The new technology enables eReader lovers to access their entire library from any device, anywhere in the world, with no new downloads or installations needed. Kindle Cloud Reader syncs with your existing Kindle library and bookmarks, and is at present available for Safari on iPad, Safari on Mac desktops and Google Chrome.
In essence this means that iPad owners – as well as anyone who reads from a mobile or desktop browser – can start a novel on one device, pick it up on another, and finish it on a third with bookmarks preserved throughout the process.
For crime fiction fans, this is good news, not just because it links your entire Kindle library to your web browser. By releasing Kindle Cloud Reader, Amazon has effectively bypassed the Apple App Store. Apple take a 30 per cent chunk from titles sold on its store, so there’s some hope this will see a reduction in pricing.
Initial reviews have been mixed, with criticisms of the interface and lack of support yet for text searches and full screen reading. However, the idea that this ‘cloud-based’ library means crime fiction fans can access their entire library on the go has been widely
celebrated.
Amazon already has mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry, and for Windows and Mac desktops, but by creating a browser-based solution it has created a simple means to access you Kindle library whenever you find yourself with some reading time.
The Kindle Cloud Reader is free to download and published by Amazon. Look out for CL’s full review.