1. greander's Avatar
    Amazon still won't give any indication of a timeframe in which we can expect the Kindle app for Playbook. This is really a disappointment as I took it on good faith that Amazon's announcement LAST FALL would mean Kindle would be ready for launch. Silly me, and all I want to do is give Amazon MORE money.

    Maybe if they knew how many people are interested in Kindle they would escalate its priority.

    If you want Kindle, go to Amazon and do a search for "Kindle for Blackberry Playbook." Surely they track search statistics.
    05-02-11 12:25 PM
  2. mipacho's Avatar
    As an app developer on the blackberry platform, I think I know why kindle is not on the playbook just yet. The reason is BlackBerry AppWorld. Developers that distribute apps on AppWorld must agree to RIM's terms to share "secondary revenue" which means revenue from the app regardless of where the money is coming from (which includes transactions done outside the App) must be shared with RIM. Its the same reason you cant find Kindle for regular BlackBerry on AppWorld or any US stock trading app on appworld. They are mostly distributed OTA which bypasses RIM's AppWorld rev-share. RIM is at fault for this. And because all apps on playbook only come from AppWorld (no OTA direct download), Amazon is forced to hold back unless RIM drops the revshare requirement. Sucks...
    05-15-11 12:50 PM
  3. Branta's Avatar
    ScottsdaleHokie wins another month off to learn not to troll.
    Altarocks, piper975 and lnichols like this.
    05-15-11 01:25 PM
  4. sf49ers's Avatar
    As an app developer on the blackberry platform, I think I know why kindle is not on the playbook just yet. The reason is BlackBerry AppWorld. Developers that distribute apps on AppWorld must agree to RIM's terms to share "secondary revenue" which means revenue from the app regardless of where the money is coming from (which includes transactions done outside the App) must be shared with RIM. Its the same reason you cant find Kindle for regular BlackBerry on AppWorld or any US stock trading app on appworld. They are mostly distributed OTA which bypasses RIM's AppWorld rev-share. RIM is at fault for this. And because all apps on playbook only come from AppWorld (no OTA direct download), Amazon is forced to hold back unless RIM drops the revshare requirement. Sucks...
    what?? Kindle is a free app, they make money by selling books not by selling apps. Blackberry is a different story because side loading of apps existed even before the App world happened and hence it ceases to exist but with Playbook RIM would like to streamline few things and hence they are following Apple esque of no side loading of apps, FYI..all the app markets maintained by apple, google, amazon charge money from developers (30% of their sales on a avg), the companies need to maintain the servers/data centers to host apps, people to validate and authorize the apps, develop tools etc and all this needs money, as per Apple inspite of having humungous app sales and charging 30% of total sales still seeing budget problems to maintain the App store and now they are even thinking of charging commission on the subscription sales.
    Last edited by sf49ers; 05-15-11 at 01:28 PM.
    Dapper37 likes this.
    05-15-11 01:25 PM
  5. jmarkey77's Avatar
    ScottsdaleHokie wins another month off to learn not to troll.
    Call me a newb, what is trolling? I know what it means to troll for chicks. Trolling on forums though??
    05-15-11 01:46 PM
  6. DenverRalphy's Avatar
    what?? Kindle is a free app, they make money by selling books not by selling apps. Blackberry is a different story because side loading of apps existed even before the App world happened and hence it ceases to exist but with Playbook RIM would like to streamline few things and hence they are following Apple esque of no side loading of apps, FYI..all the app markets maintained by apple, google, amazon charge money from developers (30% of their sales on a avg), the companies need to maintain the servers/data centers to host apps, people to validate and authorize the apps, develop tools etc and all this needs money, as per Apple inspite of having humungous app sales and charging 30% of total sales still seeing budget problems to maintain the App store and now they are even thinking of charging commission on the subscription sales.
    He was referring to Secondary Revenue. Meaning, any revenue Amazon would generate by selling books via their Kindle app, they would also have to share with RIM.
    Last edited by rmjones101; 05-15-11 at 02:02 PM.
    05-15-11 02:00 PM
  7. sf49ers's Avatar
    He was referring to Secondary Revenue. Meaning, any revenue Amazon would generate by selling books via their Kindle app, they would also have to share with RIM.
    RIM doesn't charge commission for book sales via Amazon Kindle app or any third party subscriptions yet unlike Apple.
    05-15-11 02:37 PM
  8. mickeyboat's Avatar
    This whole Kindle lie by BB really pisses me off. One key reason I purchased my PB was the promise of a Kindle app at PB release. If this doesn't get resolved quickly a whole lot of attorneys will be making a lot of money. The book reader app on the PB is a joke.
    05-15-11 02:44 PM
  9. BigBadWulf's Avatar
    Call me a newb, what is trolling? I know what it means to troll for chicks. Trolling on forums though??
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?&gl=US&...OoU&nomobile=1
    05-15-11 02:46 PM
  10. lotuslanderz's Avatar
    This whole Kindle lie by BB ...
    Amazon Announces A Kindle BlackBerry PlayBook App

    Perhaps you should contact Amazon.com about it?
    05-15-11 02:54 PM
  11. DenverRalphy's Avatar
    RIM doesn't charge commission for book sales via Amazon Kindle app or any third party subscriptions yet unlike Apple.
    As per the vendor agreement the vendor will pay 30% of their Application Revenue to RIM.

    Definition of Application Revenue as per the vendor agreement...
    1.3 “Application Revenue” means all revenue received by Vendor with respect to an Application distributed to an End User through the BlackBerry App World by RIM, and any updates and upgrades thereto whether distributed through the BlackBerry App World or otherwise, including without limitation revenue derived directly or indirectly, through the use of the Application by an End User, with respect to any content made available within or by an Application, subscription fees, transactions and microtransactions, but excluding: (a) taxes, refunds and chargebacks; (b) any fees paid by an End User to an MoR to obtain a copy of the Application through an MoR Kiosk; and (c) any advertising revenue derived from an Application.
    05-15-11 02:55 PM
  12. yaytaco's Avatar
    RIM doesn't charge commission for book sales via Amazon Kindle app or any third party subscriptions yet unlike Apple.
    No, this is simply wrong. They absolutely do. As mipacho already pointed out, this is in the terms and agreements under 'secondary revenue' stream. In fact, BB has mandated this far longer than Apple.

    They are fine with you installing apps w/o requiring revenue so long as they are not in BlackBerry App World. Again, this is why the existing Kindle app is not in the App World, and instead a direct download from Amazon:
    Amazon.com: Kindle for BlackBerry - Read Kindle eBooks on your BlackBerry

    BlackBerry has not budged on this restriction for years. I honestly can not understand why. They really need to be trying to pull in every app possible, not give publishers a reason to avoid their platform.
    05-15-11 02:55 PM
  13. Branta's Avatar
    Call me a newb, what is trolling? I know what it means to troll for chicks. Trolling on forums though??
    Think trolls of scandinavian legend, coming out from under bridges to cause trouble then running away like cowards.

    http://forums.crackberry.com/f2/clea...-trash-609572/
    05-15-11 03:00 PM
  14. kyopo's Avatar
    I don't think that the application revenue portion of the App World Agreement is all that relevant to Amazon. Amazon has sufficient power that they could easily negotiate their own one off agreement with RIM. Even if they didn't, 30% is the exact same deal that Apple is now requiring too so it wouldn't differ from iOS sales.
    05-15-11 03:57 PM
  15. jwn66's Avatar
    After Kobo has had a little head start, then you will see others..
    05-15-11 04:00 PM
  16. raremage's Avatar
    He was referring to Secondary Revenue. Meaning, any revenue Amazon would generate by selling books via their Kindle app, they would also have to share with RIM.
    if this were the case, wouldn't a similar restriction have kept the Kindle app off other blackberries as well? Not to mention iOS devices (Apple takes a 30%cut of everything).

    Amazon gets around revenue sharing by redirecting purchasing to their website versus in-app purchases. They do this in all versions of their Kindle apps.

    I will add this though, I consider my Playbook to be in an extended evaluation and not having Kindle reader functionality is an important factor to me. Besides all the work focused tasks I do on a tablet, I rely on it as an ereader for my downtime when traveling. Taking my Kindle collection with me is important to me.
    05-15-11 04:11 PM
  17. raremage's Avatar
    After Kobo has had a little head start, then you will see others..
    While this may be true, I for one am not particularly interested in rebuilding my existing collection of kindle purchases.
    chasvs likes this.
    05-15-11 04:14 PM
  18. FF22's Avatar
    Rim was not able to limit access to direct installation of bb phone apps. You could just install the jad or cod files. With the plahbook you have to use appworld. So if rim wants a cut it mauy not allow kindle into appworld unless Amazon agrees to some $$$ deal. But I have no idea if that is the case.
    05-15-11 05:37 PM
  19. raremage's Avatar
    Rim was not able to limit access to direct installation of bb phone apps. You could just install the jad or cod files. With the plahbook you have to use appworld. So if rim wants a cut it mauy not allow kindle into appworld unless Amazon agrees to some $$$ deal. But I have no idea if that is the case.
    Good point, but even Apple isn't that greedy. If RIM takes this stance all they wind up doing is negatively impacting adoption when they should be doing everything possible to make the Playbook appealing to as many people as possible. It would be incredibly short sighted of RIM to lock Amazon out when their app is available on so many other devices.
    05-15-11 05:49 PM
  20. kyopo's Avatar
    Good point, but even Apple isn't that greedy.
    Uh, Apple is already doing this. Didn't you see that their new terms are 30% of secondary revenue for everyone.

    As iFlow Reader app closes, harsh words for Apple | Crave - CNET
    05-15-11 06:11 PM
  21. raremage's Avatar
    Uh, Apple is already doing this. Didn't you see that their new terms are 30% of secondary revenue for everyone.

    As iFlow Reader app closes, harsh words for Apple | Crave - CNET
    Nope, I hadn't. Two thoughts.
    1. It'll be interesting to see how Amazon, Borders, and B&N respond. I have some insight into this as I have tw very large publishers for clients, and they see eBooks as their strategic direction moving forward. A huge part of that is based on how widely available ereaders are, and frankly the iPad is a huge portion of that market. This could be a game changer, thanks fornsharing it!

    2. This could be an opportunity for RIM to fill what could become a void in the market if they negotiate on this deal. RIM sells hardware, and expanding their potential market by facilitating partners selling their eBooks can only help their hardware sales. An Awful lot of college students carry blackberries; making textbooks available on the Playbook could be a significant market opportunity for them.
    05-15-11 06:33 PM
  22. DenverRalphy's Avatar
    if this were the case, wouldn't a similar restriction have kept the Kindle app off other blackberries as well? Not to mention iOS devices (Apple takes a 30%cut of everything).
    You've overlooked the point that Kindle has never been on BlackBerry Appworld for this very reason, and that previous BB devices could only install the app manually instead of via Appworld. And you conveniently overlook Kindle's presence on the iOS appstore when it was luckily implemented before secondary licensing on the apple market was brought into the equation.

    Amazon gets around revenue sharing by redirecting purchasing to their website versus in-app purchases. They do this in all versions of their Kindle apps.
    No, Amazon gets all their revenue from sales. Their entire business model is based around volume. They will do anything to ensure you purchase any product from them. They don't care if your purchase only profits them a penny. They just look for a million pennies a day.
    Last edited by rmjones101; 05-16-11 at 12:01 AM.
    05-15-11 09:11 PM
  23. simsim's Avatar
    if this were the case, wouldn't a similar restriction have kept the Kindle app off other blackberries as well? Not to mention iOS devices (Apple takes a 30%cut of everything).

    Amazon gets around revenue sharing by redirecting purchasing to their website versus in-app purchases. They do this in all versions of their Kindle apps.

    I will add this though, I consider my Playbook to be in an extended evaluation and not having Kindle reader functionality is an important factor to me. Besides all the work focused tasks I do on a tablet, I rely on it as an ereader for my downtime when traveling. Taking my Kindle collection with me is important to me.
    But isn't this why you didn't get your Blackberry kindle app directly from Appworld? You had to go to the Amazon site and get a direct link to download the app straight to your BB?

    I think that's how Amazon avoided the revenue-trap, and perhaps they have not found a similar work-around for the new PB?

    But it would explain why the long delay...
    05-16-11 05:29 AM
  24. chasvs's Avatar
    While this may be true, I for one am not particularly interested in rebuilding my existing collection of kindle purchases.
    Exactly! I've got hundreds of Titles on Kindle already and it makes no sense to have to buy them all again on Kobo!
    05-16-11 07:15 AM
  25. rbenjami's Avatar
    I, for one, feel snookered. I really thought my PB would arrive with the Kindle app pre-installed, or at least available for download. Bait and switch. Nothing prevented me from returning my PB. Lots of "coming soon" talk kept it in my hand. I received an email from Amazon saying that the Kindle app had - effectively - been abandoned. It's posted in one of the other threads.

    I'm disappointed that my PB will not be doubling as an e-book reader. There is zero chance I am going to start over with Kobo - especially with the comments from others about paying for books and being unable to download. My Kobo app says I need to be connected to the internet just to open it. Sounds pretty useless when on a plane or subway.
    05-16-11 07:55 AM
84 123 ...
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD