Update: Please see the more recent Top Kindle Apps list.
Entering the Kindle App Store:
In late January 2010, Amazon announced an App store to be released specifically for its Kindle device – A few months later, and we are still keeping a watchful eye on the apps which could enter the store and shift the market in favour of Amazon.
The future apps:
1. File Managing App
While Amazon cleared up some major issues with the Kindle 2.5 Update, users are still having issues when trying to organise their books, magazines, and newspaper subscriptions.
A file managing app which enabled efficient tagging tools, changing of folder settings and addition of folders – all from the Amazon Kindle, could make it a more user-friendly product entirely.
If it allowed greater user control over folders and files it could be a big hit – making the Kindle experience faster, easier and more organised than other E-Book readers out there today.
2. Discounted Book App
While the Amazon Kindle App store could open the door for all sorts of software tools, developers all have to keep in mind that the Amazon Kindle devices are primarily used for one thing – reading media sources.
An app which could recommend and do user specific searches of all the top e-book shops for discounts and then enable users to buy them could be one of the most popular apps in the store.
3. Kindle Social Network App
Down below we have given reasons why Twitter is the most likely popular social networking site to be a hit on the Kindle.
Regardless of this, we think an entirely new social networking system specifically built for the Kindle could dramatically shift the market.
This social network could potentially enable users to make friendship groups with other Kindle users, see what their friends have been reading over time, and share notes, as well as show book previews to each other.
Features in this social network could not only be popular among users, but could also increase Amazon’s already strong hold over the E-Book market.
4. Custom Screen Saver App
Although a lot of people today would think that custom screen savers are not only useful but necessary computing features, the developers at Amazon oddly decided to leave them out.
Custom Kindle Screen Savers with messages such as “If found return to”, as well as other functions could give users a greater amount of choice and control when personalizing their device.
5. ZAGAT App
Handmark Studios ZAGAT TO GO App was one of the most popular apps on the iPod Touch and iPhone in 2009.
Today, the developers want to transfer its popularity to the Kindle by creating a restaurant locator and review app specifically for the Kindle.
The company already has experience transferring their software to different hardware devices and so we can see an app like this working very well on the Kindle.
6. Travellers Location Based App
While there are clear limits due to the Kindles specifications, simple location-based apps could be very popular among Kindle users. Although map apps would likely struggle, text-based location-based apps could definitely work.
Taking advantage of the wireless internet, the Kindle device could gather information from websites such as Wikipedia and guiding services to give you a list of popular places nearby as well as give you insights into the history of where you are standing.
Amazon could further this by making location-based apps which recommended famous books from and about the location you are at – whether it be Paris, London, or Athens.
7. Twitter App
Unlike Facebook or even Myspace, the nature of Twitter as a more text-based social network would mean a Kindle specific Twitter App could be viable.
Despite limits such as lack of colour, we can still see an app like this being popular with the younger generation of users.
8. Texting App
An app that would enable users to send text messages from their Kindle without hassle would not only be feasible but a fantastic addition to the Kindle.
We have seen tools like this available on the iPod Touch and the iPhone through apps such as WhatsApp Messenger and Pinger’s TextFree Unlimted app.
A Kindle App of similar nature would not only be a perfect way to take advantage of the Kindle keyboard but also a great way to provide users with new ways to operate their Kindle devices.
9. File Support App
Whilst this could come in the form of an Amazon update, we would like to see an app which could enable a greater amount of options when dealing with file types such as PDFs.
An app which dealt with support issues and enabled the normal pre-installed tools such as the text-to-speech function, dictionary functions and note taking function to work with all types of media could be highly regarded and downloaded by all Amazon Kindle users.
10. Sheet Music App
Sheet music tools on Kindles are at varying standards. While the Kindle DX shows sheet music well, older versions suffer due to the screen limitations.
Users that are already interested in sheet music would be attracted to download apps that worked around these problems and made sheet music more suited to older Kindle screens.
11. Internet Browser App
We have ranked Internet Browser apps a little lower than they should be ranked as they could potentially mean higher costs to Amazon.
While internet browser apps could open up more capabilities for the Kindle, we see the developers at Amazon providing users with a Kindle update which makes more of the most popular sites on the web Kindle optimized.
This could reduce the user downloads of competing browser apps, reduce data usage and thus reduce any cost issues.
12. Sudoku App
While there have been attempts to make Sudoku available on the Kindle, a lot of the versions have been blunders. This has not been because of the technology available on the Kindle but rather because of the errors of the developers in making these apps user-friendly.
If a group of developers can transfer Sudoku to the Kindle we see it not just being one of the most popular “games”, but rather one of the most popular apps in the entire store.
An effective Sudoku app should fit naturally with the specifications of all Amazon Kindle devices.
13. Board Games App
The Kindle definitely cannot compete with the iPad or even iPhone for that matter in terms of gaming capability.
For that reason we think the most popular as well as most suited apps for the Kindle will be board games apps such as Chess, checkers and scrabble.
Further down we have given our reasons for why other higher powered “Gaming apps” may not be as popular, with the main reason being down to the Kindle’s limitations.
14. Interactive Study App
Interactive study apps from Princeton University, Kaplan, and other companies have had a great deal of sales on the iPhone – one app even selling for $1000 (The 1GB BarMax CA app from Harvard lawyers).
Apps like this could work effectively for all types of students, in high school and in universities preparing for examinations.
15. Movie App
The iPhones Movies app is a great example of a movie or theatre based app which can be transferred to the Kindle and yet retain its popularity.
An app like this will not have a great deal of problems with the Kindle, remaining text-based and giving people an interactive option of viewing local cinema times as well as reading reviews from websites such as the internet movie database (IMDB).
The only thing you couldn’t get is a great deal of pictures, and movie trailers simply because of the Kindles hardware limitations.
16. Radio App
Radio apps produced on the iPhone and iPod Touch devices have had their fair share of popularity and user downloads.
If executed properly, apps which allowed Kindle Devices to access Radio stations could result in equally positive responses.
17. Language Apps
The Kindle could further its depth of tools by providing apps which enhance and improve upon the dictionary and its functions.
A tool which could not only give you meanings of words and synonyms, but translations of words and full sentences could be very useful for academics at home, as well as travellers abroad.
Apps like these could be continually updated by developers to work with different and new files types.
18. Personal Organiser App
An app like this could spread into several different sub categories and provide users with tools for organising their own daily tasks.
This could include a type of ‘to-do’ list, ‘sticky notes’, or even a personal list of goals to be achieved during exercise, at work, or at home.
19. Privacy App
Software to enable you to password protect documents and increase security on your files has become increasingly popular in an age where more people are using computing devices.
A simple Kindle app which could allow you to password protect your files as well as make hidden folders and notes could prove to be highly sought after.
20. Higher Powered Gaming Apps
While the financially successful Electronic Arts, has decided to work on apps for the Amazon Kindle device, we question whether apps like these will be successful.
With a max file size of 100MB, we find it difficult to see how the most popular games in the mobile gaming market such as EA’s Need for Speed will be transferred onto Kindle devices.
Due to the current Kindle specifications, a proportion of high-end mobile games will not be able to be played on Kindle devices without limits.
21. Sport Scores App
While economic conditions have affected markets around the world in the past few years, the most popular teams in the sports industry still continue to garner strong audiences.
A Kindle feed of live sports scores ranging from soccer, NFL and basketball could be very well received amongst all age groups.
22. Stock Market App
Aimed towards professionals and business users, a Bloomberg app or an international stock market app with a live feed would give users an alternative to straining their eyes looking at a Blackberry or other mobile device screen.
23. Writing App
Although there is a small keyboard, we would like to see more effective writing software for the Kindle.
Used alongside the web-based note taking service, document saving and copying and pasting tools would change the way we used our Kindle daily.
24. Weather App
Weather Apps could take advantage of the wireless internet available and provide users with live feeds of weather as well as the option to see weather forecasts for the week in countries around the world.
25. Recipe App
Recipe and cook books have already been highly purchased among Kindle users.
Kindle app developers could take advantage of the niche market by creating apps which could bring together some of the best recipe dishes from different books and rank them.
Filed under: Kindle Apps Tagged: | top kindle apps
I would in particular like the enhancements to the writing capacity, i.e. notepad, personal organizer, writing app with the capacity to synchronise regularly (i.e. once a day and not paid) with your local PC or Laptop. Especially when reading books, or simply sitting in a cafe and daydreaming one tends to have ideas and would love to jot them down, and I don’t fancy carrying several devices with me, i.e. no ipad and kindle.
That way one could also carry around a telephone list and actually complement the kindle with one of those really old telephones which just do telephone !
Re: the stock market app… although its not an “app” this ebook makes use of the Kindle browser to easily lookup stock quotes.
Very few.
sudoku, a few Board Games, and that’s it.
You can take a look at all existing apps in the Kindle App Rankings post.
Need for Speed?
It’s an eReader….why in the fuck would I want to play need for speed on my kindle? you sir are an idiot.
Does a texting app come on the Kindle Fire?????
Thanks that was kinda helpful:)