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Free Kindle app comes to Android at last

Amazon released its free Kindle e-book reader for Android phones. It does the job, but will be much improved when the next wave of features hit.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations

Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).

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Jessica Dolcourt

June 28, 2010 2:58 p.m. PT

2 min read

Kindle, Android — Android users have been waiting a long time to see Kindle on their smartphones. Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Android users who have been waiting a long time to see an app for Amazon's Kindle electronic book reader can stop waiting, and start downloading.

While a little plain and slim on features, the free Kindle app for Android--available starting Monday--does its job as an e-book reader. Once you fire it up, it lets you shop for new books or download books you already bought.

Since Kindle is about book sales, the app lets you buy e-books through Amazon's online Kindle Store, where works typically sell for about $10 a piece. You can also send yourself the first chapter for free until you decide if you want to go ahead and own the rest of the book. The Kindle app conveniently syncs up your selection wirelessly.

We'd prefer to search for or browse books directly from the the Kindle app, a feature that, according to Amazon's news release, is coming in future versions, along with full text search.

Amazon's Kindle app for Android is similar to Kindle on other mobile operating systems, like the iPhone and BlackBerry, including support for both portrait and landscape orientations.

Unlike other e-readers, the Kindle reading pane is plain white by default, though the settings let you adjust brightness and font size, and choose a smooth sepia or black background if you're not a fan of the white. (We'd personally love to add other textures, like the crumpled paper or linen looks.)

The app's straightforward navigation have you tapping in the margins or swiping the sides to advance through the pages. Press the center of the page to remind yourself of the book's title or check out what percentage of the selection you've read. As with Kindle on other platforms, this app will remember where you put your bookmarks, though it would be nice if we could rename the bookmark, rather than try to remember the assigned location.

The Kindle app is available free from the Android Market. You can view a list of country support here (scroll down.)

Update, 3:30 p.m. PDT: We provided more details about the app's availability by country.

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