Amazon Unveils Kindle App for iPad

Ahead of the April 3 release of the Apple iPad, Amazon, maker of the Kindle e-book reader device, has announced it will have a Kindle Store e-book reader app available for the iPad.

The Amazon Kindle App will be in direct competition with the iBooks store Apple is launching for the iPad. Both will offer e-books, including bestsellers, page-turn animations, library views and similar navigation elements. After the price war Apple started among e-book publishers, they will likely have very similar pricing structures, too.

This move isn't necessarily a surprise, though, because Amazon has shown it wants to expand beyond the Kindle device. The company has already released apps for computers and smartphones allowing people to purchase and view books from the Kindle Store without purchasing an e-reader device.

The Kindle app is specifically designed for tablet computers, not just the iPad, so Amazon will presumably also be releasing versions for other tablets as they come out. It gives a look at the new direction Amazon is taking their e-book store, especially in the way of color and animation, two elements that were impossible to reproduce on the Kindle device.

Will 'Vooks' be the Kindle Killer?

Higher iTunes Prices Mean Lower Sales

Time for Change: 11 Wild Watches