Kindle under threat from Google Mobile Book service

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 6 Feb 2009 at 11:01

Google has launched a mobile version of its Book Search application, in a move which could prove particularly uncomfortable for Amazon and Sony.

The free application gives Android and iPhone users access to over 1.5 million out of copyright texts from authors including Austen, Dickens and Shakespeare.

Google has optimised the texts for iPhone and Android handsets, and users will require an internet connection to view them. However, we were impressed by our quick hands on with the service. The texts are separated under handy categories including General Fiction and Mystery, and the service keeps a list of recently viewed eBooks and allows you to bookmark your page.

Formatting is handled well and the reading experience isn't bad for short chunks of text, though reading for a long period is likely to prove an unpleasant experience due to the brightness of the screen.

You can try it out for yourself on Google's Mobile Book Search site.