Amazon

Amazon Instant Video app gets new search history and quick resume features

Cody Lee ∙ August 9, 2014

Amazon posted a nice little update for its Instant Video app this weekend, bringing the client to version 2.8. The update includes a couple of new features and bug fixes that make searching for and watching content in the application much more enjoyable.

One of the new features has to do with video playback, and it enables you to quickly resume videos you've recently started from the app's home screen. You can also now quickly find content you've previously searched for with the new search history feature...

Flappy Bird returns as an Amazon Fire TV-exclusive with new features

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

It's been nearly 6 months since Dong Nguyen pulled his smash hit Flappy Bird from the App Store. The game was reportedly earning over $50,000 per day in revenue at that time, but Nguyen didn't like the added attention it brought him, so he pulled the plug.

As he promised, though, Flappy Bird has made its triumphant return as 'Flappy Birds Family,' bringing along with it a new multiplayer mode and other additional features. Unfortunately, it looks like the title is exclusive to Amazon's Fire TV platform for now...

Amazon updates Kindle app with placeholders, note exporting, Wikipedia integration and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 29, 2014

Hot on the heels of announcing a standalone all-you-can-eat subscription for books and audiobooks costing ten bucks per month, the online retail behemoth Amazon has issued an interesting update to its free Kindle for iOS app.

In addressing customer complaints, the company has brought out several new features that make sync and navigation easier. For starters, Kindle 4.4 lets you create placeholders to explore other areas of the book without losing your current place.

I'm exited about Wikipedia integration: you can now easily learn more about a word by selecting it to read an entry from Wikipedia in the Info Card at the bottom of the page...

Early reviews dump cold water on Amazon Fire Phone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

At a media event on June 18, Amazon entered the smartphone fray with the Fire Phone. Sure the company is 7 years late to a market that is largely dominated by a handful of heavyweights, but it hoped the device's unique features would set it apart.

Tonight, the embargo lifted on early reviews of the handset, and they aren't pretty. The consensus is that the aforementioned features—tilt scrolling, etc.—are gimmicky at best, and the phone itself is a pain to use. Read on for other initial reactions...

Watch Amazon’s inaugural TV ad for its upcoming Fire Phone

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 18, 2014

Last night, the online retail giant Amazon has begun airing the first television commercial for its Fire smartphone ahead of its debut next Friday in the United States.

Rather than take jabs at competitors as Amazon did with its launch ads for the Fire tablets, the Fire Phone commercial instead zeroes in on the fact that it comes with a full year of Prime membership, bundled free of charge.

It's a major selling point which cleverly takes advantage of Amazon's diverse interests in digital media and its continuos focus on undercutting the value proposition of its rivals...

Amazon launches $9.99 Kindle Unlimited e-book and audiobook subscription plan

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

As suspected, Amazon today formally introduced its brand new all-you-can-eat e-book plan, Kindle Unlimited.

Priced at $9.99 per month, the iOS-compatible service gives reading aficionados unlimited access to more than 600,000 books, including best-selling titles like the Harry Potter series, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Hunger Games trilogy and Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

The subscription plan is available on Kindle devices, as well as free Kindle reading apps for iOS, Android and more...

Amazon readying $9.99 a month Kindle Unlimited service with 600,000+ e-books and audiobooks

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Amazon has been testing a new subscription service dubbed "Kindle Unlimited," said to bring unlimited access to 600,000 e-books and thousands of audiobooks on any device for a flat fee of just ten bucks per month. That's according to company webpages that have been pulled down yesterday.

The service appears to provide unlimited access to both books from Amazon’s publishing imprints and those that were already available through Amazon’s Kindle Owners Lending Library, including such titles as the Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series...

As of today, Amazon’s mobile ad network supports iOS devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 17, 2014

Amazon today said that its mobile ad network is now available on iOS. Makers of iPhone and iPad apps can now take advantage of Amazon's Mobile Ads API to make money by inject into their apps banner and interstitial ads from premium advertisers participating in the Amazon Mobile Ad Network.

Moreover, the online retailer will add support for its own Fire smartphone beginning July 25, when it's scheduled to launch...

Amazon updates Instant Video for iOS with First Episode Free, HBO content and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 23, 2014

The online retail giant Amazon has issued a pretty substantial update to its free video-streaming iOS app, Instant Video. Now bumped to version 2.7, the app offers the ability to stream the first episodes of selected TV shows for free, as part of the Amazon First Episode Free feature, with advertising breaks before and during video playback.

Additionally, you'll notice all-new playback controls, the addition of HBO shows such as The Sopranos, The Wire and Deadwood and more...

This is Fire Phone, Amazon’s first smartphone

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Amazon today unveiled the Fire Phone, its first smartphone. The device features a 4.7-inch screen, 2.2 GHz quad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, Adreno 330 graphics and more. It runs a custom version of Android called Fire OS 3.5. The smartphone also has several other interesting features, including a 3D adaptive perspective mode, Firefly, ASAP predictive caching, MayDay support, screen mirroring and more.

In terms of design, the Fire Phone has a Gorilla Glass 3 screen, rubber frame and glass back. Meanwhile, the handset has aluminum buttons and injection-molded steel connectors to ensure a tight and precise fit and beautiful trim rings. Amazon says it cares deeply about the chamfered edges on its USB connectors. That's just the tip of the iceberg…

Amazon talks about importance of trust and more at Fire Phone event

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos was on stage in Seattle at its Fire Phone media event this afternoon, revealing some interesting facts worth sharing. First and foremost, over 60,000 people applied to come to the event, and only 300 were granted the luxury of attending. He dropped a few more anecdotes, which we've covered ahead…

Apple reaches settlement in $840 million e-books antitrust lawsuit

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 17, 2014

Apple has settled with U.S. states and consumers that were seeking damages for alleged price fixing on e-books, protecting itself from a trial where it could have faced up to $840 million in claims. Bloomberg was first to report on the news, claiming that a trial had been set for July after Apple was found to be conspiring with book publishers to raise e-book prices as part of an illegal scheme…