Kindle for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Don’t have a Kindle, but want to read Kindle eBooks? Now you can, if you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch. Amazon has just released a free Kindle iPhone app that allows users to read Kindle ebooks on their iPhones or iPods. The app is meant to give Kindle uses added convenience and functionality, but you don’t have to have a Kindle to use it.

In some ways I think this is neat. There are lots of people who can’t afford a Kindle, or who are outside of the US, who might want to read ebooks that way. But there’s a part of me that thinks–who cares? Amazon only provides ebooks in their Kindle format, not multiple ebook formats. There’s already at least two free ebook readers for the iPod Touch and iPhone–Stanza and eReader. And, while I’ve read ebooks on my iPod Touch, and found it useful, it’s not an e-ink reader. It still gives me eye strain, where an e-ink reader wouldn’t.

What do you think? Is this exciting? Or blasé?

Thanks to GalleyCat for the info.

March 4th, 2009