that many coders working on apps because in terms of mobile computing, most of them are writing blackberry/iphone apps which have massive market share. Maybe the Kindle 5 might have user created apps!

HaggisMacJedi · 12-14-2009, 08:01 PM

First of all, not a BAD idea with the apps on the Kindle. It would give it multiple functionality. The problem is that most folks that have an advanced, expensive piece of electronics like a Kindle would most likely have another device that could run apps: computer, phone, gaming device, laptop, etc, and thus it would be redundant (and probably slow) to run apps on an e-ink device. I think most people would agree that they just want to read on their Kindle. But creative idea!

markbot · 12-15-2009, 02:00 PM

What everyone has said is true. I still think there must be someone interested in making apps. Any app is better than no app...and it can always be removed.

I am talking about really small apps like legitimate screen saver applications (I don't like the current ones), font applications, currency converters, folder applications, language tools...etc.

The user can determine whether an individual app augments the Kindle experience! I think the freedom would be a great benefit and differentiator.

delphidb96 · 12-15-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

Agree with JMikeD. I'm happy with the Kindle as it is.

I'd *like* the Kindle to also support ePub, but I must admit that I'm happier with my K2 than my old Bookeen Cybook Gen3.

Derek

markbot · 12-16-2009, 11:46 AM

oh yeah, i forgot...if the Kindle were opened to app makers....the first app made would probably be for epub. hence, we won't see this anytime soon.

NDizzle · 12-17-2009, 08:23 AM

What are you guys talking about? The source code for the Kindle has been posted for a long time. There just aren't many enterprising nerds out there with these fancy reading gadgets.

Here you go, make your own firmware. Add support for whatever you wish.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200203720

Also, those of you who are happy with the Kindle as it is obviously don't spend any time reading technical documents or any documents as PDF. The Kindle support for PDF is amazingly bad - I'm not even sure why they talk about it so much or that this fact hasn't been pointed out. It doesn't even support document links in PDF, so you cannot jump between chapters, or jump between sections of the PDF.

markbot · 12-17-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NDizzle

What are you guys talking about? The source code for the Kindle has been posted for a long time. There just aren't many enterprising nerds out there with these fancy reading gadgets.

Here you go, make your own firmware. Add support for whatever you wish.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200203720

Also, those of you who are happy with the Kindle as it is obviously don't spend any time reading technical documents or any documents as PDF. The Kindle support for PDF is amazingly bad - I'm not even sure why they talk about it so much or that this fact hasn't been pointed out. It doesn't even support document links in PDF, so you cannot jump between chapters, or jump between sections of the PDF.

How come no one has made an epub app yet? or have they?

I was under the impression that these developers were making hacks, not legitimate applications recognized by Amazon.

clarknova · 12-17-2009, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbot

How come no one has made an epub app yet? or have they?

Because typing "mobigen somebook.epub" into a command line just isn't hard enough to warrant one.

If you mean an ePub reader that supports Adobe DRM, that won't happen (as has been discussed many times) as the Mobipocket license doesn't allow use on ereader devices that support other DRM schemes.

Quote:

I was under the impression that these developers were making hacks, not legitimate applications recognized by Amazon.

That is the case.

dmaul1114 · 12-17-2009, 11:24 AM

Not in it's current form. It's just too slow (both the processor, wireless and e-ink) to be useful for much more than leisure reading of novels IMO.

I do, as everyone here knows, really want a nice tablet device down the road though with an app store etc.

Connallmac · 12-17-2009, 11:28 AM

It looks like the nook community is well on it's way to losing their wireless service. With these folks hacking the nook and loading a browser or apps on it I can't imagine AT&T won't cry foul and demand more funds when their network load starts spiking.

deryk · 12-17-2009, 04:31 PM

Well what can ya expect, they brag about android, have a cellular modem of course hackers are gonna go in and load a browser and play with it. I seriously thought of buying a nook just because of the "posibilities" well maybe down the road it might be something, but I have a real problem with companies releasing non working products hopeing they would make a few updates and life will be grand... well didn't b&n have another failed ebook reader? I'm gonna get myself a kindle after xmas. Moms giving me money for it and honestly when I look for a book I always head to amazon not b&n anyway and did some author checks and amazon has more books by my favoured authors.

12-13-2009, 12:30 PM	#1
markbot Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 7511929 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2	Shouldn't Kindle be open to App makers? One of the main competitive advantages of the iPhone is all the app makers willing to develop on the platform. Consumers have a great selection of apps. This greatly extends the feature set of the iPhone. Why can't Amazon do something similar with the Kindle? Of course, they would have to prevent Apps from accessing the internet since that would be too costly.....but there are plenty of Apps that don't need to access the Net.

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12-13-2009, 12:44 PM	#2
JMikeD Evangelist Posts: 475 Karma: 15000 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: Various and sundry	Nope. I just want to read books on the Kindle.

12-13-2009, 02:55 PM	#3
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Agree with JMikeD. I'm happy with the Kindle as it is.

12-13-2009, 04:20 PM	#4
kevindorsey Evangelist Posts: 488 Karma: 258 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	Yea, not time yet.

12-14-2009, 08:01 PM	#6
HaggisMacJedi Zealot Posts: 130 Karma: 1145527 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 4, iPhone 4	First of all, not a BAD idea with the apps on the Kindle. It would give it multiple functionality. The problem is that most folks that have an advanced, expensive piece of electronics like a Kindle would most likely have another device that could run apps: computer, phone, gaming device, laptop, etc, and thus it would be redundant (and probably slow) to run apps on an e-ink device. I think most people would agree that they just want to read on their Kindle. But creative idea!

12-15-2009, 02:00 PM	#7
markbot Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 7511929 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2	What everyone has said is true. I still think there must be someone interested in making apps. Any app is better than no app...and it can always be removed. I am talking about really small apps like legitimate screen saver applications (I don't like the current ones), font applications, currency converters, folder applications, language tools...etc. The user can determine whether an individual app augments the Kindle experience! I think the freedom would be a great benefit and differentiator.

12-16-2009, 11:46 AM	#9
markbot Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 7511929 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2	oh yeah, i forgot...if the Kindle were opened to app makers....the first app made would probably be for epub. hence, we won't see this anytime soon.

12-17-2009, 08:23 AM	#10
NDizzle Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 24 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Kindle DX	What are you guys talking about? The source code for the Kindle has been posted for a long time. There just aren't many enterprising nerds out there with these fancy reading gadgets. Here you go, make your own firmware. Add support for whatever you wish. http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200203720 Also, those of you who are happy with the Kindle as it is obviously don't spend any time reading technical documents or any documents as PDF. The Kindle support for PDF is amazingly bad - I'm not even sure why they talk about it so much or that this fact hasn't been pointed out. It doesn't even support document links in PDF, so you cannot jump between chapters, or jump between sections of the PDF.

12-17-2009, 11:24 AM	#13
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	Not in it's current form. It's just too slow (both the processor, wireless and e-ink) to be useful for much more than leisure reading of novels IMO. I do, as everyone here knows, really want a nice tablet device down the road though with an app store etc.

12-17-2009, 11:28 AM	#14
Connallmac Transplanted NYer Posts: 455 Karma: 520286 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Eastern IN Device: Kindle Fire HD 8.9", Kindle Fire HD 7", Kindle Touch	It looks like the nook community is well on it's way to losing their wireless service. With these folks hacking the nook and loading a browser or apps on it I can't imagine AT&T won't cry foul and demand more funds when their network load starts spiking.

12-17-2009, 04:31 PM	#15
deryk Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: none	Well what can ya expect, they brag about android, have a cellular modem of course hackers are gonna go in and load a browser and play with it. I seriously thought of buying a nook just because of the "posibilities" well maybe down the road it might be something, but I have a real problem with companies releasing non working products hopeing they would make a few updates and life will be grand... well didn't b&n have another failed ebook reader? I'm gonna get myself a kindle after xmas. Moms giving me money for it and honestly when I look for a book I always head to amazon not b&n anyway and did some author checks and amazon has more books by my favoured authors.