Amazon Initiates Development of Kindle App for Blackberry PlayBook
In the world of e-reading, two major players are gearing up for a showdown: Kobo and Amazon. Both companies have announced plans to release applications for the Blackberry PlayBook, a tablet device scheduled for release in Q1 of 2011.
Kobo, a Canadian e-reader and e-book retailer, has taken the lead with an application that is already ready for the PlayBook's debut. The Kobo app, designed to be social and real-time, allows users to share book passages, shop with friends, read with a group of people, and discuss books in real-time. It also integrates an e-reading service and uses core elements of the Blackberry Messenger application (BBM).
On the other hand, Amazon's plans for the PlayBook are still in the works. The tech giant is developing an application that will provide users access to Amazon's digital content ecosystem, including ebooks and possibly other media, within the BlackBerry environment. However, details about the application are scarce at this time.
Kobo's avid readers can expect numerous new resources in the future, as the company anticipates new possibilities for books and bestsellers. Michael Serbinis, CEO of Kobo, expressed his excitement about the new relationship.
Meanwhile, Michael Kozlowski, a Vancouver-based writer, has been focusing on audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers for the past eighteen years. Amazon has also been active in the e-reader market, releasing applications for various devices, including Android, Blackberry, iPad, iPhone, and more, in the last year.
The Blackberry PlayBook's e-reader landscape offers a fascinating contrast. Kobo's app, with its focus on ebook reading and purchasing, and strong support for EPUB format and DRM management, provides a more specialized e-reading experience. On the other hand, Amazon's app, integrated with BlackBerry Hub and BlackBerry 10 environment, offers direct access to Amazon content in a BlackBerry-specific ecosystem, albeit with some limitations in app availability due to OS constraints.
As the Blackberry PlayBook prepares to enter the market, it will be interesting to see how these two e-reading giants fare in the competition. With Kobo's social and real-time reading experience and Amazon's integration into the BlackBerry environment, users can look forward to a diverse range of options for their e-reading needs.
Technology continues to be reshaped by the introduction of new gadgets, such as the upcoming Blackberry PlayBook. Kobo, a major player in e-reader technology, has developed an application with social capabilities, allowing users to share book passages, shop with friends, and discuss books in real-time. On the other hand, Amazon, another prominent player in the e-reader market, is working on an application to provide access to their digital content ecosystem on the Blackberry PlayBook.
