Amazon opens up to apps on Kindle

Owners of Amazon's Kindle electronic reader will soon be able to purchase games and other applications for the device.

The company said today it is to release a development kit access to programming interfaces, tools and documentation to build active content for the Kindle.

Among those lined up to develop apps are Electronic Arts, which already distributes popular mobile games such as Tetris and Scrabble via the iPhone and other devices.

The move is seen by analysts as a bid to fend off competition from Apple which has seen sales of the iPhone soar on the back of its popular Appstore with more than three billion downloads since it went live in July 2008. In addition, Apple is expected to unveil its tablet computer next week which is also likely to function as an e-reader.

Amazon said new apps would be available from the Kindle store later this year. It suggested that among the applications that may be developed for its device are travel books that suggest activities based on real-time weather and current events and cookbooks that recommend menus based on size of party and allergies.

Currently, the Kindle Store offers over 300,000 English-language books, and more than 100 top newspapers and magazines including The Irish Times

An international version of the Kindle device went on sale in Ireland in October.

"We've heard from lots of developers over the past two years who are excited to build on top of Kindle," said Ian Freed, vice president, Amazon Kindle.

"The Kindle Development Kit opens many possibilities--we look forward to being surprised by what developers invent."