Sure, the Kindle Fire HD may only have a front-facing camera, but its solitary shooter is about to start flexing more than its video chat muscles. Vine has just arrived on Amazon's Appstore, and it's ready for owners to download and churn out as many six-second video clips as they please. Hit the source link below to grab ahold version 1.2 of the free app.
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Amazon Studios is hell-bent on developing movies and TV series, and on top of script submissions, it's now asking filmmakers to send in 2-15 minute long shorts to pitch their feature-length film ideas. Those would serve as a foundation for your project and "express an idea that's begging to be seen on the big-screen, in full-length, full-budget form," according to the division's Hollywonk blog. Amazon Studios will spend 45 days evaluating each submission, and those added to the development slate will receive $10,000. After that, you'll get put into the development pipeline, which could get you paid writing and directing opportunities, guidance and feedback from partners like Warner Bros., and up to $400,000 if your baby hits theaters. Private submissions are welcome, but if you're feeling brave, you can also post it for the world to see -- hit the source or More Coverage link for more info.
when.eng("eng.perm.init")AMAZON'S LOVEFiLM LAUNCHES ENHANCED STREAMING APPLICATION ON XBOX 360
By Astrid Beretta on Friday June 21, 2013
LOVEFiLM, an Amazon company, today announced the arrival of its new and improved LOVEFiLM Instant streaming application on the Xbox 360, marking the latest development in the ongoing rollout of the next generation app.
Features which will be made available on the games console – which has sold over 76 million units worldwide – as a result of the launch include an improved search function and recommendation engine, optimised user interface, and the addition of the popular Watchlist feature.
Revisiting content is also made simple with a homepage display that keeps track of what is currently being viewed and the last location reached in that video – making it easier to resume viewing from the same spot on any LOVEFiLM device.
The enhanced LOVEFiLM Instant streaming application for Xbox 360 is available to download on Xbox Live from today, and will soon be made available on all LOVEFiLM-enabled devices.
AMAZON'S LOVEFiLM ANNOUNCES IMPROVED STREAMING APPLICATION FOR SONY HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTS
By Astrid Beretta on Monday June 24, 2013
LOVEFiLM, an Amazon company, has today announced the new, updated LOVEFiLM Instant streaming application on Internet-connected BRAVIA TVs, Blu-Ray Players and Home Cinema Systems from Sony*.
Features available on the new look and feel BRAVIA app include the popular Watchlist function, Smart-lists and easier navigation between content. Users are also able to sign-in with either LOVEFiLM or Amazon credentials.
New Smart-lists include 'Recommendations', and 'Your TV Shows', allowing users to discover new content as well as revisit unfinished episodes more easily with a simple stop and resume function. TV Series roll-ups ensure that customers can move between seasons and episodes of their favourite TV shows with all episodes listed in one page along with a watched status.
The announcement comes as part of LOVEFiLM's next generation app rollout and the enhanced BRAVIA app is available to download from today.
*This includes products from the FY10 range onwards
Introducing Amazon AutoRip for Customers in the UK: Customers Will Now Receive Free MP3 Versions of CDs and Vinyl Music Purchased From Amazon.co.uk – Past, Present and Future
Customers who have purchased AutoRip CDs and vinyl from Amazon.co.uk dating back to 1999 will find MP3 versions automatically added to their Amazon Cloud Player account, free of charge
AutoRip is the latest in a series of customer benefits exclusive to the Amazon ecosystem of digital content
10 top-selling albums of all time on Amazon.co.uk revealed – Adele's 21 & 19 take top 2 spots
Amazon VP of Music Steve Boom available for interview this morning
Luxembourg – Amazon.co.uk today announced the launch of Amazon AutoRip, a new service that gives customers free MP3 versions of CDs and vinyl music they purchase from Amazon. When customers purchase AutoRip CDs and vinyl the MP3 versions are automatically added to their Cloud Player libraries where they are available, free of charge, for immediate playback or download – no more waiting for the CD to arrive. Additionally, customers who have purchased AutoRip albums at any time since Amazon.co.uk first opened its Music Store in 1999 will find MP3 versions of those albums in their Cloud Player libraries – also automatically and for free. More than 350,000 albums, including titles from every major record label, are available for AutoRip, and more titles are added all the time – customers can just look for the AutoRip logo.
"What would you say if you bought CDs, vinyl or even cassettes from a company 14 years ago, and then 14 years later that company licensed the rights from the record companies to give you the MP3 versions of those albums... and then to top it off, did that for you automatically and for free?" said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. "Well, starting today, it's available to all of our Amazon.co.uk customers – past, present, and future – at no cost. We love these opportunities to do something extra for our customers."
AutoRip features include:
· Free digital copies: Amazon customers who purchase AutoRip CDs and vinyl get free MP3 versions of the albums delivered directly to their Cloud Player libraries – automatically, immediately, and at no cost – no more hassle with ripping CDs and finding a way to get them onto your favourite devices
· CD, vinyl and cassette purchases dating back to 1999: MP3 versions of AutoRip CDs, vinyl and cassettes that customers have purchased since the launch of Amazon.co.uk's music store in 1999 will also be delivered to their Cloud Player libraries for free
· Enjoy everywhere: Music can be played instantly from any Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire, Android phone or tablet, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and any web browser, giving customers the freedom to enjoy music from more devices than any other major cloud locker music service
· Free storage and backup: All AutoRip MP3s are stored for free in customers' Cloud Player libraries and do not count against Cloud Player storage limits. Customers can buy music and know that it is safely stored in Cloud Player and accessible from any compatible device
· High-quality audio: AutoRip music is provided in high-quality 256 Kbps MP3 audio
?If you managed to snag one of those "Launch Edition" PS4s, consider yourself officially on the ball. If not, then not only will we not judge you, but you might actually have a different set of bragging rights. Amazon's currently listing four new bundles for the console. The Knack and Watch Dogs editions come with their respective games included for $460, while the Battlefield 4 and Killzone launch bundles toss in one year of PlayStation Plus -- nudging the price up to just 10 cents shy of $500. Perhaps of more importance, however, is that unlike the Standard listing, all the bundles carry that guarantee of release day availability, which -- for gaming cred at least -- is arguably priceless.
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Amazon, with its limited supply of PS4s, has cleaved its product listing into two, to help people get a handle on when to expect their pre-order to arrive. Those who've already stumped up their cash are likely to find they've been assigned a "Launch Edition," guaranteeing that they'll get the console on the first day of release -- and they'll probably have received the explanatory email copied after the break. If Amazon is able to guarantee delivery for more stock, perhaps the Launch Edition will become available again -- or perhaps those who order the Standard edition (which is identical except for the delivery promise) will be automatically upgraded. Either way, it looks like demand has already outpaced launch-day supply at this retailer.
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Microsoft may have been the E3 matinée, but Sony's late-night showing was quite impressive -- offering a gaming device that's $100 less, with plenty of other notable features to help it stand out of the next-gen crowd. And if you were waiting around until after the PlayStation press conference tonight before deciding which console to grab, it's finally time to settle on your top choice (if you plan to go with only one, that is). Now that the PS4 has been priced at $399 and a general timeframe of availability has been set for this holiday season, it's now time to head to online retailers to pre-order a unit of your very own. So far we've seen the page pop up on Amazon, though we imagine it will only be a matter of time before several other retailers follow suit. If you know without a doubt that this is the next-gen gaming console for you, you know what to do below.
Follow all of our E3 2013 coverage at our event hub.
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Amazon feels for indie devs. So much so, that it's set up a standalone Indie Game storefront on its site specifically to highlight these gaming gems that might otherwise get overlooked. The new portal, designed to "increase discoverability," will feature select games for Mac, PC and the browser, but Amazon's not just leaving it at that. To properly promote this new storefront launch, it's tossing in some limited time promos to entice gamers to click and explore the catalog. From today until July 23rd, Amazon customers can purchase Indie Bundles containing up to 10 games for $10, as well as receive download codes, good for three pre-selected games, with every purchase (available until July 17th). The company's also throwing its considerable weight around in the publicity department, with a weekly spotlight Q&A feature aimed at shedding some light on developers and a Gamer's Choice award; a distinction that nets a game prominent storefront promotion. Feel like rewarding innovation, creativity, your penchant for slack-jawed amusement and the little guy? Yeah, us too. So check out the source and vote with your dollars.
when.eng("eng.perm.init")Amazon and Viacom Announce Multi-Year Video Licensing Agreement; Adds a Selection of TV Shows Available Exclusively on Prime Instant Video
Prime Instant Video is adding thousands of episodes from Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV and COMEDY CENTRAL-including a collection of subscription TV shows customers won't find anywhere else-with favorite kids shows like Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Blue's Clues and The Backyardigans, all available to Kindle Fire customers with FreeTime Unlimited
Multi-year deal will bring Amazon customers the TV shows and movies they want to watch, when they want to watch them, and on any device they want to watch them on-including Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone, Roku and more
SEATTLE & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 4, 2013-- Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB and VIA) today announced an expanded multi-year, multi-national digital video licensing agreement to bring hundreds of TV shows and thousands of TV episodes from Viacom to Prime Instant Video. This deal includes a collection of TV shows that customers won't find on any other digital video subscription service. Prime members will now have unlimited instant streaming access to popular kids programming such as Bubble Guppies, The Backyardigans, Team Umizoomi, Blue's Clues and Victorious, along with top-rated shows from MTV and COMEDY CENTRAL like Awkward, Tosh.0 and Workaholics. Prime members will also have access to future episodes of Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Fairly Odd Parents, Fresh Beat Band and more. LOVEFiLM customers in the UK and Germany will get some of the same great shows later this summer.
Select shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. will be available in Kindle FreeTime Unlimited, a service built just for kids that gives them the freedom to explore all their favorite books, games, educational apps, movies and TV shows, while providing parents with the tools they need to manage their kids' screen time.
"Kids' shows are one of the most watched TV genres on Prime Instant Video," said Bill Carr, VP of Digital Video and Music for Amazon. "And this expanded deal will now bring customers the largest subscription selection of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. TV shows online, anywhere. With programs like Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Bubble Guppies and The Backyardigans there are hundreds of great shows for kids and parents to choose from. In addition, we are bringing customers popular shows from MTV and COMEDY CENTRAL like Key & Peele, Workaholics, Awkward and Teen Mom 2, with the promise of more shows from these networks in the future."
"We are thrilled to be extending and deepening our relationship with Amazon," said Philippe Dauman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom. "This innovative agreement will provide Prime members with access to even more of our best programming from our major television brands, including many digital video subscription streaming exclusives. Amazon has created a unique, brand-friendly environment for streaming entertainment and consumer products and we are excited to work with Amazon to bring customers shows they love."
Prime Instant Video offers more than 41,000 movies and TV episodes for Prime members to stream on Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and Wii U, among other connected TVs and devices-all at no additional cost. Also as previously announced, later this month Prime Instant Video will become the exclusive home to PBS hit series Downton Abbey as well as the highly anticipated CBS summer series Under the Dome, with each episode of the latter added just four days after initial broadcast. To sign up for Amazon Prime, visit www.amazon.com/primeinstantvideo.
Amazon Announces Login with Amazon to Reduce Sign-In Friction and Drive Higher Customer Engagement
Developers and website owners can securely connect with Amazon's over 200 million active customers
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 29, 2013-- (NASDAQ: AMZN) -- Today, Amazon launched Login with Amazon, a new service that will enable the over 200 million active Amazon customers to securely and simply login to apps, games, and websites. Login with Amazon allows developers to easily reduce sign-in friction for their customers, leading to higher engagement and order conversion.
According to a 2012 Harris Interactive study, over half of all American Internet users have five or more unique passwords to remember. Login with Amazon reduces sign-in friction by eliminating the need for users to create an account and password, and instead allows them to sign-in using their existing Amazon account information. Amazon customers can choose to share certain attributes of their account profile with apps, games, and websites by using Login with Amazon.
"Login with Amazon enables app developers and website owners to leverage Amazon's trusted sign-in solution, allowing them to focus on providing a great experience for their customers," said Michael Carr, Amazon Vice President, eCommerce Services. "Amazon customers now have a hassle-free way to quickly and securely sign-in to apps, games and websites, without having to remember yet another password."
As early adopters of Login with Amazon, Zappos and Woot, both Amazon subsidiaries, saw significant customer adoption. Zappos saw 40 percent of its new customers choose to sign-in to Zappos.com with an Amazon account. Woot found that new customers picked Login with Amazon two times more often than any other social login on their site, and those customers had the highest rate of order conversion.
Login with Amazon is available at no charge to developers of apps, games, and websites. The service is easy to integrate, as developers can typically go from registration to launch in a matter of hours. It is based on the OAuth 2.0 authorization framework, allowing developers to leverage a widely-adopted open protocol. For additional details about Login with Amazon, including code samples and the SDKs for Android and iOS, please visit login.amazon.com.
Login with Amazon is the latest offering in an array of services that make Amazon the most complete end-to-end ecosystem for developers building, monetizing and marketing their apps and games. These capabilities include:
The ability for app developers to use Amazon Web Services' (AWS) technology platform for their infrastructure needs. Building blocks such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), and Amazon DynamoDB allow developers to focus on what differentiates their app rather than the undifferentiated heavy lifting of infrastructure.
GameCircle, which includes capabilities like Achievements, Leaderboards, Friends and Whispersync for syncing games across devices, and leads to better engagement with games.
In-App Purchasing on Kindle Fire, Mac, PC and web-based games. This enables developers to offer items in their apps and games while allowing their end users to simply use their Amazon accounts to make the purchase.
A/B Testing, which helps developers improve app functionality with the ability to simultaneously test two different in-app experiences to determine which is more successful prior to launching to a broad audience.
Game Connect, which lets developers list their virtual goods for sale on Amazon, increasing discoverability of their games and making the purchase of virtual goods as easy and convenient as possible for customers, leading to increased monetization for developers.
Amazon AppStore submission for distribution to nearly 200 countries globally enables developers to reach millions of Amazon customers worldwide.
Customers Have Spoken: Alpha House, Betas, Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf Chosen for Amazon's First-Ever Original Series, Available Exclusively on Prime Instant Video
Four senators-turned-unlikely-roommates, four young entrepreneurs attempting to make it big in techland, a kid scientist and her robots, an alien artist, and a whimsical fox searching for adventure-are all getting back into character. Comedy pilots Alpha House and Betas, along with kids pilots Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf, have been given the greenlight to begin production on a full series of episodes that will air exclusively on Prime Instant Video later this year and in early 2014. Amazon and LOVEFiLM customers gave feedback that Amazon Studios used to decide which comedy and kids pilots should be made into Amazon's first original series.
"We are thrilled at the enthusiastic customer response to our first original pilots," said Roy Price, Director of Amazon Studios. "We built Amazon Studios so that customers could help decide which stories would make the very best movies and TV shows. It's exciting to see the process in motion, doing exactly what we set out to do. The success of this first set of pilots has given us the push to try this approach with even more shows-this is just the beginning."
"We're thrilled to have emerged safely from this harrowing exercise in online democracy," said Garry Trudeau, Alpha House creator. "All of us at Alpha House thank both Amazon and its wise and wonderful customer base for such a happy outcome. As the future of episodic TV packs up and moves to Seattle, we hope the audience will continue to have as much fun watching the show as we have making it."
"After many sleepless nights scrutinizing the number of stars we were getting online, we're excited that both Amazon and the Amazon customers have given us a vote of confidence to move forward with a full season of Betas," said Michael London, Executive Producer of Betas. "This is only the beginning for our young social media players and we are excited to push them out in the big world to see if they sink or swim."
"It's really rewarding to hear that customers loved Creative Galaxy. It has been a passion project for me to bring the best arts and creativity to kids with Amazon, and I'm so excited that kids are going to be able to enjoy a full season of the show early next year," said Angela C. Santomero, Creator of Creative Galaxy. "We need more innovative kids programming that puts a strong emphasis on creativity and education. I'm proud and honored to be collaborating with Amazon to make these shows for kids."
"Every time you put a child in front of a screen you have the opportunity to positively influence them which is why we focused on developing pilots that purposefully combined entertainment and learning," said Dr. Alice Wilder, Education Psychologist and Curriculum Advisor. "Parents and kids have told us they loved Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf and it's going to be very exciting to see these pilots develop into shows that provide a unique and modern approach to education that will prepare children for a world that is rapidly changing."
What customers are saying about the pilots:
Alpha House:
"A political comedy from the mind of Garry Trudeau starring John Goodman with a cameo from Bill Murray. Needless to say this show has a lot of potential and I can't wait for more episodes."
"John Goodman shines in this series. Love the supporting cast. The show is intelligent, funny and unique. Can't wait for more shows!"
"This show was witty and fun. The actors are great and they are what initially drew me to the show. I would definitely watch if the pilot was given the green light."
Betas:
"If this show doesn't continue, I don't know what I will do. I was hooked from the very beginning! I need to know if the boys sell their app! I need them to beat Valet Me!"
"The characters are great. The humor is witty, dry and hilarious. The premise for the show is not too complicated and when it ended, I immediately wished that I had another episode to watch. Can't wait for a full season. Great show!"
"No laugh track. Believable characters. The very real awkwardness. No Cheesecake Factory jokes. And a surprising cameo by Moby. What's not to like?"
Annebots:
"I think this could be a big hit. We always need top quality children's shows that inspire and teach in a fun and exciting way. I also like that the show will have its own web page. Could be the best idea in children's programing since Sesame Street."
"Both my five and seven-year-old girls loved this. When they watched the preview and saw that there would be apps to go along with the shows they flipped out and thought that was the best thing ever. I would surely pay for apps that go along with the show for their Kindles."
"Our family loved the pilot of Annebots. We have two girls, seven and 10, and they both were disappointed when the pilot ended. They wished it was longer and there were more episodes to watch. We discussed why a pigeon needs a rocket to fly and decided it was in order to fly fast. We also enjoyed the 'eyes' machine and discussed how cool it would be to have one. Please make more episodes."
Creative Galaxy:
"My three-year-old loves this episode. He has it completely memorized. We need more Creative Galaxy as soon as possible! As a teacher, I love the vocabulary and the way it fosters imagination and ideas!"
"My kids (six and three-years-old) LOVE this show! The show makes art and creativity very accessible and relevant to kids' everyday lives! Loved it and I can't wait to see it fully animated!"
"Absolutely loved the idea of this show and the message it teaches kids. Refreshing to see a show that focuses on the importance of art as a problem solving tool. Very cute and would hope to see more!"
Tumbleaf:
"Gorgeous animation with so much appeal. My children were hooked. It's a pilot, but I'm hoping for a full series. Watch it!"
"This show is such a breath of fresh air! Its gorgeous animation and art direction, as well as the valuable life lessons it teaches, are sure to make it a loved show by all. I love that stop motion is being utilized to help bring these magical characters to life, it makes them feel so real and tangible. I vote YES! I would love to see more of these special characters and the stories they tell."
"Beautiful, kid-friendly animation with great, imaginative characters and a fun storyline. Kids of all ages will love this show-love the Pine character especially :) Hope we get to see more than a pilot!"
Comedy Series
Alpha House, which stars John Goodman and was written by Academy Award nominee and Pulitzer-Prize winner Garry Trudeau and produced by Elliot Webb and Jonathan Alter, is a comedy about four misfit senators turned unlikely roommates (Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy and Mark Consuelos) who rent a house together in Washington DC.
Set in the land of Silicon Valley start-ups, Betas, written by Evan Endicott and Josh Stoddard, follows four friends as they attempt to strike it rich with a new mobile social networking app. Ed Begley Jr., Jon Daly, Joe Dinicol, Charlie Saxton and Karan Soni star in the show. Michael Lehmann will direct and produce the show along with Emmy Award winners Alan Freedland and Alan Cohen, and Academy Award nominee Michael London.
Kids Series
Annebots revolves around Anne, a young scientist, who creates three robot helpers to assist her scientific experiments in the back of her dad's junkyard. This science-based series from creator J.J. Johnson aims to introduce kids to science and technology in a fun, new way.
Creative Galaxy is an animated interactive art adventure series, designed to inspire kids' creative thinking through crafts, story, music and dance. The series was created by Angela Santomero, creator of Blue's Clues and the Emmy-nominated literacy series, Super Why!
Tumbleaf was created by Drew Hodges and Kelli Bixler of Bix Pix Entertainment, the award-winning stop motion studio. The series, aimed at preschoolers, is set in a whimsical land where a small blue fox named Fig plays each day and discovers adventure, friendship and love around every bend. Children will be enriched by narratives that promote play through exploration and scientific thinking.
Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (http://www.imdb.com), the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
Amazon Publishing Introduces "Kindle Worlds," A New Publishing Model for Authors Inspired to Write Fan Fiction-Launching with an Initial License of Popular Titles from Warner Bros. Television Group's Alloy Entertainment
Like Kindle Singles and Kindle Serials, Kindle Worlds Adds a New Approach to Digital Publishing
SEATTLE-(NASDAQ: AMZN)-May 22, 2013-Today, Amazon Publishing announces Kindle Worlds, the first commercial publishing platform that will enable any writer to create fan fiction based on a range of original stories and characters and earn royalties for doing so. Amazon Publishing has secured licenses from Warner Bros. Television Group's Alloy Entertainment division for its New York Times best-selling book series Gossip Girl, by Cecily von Ziegesar; Pretty Little Liars, by Sara Shepard; and Vampire Diaries, by L.J. Smith; and plans to announce more licenses soon. Through these licenses, Kindle Worlds will allow any writer to publish authorized stories inspired by these popular Worlds and make them available for readers to purchase in the Kindle Store.
Amazon Publishing will pay royalties to both the rights holders of the Worlds and the author. The standard author's royalty rate (for works of at least 10,000 words) will be 35% of net revenue. As with all titles from Amazon Publishing, Kindle Worlds will base net revenue off of sales price-rather than the lower, industry standard of wholesale price-and royalties will be paid monthly.
In addition, with the launch of Kindle Worlds, Amazon Publishing will pilot an experimental new program for particularly short works-between 5,000 and 10,000 words. For these short stories-typically priced under one dollar-Amazon will pay the royalties for the World's rights holder and pay authors a digital royalty of 20%.
Beginning today, interested writers are encouraged to visit Kindle Worlds (www.amazon.com/kindleworlds) to learn more and get a head start on writing. In June, the Kindle Worlds store is expected to launch with over 50 commissioned works from authors such as #1 New York Times best-selling author Barbara Freethy, Bram Stoker Award-winner John Everson and RITA Award-winner Colleen Thompson. At that time, the Kindle Worlds self-service submission platform, where any writer can submit completed work, will also open.
World Licensors benefit from Kindle Worlds because:
It's an entirely new way to monetize their valuable franchises
It allows them to extend their Worlds with new stories and characters and more deeply engage with existing fans, while also reaching new audiences
Amazon Publishing will work with them to establish content guidelines that balance flexibility and openness for writers with what's reasonable for the franchise
"Our books have generated a massive amount of fan fiction, and we see this as an evolution in publishing and a valuable way of broadening our brands and engaging fans," said Leslie Morgenstein, President Alloy Entertainment. "When working with Amazon Publishing on this scale, we know we're in good hands and everyone will benefit."
"Seeing Pretty Little Liars fans adapt and create their own stories is both exciting and flattering and I think what Amazon Publishing is offering through Kindle Worlds is a great way to reward their ingenuity," said Sara Shepard, author of Pretty Little Liars.
Writers benefit from Kindle Worlds because:
Amazon Publishing has already secured the necessary licenses to write about any Kindle World
They can earn royalties writing about established characters and universes
The Kindle Worlds self-service submission platform is easy to use
"I loved writing the characters in this world, the dynamics of the friendship between the four girls as they deal with life-threatening situations," said Barbara Freethy, writing in Pretty Little Liars. "I also really enjoy the ongoing mysteries and surprising twists that always keep the reader guessing. It's great that Amazon Publishing has given those who put passion into fan fiction the opportunity to commercialize this work."
And readers benefit from Kindle Worlds because:
They can find a stream of new stories in Worlds they love
They can discover new Worlds and corresponding great new stories
As with all Kindle books these are "Buy Once, Read Everywhere"-they can read on Kindle or Kindle Fire as well as with a free Kindle app for all of the most popular devices and platforms
"At Kindle, we're not only inventing on the hardware and software side of the business, we're inventing new ways to create books," said Philip Patrick, Director, Business Development and Publisher of Kindle Worlds. "Our goal with Kindle Worlds is to create a home for authors to build on the Worlds we license, and give readers more stories from the Worlds they enjoy. We look forward to announcing additional World licensing deals in the coming weeks."
Amazon Publishing is engaged with additional rights holders from different areas of entertainment-books, games, TV, movies and music-and looks forward to announcing future deals soon. To get started writing works in licensed properties, visit www.amazon.com/kindleworlds for submission guidelines and updates on licensed properties.
About Alloy Entertainment
Alloy Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Television Group, develops and produces original novels, television series, and feature films. More than seventy-five of AE's books have been on the New York Times bestseller list, including The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, The Clique, The Lying Game, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Private and The Luxe. AE has successfully adapted several of its top selling books into hit television shows for broadcast across multiple networks including The CW, ABC, ABC Family and Nickelodeon. Current Alloy Entertainment television series include Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, Lying Game, and soon to premiere Originals, Ravenswood and The 100.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon's developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon's own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle Paperwhite is the most-advanced e-reader ever constructed with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast, a patented built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, extra-long battery life, and a thin and light design. The new latest generation Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, now features new, improved fonts and faster page turns. Kindle Fire HD features a stunning custom high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support, dual-antennas and MIMO for faster streaming and downloads, enough storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics engine-and it is available in two display sizes-7" and 8.9". The large-screen Kindle Fire HD is also available with 4G wireless, and comes with a groundbreaking $49.99 introductory 4G LTE data package. The all-new Kindle Fire features a 20% faster processor, 40% faster performance, twice the memory, and longer battery life.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, www.amazon.es and www.amazon.com.br. As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment and data center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
Source: Amazon.com, Inc.
You can take Amazon out of the jungle, but it'll just create one elsewhere -- at least that's what the company is planning for its inner-city Seattle office complex. A tweaked proposal for Amazon's three-block development, named "Rufus 2.0," was run by Seattle's Design Review Board yesterday, and it now includes a huge biodome structure with the notion that a "plant-rich environment has many positive qualities that are not often found in a typical office setting." It's five floors feature places to get work done, "dining, meeting and lounge spaces," a pair of shops serving the general public and, of course, lots of plants and trees. We've included a few more renders of the multi-bubble glass house after the break, and you'll find even more eye-candy in the source PDF. Forget the platform wars -- the competition for the coolest next-gen campus is on.
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By Seth Fiegerman2013-05-13 17:46:55 UTCIf you own a Kindle Fire, you're now $5 richer — sort of.
Amazon on Monday rolled out Amazon Coins, a virtual currency for Kindle Fire, by giving all registered users of the device 500 free coins, each of which is valued at $0.01. The currency, which Amazon first teased in February, can currently be used to buy games, apps and in-app purchases.
In total, Amazon says it has added "tens of millions of dollars" in Amazon Coins to the accounts of Kindle Fire customers — if you're eligible, you should have received an email notification.
Amazon isn't the first Internet company to introduce a virtual currency for its customers. Facebook launched Credits for buying gifts on the social network, but eventually killed off the currency in 2012.
Offering an alternative currency could potentially boost in-app purchases, which would be a boon to app developers and serve as an incentive for them to give some preference to Amazon over other operating systems. Amazon is also offering discounts to customers who buy Coins in bulk, which locks customers into the Amazon ecosystem that much more.
It remains to be seen whether Amazon will roll out Coins to other product categories besides apps and games, but the possibility is certainly there.
"We will continue to add more ways to earn and spend Coins on a wider range of content and activities—today is Day One for Coins," Mike George, VP of games and apps at Amazon, said in a statement.
Image courtesy of Amazon
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By Lauren Indvik2013-05-13 20:22:13 UTCAs part of its mission to bring its music service "everywhere," Amazon announced the release of a dedicated Cloud Player app for desktop PCs Monday. The release comes less than a week after Amazon announced iOS compatibility with Ford Sync-enabled vehicles.
PC users could already access Cloud Player through their web browsers, but the primary benefit of the PC application is the ability to store music offline. Users can also scan their hard drives for music files that haven't yet been uploaded to their storage locker.
Cloud Player allows users to stream music files they've purchased from Amazon or uploaded to to a cloud-based storage locker. An unlimited number of Amazon songs, plus 250 songs purchased outside of Amazon, can be uploaded to the cloud and streamed wirelessly using one of Amazon's players for free. First launched on Android two years ago, the service is also available on iOS, Mac, Sonos, Roku and (as mentioned) Ford Sync vehicles.
Update: An earlier version of this article said the app was released Thursday. It was released Monday. The story was also corrected to reflect that 250 songs purchased outside of Amazon, rather than 5 megabytes worth of songs purchased outside of Amazon, can be stored in Amazon's cloud locker.
Images courtesy of Amazon
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By Seth Fiegerman2013-05-09 18:24:40 UTCFor more than a year, there have been rumors that Amazon is working on a smartphone. Now, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Amazon is actually working on two.
The Journal reported Thursday that Amazon is "developing a wide-ranging line-up of gadgets," including two smartphones, one of which will have a 3D screen. Citing multiple anonymous sources, the Journal says the 3D-capable smartphone will not require special glasses and may even let users navigate just by moving their eyes.
In addition to the two smartphone models, Amazon is also said to be working on a device for streaming music and a set-top box, the latter of which was also reported by Bloomberg BusinessWeek last month.
Amazon did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
Until now, Amazon's hardware efforts have centered around its Kindle e-readers and tablets. However, CEO Jeff Bezos suggested in an interview with AllThingsD in September that Amazon was planning to expand on its hardware offerings in the coming year. "We will certainly — not any time soon — but next year. We have some more things that we hope people will enjoy," he told the publication. "It’s premature for me to talk about them."
While it's not particularly surprising to hear about Amazon working on a smartphone, it is a bit strange to hear news of a possible 3D-enabled device. Despite a fair amount of hype a couple years ago, 3D-technology has had mixed success at best in the consumer technology market.
Amazon's stock was up by about 1.5% on the day as of publication.
Image via Getty, Lionel Bonaventure
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Virtual football enthusiasts excited for Madden 25 (it's technically Madden 2014 marking 25 years of the franchise) may want to head over to Amazon if they're serious about watching actual NFL games. The online retailer has an exclusive Anniversary Edition of the game up for pre-order, which comes bundled with a 17-week pass for both Madden Ultimate Team cards and NFL Sunday Ticket for computer and mobile. On top of getting all the 2013 regular season's out-of-market matches, DirecTV subscribers can snag a $10-a-month discount on the TV version (normally $225) for one year with a pro bono MAX upgrade. Joystiq notes that only 100,000 copies are up for grabs, split evenly between the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. All it takes to get in on the action starting August 27th is $100 -- $40 more than the standard edition, which can net you up to $400 in total savings on the services. Hit up the source link if you're ready to secure your copy.
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