[lnichols]

the Kindle App is essentially a store front for Amazons eBook sales, I am SURE that Amazon doesn't give the SDK's to allow people to build their own store fronts for Amazon books how would Amazon control the pricing? control distribution? control copy writes?

each of the Native Blackberry Apps are basically web interfaces or chat protocols adapted for use on the blackberry devices, they are not store fronts for further purchases

OK Kindle is a bad example, but will you concede that for something like Netfix, or any app that doesn't have a store front, and is a highly sought after app, that RIM needs to foster the apps to get them out? It is very hard for a dev's to go in on a platform that has a limited audience, and very hard for a platform to take off without apps. M$ threw money at devs for WP7, and they developed. RIM has given away free Playbooks for crappy Plinko apps to clowns who turn around bash the thing on YouTube.

[_StephenBB81]

OK Kindle is a bad example, but will you concede that for something like Netfix, or any app that doesn't have a store front, and is a highly sought after app, that RIM needs to foster the apps to get them out? It is very hard for a dev's to go in on a platform that has a limited audience, and very hard for a platform to take off without apps. M$ threw money at devs for WP7, and they developed. RIM has given away free Playbooks for crappy Plinko apps to clowns who turn around bash the thing on YouTube.

NetFlix has International regulations around content distribution
so Netflix as well is not something RIM could develop an App for without working with Netflix and governments on content distribution rights

Skype could be an App RIM could chase down, BUT they would relinquish control over their Video Chat in the corporate environment by dedicating resources to Skype rather then an in house client for the long term, Skype would be a short term solution, and clearly RIM still doesn't think Short term

RIM needs to Get App developers fired up, not spend countless resources trying to duplicate apps that the developers should be building/porting themselves

[biggulpseh]

NetFlix has International regulations around content distribution
so Netflix as well is not something RIM could develop an App for without working with Netflix and governments on content distribution rights

Skype could be an App RIM could chase down, BUT they would relinquish control over their Video Chat in the corporate environment by dedicating resources to Skype rather then an in house client for the long term, Skype would be a short term solution, and clearly RIM still doesn't think Short term

RIM needs to Get App developers fired up, not spend countless resources trying to duplicate apps that the developers should be building/porting themselves

The point you're missing is that no app developer wants to spend time and money on the development of an Adobe AIR or WebWorks app. They both have limited APIs and capabilities, not to mention that the native SDK has been announced to be arriving in the coming months which will (hopefully) remedy any inadequacies of the current development environments. There is no reason for a company such as Netflix or Amazon to create an app using AIR knowing the NDK will soon be available. And I know you said any developers could simply 'request' the beta NDK, but keep in mind that not only has the beta NDK not been completed yet, I doubt that RIM would be keen to release an alpha NDK to developers, and I also bet that developers would not want to develop apps using such an environment.

[lnichols]

NetFlix has International regulations around content distribution
so Netflix as well is not something RIM could develop an App for without working with Netflix and governments on content distribution rights

Skype could be an App RIM could chase down, BUT they would relinquish control over their Video Chat in the corporate environment by dedicating resources to Skype rather then an in house client for the long term, Skype would be a short term solution, and clearly RIM still doesn't think Short term

RIM needs to Get App developers fired up, not spend countless resources trying to duplicate apps that the developers should be building/porting themselves

I would expect RIM to work with the companies for these apps, not just make them and release. What I'm talking about is RIM going out to companies saying hey we'd love to put an app for your service on our Playbook, and we'll do all the development to your specifications, and you get final approval on the app.

Right now the integrated video chat is a waste. It's a "bridge to nowhere" in that is only Playbook to Playbook and we all know how few there are out there. I hear it works awesome from the guys running the podcast, but that doesn't do much for most users. I also fail to see how Skype would compete with the currently useless integrated client. I view Skype as a personal communications tool, not corporate. The integrated client is obviously geared towards internal corporate comms to non-existent devices.

As for firing up developers, I agree that they need to do it. I'm not seeing this happening currently though. They've remained extremely silent about the Playbook minus a few commercials here and there and haven't addressed the biggest review complaints (Native PIM and e-mail). Why should developers go all into a platform that not even RIM seems to be putting the resources into.

Don't get me wrong, I love the platform, and I see the potential is there, but developers will not pour resources into it if RIM doesn't appear to be. 90+ days in not a whole lot has changed with the platform. Something needs to happen because the Mexican standoff between RIM and the development community is accomplishing nothing.

[DaveTheA]

Question: How did we get a native Kobo reader on the Playbook? Why does the same process not work with Kindle?

I'm quite happy to use the Kobo app until a native Kindle appears, but then I don't need a Kindle app for my work. Anybody who does need a Kindle app should be harassing Amazon right now for one...

[DaveTheA]

I think you're spot on there.

Why would Amazon (whose core market is not software development) write and support an extra Kindle app when they don't need to.

Because if I don't get a native Kindle app, I'll use Kobo and never buy anything from Amazon.

[lnichols]

Question: How did we get a native Kobo reader on the Playbook? Why does the same process not work with Kindle?

I'm quite happy to use the Kobo app until a native Kindle appears, but then I don't need a Kindle app for my work. Anybody who does need a Kindle app should be harassing Amazon right now for one...

I love the signature. I'd rather have native apps than Android ports too.

[FF22]

OK Kindle is a bad example, but will you concede that for something like Netfix, or any app that doesn't have a store front, and is a highly sought after app, that RIM needs to foster the apps to get them out? It is very hard for a dev's to go in on a platform that has a limited audience, and very hard for a platform to take off without apps. M$ threw money at devs for WP7, and they developed. RIM has given away free Playbooks for crappy Plinko apps to clowns who turn around bash the thing on YouTube.

I believe MS threw about 3/4 of a Billion to Verizon to make Bing the forced SearchEngine, replacing google. Maybe they paid similar for bing on the pb. Rim should threw something somewhere.

[mcws]

We haven't heard from BB how they are finding this delay from Amazon to launch a KIndle app. If BB signed an agreement with Kobo to deliver PB's with Kobo pre-installed and Kobo was promised exclusivity, BB would be in no rush to work with Amazon on a Kindle app. Have we heard anything from BB on what should be (for BB) a very frustating delay from Amazon, or is this something that BB has orchestrated?

[lnichols]

Kobo is Canadian, and like many things RIM, Canadian seems to get preference. Wouldn't surprise me if RIM is giving them an exclusive period. I'm all for supporting your country, but something like that flies in the face of "global" strategy.

[BuzzStarField]

Kobo is Canadian, and like many things RIM, Canadian seems to get preference. Wouldn't surprise me if RIM is giving them an exclusive period. I'm all for supporting your country, but something like that flies in the face of "global" strategy.

It probably went down this way: RIM went shopping around for a provider. Amazon declined the offer doing the math the math and calculating that projected sales did not justify the development costs. RIM, being RIM (and Canadian) did not offer to offset the cost.

Kobo (being a desperate Canadian company) accepted on the condition that they would have an exclusive period to recoup the development costs (and perhaps sell a few books). RIM is likely getting a piece of the action.

[Skeevecr]

This whole idea that Rim would have agreed to a deal that kept the most popular ebook platform off their tablet is simply ludicrous when it is far more likely that amazon just aren't rushing to release an app right now.

If you look at what they have released lately, there was the one for the webos tablet that was basically just the phone version and one for windows phone 7 which as a smartphone should have noticeably higher sales than any non-ipad tablets right now.

[ubizmo]

Kindle and Nook are coming right, in the Android player?

It's not known at this point whether what's coming is an Android app or a native app.

[Rudee66]

We haven't heard from BB how they are finding this delay from Amazon to launch a KIndle app. If BB signed an agreement with Kobo to deliver PB's with Kobo pre-installed and Kobo was promised exclusivity, BB would be in no rush to work with Amazon on a Kindle app. Have we heard anything from BB on what should be (for BB) a very frustating delay from Amazon, or is this something that BB has orchestrated?

That's what I have been saying all along. Kobo was promised exclusivity. Kindle is likely in no hurry at all to work with RIM on creating an app for the Playbook.

[blackmoe]

Kobo is Canadian, and like many things RIM, Canadian seems to get preference. Wouldn't surprise me if RIM is giving them an exclusive period. I'm all for supporting your country, but something like that flies in the face of "global" strategy.

Rubbish. If RIM gave KOBO an exclusive then Amazon would be telling everyone inquiring about the Kindle app that RIM is the problem. There would be no love between Amazon and RIM if that was the case. Amazon is taking too much heat for the delay and would not be silent about it if an exclusive was the problem.

[mandony]

The 'problems' described by the heading are NOT RIM's fault, rather
that of SKYPE and AMAZON
The title should read "Skype and Amazon dropped the ball ...."

There are currently several ePub readers in BB AppWorld, Amazon Kindle is not the only ebook format. The Android version apparently works the Kindle app.