Google eBooks Launches with Android, iPhone, iPad Applications

by Clint Boulton

Google’s eBookstore titles will support the ePub and PDF formats. It will include a Web reader to help users read indexed books from any device that supports a modern Web browser, including computers, tablets and smartphones.

As mentioned above, Google expects users will read their ebooks on the go from the Android app shown here. This app is available in the United States, running on phones with Android 2.1 or later.

Full screen of Grisham’s “The Confession” in the Android version of the e-reader. The app stores up to 16,000 ebooks on average based on 32GB of available storage capacity.

The Android night-reading view for when it’s dark.

Check out the eBooks menu on the iPad, with thumbnails of titles. This app stores up to 16,000 titles on average.

Sorry, but this is too cool. The iPad app sports this cool page-turning feature. Art imitating life?

Imagine if books came with search engines to help you find passages and keywords easier. The iPad app lets users search keywords within the book.

Recommended for iPhones with 256MB memory or above, the eBooks iPhone app stores up to 8,000 titles on average.

The iPhone/iPod Touch app offers these controls.

Check out the settings controls, allowing users to adjust typeface and size, line height and other visual tools.

Google also offers this Web reader that’s compatible with any JavaScript-enabled browser.

eBooks supports ePub and PDF, so the service is compatible with any e-reader that supports the Adobe eBook platform, including the Barnes & Noble Nook and Sony Reader. Amazon Kindle is a special case. Users may consume Google eBook titles on Amazon’s Kindle e-reader device, but only for titles without digital rights management.