Kindle books synced with standalone reader

Amazon has released a free public beta of its Kindle application for Mac. The utility allows users to read Kindle books without the standalone device. The company's Whispersync technology enables automatic synchronization of information such as last page reads and annotations.

Along with the reader functionality, the app also provides access to Amazon's Kindle Store. Content previously purchased on other platforms is available for free on the desktop app.

The beta currently provides several options for configuring font sizes and adjusting words per line. Amazon expects to add several additional features, including text search and the ability to edit notes and highlights.

The software release comes right on the heels of separate reports suggesting Amazon is pushing e-book publishers to sign three-year contracts. The terms would allegedly prevent publishers from providing a better price to Apple or any other company. The move is said to be viewed unfavorably by many publishers that are waiting to take advantage of distribution through the iBookstore and iPad.

The Kindle for Mac beta is now available as a free download directly from the company.

by MacNN Staff