Amazon has pushed out an updated version of its Kindle app for Google Android. It still doesn’t support the audio and video capabilities that are available in the iOS version of the Kindle app, but it does add a few other features from the iOS app, including:

  • Scan to download

    Search for text inside a book

  • Edit notes and highlights and synchronize them across multiple Kindle devices
  • Look up words on Wikipedia or Dictionary.com
  • Lock your phone’s screen orientation while reading a book

While Amazon says the latest version also includes a number of bug fixes, it did crash on me a few times when trying out the new search function — so it may not be entirely bug free. Still, the app remembers your last read page so the worst thing that will happen is that you have to open the Kindle app again and re-open the book you were reading to get back to the point where you left off.

In order to highlight text, make a note, or search for a definition or Wikipedia entry, just tap and hold your finger on a word in the text. You can either search by hitting the search button on your phone or by hitting the Settings menu and then selecting Search from “More.”

Amazon Kindle 1.1 for Google Android is available as a free download from the Android Market.

Brad Linder

Brad Linder is editor of Liliputing and Mobiputing. He's been tinkering with mobile tech for decades and writing about it since...