Amazon.com Introduces New Kindle at $139

In response to Barnes and Noble offering a cheaper Nook electronic eBook reader, Amazon.com has responded with a brand-new Kindle at a cheaper price ($139). They’ve also upped the storage considerably, to 3500 books.

Keep in mind you won’t have worldwide 3G coverage for this Kindle – you’ll have to download/purchase books over WiFi or buy them through your computer and transfer them through USB.

Changes:
* Lower price – $139 for Wifi/non-3G model
* Better, high contrast E-Ink display
* Increased battery life to nearly one month
* Smaller, lighter body, in graphite color
* Can post passages from books to Facebook or Twitter
* Access other websites
* Storage increased to 3500 books (versus 1500 books)

This new price has made things interesting. I still favor eBook readers that support the easy addition of books through Calibre as well as storing them on SD or SDHC flash memory cards, since you are locked in to Amazon.com’s Kindle store, but this will shake up the market.

To view more or purchase the new Kindle, see the new Kindle page at Amazon.com. It will be available August 27, 2010.

To see what books are available through Amazon.com’s Kindle that might be of interest to genealogists, please see our genealogy books on the Kindle section.

Kindle App (iOS) Adds Search for iPad, Other Improvements

Amazon.com’s Kindle app for the iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch has received a major update to version 2.2. The free eBook reader/manager now allows for a full search of words books while reading them on the iPad, which is a a boost for genealogists using iPads and Kindle to manage their eBook selection or Kindle books. It has also improved searching inside of books for iPhone or iPod touch users. Another major addition allows you to look up the definition of words with the included 250,000 entry dictionary, as well as accessing Google and Wikipedia.

Changes/Updates:
* Instant word lookup on included dictionary with 250,000 entries and definitions
* Search inside the book on iPad
* Improved experience for searching inside the book on iPhone and iPod Touch
* Improvements to line-spacing on iPad
* Look up words on Google and Wikipedia
* Fast app switching and bug fixes on iOS4 devices

Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad
* iOS/iPhone OS 3.0 or later

For more information, you can visit the Kindle app page at Amazon.com

There is a small page dedicated to genealogy books on the Kindle platform here at MobileGenealogy.com

Research Logger 1.1 Adds iPad, iPhone 4 Support

Research Logger 1.1 from Spencer Hall has been released. Research Logger is a fairly new app – it came out at the beginning of July. It’s only taken a short amount of time to see a major new release – universal support has been added, allowing Research Logger to run in the iPhone 4 and iPad’s native resolution without upscaling.

So what is Research Logger? It’s an iOS app for genealogists to help keep track of their genealogy research – research that has been completed as well as research that needs to be done. It can take the place of a small notebook that many of us carry around to jot down notes and to-do lists.

Research Logger allows you to maintain separate entries for each ancestor, along with todo lists.

Changes/Updates:
* Fixed bug related to deleting log entries.
* Added iPad support as a universal app
* Added iPhone 4 support

Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad
* iPhone OS (iOS) 3.1.3 or later

Research Logger can be downloaded for $0.99 (US) through the Apple iTunes App Store

GedView 2.14.2 – New Import Options

GedView, the GEDCOM-based genealogy application for iOS devices (including iOS 4 multi-tasking support) has received somewhat of a major upgrade. Major if you download/import a lot of GEDVIEW files.

GedView for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, etc.) can import GEDCOM files from emails through the Mail.app as well as downloaded from websites.

With GedView 2.14.2, the ability to download and import GEDCOM files contained within ZIP archive files has been added. Many people have GEDCOM files zipped up on their websites or when they email them since GEDCOM files can get quite large. This should help with that and is, I believe, a first for iOS-based genealogy apps.

Changes/Updates:
* Support added for importing GEDCOMs contain in zip files. The file must be at the top level of the archive.
* UI and Bug Fixes.

GedView is currently available through Apple’s iTunes Music Store

Genealogy Gems Podcast App 1.6.1

The folks at the Genealogy Gems Podcast have updated their iPhone/iPod touch/iPad app to version 1.6.1.

They created the app to make it easier to access all of the content that goes along with the Genealogy Gems Podcast (aka Your Family History Show) – they are just limited to being a podcast. They also provide background information for the shows (PDFs, etc.), along with audio and video content that didn’t make it into the podcasts but that may still be of interest to followers. The app also allows you to call in and make comments to the show (if you’re an iPhone owner).

The 1.6.1 update (there probably wasn’t a 1.6.0 released externally) includes an in-app audio player.

Version 1.6.1 Changes:
* New feature – an in-app audio player to listen to and use other features through the app.
* Minor bug fixes

Genealogy Gems Podcast App at iTunes Store ($2.99)

If you want to skip the app and access the podcast for free, you can do it directly through the iTunes Store or visit the Genealogy Gems Podcast website.

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