Amazon launches web-based Kindle cloud reader app - gets around Apple rules
(CBS) - Amazon launched its HTML5 cloud reader app Wednesday at read.amazon.com, which gives the online retailer an easier way to sell books on the iPad.
The Kindle cloud reader app can be accessed "in browser" on Chrome and on Safari on iPad and desktop and allows readers to access e-books purchased from Amazon.
But most importantly for people who are both Kindle and iPad fans (and for Amazon), the app allows users to make purchases from Amazon directly in the app. Users using the Kindle app downloaded from the App Store, have had to open a browser to purchase to new content after Apple enforced rules that require app developers to strip out links to external mechanisms for purchasing digital books or subscriptions.
CNET reports that the app looks similar to Amazon's iOS Kindle app and by logging into your Amazon account, you gain access to your e-book library. You need an active Internet connection to sync your library to your PC or iPad, but Amazon offers a caching feature that allocates 50MB of storage to your iPad and allows you to view your e-books "offline" just like you can with the Kindle iOS and Android apps.