By Today the Kindle 2 was announced by Amazon, a product that now represents 10% of all Amazon’s orders. Now THAT is an amazing statistic. The popularity of the Kindle isn’t all that surprising when you compare it to a book… but your mobile phone is just as capable (if not more) than the Kindle to bring books to your mobile device. The main difference? The size of the screen.
That being said, Google announced last week that it was bringing 1.5 Million Books to Android and iPhones via Google Book Search. It takes books whose copywrites have expired and are now in the public domain and makes them easily available on your mobile handset. Here is a ridiculously quick overview:
I really can’t understand why Google is merely making “Android Optimized Websites” and not native applications for example, creating a “Book Market” on android that would work just like “Android Market”. It would categorize books based on subjects, allow you to search, download/view, rate books…
There seems to be a disconnect between the Google Android Team and the Google Mobile Team. The Mobile team’s priority should be to support ANDROID first and secondly support other mobile devices by optimizing products, services and websites for them. Is anyone else with me here? Does anyone else want to see Google Books as a free application in the market or perhaps a “Books” section of Android Market where you could download free books and even buy newer books?
Good needs to get on this! Amazon’s tight integration with the T-Mobile G1 might be a main reason for the disconnect, but that’s only a guess. It’s kind of interesting how these books were transferred to text and in some cases, the method wasn’t perfect. Google Book Search allows you to look at the original version of any section of text should you think there is a discrepancy (or maybe just curious) and this wasn’t shown in the above video.
Its interesting how Google converted original texts and it isn’t a perfect method. You can actually view any section of text from the original document if you think there is a discrepency (or if you’re curious) and this was not shown in the video above. Check out Google’s Blog Post for more or visit http://books.google.com/m from your Android device to try it yourself.
[Via Google
first, the kindle is not just about reading books electronically. from what i’ve heard from friends and seen myself, the killer apps here are battery life and the e-paper: much nicer on the eyes than any lcd screen, especially one as small as a mobile. also throw in the ability to save your page, and get dictionary definitions for any word on the page, and you see that google’s offering is not quite there yet.
second, i’ve been wondering lately how applications play into the future of cellphones. i think we all think of them as a huge selling point because of the success of the iphone app store, but why would a developer spend a ton of time coding an app for only a portion of the market (the number of viable mobile platforms will only increase), when they can just code a mobile-friendly version of their web app. then, all anyone needs on their phone is a good browser and we can all use the app. consider this in concert with the increasing availability of wifi, and increasingly faster cell networks (to say nothing of wimax), along with the integration of google gears-like syncing, and mobile applications really start to seem like a thing of the past.
I’ve had a kindle for month, and it is MUCH better than a phone for reading on. The E-paper is much easier on the eyes, and the battery life is out of this world. Buy the product for the job and you’ll be much happier than trying to force a phone to be a book.
that was for Months* (like 5).
“The Mobile team’s priority should be to support ANDROID first and secondly support other mobile devices by optimizing products, services and websites for them. Is anyone else with me here?”
HELL NO! As an Android user I am 100% with Google that Google Mobile should support as many devices as possible. The reason Android was developed was to ensure an open mobile platform.
That said, I am annoyed (effing pissed) when Mobile releases iPhone applications and neglects Android. Mobile should focus first and foremost of the lowest common denominator (excellent websites, perhaps with documented APIs) and from there they, or the users can develop platform-specific applications.
I would also like to gripe about the ridiculous extensions to copyrights granted by Congress over the years. What is it death plus seventy years now? Its like there are no books have entered the public domain since 1921, and THAT needs fixing more than anything else.
Last, its “copyright” not “copywrite” . . . the right to copy, not the . . . seriously, “copywrite?” WTF? If you want to write a blog you could at least use the spell-checker! Thanks!
Sincerely,
-daniel
Interesting follow up story:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/02/09/kindle-books-on-laptops-iphone-coming-soon-along-with-international-versions/
I do a lot of reading on both my laptop, phone and kindle. Let me tell you, nothing compares with reading on the Kindle with it’s e-ink. I send a lot of files to my kindle for reading because how much more natural and nice it is.
I think phones are making a mistake by trying to compete with the Kindle.
I have both a Kindle and an Iphone and I can get free books on my iphone as you know.
For those criticizing the Kindle vs the Iphone or Google’s new phone, you really don’t know what you are talking about, really. Stop talking about this because you are morons.
There is NO and I mean NO comparison between text on a Kindle and text on the iphone. If you want to destroy your eyesight squinting at a backlit screen (ask you eye doctor you will indeed destroy your eyesight) because you are too damn cheap to buy a 360 dollar Kindle then you deserve your fate.
I can get tons of free books on my kindle, probably all the same books I can get on Google book search.
It always astounds me in today’s world that people become so brand loyal, they buy what they buy then they criticize everything they didn’t buy or can’t afford to buy.
The Iphone while a miraculous device just doesn’t do proper duty as an ebook. What will you get maybe 20 minutes of reading time before your battery dies? I can go 10 days on one charge on my kindle.
Grow a brain critics.
I just gotta say I love my kindle and the cheap books.
My taste is a bit rough but I enjoyed “The Misogynist” by Emily Downs.
It can be a bit vulgar at times. Be warned. But it’s cheap.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Misogynist/dp/B001V5J4VO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246301307&sr=1-2
She is the bestselling author of “Lisa Loves Girls”
http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Loves-Girls-ebook/dp/B002EZZJ4Q/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246298800&sr=1-7
2 books for under 2 bucks. THe kindle will own publishing.