Blackberry Gets Kobo e-Reader App

• e-Reader for Blackberry Playbook tablet
• Access to more than 2.2 million books
• Switch between day and night

Kobo, a global eReading service, plans for its application to be preloaded on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, giving users access to Kobo more than 2.2 million books.

Earlier this week, Kobo also announced plans for an eReading application that will leverage the new BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) Social Platform. The 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook is claimed to be an ideal size for eBooks.

The new BlackBerry Tablet OS features a WebKit browser engine, preferred by Kobo and used across its applications and is claimed to deliver feature-rich and high-performance eReading applications.

Key features of the Kobo eBook app on the BlackBerry PlayBook are:

• Titles include bestsellers, new releases and over 1 million free books. International stores feature region-specific content and pricing.
• Extensive categories and recommended reading lists help readers find their next read.
• See your collection of books in a list, or on Kobo’s virtual bookshelf. 
• Personalise text size, font and style. Switch between day and night reading mode or customise a specific brightness setting.
• Tap to turn pages, scroll quickly through a book, or use the Table of Contents to jump between sections.
• Kobo will automatically switch from landscape to portrait view as the BlackBerry PlayBook is turned.
• Kobo also offers free reading applications for BlackBerry smartphones, computers and other devices, which all sync together across a user’s account. 
• Kobo members can pick up and read on any device without ever losing their place. 
• Open platform. Kobo supports open standards, including EPUB, PDF, allowing customers to buy once and read anywhere. 
• Social shopping and shared eReading will be introduced upon availability of the BBM Social Platform.