Amazon's Cloud Reader vs. my CloudReaders (TM)

I have just found out that Amazon has released "Kindle Cloud Reader" this month (August 2011), which is a web-based e-Book application for iPad and other mobile devices. 

Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader

Release by amazon.com Inc. in August 2011

Web-based e-Book reader application for iPad and other devices

Amazon has acquired cloudreader.com in July 2011 (reference)

 

This is a little bit annoying to me, because I have an iPad application called "CloudReaders pdf,cbz,cbr", which is also an e-Book reader application. I have released this application when Apple came up with the first iPad (April 2010), and have more than three quarter million users world-wide. 

CloudReader pdf, cbz, cbr

Release by Satoshi Nakajima (me) in April 2010

Native e-Book reader application for IPad and iPhone

I have acquired cloudreaders.com in March 2010. 

Even though there is a difference (web-based vs. native), both apps are e-Book readers mostly targeting iPad. Names and logos are too similar, and I see a conflict. 

Since I am not a big fan of legal battle, I have decided to just post this entry for now to find out how other people perceive this event (not necessarily from legal point of view, but as a regular business practice as well).   

Comments

[Nayan]

I just wanted to say that your app works amazingly well with Comic books. The rendering you have implemented is amazing on the iPad 2.

I installed Stanza (which kept freezing), Comcbook Lover, ARCReader, ComicFlow and while some of these apps have a pretty display mode or some such trick, when it actually comes down to displaying the comics CloudReaders is far, far ahead!

May I suggest a few additions.

1. Edit Book info
2. Thumbnail display

Basically the above two things will put your app out of reach of the other ones for good. :)

Thanks & please keep up the great work.

[Scotty A]

Hello. How can I contact you with a question about CloudReaders? It's an essential app on my iPad.

[Marco]

I think they are using your work, making money over your own effort. You should sue them. If you don't want to receive a financial compensation, you could donate it...

Ps.: I use your app. It's very good and useful. Thanks!

[waluyo]

Is there any ereader that could actually "Read" orally?

[rde]

Hi, would it be possible to add a webdav client mode.
That would make it possible to "stream comics from the cloud"
The app pcould then connect to a webdav server on a nas or pc and u could read the comic without downloading it to the ipad.

[ying]

cloudreader doesn't show highlights I made in adobe. Is it a bug or limitation?

[D]

Amazon is like an 800-pound gorilla. They can do whatever they want and not care about the little guy. You can bet though that if you launched your app after them instead of before them their lawyers would be all over you with cease and desist letters and threats. I tried your app before, but I am using Bookman currently to read CBZ files. I will try your app again and compare it.

[Laura]

Hello, I was looking for a way to contact yo because I have a question regarding cloudreader. I was wondering if this app will allow me to open powerpoint presentations including sounds and video. As you may know, keynote or docs to go, open powerpoint presentation but they do not play sounds or video. Does your app do this? I would be much grateful if you could contact me. Thank you. Regards,

[Susan Netherton]

How so I get the Asian stuff off. There is no delete or garbage can. And where do I download books (in English).

[Mark]

I have been using your app for well months now & the other readers out there can't even come close to the speed that your reader delivers. Love it. Just one thing though, can we have a cloud reader server application that can be installed on the PC so we can directly stream our collection of pdf's, cbr's, zip's & rar's to be viewed from PC to iPad/iPod/iPhone like 'Air Video' app has for video files. That would be amazing. Hope you can respond to this soon. Thanks.

[Account Deleted]

Hello! First i appreciate for your awesome app. So I have an suggestion for cloudreader. Sometime I failed to read double zip file. What about you add function that reading double zip file?

At last, strictly speaking your app is most valuable than any other viewer. Thank!

[Steve]

When trying to tag many files a "Select All" and "Invert Selection" buttons would be very helpful.

[ワミチチ]

I am a loyal user of clou readers--not only from my favorite developer but a comic book reader. Adobe makes cool tools, most of which I can no longer use, as I have only iDevices presently. Cloudreaders ftw.

[Account Deleted]

I tried finding a way to contact you directly, but since I couldnt find a way, I hope you check the comments section regularly. When I was using the iPad and the iPad2, Cloudreaders was the app of my choice. The design language was so simplistic. No clutter, just add books and read. But now I have moved away from the iPad for a newer experience and use the Blackberry Playbook. The device is a joy to use. The only thing that would complete the experience would be a Cloudreaders app for the PB. There arenot a lot of ebook, comic bookreaders in the BB app store, and to say your app would be popular is an understatement. BB users are paying for ebook readers that dont do even half of what cloudreaders does. I hope you consider porting your app to the PB :)

[Dave]

Very nice app. Thank you. Just a couple suggestions to improve it:

(1) Delete/Edit titles on bookshelf.
(2) Upload files from Dropbox, Box, etc.

I really hope you can make these improvements. This app is still better than most paid apps, and I would gladly pay for this one.

[Karen E. Weigle]

Does it support epub format?

[Dan Priest]

Great app. Absolutely love it. Only issue I am currently having is that .cbz files I open in the iPad version of the app display only a black screen. The exact same file opened in the iPhone version of the app work without issue. What difference is there between the two versions that might cause this?

[Schaim]

I think you have a legal case (I'm not a lawyer, btw) but cloudreader is not a something one naturally comes up with. somebody at amazon did some market research, found that for ereaders 'Cloudreader' was the number one search on iPad, then used it for themselves. Definitely piggy backing on your success. Other wise why add cloud reader to amazon kindle - two already sufficient brand names. If it were me I'd atleast sue EM just to make EM squirm for a bit. Who know they may even cave an settle. Did you trade mark it?

[Account Deleted]

Hello! I need help. I just want to know how to search specific words in your program?

[Thommo]

Please add ability to read DJVU files. DjVu files are perhaps the best way to format and store ebooks. They are tiny compared to the size of ipub, cbz, cbr, mobi, pdf or any other format.

Thank you!

[Jack Welsh]

I have been enjoying CloudReaders on my iPad for something like a month now, and just did a search to see if there was a Windows based version of your program so that I could enjoy the content that I have been enjoying on my iPad on my desktop computer. I was unaware of the difference between your product and Amazon's and just signed up for the free Amazon Cloud Reader to find that it did NOT have the same functionality as your product. This annoyed me a bit, so I delved a little deeper into the matter and discovered the difference. After reading your post above, I came to the conclusion that legal action on your part is completely warranted. Amazon's naming of its product places it in direct competition with your own, even though the functionality is completely different. I have no use for the Amazon product, but provided them with my email address, which I'm sure they will use for advertising purposes. Your CloudReaders is an excellent product that I use frequently, whereas I have no use for the Amazon Cloud Reader.

[FXF]

Hi,

They bought cloudreader.com long time after you, but why did you bought cloudreaderS.com ? The domain without this s wasn't available at that time ?

I also see that there is almost nothing on cloudreaders.com

I think you should put online a website to promote your App, even a small one with link to AppStore, then in case with trouble with Amazon, they could not say that you're not using this domain and you're a domain squatter.

Anyhow, your app is just awesome, it's one of my favorite app .
As I can in comments here, it's not easy to contact you for suggestions, then, as others, I'll also do it here.
One feature I'd really like to have is the possibility to have folders to organize bookshelf. It's still possible to use Tags, but when you follow a lot a comic book series, it's becoming hard to classify.
Bye

[Monkeyrotica]

Amazon purchased the BEST e-reader available (Stanza) and killed it, then rolled out their own buggy Cloud Reader which is a blatant trademark infringement on your product. If it were me, I'd get a pro bono lawyer to sue them. Their LOUSY product is making your EXCELLENT product look bad. As for your app, I think it's the best app for reading comic book files. I don't particularly care about the other comic apps' "bookshelf" metaphor. I just push my .pdf files to Box.net and download them to the iPad as needed. The web transfer is slow, but anything that keeps me from having to use that horrible malware iTunes is worth the wait. Thanks again for an excellent product!

[A]

CloudReader is a very nice application, the best around. Extremely fast.Thank you.

It would be nice to a have simple mode in which all the non-essential gestures would be disabled
so that there is some protection against unintended changes (zooming, page changes, ...) when a finger slips.

That happens and is very annoying when you're concentrated reading for hours.

At this point no reader does that simple mode right .
With a simple mode CloudReader would be just perfect.

[Victor]

i have been using cloudreader since ipad 1, and it continues to work flawlessly on my new ipad (3rd Gen), awesome!!! and it's FREE!!!

Thank you very much Satoshi Nakajima san !!