Monday, February 28, 2011

Amazon Announces Free "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" Kindle App for webOS TouchPad

Amazon's free "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" Kindle app that lets users read andsync over 810,000 of the most popular books will be available on the new HP TouchPad


Amazon.com has announced that it will launch a free Kindle app for webOS tailored for the new HP TouchPad. Like all Kindle apps, Kindle for webOS will let customers "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" - on Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7, Android-based devices, and this summer, the HP TouchPad. Amazon's Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off and never lose your place. For more information about the free Kindle apps, go to www.amazon.com/kindleapps.

"When you buy a Kindle book, you can already read it on Kindle and our free 'Buy Once, Read Everywhere' apps for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7, and Android-based devices, so you never have to worry about what to do with your books if you change devices or platforms," said Dorothy Nicholls, Director, Amazon Kindle. "We're very excited to add webOS to this list. As with our other Kindle apps, the webOS app will be free and will incorporate our Whispersync technology so you can seamlessly switch between devices and platforms and never be without your reading."

Kindle for webOS was demonstrated for the first time today at HP's press conference announcing the new HP TouchPad.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The Domino Project Announces: "Poke the Box"

Bestselling author and creator of new publishing venture "The Domino Project," Seth Godin, and Amazon announce their inaugural book
"Poke the Box" to be published in English worldwide as print, audio and Kindle editions.

In December, international-bestselling author Seth Godin and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) announced a new publishing imprint, The Domino Project--the first to use Amazon's new "Powered by Amazon" publishing program. Now Godin and Amazon are unveiling the first book--written by Godin--from The Domino Project, "Poke the Box," which will be published worldwide on March 1.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to break ground and help define what publishing can become," said Godin. "We all know that ideas that spread win, and this publishing house will enable my colleagues and I to create, write and spread ideas that matter. A book that isn't read doesn't do anyone any good, and too often, the book publishing industry gets in the way of books reaching people who can benefit from them. Amazon knows what to do to help these books get read."

"We love the idea that The Domino Project's first book is about the power of initiative and change," said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President of Kindle Content. "We think it's the kind of book you'll want to share with your co-workers, family, or clients."

"Poke the Box" is about producing something that's scarce, and thus valuable: initiative. It demands that you stop waiting for a road map and start drawing one instead. It's a call to action - in your job or in your life - to leap, commit, make something happen. Godin knows that the scarcest resource in most organizations (and most careers) is the spark provided by an initiator - the person with the guts to say, "I want to start stuff." In Godin's words: "Life is a buzzer box. Poke it."

Friday, January 28, 2011

Amazon.com Announces Fourth Quarter Sales up 36% to $12.95 Billion

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced financial results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2010.

Operating cash flow increased 6% to $3.50 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $3.29billion for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2009. Free cash flow decreased 14% to $2.52 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $2.92 billion for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2009.

Common shares outstanding plus shares underlying stock-based awards totaled 465 million on December 31, 2010, compared with 461 million a year ago.

Net sales increased 36% to $12.95 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with $9.52 billion in fourth quarter 2009. Excluding the $139 million unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, net sales would have grown 37% compared with fourth quarter 2009.

Operating income was $474 million in the fourth quarter, compared with $476 million in fourth quarter 2009. The unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter on operating income was $18 million.

Net income increased 8% to $416 million in the fourth quarter, or $0.91 per diluted share, compared with net income of $384 million, or $0.85 per diluted share, in fourth quarter 2009.

"Thanks to our customers, we achieved two big milestones," said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com. "We had our first $10 billion quarter, and after selling millions of third-generation Kindles with the new Pearl e-ink display during the quarter, Kindle books have now overtaken paperback books as the most popular format on Amazon.com. Last July we announced that Kindle books had passed hardcovers and predicted that Kindle would surpass paperbacks in the second quarter of this year, so this milestone has come even sooner than we expected - and it's on top of continued growth in paperback sales."

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Free Amazon Deals App for iPhone Now Available

Never miss another deal with easy, on-the-go access to Amazon Gold Box Deals

Amazon.com has announced Amazon Deals, a free application for iPhone that offers easy, on-the-go access to daily deals from the Amazon.com Gold Box (www.amazon.com/goldbox). Customers can use the app to act quickly on limited-availability discounts and stay informed with deal notifications, to help them get the deal they want.

"With Amazon Deals, no matter where they are, our customers can stay connected and informed on deals in their favorite categories and purchase from their iPhone immediately, before they sell out, so they never have to miss another deal," said Sam Hall, director of Amazon Mobile.

The Amazon Deals app will help customers save even more money with mobile access to Amazon's Deal of the Day and limited-time Lightning Deals featured in Amazon's Gold Box page. Amazon Gold Box Deals offer tremendous value beyond Amazon's typical low prices and due to limited quantities, can sell out quickly. The Amazon Deals app makes shopping the Gold Box even better. With helpful features like reminders and category-specific notifications on everything from electronics to jewelry, Amazon customers will never have to miss another deal. Customers can also browse active deals, upcoming Lightning Deals and purchase immediately.

The Amazon Deals app includes access to features customers have come to know and trust including customer reviews; robust product information; sharing via e-mail, Twitter and Facebook; and purchasing via Amazon Prime, for delivery directly to your doorstep.

Amazon Deals for iPhone is available for free in the App Store or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore. For more information please visit: www.amazon.com/dealsapp.

Amazon's family of mobile shopping applications includes Price Check by Amazon for iPhone, Amazon Windowshop for iPad and the Amazon App for iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android-based devices. Customers can learn more by visiting www.amazon.com/amazonmobile.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Free "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" Kindle App for Windows Phone 7 Now Available

Kindle for Windows Phone 7 is the first major eBook app for Windows Phone 7-based devices
Amazon's free Kindle apps give readers access to the largest selection of the most popular books and lets them sync their reading across all major devices and platforms.


Customers can already read Kindle books on their Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, as well as their iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry and Android-based devices. Today, Amazon's wide selection of free "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" Kindle apps is expanding to include Windows Phone 7 devices. Kindle for Windows Phone 7 is the first major eBook application available for Windows Phone 7, and includes new features built into a Kindle app for the first time, including personalized recommendations integrated into the Kindle app home screen and the ability to send book recommendations to a friend without leaving the app. Customers can learn more about Kindle for Windows Phone 7 at www.amazon.com/kindleforwindowsphone and can download the free app from Windows Phone Marketplace.

"With Kindle books you never have to worry about what to do if you change devices or platforms. Our free 'Buy Once, Read Everywhere' apps make it easy for you to read your books on any device you choose - your Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, Android-based device, and now your Windows Phone 7-based device," said Dorothy Nicholls, Director, Amazon Kindle. "We think customers are going to love our new Kindle app on the unique interface of Windows Phone 7 and the convenience of our Whispersync technology, which saves and synchronizes your bookmarks, notes and highlights between all of your devices."