Amazon Cloud reader

[billybob476]

For those of you with Kindles, Amazon has released their new Cloud reader at https://read.amazon.com/ It's a cool new HTML5-based online eReader that is fully iPad (and I imagine other tablet) compatible. You just log in with your amazon account and boom, all your Kindle books are there. I still use my Kindle for eReading but this is a very cool new way to go about it.

The impetus for this was that Apple decided that any purchases via native iOS apps (such as the existing Kindle app) had to use Apple's in-app purchase mechanism. A caveat of using this is that Apple takes 30% of the revenue. So instead of either a) taking a 30% revenue cut or b) increasing their prices on iOS by 30%, Amazon simply removed the ability to buy book directly through the iOS app.

With the release of the cloud reader they go around this requirement since now you're just on a website.

The site still allows you to sync books to your device for offline reading and you can still but an icon for it on your home screen. It basically acts like an app.

It will be interesting to see if more and more apps move to the HTML5 and other mobile web frameworks (such as jQuery Mobile) to avoid some of Apple's more draconian restircitons for apps in their store.

[turtlesrock]

cool :)

[Dangelus]

This is a great idea. As much as I like Apple products, I thought the in app purchase decision they made was very unfair.

[Bryancd]

Jamie has decided that reading books with the iPad does giver her eye strain so we are both considering getting Kindles. I thought maybe the Nook but I have concerns about Barnes and Noble longer term and would rather have an Amazon supported product.

[Bromptonboy]

Jamie has decided that reading books with the iPad does giver her eye strain so we are both considering getting Kindles. I thought maybe the Nook but I have concerns about Barnes and Noble longer term and would rather have an Amazon supported product.

I have been wanting to get a kindle as well - but with the sudden price drop, and rumors of a new product in October - I am holding off till then.  But we wants one we does...