How to install Kindle on a UK TouchPad

Rating: Beating the non-US block on a webOS device

It’s just like Google’s Music beta service which the search engine company is determined to restrict to US citizens only. For some reason Amazon in its infinite wisdom has decided not to allow non-US citizens to use the Kindle app on webOS devices. This seems to be despite the fact that the iOS and Android versions of the Kindle app are global. So GoMo News had to search for a way to beat this blocker. And thanks to a posting on Amazon’s own Kindle forum here, we’ve discovered a solution. This solution will cover installing other webOS apps which for some reason aren’t available via the HP App Catalog. It assumes you’re using a Windows based PC to install apps onto a webOS device.One of the casualties of this particular exercise will probably be software you originally installed for a Nokia handset.

That’s because apps designed to work with webOS on your PC are Java based.

So in our case the Nokia Ovi suite application installer attempted to launch itself every time we tried to install a Java app. You’ll probably have to remove it to carry on.

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Android this week: Galaxy S II first look; Amazon tablet soon; more Hulu Plus devices

Since launching in May, Samsung’s Galaxy S II has been the company’s fastest selling smartphone, even without availability in the smartphone-crazed U.S. That situation is changing as Samsung announced a version for Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile earlier this month. Sprint’s edition is already for sale while T-Mobile hasn’t yet announced availability and AT&T is launching the Galaxy S II on Oct. 2.

I nabbed an early review unit of AT&T’s Galaxy S II yesterday afternoon and immediately gave the handset a once over with a photo gallery. My general first impression: If you like Google Android and have or want an AT&T account, this smartphone should be at the top of your list.

The 4.3-inch display is so vibrant that I tweeted this last night: “Super AMOLED Plus gives new life to old “Cheers” episodes on Netflix.” Samsung’s dual-core processor makes this phone one of the fastest Android devices I’ve ever used. And even in my rural area where mobile broadband coverage is sketchy, I saw HSPA+ download speeds nearing 5 Mbps. I’ll have a full review forthcoming, but so far, I’m very impressed.

Also forthcoming is Amazon’s tablet entry, which will be based on Google Android. Amazon is expected to launch the device in the fourth quarter and it’s likely that next week will see the tablet introduced, due to a planned press event for an unknown product. Amazon has reportedly ordered monthly production of 800,000 such tablets; if true, the company should have plenty on hand after launch, even if the Kindle tablet proves extremely popular.

Based on an early hands-on look at a prototype, it’s pretty much a given that those familiar with Android won’t see a trace of it on Amazon’s tablet. The slate will use a heavily customized user interface that may limit what the device can, and can’t, do as compared to other tablets on the market. Surely it will support Amazon media offerings such as Kindle books, Amazon’s MP3 store, and likely Amazon’s Unbox video service. One open question I have is if Amazon’s AppStore will be supported for third-party Android software; my suspicion is yes, either at launch or through a future software update.

One app that received an update this week was Hulu Plus. The video subscription client was previously supported on just a handful of Android smartphones, but the list of compatible devices was updated this week. The HTC Flyer tablet in addition to the LG’s GX2 and Revolution, plus Motorola’s Bionic, Droid X2 and Droid 3 have all been added to the support list. The software is free but requires a monthly service fee of $7.99 to watch television programming on your Android smartphone or tablet.

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Amazon Kindle tablet launching next week?

Given that a press invite from Amazon just hit my inbox for next Wednesday in New York City, I’d say it’s a safe bet that the long wait for Amazon’s tablet entry is about to end. The invite doesn’t offer any details, but all signs have hinted at a fall release for the device. And given the reported amount of Amazon tablets that were ordered from third-party hardware manufacturers — upwards of 800,000 per month — such a product launch would certainly warrant a huge press event.

Earlier this month, a prototype of the device, expected to be called the Amazon Kindle tablet, got a once-over from MG Siegler, who shared his initial impressions after using the device for a short time. Much of what he said then confirmed some of my prior thoughts and expectations of the device. It will likely be a 7-inch slate based on Google Android, but like the Barnes & Noble Nook Color, Android will be hidden under a custom interface. Siegler mentioned a cover-flow type of interface for Kindle books, music and video, which makes sense. In fact, the latest version of the Kindle app for Android devices moved in this direction as well; possibly offering a preview of what to expect.

We won’t know the tablet cost for sure until the product actually launches, but my thought was a top price around $250 with possible subsidies offset by Amazon Offers or Amazon Prime, which could further lower the cost in the sub-$200 range. Siegler confirmed the $250 price tag after using the device although Amazon could have since changed their position or could announce special deals to further reduce the price.

One “missing” feature that Siegler didn’t see (but I expect to be part of the device) is the Amazon AppStore, which is composed of curated Android applications. It’s clear the tablet will focus on Amazon’s media offerings — books, MP3s and videos — and it will have a web browser. Amazon has invested a fair amount of time and effort to create its Amazon AppStore, and I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t incorporate that into its tablet. Given that the device isn’t expected to have any Google apps at all, it seems likely to me that some basic third-party software options would be welcome. We’ll find out for sure as early as next week.

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The connected planet: Smartphones aren’t the only player

The number of connected devices is steadily on the rise, but it’s not smartphones or computers that will lead us to the 50 billion connected devices expected by the year 2020. Rather, the Internet of Things — numerous smart objects that speak to the web and one another — is the next wave of wireless and will power a wide range of devices as we want remote access to everything all the time.

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Connected Consumer Q2: Digital music meets the cloud; e-book growth explodes

Android this week: Amazon’s tablet spied; Samsung Note debuts; Tablets galore at IFA

Amazon’s long-awaited entry into the Android tablet space is nearly ready and expected to launch in time for the holiday season. But it’s not the tablet that some were expecting. MG Siegler from TechCrunch spent an hour with a sample of the device and shared his experience: Instead of a full-fledged Android tablet, Amazon’s new Kindle slate runs a forked version of Android under the hood that no user is likely to ever see.

The 7-inch tablet takes a cue from the Barnes & Noble Nook Color; arguably the most successful non-iPad tablet if it fits your definition of one, and likely to see a hardware refresh soon. Amazon’s tablet will use a completely customized interface, not have Google apps of any kind, nor will it access the Android Market. It will run apps from Amazon’s AppStore.

Software to read Kindle books, watch Amazon videos on demand or play music from Amazon’s MP3 store and Cloud Drive service are the focal points. Expected to launch for $249, possibly with a free subscription to the Amazon Prime shipping service — normally $79 per year — the tablet could be a holiday hit for mainstream consumers who want a traditional Kindle with more access to Amazon services.

Those wanting something smaller than a tablet but bigger than a standard phone may be more interested in the newly announced Samsung Note. The handset uses a 5.30 inch Super AMOLED display with 1280×800 resolution and includes a digital pen which fits inside the phone for storage. Samsung says this combination of hardware features makes the Note a new class of device for enterprise users who want to capture and store digital notes. The pen is pressure sensitive and may be used for drawing images as well.

Samsung hasn’t abandoned the 7-inch tablet market, however. The company also announced a refresh of the existing Galaxy Tab with a 7.7-inch version that uses a 1280×800 screen like the Note. However, the display technology is boosted up to Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus, providing more vivid colors that appear to pop off the screen. The new tablet uses a dual-core 1.4 GHz processor, Google Android Honeycomb and a boosted battery capacity over the prior version.

Toshiba and Lenovo also debuted new Android tablets this week at the IFA exhibition in Berlin, Germany. Toshiba slimmed down its existing Thrive tablet to create the AT200; just 7.7 millimeters in thickness. The 10.1-inch slate uses a 1.2 GHz dual-core process from Texas Instruments and has a micro HDMI port to share media with a high-definition television.

Lenovo’s newest Android entry, the A1, runs on Gingerbread, which is designed for smartphones, and offers 1024×600 resolution on a 7-inch touchscreen display. It only has a single core processor and reminds me of last year’s Galaxy Tab from Samsung. However, the Wi-Fi model with many of last year’s hardware components has a price from 2010 as well: the A1 will cost only $199 and should appeal to many at that price due to its versatility and portability.

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