It wasn’t entirely unexpected when Amazon released their Kindle ebook reader some time ago and it wasn’t available in New Zealand. After all, it wasn’t available to anyone much, if they weren’t in the USA.
Recently though, we got our hopes up when Kindle was released to more than a hundred countries, including the tiny nation of Tuvalu. It’s probably comforting to the island’s inhabitants that at least they’ll be able to read digital books as they retreat to almost non-existent high ground while the oceans rise around them.
No Kindle for Kiwis.
Alas, in one of those unexplained mysteries, apparently New Zealand is excluded from buying and using the Kindle.
Kindle for iPhone
Until today, when somehow the Kindle application for iPhone and iPod touch suddenly became available, along with access to quite a few, but not all, Kindle format books.
The app itself is free to download from the App Store.
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- Kindle ebooks have several controls.
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- A list of titles on Kindle iPhone.
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- Kindle for iPhone.
I was a bit frustrated to find that several titles I searched for were available as Kindle ebooks, but not in my region, ie New Zealand.
Searching’s a bit tedious, so I looked at Amazon’s Kindle section on my Mac and located a free title: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. I ‘bought’ the ebook and opened up my iPhone to find it had been delivered to Kindle.app.
That was quick and easy.
I flicked through a few pages of the book and discovered the controls that allow me to resize font, change text colour and so on.
Now I can see why people like their Kindles so much.
It’s been a few decades since I last read 20,000 Leagues, but I’m not entirely sure I want to read it again.
I’ll invest more time and find a title I really want to buy, and look forward to reading it on my iPod touch.
I hate buying books on paper. I want to read them, not have chunks of dead tree taking up space on my shelves. If only I could buy the titles I want, when I want them.
Still, this is a great leap forward, and I’m very glad.
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But there are already tons of iphone ebook apps that are free and great!
“I hate buying books on paper. I want to read them, not have chunks of dead tree taking up space on my shelves. If only I could buy the titles I want, when I want them”.
-This is the worst statement I have heard (read) all year. Its sad to hear that you would rather curl up with a chunk of plastic than have a real book in your hands. Yes, I realise these technological devices are handy and yes I will probably buy one eventually but I will never give up on real books. But to read that you thinks of books as only “Chunks of dead tree taking up shelf space’…………..Sounds like you’re a real champion…..
Hi Jenn,
for sure I’d rather curl up with the words than the paper. Curling up with plastic though has no appeal – it’s the ideas I’m after.
I’m not a champion of books, but I do champion thought, ideas, opinion, facts and the other things expressed within books, magazine, movies, blogs and other forms.
I guess I’m not much of a ‘things’ person. I’ve certainly come across some objects I want to touch and stroke: certain Apple products, an occasional work of art, a beautifully crafted table, for instance. I tend to be more interested in the functional aspects of things.
When it comes to words I’m a reader, not a booklover. It’s possible I’m not even a reader – there are many movies I’ve seen where I haven’t read the original book, and I’m fine with that.
It sounds as though you’re a booklover. I’m happy for you, but I’m not part of the club.
nicely observed miraz. i do so tire of the ‘booklovers’ with their luddite indignance.
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