Kindle Review – Kindle 3 Review, iPad Review

It’s official – You can now sign up for the limited Beta and develop and test Kindle Apps.

The Amazon Web Services Blog has a write-up on the Kindle App Platform including links to -

1. Kindle Development Kit Enrollment Page. It’s pretty straightforward – they do ask you what Apps (Active Content) you intend to develop.
2. Documentation for the two sets of APIs – API for Java Version 1.4 Personal Basis Profile and Amazon’s own Kindle Custom APIs. 
3. A Kindle Development Kit FAQ (listed below).

Kindle Development Kit FAQ

What are the links for the APIs?

Java version 1.4 Personal Basis Profile (PBP) APIs for mobile devices.
PBP JavaDocs can be found at http://java.sun.com/javame/reference/apis/jsr217/.

Kindle custom APIs which complement the PBP APIs and provide UI components, JSON and XML parsers, HTTP and HTTPS networking, secure storage, and other features. Other APIs like audio and dictionary access will be available in a future release of the KDK.
KDK JavaDocs can be found at http://kdk-javadocs.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html.

Can Java applets and J2Me software run on Kindle?

Yes, with modifications.

What Java developments tools does the KDK work with?

1. Eclipse. 
2. Netbeans. 
3. IntelliJ 
4. Pretty much any Java IDE.

If you’re looking for something simple – try NotePad++.

What else should I know about the KDK?

1. You can test via the Kindle and Kindle DX simulator or by registering up to 3 Kindles to your developer account.
2. There is DRM on your active content to protect it.
3. Third party files that are imported into the same binary archive file as your application can be used.
4. KDK apps won’t work on Kindle for iPhone at this time – which should not come as a surprise.
5. KDK can be used on Mac, Linux, and Windows.

Information from the KDK APIs and Documentation

Lots of interesting information.

In addition to Java PBP and the Kindle Specific APIs there are three open source libraries included -

1. Xerces XML Parser (2.9.1)
2. JSON.simple (1.1)
3. log4j (1.2.15)

 There are 9 packages in the KDK APIs -

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet – Provides the core interfaces necessary to build Kindle Active Content.

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet.event – Provides classes related to Kindle specific events.

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet.net – Provides interfaces for working with network connectivity on the Kindle.

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet.security – Provides APIs for working with private data on the Kindle device.

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet.ui – Provides the user interface components necessary to build a Kindle Application.

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet.ui.border – Provides common support for borders around components.

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet.ui.image – Provides additional classes related to image creation and modification on the Kindle.

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet.ui.pages – ?

com.amazon.kindle.kindlet.util – Provides utility classes and replacements for Java’s java.util.Timer and java.util.TimerTask classes which are not available under the Kindle Development Kit.

That’s all for now – it’s exciting news for Kindle owners as Kindle Apps will take things in new and exciting directions.