Kindle Cloud Reader

[Scott Nicholson]

I agree with Hellmark, it's the bait and switch by Apple that is the real problem to me. Sell you a device on its hype of unlimited use "for all your needs" and then start whittling away those uses until you can only buy from the device maker?

Kindle's pretty clear at this point that is a reading device where you buy books from Amazon (and also load other mobi files on).

[kjk]

My understanding is you have to hack a Nook Color to get the Kindle Android app to run?
Is that because Amazon only released it to the Android Market & Amazon AppStore, and the Nook Color can't officially access either?

Is the Sony Reader app in the Nook App Store?
Are the Nook App and Sony Reader app in the Amazon App Store?
I know Kobo's App is there-they seem to be quite open about getting everywhere.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Apple isn't even interested in making an iBooks app for OSX. How stupid is it that you cannot buy and read their ebooks on their own computers?

Seriously? I did not know that. Pretty dang stupid, as you say.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by kjk

My understanding is you have to hack a Nook Color to get the Kindle Android app to run?
Is that because Amazon only released it to the Android Market & Amazon AppStore, and the Nook Color can't officially access either?

Is the Sony Reader app in the Nook App Store?
Are the Nook App and Sony Reader app in the Amazon App Store?
I know Kobo's App is there-they seem to be quite open about getting everywhere.

Kjk,

The Nook Color does not have access to the Google App Market out of the box -- you have to modify the tablet to access the Google Market. Until then, you are stuck with the B&N App Market.

AFAIK, Amazon released their app to the Google Market, but not the B&N Market.

I can't speak for the availability of the Sony/Kobo apps on the Amazon/B&N markets.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Apple isn't even interested in making an iBooks app for OSX. How stupid is it that you cannot buy and read their ebooks on their own computers?

As others have noted, Apple just doesn't have the focus or obsession with the eBook market, yet, and iBooks is more just a hobby. For now.

I do expect to see iBooks on OSX though.

[curtw]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

I thought they had released a version of Safari 5 for Leopard, which does run on PPC.

G5 only, not G3 or 4. sorry.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

That quoted example, though, if I understand correctly wouldn't be a "No Kindle App Allowed" sign. (Although I think Apple is allowed to remove apps from its market at its discretion.)

What I was trying to get at is that Apple can't post a "No Kindle App Allowed" sign, nor can it do anything that has the same effect as posting such a sign, without running into some serious legal difficulties.

Apple's discretion runs into legal difficulties when it is exercised in such a way as to restrain competition. (It's not an open & shut case, though.)

I agree that your statement as follows correctly frames what the poster was saying...

I believe the user was speaking of the hypothetical situation where Apple says "If your app involves purchased content (i.e., books, music, etc.) that can be purchased outside the app (i.e., without Apple's cut), then the app must also allowed for purchasing inside the app (i.e., with Apple's cut if customers take advantage of the convenience)."

...but my point is that if the hypothetical became reality, Apple would, in effect, be posting a "NKAA" sign because of the economic outcome of the situation. The courts will see right through that.

In this case, if Amazon has the HTML5 cloud reader in place, they would most likely yank the Kindle app from the store rather than re-institute in-app purchases that would then move the profits from Amazon to Apple. I think that was the point of the poster, anyway.

Which is precisely the same thing, in outcome, as Apple posting a NKAA sign.

Personally, I think that Amazon had some back door discussions with Apple, to the effect that there would be A Great Big Lawsuit if Apple started enforcing its original policy, and after some dickering, they all agreed that Apple would back off a bit, & give Amazon some time to do the HTML workaround. If Amazon had sued & won, it would have resulted in collateral damage to Apple's overall objective of raking 30% off of every App transaction.

Just me, being cynical. What I see here just looks like the kind of outcome I would expect if my scenario were true.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by kjk

My understanding is you have to hack a Nook Color to get the Kindle Android app to run?
Is that because Amazon only released it to the Android Market & Amazon AppStore, and the Nook Color can't officially access either?

Is the Sony Reader app in the Nook App Store?
Are the Nook App and Sony Reader app in the Amazon App Store?
I know Kobo's App is there-they seem to be quite open about getting everywhere.

Correct, the Kindle App has never been submitted to any third party store, excluding the Amazon app store. As far as I know, it is the same on the nook app. I've not looked for the Sony Reader app though, but I wager it is the same. nook Color only can install apps from B&N, since the devices have to be licensed by the manufacturer to use the Android market. If B&N put the android market on there without paying Google, they'd get sued. Individuals can root the device, giving them full control over it, and then manually install the Google apps. Just like I said, B&N can't, unless they pay.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

So when is Amazon planning to let an iBooks app on the Kindle?

A very good question.

My guess is that Apple isn't interested in providing one, or in letting anyone else provide one.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Do you really think they would accept it if Apple did?
Or B&N, or Kobo?

They (Amazon) might have to, on pretty much the same terms as Apple is requiring, if they were offered such.

But my guess is that all of these providers want to keep a tight leash on what device their ebooks can be read on - i.e., on their proprietary device, or on a device which they do not regard as being in competition with their proprietary device.

It's one thing to put your App on the iPhone & iPad - the net effect of that will probably not be to undercut sales of your own EBR, and probably to expand sales of your own ebooks, at least to some extent. Plus it takes away a marketing point from Kindle.

It's entirely another thing to let a competitive EBR - same size, same screen, same price range - have the same functionality as your own EBR.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Harmon

A very good question.

My guess is that Apple isn't interested in providing one, or in letting anyone else provide one.

Apple would be stupid to provide one because they make most of their money from hardware. Having an iBooks app on a Kindle (assuming that is technically possible) will have the effect of reducing the sales of iPads. That is not Apple's goal, even if it increased the number of iBooks sold. Maybe this is why there are no computer versions of iBooks, either.

[stonetools]

As to why Apple has been slow about putting Ibooks on a Mac:
It kind of shows the difference between the regular geek way and the Apple way.
Geeks think Ibooks should be on Macs because (a) its technically feasible, , so why not(b) some people read ebooks on Mac PCs.
Apple thinks differently. Apple asks the question, "Does the average user want to read ebooks on a Mac?" Put that way, the answer is obvious. NO ONE wants to read ebooks on a PC, if there are alternatives with a better form factor. Apple understands that, which is why they aren't bothering with iBooks for Mac. Also, too, there is iTunes for those who want to buy and back up ebooks on their PC.

[BuddyBoy]

Originally Posted by stonetools

As to why Apple has been slow about putting Ibooks on a Mac:
It kind of shows the difference between the regular geek way and the Apple way.
Geeks think Ibooks should be on Macs because (a) its technically feasible, , so why not(b) some people read ebooks on Mac PCs.
Apple thinks differently. Apple asks the question, "Does the average user want to read ebooks on a Mac?" Put that way, the answer is obvious. NO ONE wants to read ebooks on a PC, if there are alternatives with a better form factor. Apple understands that, which is why they aren't bothering with iBooks for Mac. Also, too, there is iTunes for those who want to buy and back up ebooks on their PC.

Actually, you've pointed out what me is always the big drawback when dealing with Apple - THEY decide what the average user wants and they code and develop ONLY to that minimalist goal.

If you're not an average user, or you are but they have a different concept of what their average users wants, your hooped. Then the whole thing becomes self-fulfilling because the system now attracts the people Apple thought were their average users, even if they weren't.

I use Apple devices, I have a MacMini for Xcode Development and a corral of iOs devices, but I'm not blind to their flaws. No one will ever accuse Steve Jobs of playing well with others.

[anamardoll]

No one wants to read books on a PC? Guess I'll inform all the Linux users who are still upset that the Nook 4 PC app doesn't work on their systems.

Or... possibly... there is a larger variety of people out there than you imagine.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

No one wants to read books on a PC? Guess I'll inform all the Linux users who are still upset that the Nook 4 PC app doesn't work on their systems.

Or... possibly... there is a larger variety of people out there than you imagine.

You miss the point . There is a reason why the ebook market didn't take off until the introduction of the Kindle. The Kindle offered just what the average consumer wanted, chief among which was a convenient form factor- just about the size of a paperback.
Your talk of " Linux users" reveals your geek emphasis ( not that there's anything wrong with that) . Linux users are almost by definition not the average consumer. Even then, I'm pretty sure that those Linux users do not do most of their reading on PCs. They probably read on their Nooks .