1. bb.pl's Avatar
    I called kindle support and inquired about the kindle app. They initially referred to the kindle for blackberry phone. I was transferred when I insisted and explained my query. The second person I was transferred to mentioned he was aware of the amazon announcement of kindle for 'blackberry tablet' but Confirmed that at this time Amazon will not be releasing Kindle App specifically for the 'blackberry tablet'. I got the sense he has received questions about this before but was strange he kept referring to the playbook as 'blackberry tablet'
    Anyways its disappointing to know that playbook got left out for some reason, maybe because of the rumored amazon tablet or some other reason that he could not comment on.
    09-14-11 08:38 PM
  2. Venichie's Avatar
    Omg no! This is actually one of my most desired apps I'm waiting for, but maybe the Android Player can fix that.
    I really want my text books to be easily accessed on my PB, instead of carriering my tablet and text books. It would make such a perfect tablet, if I could use this tablet as a replacement for all my books...
    09-14-11 08:55 PM
  3. TurboTiger's Avatar
    Wow,
    I hope that changes for you guys.
    I love the Kindle app for my BB and the desktop companion on my laptop.
    Good Luck
    09-14-11 09:04 PM
  4. alegs's Avatar
    I've been using their Cloudreader and it works pretty well on the PB. I must admit that I still prefer real books
    southlander likes this.
    09-14-11 09:17 PM
  5. semicoln's Avatar
    One step closer to becoming a doorstop.

    Didn't they write an announcement or press release saying they were doing apps for TouchPad and PlayBook?
    09-14-11 09:24 PM
  6. FF22's Avatar
    Didn't they write an announcement or press release saying they were doing apps for TouchPad and PlayBook?
    Didn't rim say native email in about 60 days? Didn't rim say Android Player by Summer.

    Didn't rim show Kindle and Skype apps for the Professional Tablet?

    At least Amazon only lied once!
    jntrup likes this.
    09-14-11 09:39 PM
  7. walnuts1024's Avatar
    Geez, why the panic? The Kindle app for the ipad is crap now anyway which is why they have the cloud reader. Since apple doesn't allow kindle to sell their books on the app it is now more trouble than its worth.

    Do people seriously look for reasons to panic and throw fits about the PB? Posts like this still surprise me. Doorstop? Really?
    09-14-11 09:47 PM
  8. Witmen's Avatar
    I still can't belive people actually pay money for ebooks. I am by no means poor, but I refuse to pay good money for locked down digital content when any book you can think of is out there for free with none of the restrictions that the paid versions have. Would rather buy a real book lol
    meltbox360 likes this.
    09-14-11 10:18 PM
  9. southlander's Avatar
    As someone said the HTML5 based Cloud Kindle reader is fine for the PlayBook. I would take Amazon's comment as possibly meaning they are focusing more on this anyway than writing 4-5 versions of an app to be maintained. They're better off telling everyone to support HTML5 and be done with it already.

    And this is where the PlayBook was designed to excel. HTML5 web apps.
    09-14-11 10:23 PM
  10. guerllamo7's Avatar
    After apple started charging some nefarious fees for content because apple users were still choosing them over the apple bookstore both Google and Amazon pulled their apps. You can read books from Kindle/amazon via the Amazon Cloud Reader.
    Amazon said they would support it from day one but that was before they decided to make their own tablet.
    I would suggest consider using the Kobo book app. It is already there and you can use it on BB phones and the awesome Playbook.
    The android player should give you more options but for now, I've found it Kobo to be quite nice.
    I have also found myself only buying from Amazon if there is simply no alternative because they don't pay state sales tax and that is giving them an unfair advantage which is killing traditional bookstores. Borders is gone and Barns & Noble is fighting hard to stay in the game.
    09-14-11 10:27 PM
  11. iN8ter's Avatar
    As someone said the HTML5 based Cloud Kindle reader is fine for the PlayBook. I would take Amazon's comment as possibly meaning they are focusing more on this anyway than writing 4-5 versions of an app to be maintained. They're better off telling everyone to support HTML5 and be done with it already.

    And this is where the PlayBook was designed to excel. HTML5 web apps.
    And when you don't have a WiFi or 3G connection? What are you going to be reading?

    I'm suprised you people are still telling people "the browser is fine," when it obviously isn't. One use case != all use cases. Apps are important, very important...
    jntrup likes this.
    09-14-11 11:31 PM
  12. greatwiseone's Avatar
    From what I recall, they will be developing a version of the cloud reader that works better with the PlayBook browser. See here: Kindle Cloud Reader: Supporting more browsers and tablets soon

    Hopefully the offline access will work better. I'm not surprised by this though. Of course, once the Android app player is available, it should be able to make use of the Android Kindle app (I had it working on the leaked android player before RIM broke the player in the new OS update).
    Jake2826 likes this.
    09-14-11 11:47 PM
  13. Darlaten's Avatar
    Geez, why the panic? The Kindle app for the ipad is crap now anyway which is why they have the cloud reader. Since apple doesn't allow kindle to sell their books on the app it is now more trouble than its worth.

    Do people seriously look for reasons to panic and throw fits about the PB? Posts like this still surprise me. Doorstop? Really?
    You are right that this one issue is not a reason to panic, but it is another sign that the Playbook has failed to catch on with the public, with developers, with the development community, and it does not bode well for the Playbook to deliver, even remotely, on what was promised and hyped by RIM during its initial release.

    People are mad, rightfully so, that they have invested up to $699.00 or more on a device that with each passing day, does not look like it will be getting even the most basic of apps - Kindle, MSN, Skype, IM+, TuneIN Radio, PDF reader (sorry the one that is included does not count). Whats more frustrating for some is that even the, arguably, dead WebOS from HP has these apps while the Playbook goes wanting.

    Is it a doorstop? No. But that's not the real question. The real question is whether the Playbook will ever live up to its potential. And the answer to that, at least based on what is happening today, is not likely.
    IAmBBJosh likes this.
    09-15-11 01:28 AM
  14. aaast36's Avatar
    I get that Amazon has all these great books out there. I get that Kindle can be fun. I really enjoy Kobo, however, and can find all of the best sellers and a good deal of obscure titles as well.
    The best is it syncs with my 9900 well, and from what i've seen, is comparably priced. Add 4g bridging for free with my playbook, and I don't know what all the frustration is about. Libraries are for your home, and the digital versions of both are available on line. Fear not, there's a Blackberry answer.
    09-15-11 01:41 AM
  15. Darlaten's Avatar
    I get that Amazon has all these great books out there. I get that Kindle can be fun. I really enjoy Kobo, however, and can find all of the best sellers and a good deal of obscure titles as well.
    The best is it syncs with my 9900 well, and from what i've seen, is comparably priced. Add 4g bridging for free with my playbook, and I don't know what all the frustration is about. Libraries are for your home, and the digital versions of both are available on line. Fear not, there's a Blackberry answer.
    There's a Kobo app for the 9900? Really?!?! Not to hijack the thread so please excuse me for that, but I'm curious as to how is it to read a book on the 9900? If possible, could you post a screenshot or two of a book?

    Also, as for the syncing between Playbook and 9900, could you clarify if that means you can do the following: purchase a book on the Playbook, read 5 pages on the playbook, transfer book to the 9900, and then read the next 5 pages? If thats what you mean by syncing, then that is a very sweet feature.
    09-15-11 01:52 AM
  16. Venichie's Avatar
    I still can't belive people actually pay money for ebooks. I am by no means poor, but I refuse to pay good money for locked down digital content when any book you can think of is out there for free with none of the restrictions that the paid versions have. Would rather buy a real book lol
    Have you checked the prices of the ebooks? I for one would love to get these because their cheap. Plus they're easier to carry in digital format, rather then paperback...
    Now this aint Apple, so maybe it'll be different. I'm sure some of the collage students who can purchase them via Kindle would prefer them on a tablet, if they purchased one. I did, and I don't want to be carrying around 2-5 text books around, when I have a tablet that I wish could... instead of seeing some others who payed the same price or less, with them on their tablets.

    I knew what I was buying when I got this product, but I guess I put to much faith in them... I just hope it's not to much longer for a solution.
    P.S. I've tried looking into Kobo for my text books, but their selection sucks compared to the Kindle... No offence.
    09-15-11 02:10 AM
  17. southlander's Avatar
    And when you don't have a WiFi or 3G connection? What are you going to be reading?



    I'm suprised you people are still telling people "the browser is fine," when it obviously isn't. One use case != all use cases. Apps are important, very important...

    Simple. Offline mode. It is already built in. Amazon's not so dumb that they'd require you to be connected to the internet to read a book.


    Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk
    JR A likes this.
    09-15-11 02:17 AM
  18. PondHockey's Avatar
    And when you don't have a WiFi or 3G connection? What are you going to be reading?

    I'm suprised you people are still telling people "the browser is fine," when it obviously isn't. One use case != all use cases. Apps are important, very important...
    No problem when I'm bridged to my beautiful 9930! Browser works great for me.
    southlander likes this.
    09-15-11 06:17 AM
  19. bb.pl's Avatar
    Simple. Offline mode. It is already built in. Amazon's not so dumb that they'd require you to be connected to the internet to read a book.
    Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk
    Seriously, WTH are you talking about?
    If you launch the browser with no internet connection it does not work because the browser reports a connection error before checking to see if the content is available offline.
    As a first step you freakin need internet connection to the connect to the cloud.

    So yes Amazon is not so dumb but people who think its a replacement for a kindle app are or maybe they don't know how a kindle app works that is available in the hundreds of other tablets.
    jamesbondOO7 likes this.
    09-15-11 07:49 AM
  20. southlander's Avatar
    Seriously, WTH are you talking about?
    If you launch the browser with no internet connection it does not work because the browser reports a connection error before checking to see if the content is available offline.
    As a first step you freakin need internet connection to the connect to the cloud.

    So yes Amazon is not so dumb but people who think its a replacement for a kindle app are or maybe they don't know how a kindle app works that is available in the hundreds of other tablets.
    Same thing for the native app -- you need a connection to get the content on the device. But once it is there you can take it with you. As for the specifics of the PB browser, I believe it has been stated that Amazon intends to make the cloud reader work better with all the tablets. That includes the PB. So whatever that issue is, they'll work it out. Or if it's a RIM issue they'll make sure people can use the cloud reader if that is the way Amazon is headed (it is).

    Aside from that, if you have a BB phone you could just bridge anyway.
    Last edited by southlander; 09-15-11 at 10:14 AM.
    09-15-11 10:11 AM
  21. Bulldawg's Avatar
    Simple. Offline mode. It is already built in. Amazon's not so dumb that they'd require you to be connected to the internet to read a book.


    Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk
    That's a great feature we're all waiting for, but it doesn't work now. You need an active Internet connection to open Cloud Reader. Makes it kind of hard to use on a plane or anywhere else that you don't have an Internet connection.

    Personally, I don't like reading on a back lit screen, so I'll just continue to use my Kindle, but for those times I don't have my Kindle with me, it would be nice to have an app or a working offline Cloud Reader.
    09-15-11 10:58 AM
  22. southlander's Avatar
    That's a great feature we're all waiting for, but it doesn't work now. You need an active Internet connection to open Cloud Reader. Makes it kind of hard to use on a plane or anywhere else that you don't have an Internet connection.

    Personally, I don't like reading on a back lit screen, so I'll just continue to use my Kindle, but for those times I don't have my Kindle with me, it would be nice to have an app or a working offline Cloud Reader.
    Yes I understand it currently is not working. But I personally believe Amazon is pushing the cloud based version of Kindle going forward due to ease of support. All I was saying to the OP is the reason Amazon might be saying they are not making a specific app for the PB is they intend to have a general version working on any device that supports HTML5, with offline mode. So if RIM intends to keep pushing this platform, then I would expect RIM will make sure the PB can use the cloud Kindle in offline mode properly, here at some point. Or Amazon will. The fact that the browser is webkit based like every other tablet out there means it should easily work if it works on the iPad for example (it does, with offline support).
    09-15-11 11:04 AM
  23. brento's Avatar
    I have used the Cloud Reader a few times and it does work well, but hopefully it will be much improved when it's designed specificially for the Playbook.

    BTW, I didn't think I would like ebooks either, but after having my Kindle for over a year I tried to go back to regular books and acutally missed my Kindle. Who would of thunk it?
    09-15-11 11:05 AM
  24. ubizmo's Avatar
    The Cloud Reader is not "fine" for anyone who wants/needs to be able to add highlighting or annotations to books. I don't do this when I'm reading for pleasure, as a general thing, but I do need this capability with work-related books.

    It's annoying that, despite the nice keyboard, the BlackBerry app also lacks these features, which the Android and iOS apps have.

    I hope the OP is mistaken. I have phoned Amazon support more than once about this and I've been told that a PB app is in the works, and it is not just the Cloud Reader. Some kind of official statement would be much appreciated. My current guess is that the PB will get the Android app if and when the OS is finally Android-ready.
    09-15-11 11:11 AM
  25. chi-town311's Avatar
    I was just trying to use the cloud reader on my playbook, bridged. It does not work anymore. Everytime i open it, it tries to download the app for offline use(which doesn't work for Playbook since the browser is not supported). Then I am unable to read the books I have.

    has anyone on this thread even tried the Cloud Reader lately?? Is this a new change?

    By the way I use Kobo, so I really don't care that much.

    Never mind. my fault. got it working now. but like i said. Kobo is my go to app for books now. wish they would add more features though.
    Last edited by chi-town311; 09-15-11 at 12:09 PM.
    09-15-11 11:32 AM
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