While June 30th was the deadline for app makers to comply with Apple’s new rules on in-app payments and subscription links, Amazon waited until Monday to finally make a decision.
Today Amazon updated the Kindle app for iPhone and iPad, removing the “shop” button that allowed consumers to go directly to Amazon’s website to purchase e-books.
Amazon just released a new update for the Kindle app. Eventhough the company announced this week their new smaller Kindle, today, they released a very nice update that makes your reading experience more pleasant via the Kindle app.
The new app update (version 2.2) brings a full dictionary with it, which competes directly with Apple’s iBooks app. When using the new Kindle app, if you highlight a word, a definition will automatically appear at the bottom of the screen.
But wait, that’s not all. Now, you can tap a button to further define the word via Wikipedia or Google. Of course, by doing this the app will launch your iPad’s browser, but still it’s a very good feature.
If you want a full definition of the highlighted word, simply use the “Full Definition” link. By clicking on it, the app will take you to the new Oxford American Dictionary, which is automatically downloaded with the new Kindle app update.
Another feature that comes with the new app is the “in-book” search, which allows you to search inside a book matching iBooks functionality. Additional updates include fast app-switching for iOS 4 devices, and better line spacing on the iPad version.
We’ve featured several posts about schools and universities providing iPads for students starting this fall. How will our students, present and future, embrace the iPad technology? Will they enjoy the flexibility of the iPad? Do they like the idea of carrying all their books in a single device? Will the iPad replace their laptop or desktop computer or will it supplement them?My iPad, has actually really replaced my MacBook on the back and forth trips to my internship and classes. It is very easy to take notes on, share documents, read PDF’s and basically handle all the stuff that I require while on the go. Plus it really lightens the load!
The reason I got it however, was for the eReader potential. In just one quarter, my iPad has saved me over $150 in textbooks, simply because I can buy the ebook from either Apple or Amazon (the Kindle app is really strong).
Thanks for taking the time to participate in our series Geoff. Study hard!
Editor’s Note: PadGadget has covered many interesting stories about the iPad since its release and now we would like to generate some unique stories of our own. For the next 2-3 weeks, we will feature several of our readers and the way they use their iPads while at work. If you would like to join in the fun, leave a comment or send an e-mail telling us a little bit about you and your iPad. Who knows, maybe we will feature you too!
If there’s one thing that’s true about Oprah, it’s that lots of people follow her advice. Amazon received a big boost when Oprah endorsed the Kindle in 2008 and lucky for Apple, Oprah declared herself an iPad fan during a recent show with tech analyst Omar Wasow. During her show last week, she highlighted the iPad’s eReader capability and showed off the iBookstore where Oprah’s Book Club is featured. She really likes the touchscreen’s ability to allow books to “move” and believes the iPad will “change the way kids learn.”
Oprah mentioned the Kindle app and the fact that it allows users to read all their Kindle books on the iPad. She is also a fan of the backlit screen because is allows readers to read in the dark, as well as share photos and play games. According to The Wall Street Journal, her Kindle did come up during the conversation and although she said she “had a Kindle,” her publicist has since announced she currently uses both devices.
Editor’s note: This is a guest post authored by Jose Quiñones, one of our many avid PadGadget readers.
When Apple first announced the iPad in January, industry experts said it would be the demise of existing electronic book readers, including Amazon’s Kindle. Luckily, Jeff Bezos and co. had a better idea. Instead of attempting to show the world why their Kindle was better, which in some ways it still is, they decided to embrace the iPad. Amazon chose to not only jump on the iPad bandwagon, but also to be ready for the explosion scheduled to happen on April 3rd, by introducing an iPad version of their Kindle app.
Fast forward to present day, the iPad is here and so is Amazon’s Kindle App for the iPad. Get it for free from the App Store and your iPad magically turns into a prettier, faster and brighter Kindle. Having said that, I can’t imagine why someone with $489 (current price for the comparably sized Kindle DX) would not gather up the extra $10 and get an iPad. The iPad does everything the Kindle can do, and so much more. With the Kindle App, every book you previously purchased for your Kindle is instantly available on your iPad, at no additional cost.
On TapCentral
By 
