• The Register, Monday, June 28, 2010 2:12 PM

As if the whole laptop vs. tablet vs. e-reader debate was complicated enough for consumers, Kindle books can now be embedded with video and audio content -- though only consumed by those using Apple's iOS hardware. "Amazon has long viewed the Kindle as a software platform rather than a piece of hardware, only launching its own device because it considered existing devices ineffective for reading," writes The Register.

"But Apple has apparently changed that, so Amazon is now free to stick sounds and chunks of video into electronic books, even if it means those who shelled out for Kindle hardware are left in a technical dead end." At launch, only thirteen titles are making use of the new functionality, including a cookbook supported by video demos, and a nature guide that lets consumers actually hear various bird calls.

Read the whole story at The Register »