Kindle Coming to Windows

Kindle is Amazon.com's ebook reader -- a paperback-sized device on which you can download and read books. It's been a success for Amazon, so the company is expanding its reach into the PC market.

Amazon has announced that Kindle will soon be available for computers running Windows. No availability date was listed on the website, but Microsoft said a beta (pre-release) version will be available sometime in November. All versions of Windows, back to Windows XP service pack 2, will be supported by Kindle PC.

I'll be interested in seeing how this works out. After all, Amazon touts ease of reading as the Kindle's main advantage. The Kindle approximates holding a book in your hand and reading. Computer screens have lower resolution than a book, meaning things aren't as sharp and easy to read. It would seem to nullify one of the big reasons you'd buy a Kindle.

On the other hand, being able to access and download a book for immediate reading from Amazon's immense catalog would have its advantages, too. If you end up signing up for the Kindle and using it on your PC, let me know about your experience.