Besides the Kindle 3 and the Kindle DX eReaders, Amazon offers the possibility to read Kindle eBooks with other devices. Kindle eBooks can be read on Blackberrys, PCs, iPhones, Mac, and also on an iPad. Read on for an overview of the different devices that you can use to read your Kindle books.

Kindle for Blackberry

Kindle for BlackBerry can be used for the following BlackBerry phones: 9630 (Tour), 9000 (Bold), 9700 (Bold), 8900 (Curve), 8520 (Curve), 9500/9530 (Storm), 9550 (Storm 2). To install the Kindle application, visit www.amazon.com/kindlebb from your BlackBerry. Once the application is installed, click on the Kindle icon and log into your account. After this initial log on, you can access your Kindle library without having to enter your account details again.

Books available for the Kindle through the Kindle Store can also be accessed on a BlackBerry unless otherwise specified. Accessing a book in your Kindle library is as simple as opening the Kindle for Blackberry application, navigating to the home page, and clicking on the book you wish to read. Books already in your Kindle library are found in Archived Items on the Kindle for Blackberry application. Personal documents, newspapers, magazines, and blogs are unavailable on the Kindle for Blackberry. The notes and annotations feature is also not supported on the BlackBerry.

To purchase eBooks from the Kindle Store, just open the Kindle for Blackerry Application, press the BlackBerry button on your phone, and select the Shop in Kindle Store option from the menu. You can then sort books by a variety of categories, including author, title, most recent, etc. When you have selected an eBook, click the Buy Now with 1-Click option. The eBook will start downloading and will appear on the Kindle Home screen when the file is complete. If you wish to sample an eBook before you purchase, simply click the Try a Sample button on the product’s detail page. Amazon’s Whispersync technology allows you to pick up on your BlackBerry where you were reading on another device– PC, Kindle, or iPhone. With the application, Whispersync comes automatically enabled. If you have to manually sync your device, press the Blackberry button on your phone and then click Sync and Check Items.

Kindle for PC

To use the Kindle for PC application, you computer must run Windows XP with Service Pack 2+, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. To install the application, visit www.amazon.com/kindleforpc, click the Download Now
icon, and follow the instructions. Once the application is installed, click on the Kindle icon and log into your account. After this initial log on, you can access your Kindle library without having to enter your account details again.

To read books you have downloaded, go to the Home screen by clicking on the Kindle for PC application, then double click on the title you would like to read. When reading, a tool bar will appear at the top of your screen to help you navigate and customize your reading experience. You can use the Back tool to return to the previous page you read, while the Bookmark tool marks your current page. The Go To tool allows you to jump to a specific section of the eBook such as the Index or Table of Contents. The Aa tool adjusts the text size to your specifications. There are a number of keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate the Kindle for PC app, a complete list of which can be found on Amazon’s website.

To download items to your PC that are already in your Kindle library, visit the Home screen after launching the Kindle for PC, then click on Archived Items at the top of the screen and double-click on the item you’d like to download to your PC. Purchasing eBooks from the Kindle Store with the Kindle for PC app is simple. Just use the pull-down menu under the Buy button found on the product detail page and select Deliver to: as an option. You can then choose to deliver your eBook to your PC. Click the Buy Now with 1-Click button. The eBook will start downloading and will appear on the Kindle Home screen when the file is complete. If you wish to sample an eBook before you purchase, simply click the Try a Sample button on the product detail page. Almost all eBooks sold through the Amazon Store are available using the Kindle for PC app. Any title that is not available will note on the item detail page that “This titles is available for Amazon Kindle devices only.” Newpapers, magazine, blogs, and personal documents cannot currently be viewed using the Kindle for PC app. Prices and titles may vary depending on your country or region.

Kindle for Mac

The Kindle for Mac application requires a Mac with a 500MHz Intel processor or faster, at least 512 MB of RAM, screen resolution of 800×600 or more, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) and 10.6 Snow Leopard), and at least 100 MB of available disk space.

The Kindle for Mac application allows you to access all your books in your Kindle library. You will also be able to create bookmarks and review any notes you made previously on your Kindle. Amazon’s Whispersync technology will open the eBook you are reading to the page you left off at, whether it was on your Kindle, Mac or iPhone.

Users of the Kindle for Mac application have access to over 450,000 books through the Kindle Store. The first chapter of any book is free, so you can sample the title to see if it suits your needs and interests. Newspapers, magazine, and blogs from the Kindle Store are not currently available for download with the Kindle for Mac application.

Kindle for iPad

Amazon official released the Kindle for iPad application in March, the day before the iPad release. No doubt in an attempt to steal some of the iPad thunder. Overall the reviews of the Kindle for iPad are quite positive. While Amazon maintains all the functionality that you typically find with a Kindle application (Whispersync, portrait & landscape mode, the ability to change font sizes, book mark pages, adding notes) there is still an enhanced user experience using the iPad interface and its touch screen technology.
The only drawback with the Kindle for iPad is that it is not possible to purchase a book within the Kindle application.  Purchasing books is done through a safari browser on the Amazon website. While not a major inconvenience, it would be nice to have the possibility to do this within the Kindle for iPad application.

Kindle for iPhone

Kindle for iPhone can be used on any iPhone, iPhone 3G, or iPod Touch with Firmware 2.0 or higher installed. To install Kindle for iPhone, either visit iTunes or go to Apple’s App Store. Search for the Kindle for iPhone app, and then follow the installation instructions. When installation is complete, you can access your Kindle library or the Kindle Store by tapping the Kindle for iPhone icon on your iPhone or iPod Touch. When you log into our Amazon account through the Kindle for iPhone app, your device will be registered and you will then have access to any titles already in your Kindle library. After this initial log on, you can access your Kindle library without having to enter your account details again.

To read a book stored on your iPhone or iPod Touch, open the Kindle for iPhone application, go to the Home screen, and tap on the book you would like to access. If you need to download titles that are in your Kindle library, go to the Home screen, tap on ‘Archived Items’, tap the title you would like to access from the Archives, then remain in the Kindle for iPhone app while the title downloads to your device. When you delete items from your Kindle for iPhone, the content remains stored in your Kindle library on Amazon.com. and can be re-downloaded at a later date.

When reading a book with the Kindle for iPhone app, tap the center of your device’s screen to access the tool bar. The tool bar allows you to return to the last page read, bookmark the page you’re reading, jump to a specified location in the text, choose text size, and activate Whispersync. Amazon’s Whispersync technology comes automatically enabled, but if there are any problems it can be manually activated through the tool bar. Whispersync allows you to pick up on the page you were last reading from any device that is associated with your Amazon account, such as your Mac, PC, Kindle, or BlackBerry. Any notes or highlights you add to the text will also sync across devices.

You can access the Kindle Store in two ways. First, you can tap on the Safari icon, enter http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/kindle/storefront in the address bar, and tap go. Also, you can tap the Kindle for iPhone icon, then tap ‘Get Books’ on the Home screen. You can search the Kindle Store through numerous categories, including author, title, and subject. To purchase, select your device from the “Send wirelessly to:” pull-down menu located on the product detail page. Tap the Buy Now with 1-Click icon and sign into your Amazon account if prompted. You can also try a sample of a title from the product detail page. Once the book is downloaded,
tap the Go to Kindle for iPhone button to access the title.