Amazon announces an SDK for the Kindle:Amazon, displaying a sense of urgency, perhaps driven by the pending launch of Apple’s tablet style computer is turning its Kindle device into a platform. The Seattle-based company today announced that it will allow software developers to “build and upload active content” and distribute it through the “Kindle Store later this year.” Amazon will be giving out a Kindle Development Kit that will give “developers access to programming interfaces, tools and documentation to build active content for Kindle.” The company will launch a limited beta effort next month. The Kindle is going nowhere with the current screen technology (which is just okay for reading, but clearly no good for anything "active", or even anything with color for that matter.) But they could evolve the device's hardware (and design) in future generations, and certainly Amazon has a lot of experience creating a good ecommerce experience. So I think they could be an important player, but they've got a lot of work to do on their device first.
And also on the Kindle front, Amazon announced earlier this week that they are sweetening the split on ebooks with publishers, now offering to take only 30% in some situations (i.e., 30%, but with a bunch of strings attached.) This matches Apple's across the board split with developers in it's App Store (and the rumored split Apple is offering content publishers for it's new Tablet.)
Amazon: "Hey, over here! Don't forget about me!"
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And also on the Kindle front, Amazon announced earlier this week that they are sweetening the split on ebooks with publishers, now offering to take only 30% in some situations (i.e., 30%, but with a bunch of strings attached.) This matches Apple's across the board split with developers in it's App Store (and the rumored split Apple is offering content publishers for it's new Tablet.)
Amazon: "Hey, over here! Don't forget about me!"
- jim 1-21-2010 2:46 pm