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Kindle Editions for Apple Devices Gets Embedded Audio and Video

by Caleb Johnson on June 28, 2010 at 04:35 PM

Kindle app gets embedded audio and video

Not even a week after slashing its e-reader's price, Amazon has also revamped its Kindle application for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch with shiny new upgrades. According to Engadget, the Kindle app now features embedded audio and video on select titles. The first e-books making use of this feature are Rick Steves's "London," which features a walking tour of the town narrated by Steves, and "Together We Cannot Fail" by Terry Golway. Of the dozen titles with this functionality, there are also, for example, e-books with embedded video clips showing how to bake a cake, and e-books with embedded audio clips of bird calls. Of course, we expect Amazon will incorporate audio and video into more titles in the near future -- unless consumers totally reject this move.

By embedding audio and video within an e-book, Amazon has certainly blurred the lines between a digital text and a full-blown multimedia experience. Many users will no doubt embrace the chance to watch videos and to hear authors talk about their work (a "sexy" feature, if reading, even on an Apple device, can be described as such). But more traditional readers, who may already be hesitant to jump on the e-reader bandwagon, could be totally turned off by so much stimuli. We'll keep an eye on this move, while reading our paperback books by candlelight. [From: Engadget]

Tags: amazon, app, Apple, books, e-reader, eBook, interactive, ipad, iphone, IpodTouch, kindle, multimedia, top

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