How to Get Amazon Kindle Working on BlackBerry OS 7 & 7.1 Devices

Many users who upgraded to BlackBerry OS 7 and 7.1 devices were sad to learn that Amazon has not updated their app to support the latest BlackBerry devices. This is a shame since the app actually does work and could easily be updated by Amazon. I have been meaning to mention this little trick for getting Amazon’s Kindle app working on BlackBerry 7 and 7.1 smartphones. All credit for discovering it goes to ljcn who detailed the steps on CrackBerry Forums. I have confirmed that it does work on my Bold 9900 along with a friends 9810 and 9360.

Here are the instructions:

1. First download the Amazon Kindle app directly from Amazon at:
   http://klamath.s3.amazonaws.com/KindleBB102b/kindle.jad
2. When you open the app you will see the Kindle splash screen and it will hang
3. While your BlackBerry is hung on that screen connect your BlackBerry to your PC using the USB cable
4. When it pops up asking you to choose between the three connection methods select “USB Drive”
5. After a few seconds disconnect your BlackBerry from your PC and the Kindle app should have started up
6. You are not logged in so you will just see a bar that says “Archived Items (0)”
7. Click on that bar and you will be taken to the Kindle login page
8. Login and it will work!

Keep in mind you will need to do this every time you reinstall the application or reload your OS. Ljcn also rightfully points out that you can use the Kindle BlackBerry app to read books that you did not purchase from Amazon. You just need to put the Mobi formatted books in the SD card folder \kindle\books and they will show up. If you have those ebooks on another device then the WhisperSync will also keep your page in sync between devices!

Kudos to Ljcn for the instructions and Tammy for reminding me that I needed to write this up!