Amazon.com Thursday released a beta of its Kindle for Mac, a version of its Kindle e-book reader software for Mac computers. The company also said it will "soon" provide Kindle software for Apple's iPad device which some people see as a potential competitor to the Kindle hardware.
Amazon said the free application, which supports Mac OS X 10.5 or later, can be downloaded at www.amazon.com/kindleformac, according to the press release. Amazon already offers versions of the Kindle software for Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch, as well as for Windows PCs and BlackBerry devices.
The Kindle for Mac utilizes the same Whispersync technology to save and synchronize bookmarks and "last page read" across multiple devices. While users can view notes and highlights marked on the Kindle, Kindle DX and Kindle for iPhone, the beta version does not provide full text search and the ability to create and edit notes and highlights. Amazon said those features would be added to the Kindle for Mac app "in the near future."
While the Kindle software for Apple's iPhone should run on the iPad, the fact that Amazon specifically mentioned an iPad version in the Kindle for Mac press release indicates that Amazon may be developing a version specifically for the iPad. Some observers have said that tablet devices such as the iPad, which is scheduled to begin shipping in April, pose a competitive threat to the Kindle device.
Amazon's U.S. Kindle Store currently offers digital versions of 450,000 books, the online retailer said.
