A lot of people are still unaware that to access Kindle services, you don’t need a Kindle device, or for that matter even an e-reader. You can simply use the Kindle app on iPhone, Android, or most other devices.
The Kindle app is more agnostic than that. It operates on Mac and Windows PC’s, as well as on Android and iOS devices.
The app is free, and once it’s loaded, you have access to millions of free ebooks, as well as the Kindle Unlimited subscription book service.
This opens up a library of books with subjects and authors from every genre, and like any real-world library, the list is dynamic. Titles are added to the Kindle world constantly.
Whatever your tastes or however voracious your reading habit, the Kindle app reveals a world to you that makes your every reading choice limitless.
Table of Contents
What Is The Kindle App?
To state the obvious the Kindle app is software.
More importantly, it is user-friendly, compatible software.
While it has the same proprietary name as Amazon’s e-reader device, the app isn’t bound to the e-reader.
The Kindle app works just as well on a PC or other mobile devices as it does on its native Kindle tablet. You get the Kindle app by creating and signing into an Amazon account, and there is only a single user log-in per account.
You can download the app on as many compatible devices as you like. As mentioned before the app works on Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS. You can load the Kindle app on desktops and laptops or on mobile phones and tablets.
What Is The Kindle Cloud Reader?
Not to be confused with the Kindle app is the Kindle Cloud Reader. The cloud reader is a web browser app. It downloads and interfaces with any compatible web browser.
The Cloud Reader gives the same access and functionality as the Kindle app, only it is contained within the environment of its host browser.
The Cloud Reader’s main use is to provide Kindle access when the computer’s operating system isn’t compatible. It’s also useful if you want Kindle access but don’t want the Kindle app to be a standalone program on the computer.
The Cloud Reader is compatible with several browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari.
What Can You Do With The Kindle App Installed?
With the Kindle app, you can access any Kindle ebook.
You can immediately read any of the millions of free books.
If you have a paid subscription to Kindle Unlimited, you can access that entire service as well. You can make purchases of books and add them to your library.
The app allows you to browse as freely as a Kindle device itself.
What Are The Benefits Of Using The Kindle App?
An immediate perk of using the Kindle app is that you’re only limited by the device now hosting the application.
Most e-readers have E-Ink screens in black and white. That’s great as far as it goes, but a book with color imagery (like a graphic novel or photography book) is incomplete in that setting.
With your Kindle app loaded on a device with a superior screen and graphics card, you experience all that display has to offer.
Likewise, with an audiobook, you’re empowered by whatever sound system the host device has.
Another perk is ubiquity. There’s a lot to be said for having access to your library on all your major systems. The whole point of mobility is reading whenever you like. The comfort of a chair or bed is undeniable, but maybe you like reading a few chapters at work. The avid reader is always reading, and you can’t always have a tablet around when you get the urge.
What Are The Drawbacks To Using The App?
Wherever there’s a plus, there’s a minus.
Fortunately, the Kindle app doesn’t have many. The most obvious thing you lose when you use the app is the self-contained world of the combined Kindle tablet and app experience.
While no tablet or e-reader can do it all, the whole point of an e-book is mainly to read. That’s best done in the comfortable settings one associates with books. While the app will mimic that when it’s loaded on other mobile tablets, there’s no worry of compatibility issues or system glitches when the entire setup is labeled Kindle.