Amazon Announces Kindle Development Kit

koland · 01-21-2010, 02:02 AM

From my blog:

Don't like the way your Kindle works? You (or another developer) can change it, using the newly announced Kindle Development Kit.

Today, Amazon announced that it is inviting software developers to build and upload active content that will be available in the Kindle Store later this year. The new Kindle Development Kit gives developers access to programming interfaces, tools and documentation to build active content for Kindle...

There is already a waiting list to get access to the Kit, but it looks like games, interactive cookbooks and travel guides are already in the planning stages.

Click HERE for the full press release.

CleverClothe · 01-21-2010, 02:07 AM

Woah. Amazon is stepping it up some. I like it.

I hope the SDK will be generally available.

brecklundin · 01-21-2010, 02:09 AM

Here is another interesting article on the whole process about not only opening the device to 3rd party developers but also essentially cutting publishers our of the picture:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/te...ref=technology

Lots of new stuff on the Kindle from...one concern I have with the current K2, K2im DX & DXi....the limited internal memory of only 2GB with only about 1.4gb for use by the user and that needs to hold all your documents. Perhaps this is a signal the next Kindles will have more memory, maybe not as an external SDHC card but RAM is cheap and no reason a 16gb or even 32gb Kindle should cost any more than the current versions or no more than a few percent higher.

Makes me happy about selling the K2 I've had for 2-days.

CleverClothe · 01-21-2010, 02:15 AM

Hmmm, can you say, EPub for Kindle? Or will they put restrictions on the store?

anurag · 01-21-2010, 03:00 AM

This is exciting - and it makes other eink devices obsolete till they build their own app platforms. I wonder if apps will have access to the user's ebooks, notes and bookmarks on the Kindle - that would lead to some very interesting personalized content apps.

anurag · 01-21-2010, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CleverClothe

Hmmm, can you say, EPub for Kindle? Or will they put restrictions on the store?

From http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.htm...cId=1000476231

Quote:

Voice over IP functionality, advertising, offensive materials, collection of customer information without express customer knowledge and consent, or usage of the Amazon or Kindle brand in any way are not allowed. In addition, active content must meet all Amazon technical requirements, not be a generic reader, and not contain malicious code.

I'm guessing ePub for Kindle is out, at least initially.

CleverClothe · 01-21-2010, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anurag

From http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.htm...cId=1000476231

I'm guessing ePub for Kindle is out, at least initially.

Figures.

EowynCarter · 01-21-2010, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anurag

From http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.htm...cId=1000476231

I'm guessing ePub for Kindle is out, at least initially.

Kindle still useless then

daffy4u · 01-21-2010, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

From my blog:

Don't like the way your Kindle works? You (or another developer) can change it, using the newly announced Kindle Development Kit.

Today, Amazon announced that it is inviting software developers to build and upload active content that will be available in the Kindle Store later this year. The new Kindle Development Kit gives developers access to programming interfaces, tools and documentation to build active content for Kindle...

There is already a waiting list to get access to the Kit, but it looks like games, interactive cookbooks and travel guides are already in the planning stages.

Click HERE for the full press release.

Oh yeah baby!

daffy4u · 01-21-2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anurag

From http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.htm...cId=1000476231

I'm guessing ePub for Kindle is out, at least initially.

How would ePub make it a generic reader? What does that even mean? It would make the Kindle a "super reader", IMO.

Daithi · 01-21-2010, 10:29 AM

I added my name to the waiting list.

Daithi · 01-21-2010, 10:40 AM

The New York Times article mentioned a pretty slick idea for an application -- newspapers that are updated with up to the minute content. Currently the newspapers available on the Kindle come as "editions" and the newspaper only gets a 30% cut. By using the KDK they can provide up to the minute content and will get a 70% cut of the profits.

kjk · 01-21-2010, 10:42 AM

Besides no VOIP, total access to the 3G/Whispernet feature?

koland · 01-21-2010, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daithi

The New York Times article mentioned a pretty slick idea for an application -- newspapers that are updated with up to the minute content. Currently the newspapers available on the Kindle come as "editions" and the newspaper only gets a 30% cut. By using the KDK they can provide up to the minute content and will get a 70% cut of the profits.

So, essentially, the will let the papers maintain a blog, but they get to keep more of the net (which I assume will be after delivery charges)? Exciting for their accounting dept, sure, but ho-hum from a reader, since they could already do this, if they wished (oh, wait, they already do...).

Some of the restrictions are silly (no VOIP? there isn't a mic, so how would it work, other than attempting to listen to voice mail?). They haven't restricted downloading audio, so I suspect there will be charges for all custom app downloads, at the same rate as personal apps.

And for the person wanting to play DOOM - take heart, it isn't banned (feasible? who need that?).

I suspect that many of the apps we, as readers want, won't be possible, as they will require too low level access (firmware updates), rather than simply live on top of the firmware, as it seemed suggested by their examples.

NormHart · 01-21-2010, 11:43 AM

I doubt that I'd be interested in most apps for the Kindle unless they were ebook related.

Apps I'd like to see would be;
Organizational; ordering, sorting, folders, tags, etc.
Informational; links to book lists, author homepages, etc.
System; ability to modify screen saver content and settings.
Content; ability to view other ebook formats.

That is really about it. Games, web apps, blah blah blah, not interested at all.

JMO

01-21-2010, 02:02 AM	#1
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Amazon Announces Kindle Development Kit From my blog: Don't like the way your Kindle works? You (or another developer) can change it, using the newly announced Kindle Development Kit. Today, Amazon announced that it is inviting software developers to build and upload active content that will be available in the Kindle Store later this year. The new Kindle Development Kit gives developers access to programming interfaces, tools and documentation to build active content for Kindle... There is already a waiting list to get access to the Kit, but it looks like games, interactive cookbooks and travel guides are already in the planning stages. Click HERE for the full press release.

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01-21-2010, 02:07 AM	#2
CleverClothe Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 493394 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Device: iRex iLiad, Onyx Boox 60	Woah. Amazon is stepping it up some. I like it. I hope the SDK will be generally available.

01-21-2010, 02:09 AM	#3
brecklundin Banned Posts: 1,906 Karma: 15348 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: mine	Here is another interesting article on the whole process about not only opening the device to 3rd party developers but also essentially cutting publishers our of the picture: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/te...ref=technology Lots of new stuff on the Kindle from...one concern I have with the current K2, K2im DX & DXi....the limited internal memory of only 2GB with only about 1.4gb for use by the user and that needs to hold all your documents. Perhaps this is a signal the next Kindles will have more memory, maybe not as an external SDHC card but RAM is cheap and no reason a 16gb or even 32gb Kindle should cost any more than the current versions or no more than a few percent higher. Makes me happy about selling the K2 I've had for 2-days.

01-21-2010, 02:15 AM	#4
CleverClothe Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 493394 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Device: iRex iLiad, Onyx Boox 60	Hmmm, can you say, EPub for Kindle? Or will they put restrictions on the store?

01-21-2010, 03:00 AM	#5
anurag Addict Posts: 236 Karma: 4066 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California Device: Kindle 1 and DX, iPhone	This is exciting - and it makes other eink devices obsolete till they build their own app platforms. I wonder if apps will have access to the user's ebooks, notes and bookmarks on the Kindle - that would lead to some very interesting personalized content apps.

01-21-2010, 10:29 AM	#11
Daithi Publishers are evil! Posts: 2,418 Karma: 36205264 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Rhode Island Device: Various Kindles	I added my name to the waiting list.

01-21-2010, 10:40 AM	#12
Daithi Publishers are evil! Posts: 2,418 Karma: 36205264 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Rhode Island Device: Various Kindles	The New York Times article mentioned a pretty slick idea for an application -- newspapers that are updated with up to the minute content. Currently the newspapers available on the Kindle come as "editions" and the newspaper only gets a 30% cut. By using the KDK they can provide up to the minute content and will get a 70% cut of the profits.

01-21-2010, 10:42 AM	#13
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	Besides no VOIP, total access to the 3G/Whispernet feature?

01-21-2010, 11:43 AM	#15
NormHart Semper Carpe Bufo Posts: 537 Karma: 21676 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Napa Valley, California Device: Kindle2 & Kindle3	I doubt that I'd be interested in most apps for the Kindle unless they were ebook related. Apps I'd like to see would be; Organizational; ordering, sorting, folders, tags, etc. Informational; links to book lists, author homepages, etc. System; ability to modify screen saver content and settings. Content; ability to view other ebook formats. That is really about it. Games, web apps, blah blah blah, not interested at all. JMO

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