Update: The Kindle for Android app is now available to the masses, and can be found via a simple market query for âKindleâor the QR code below.
The app appears as it does in the preview; upon booting it offers up a registration/sign in screen. Upon sign-in, the app pulls your purchased books from Amazonâs Kindle Bookstore servers and transfers them to your device. A link to a mobile-optimized version of the Kindle Bookstore is available by a press of the menu button while in the app.
Amazon has also offered up new details on features the Kindle for Android app intends to eventually deliver on:
Future Improvements
We hope you are enjoying this version of Kindle for Android and the large selection of Kindle books that are available in the Kindle Store.
As with all our services, we will continue to improve Kindle for Android. Below are some features to be added in the near future:
- Search
You will be able to search for content within your books- Store
A rich interface for searching and browsing the Kindle catalog within the app- Dictionary
View word definitions while reading- Zoom images
Select an image to see an expanded view
We'd also like to hear from you. Please share your thoughts, feedback, and comments with us. You can send them to the Kindle team at kindleforandroid@amazon.com - we'd love to hear what you think!
Sincerely,
The Kindle team
Questions? Comments? Have something to say about the Kindle app? Drop us a line below!
Original Article:
As previously reported, a Kindle app for Android devices has been in the works for some time. Now, with the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S (aka Vibrant) for T-Mobile, it appears a concrete release date exists.
If you read the press release (copied below) carefully, you may have noticed that on July 21st, T-Mobileâs Vibrant will ship with the Kindle for Android app pre-installed. While it is not yet known when exactly the app will be available on the Android Market, it is safe to assume that if it does not make a public appearance outside of the Vibrant on or before July 21st, the Android development community will provide bookworms their fix in a timely manner.
Amazon appears to have cherry-picked hardware for the Kindle for Android appâs debut; the Galaxy S is arguably the most powerful Android device to date, and sports a 4â Super AMOLED screen that offers enhanced (perhaps the best of any Android device) visibility in bright environments.
More details as they emerge.
Here is the press release that mentions the Kindle app. We have highlighted the relevant parts in bold:
Samsung Vibrant from T-Mobile USA to Bring Robust
Entertainment Experience on a Brilliant Screen
T-Mobileâs Latest Androidâ¢-Powered Device Offers Exclusive Entertainment Experience, Including James Cameronâs Avatar In a Slim Smartphone Package
BELLEVUE, Wash. and DALLAS â June 28, 2010 â T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.1, today announced the Samsung Vibrantâ¢, a Samsung Galaxy S⢠device available from T-Mobile.
Through pre-installed applications and pre-loaded content, the Samsung Vibrantâs comprehensive multimedia capabilities combine all your entertainment and communication needs into one device â itâs a television, bookshelf, radio, movie library, gaming system, and of course, a smartphone. The Vibrant comes fully loaded with exclusive entertainment features including âJames Cameronâs Avatarâ on an included 2GB external memory card and an exclusive collectorâs edition of a popular game. The Vibrant also brings the Amazon Kindle for Android⢠application with access to more than 600,000 books, MobiTV with live and on-demand TV, and much more.
The Vibrantâs 4-inch Super AMOLED touch screen display gives customers a vivid, sharp color HD-like viewing experience, whether consumers choose to play a game, watch a movie or read an e-book while on the go. Featuring a slim and sleek design, the Vibrant is one of the most portable and accessible mobile entertainment devices available to U.S. consumers. The speedy Samsung 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor and six-axis sensor are optimized for media and gaming, which gives consumers a seamless, immersive experience while reading, watching and playing. The Vibrant is also the latest smartphone in T-Mobileâs lineup that can benefit from enhanced speeds in locations with T-Mobileâs super-fast HSPA+ network.2
âBy combining best-selling, award-winning content and amazing hardware that brings that content to life, T-Mobile continues to deliver on its commitment to bring innovative mobile entertainment experiences to consumersâ fingertips,â said Paul Cole, vice president, devices and accessories, T-Mobile USA. âWe are proud to introduce the Samsung Vibrant as the latest addition to our growing lineup of Android-powered devices.â
âThe Samsung Vibrant contains all of the premium core features that the Galaxy S portfolio offers to consumers, including an industry leading display and powerful processor. The Galaxy S devices make the smartphone brilliant,â said Omar Khan, chief strategy officer for Samsung Mobile. âWhen you combine the Vibrantâs incredible hardware with preloaded content like âAvatar,â along with thousands of applications available on the Android Market, the entertainment and customization possibilities are endless.â
ââJames Cameronâs Avatarâ is in many ways the most innovative film ever produced, and in working with Samsung and T-Mobile we are now able to offer this eye-catching experience to viewers in a new and dynamic environment on the Samsung Vibrant,â said Peter Levinsohn, president of new media and digital distribution for 20th Century FOX Film Company.
The multimedia experience that makes the Samsung Vibrant a great option for entertainment enthusiasts includes the following:
- 20th Century Foxâs âJames Cameronâs Avatar,â full-screen movie pre-loaded on the Samsung Vibrant, takes consumers back to Pandora, the fictional world created by James Cameron, in the highest-grossing film in history.
- Amazon Kindle for Android application provides direct access to more than 600,000 books, including a vast majority of The New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases. Before consumers purchase a book, they can read the first chapter for free. They also can read reviews and recommendations from Amazon.com and its customers. With Kindle for Android, customers can sync their reading with their other Kindle devices so they never lose their place or are without their reading.
- MobiTV mobile phone application offers consumers access to live and on-demand TV available in English and Spanish â including more than 35 channels of news, sports and entertainment. Favorite channels such as Bravo, Disney Channel, ESPN, NBC and more are available for Samsung Vibrant consumers to watch at home or away. Plus, when Vibrant consumers subscribe to MobiTV, their first 30 days of service are free.3
- Slacker Radio mobile application comes pre-loaded on the Samsung Vibrant, allowing anyone to listen to free personalized radio. Slacker offers more than 120 genre stations and the ability to create your own. With millions of songs from thousands of artists, Slacker is the best way to discover new artists and hear your favorite music.
- Gogo® Inflight Internet service offers a bonus to consumers who purchase the Samsung Vibrant: up to a month of free in-flight Wi-Fi access on their device, with Internet access on more than 3,000 daily flights and growing every day in the continental U.S.4
- Samsung Media Hub, expected to be available in the near future, is a full library of video and literary content powered by some of the biggest names in entertainment.
The Samsung Vibrantâs assets go beyond its impressive entertainment features. Running Android 2.1, the Samsung Vibrant offers a seven-paned home screen and access to Android Market⢠to personalize the device with 65,000 applications, including applications for social networking, gaming, travel and more. Samsungâs Social Hub service helps consumers to easily keep in touch with family and friends through integrated contacts, calendars, social networking sites and group messaging, including the ability to âreply allâ for up to 10 contacts. The Vibrant also supports six languages: English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Italian and Korean.
The Vibrant delivers advanced phone features such as GPS functionality with access to turn-by-turn navigation and Swype® text input for fast, accurate communication. It also features a 5-megapixel camera with digital zoom and autofocus, and a video camera for recording crystal-clear, high-definition (720p) videos and photos for playback on an HD television. With support for up to 32 GB of external memory, the Vibrant provides ample space for consumersâ entertainment favorites. Consumers can customize their Vibrant with two battery cover options in dark blue and lavender that will come packaged exclusively with the T-Mobile device.
Availability
The Samsung Vibrant and its exclusive pre-loaded entertainment content is expected to be available to T-Mobile customers beginning July 21. Customers can visit http://galaxy-s.t-mobile.com for more information.
In addition, it is expected that beginning on July 1, customers may pre-order the Samsung Vibrant at any one of more than 4,000 RadioShack® stores. To pre-order, customers must purchase a $50 gift card, which will be applied toward the retail price of the device. Customers can schedule an appointment to pick up and activate their devices at RadioShack stores with anticipated availability starting July 21. Customers who pre-order at RadioShack will receive a $50 gift card by mail after purchasing their phone with qualifying voice and data plan on a two-year contract. The ability to pre-order is also expected to be available online at http://www.radioshack.com/vibrant beginning July 1.