Amazon Coins - Amazon's Virtual Currency Now Available for Purchase for Use in Apps and Games

After making billions of dollars in real currency, Amazon has now entered the virtual currency market for Apps and Games. This highly anticipated move was announced in Amazon's characteristic way in a "Dear Customers" letter posted on Amazon's home page (see image below) by the CEO Jeff Bezos. The letter informed the Kindle Fire Owners that they will find "a little unexpected something" in their account, referring to the 500 Amazon Coins which the company gave away as a freebie to all Kindle Fire owners in United States by depositing it in their accounts. Each coin is worth 1 US cent, making this gift from Amazon worth $5.

Customers can use these coins for purchasing apps and games from Amazon's appstore, as well as in-app items.
Obviously, the goal is to get some of these customers used to using the virtual currency and buy more which is conveniently available for purchase "at a discount."

The message then goes on list some of the Apps and Game, and in Amazon's usual manner, it bragged the growth in terms of Apps available on Kindle Fire in terms in relative statistics ("tripled over the last year") rather than absolute number which is believed to be relatively modest as compared to iPhone/ iPad and Android.

Amazon's developers' website gives more about the program defining Amazon Coins as a new virtual currency that Amazon's customers will be able to use on Kindle Fire to buy apps, games and items inside apps and games. It also reassured developers that they will continue to get the same royalties whether the customer buys their App/ Game using real dollars or Amazon's virtual currency.

All Amazon apps and games that are listed for sale on Kindle Fire in US automatically become available for purchase via Amazon coins. In addition, the apps and games which use Amazon's latest Amazon Mobile App SDK now automatically get access to Amazon Coins as another payment method honored by the SDK.

Further, Amazon coins can be covered to game specific in-game currencies, in a one way virtual currency exchange.

Featured Wedding Books on Kindle: The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book and The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book

How many wedding books are written by someone who has worked 2,500+ weddings? 

The primary author of "The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book" and "The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book", Bill Cox is a wedding D in Houston, Texas. (he is also a writer and actor). He wrote this book with Janie Franz, who is an outstanding writer. They have out every tip, trick and secret we could into the book - and included stories from more than 2,500 events which he attended as a DJ and have many interesting stories to tell - some hilarious, other moving. 


So many people listen to their cousin's advice (because he or she's been married 6+ times), but this book comes from the professionals. 

You can buy these book at Kindle stores around the world at very economical prices. Click at the appropriate links below: 

The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book
   
- US and Countries which don't have an amazon website:
         "The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book" at Amazon.com 

- United Kingdom: "The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book" at Kindle Store at Amazon.co.uk

- Canada: "The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book" at Kindle Store at Amazon.ca 









The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book

• US and Countries which don't have a kindle store of their own :

                 "The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book" at Amazon.com 

• United Kingdom: 

                       "The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book" at Kindle Store Amazon.co.uk 

• Canada: 

                         "The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book" at Kindle Store at Amazon.ca 

You can also visit the book's website for more information.

The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book

   

o US and Countries which don't have an amazon website:

         "The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book" at Amazon.com 

o United Kingdom: "The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book" at Kindle Store at Amazon.co.uk

o Canada: "The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book" at Kindle Store at Amazon.ca 

The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book

• US and Countries which don't have a kindle store of their own: 

                                               "The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book" at Amazon.com 

• United Kingdom:  "The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book" at Amazon.co.uk 

• Canada:  "The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book" at Kindle Store at Amazon.ca 

A Kindle eBook to help you Gain Leadership Skills: "How To Build An Effective Team"

A team is an absolute necessity in the modern world - very few tasks can be done by an individual alone. most organizations - whether they are profit seeking businesses, non-profits, government or quasi-governing organizations - need a cohesive group of people to work together to deliver its products or services.

 However, even though the teams are ubiquitous,  leadership skills to lead such pools of individuals function efficiently and effectively need to be learned.  As Stephen Covey would put it, “Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of other to achieve their greatest success.” The transformation of these people from a heterogeneous crowd into a homogeneous organization calls for melding of their assets, efforts and thoughts to succeed in their common purpose."

With the e-book “How to Build an Effective Team”, you will understand the important elements associated with building effective teams. The book considers it as an art as much as it is a science. The science lies in the use of time tested practices and procedures while the art is defined by the act of tapping into the nature of humans, their talents, creativity and energy. It sets the team leader’s role in motivating and cultivating the whole teams creativity and skills. As part of the Knowledge Pills Series, it provides a way to learn about the subject in 15 minutes or less.

Focused more on quick understanding on the subject matter rather than memorization, it divides the topics into easy to learn chapters which includes a quiz and glossary.

About the author

The book "How to Build an Effective Team" is authored by Larry Kryske. He has successfully built and led dynamic teams across the world for last 30 years. In addition to working for the Navy, he has experience in education sector both in teaching and administrative positions. He has been rewarded and praised for his leadership accomplishments in the Navy, including being honored by a US Senator for creating “the U.S. Navy’s most innovative naval base in the world” at Pascagoula, Mississippi and has held executive management positions in several innovative start-ups. Kryske has a BA in Astronomy from UCLA and a MS in Applied Science from the Naval Postgraduate School in California.  He has authored several books on leadership and innovation and is a noted public speaker on these topics.

You can buy the book at the following Kindle Stores based on your location:

US and countries which do not have a kindle store of their own:

              Kindle Store at Amazon.com

United Kingdom: 

       Kindle Store at Amazon.co.UK

Canada

         Kindle Store at Amazon.CA

Top-Rating TV Show Episodes Offered Exclusively on Amazon Prime

Amazon.com has recently closed a deal with NBC/Universal to make Amazon Prime the exclusive subscription service for streaming five top-rating TV series for the next four years: “Grimm,” season 1; “Covert Affairs,” seasons 1 and 2; “Suits,” season 1; and two newly launched series, “Defiance” and “Hannibal.”

Other shows that will likewise be added to Amazon Prime are “Alphas,” “Warehouse 13,” “Eureka,” and “Smash.” Young viewers can also look forward to more shows such as “Land Before Time” and “Curious George.”

Last April, “The Hunger Games” was added to Amazon Prime’s subscription service. Also available are the Amazon Original Pilots, where Prime members can watch pilot episodes for free and give feedback to help Amazon decide which of the shows will be offered in full seasons.

Currently, Amazon Prime members have access to over 40,000 television shows and movies, and over 300,000 book that they can borrow for free from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library.

Kindle owners who want to sign up for Amazon Prime membership can do so for free for 30 days. Afterwards, they can continue receiving Amazon Prime privileges for $79 per year.

Candid Memoirs by a Panic Attack Sufferer Available on Kindle! "Welcome to my PANIC ATTACKS"

Top rated Kindle Memoir "Welcome to my PANIC ATTACKS: My Struggle To Win Against Physical and Psychological Hell" is now available at Kindle Stores around the globe! 

Here is a video review of the book: 

This interesting, unusual book describing author's personal experience living with panic attacks has gotten rave reviews by multiple people and has a 5 star average rating on the Amazon.com Kindle store with 12 reviews. here is what reviewers have to say: 


This is a very different kind of book than we've come to expect around anxiety and panic attacks. Men (and women) will relate to Elliot's candor about his life, his family history, his inability to choose a real mate until he fully understood that his choices directly related to his dysfunctional upbringing, and the hellish panic he lived with. Until science found a useful tool--although not a solution--for those of us who suffer this debilitating condition, he was forced to live a nightmare of incapacitating attacks. Elliot's unflinching honesty will enlighten non-sufferers, and will have you-who-suffer nodding "this is how it is." Marek McKenna, MA, Author of Killer History Series

There is really no need to suffer any longer from dreadful panic attacks and other anxiety episodes, as help is around the corner. Meet Adam K. Elliot, a long time sufferer from Panic Anxiety himself. His new book Welcome to my PANIC ATTACKS is more than just a memoir of his personal struggles with panic and anxiety. Through first-hand experiences, trial and error, as well as tremendous success, Adam teaches the readers how to deal with panic, anxiety, and other challenging psychological interferences once and for all. This book reads like a thrilling fiction novel, with lots of humor embedded with chapter titles such as A Breakfast of Bacon, Eggs, and Xanax, putting a positive spiel on panic and anxiety. If you are ready to deal with your symptoms in an easy and fun way, give Adam K. Elliot the opportunity to be your guide. It worked for him and will work for you, too! ... John Wilde, M.Ed. 

Depending upon which country you live in, you can download it using one of the links below for only $3.99 (or equivalent in other countries): 

Kindle Store at Amazon.com (For Residents of United States and Most Countries) 

Kindle Store at Amazon UK

Kindle Store at Amazon Canada

Kindle-Shop at Amazon.de (for Germany)

Boutique Kindle at Amazon.fr (for France)

Kindle Store at Amazon.it (for Italy) 

Tienda Kindle at Amazon.es (for Spain) 

A Good Kindle Short Thriller Such as "Getting Gone" Is Like an Espresso

A Kindle "Short" is a new emerging trend made possible by the digital ebook revolution. A growing number of authors have chosen to express their creativity by publishing short books - equivalent to 40 to 100 printed pages. This trend span across  an genres and include essays, memoirs, narratives, and short fiction.

I like Kindle "shorts" - For me to enjoy a good quality book, it does not need to be a million words. They are the Espresso of the book world, full punch of a coffee cup packed in 2 oz. 

"Getting Gone" is such a book. A thriller I could enjoy in two sittings - a ride to San Francisco and back on the train.   In this gripping "revenge of the nerd" story, an ex-CIA operative foresees her possible death at hands of rogue spies and leaves enough clues for her autistic genius inventor husband to avenge her death.  And this communication from the dead is not done using any super secret classified encryption, but  use of everyday technology. 

Loved the book. You can download this inexpensive, gripping short thriller for $0.99  (£0.77 in UK) at Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada and other Kindle Stores.

The Guardian of Genghis Khan's Tomb: New Historical Fiction Novel Unearths Fictional Secret of Great Khan’s Empire.

- Press Release - 

 

For Immediate Release

Valrico, FL – Even though he died almost nine hundred years ago, the legacy of Genghis Khan has always remained very much alive. With both his life and death capturing the attention of audiences young and old, a gripping new novel by Michael B. Hickland is about to become as timeless as the Great Khan himself.

‘TheGuardian of Genghis Khan’s Tomb’ is a unique historical fiction novel that focuses on the Emperor’s post-life influence.

Synopsis:

Since 1227, finding the Tomb of Genghis Khan has been the obsession of tyrants, adventurers and treasure hunters. All have failed to find it. It is a Genghis Khan fact that, looking at a map today, he had conquered a geographic area which would include 30 countries and 3+ billion people. The legend says that, in order to keep his tomb’s location secret, Genghis Khan slaughtered hundreds if not thousands of his captives after they had been forced to dig his burial site.

He had amassed untold wealth with enormous quantities of jewels, gold and silver from his conquests that are believed to be buried with him. So why hasn’t his crypt been found in almost eight hundred years? In The Guardian of Genghis Khan’s Tomb, the Great Conqueror extracts a sacred oath from a special advisor. It binds both this trusted counsellor and his family forever to protect the tomb and the most immense treasure ever known. Now, in a remote Asian river valley, a beautiful English scientist’s chance discovery of an ancient artifact tied directly to Genghis Khan ignites a furious race among China, Russia and the United States to find that crypt.

The stakes are huge, putting the young woman along with her American sponsor at the centre of the confrontation. Can The Guardian of Genghis Khan’s Tomb manage to keep the grave site safe and his beloved country, a fledgling democracy, from being overrun? Or will war break out between the world’s Superpowers? Michael B. Hickland’s e-novel is a fast paced historical fiction thriller full of turns and twists.

As the author explains, his narrative will appeal to an eclectic audience.

“Like Ken Follett, Dan Brown, Cussler action with Indiana Jones/Lara Croft thrown in? You'll love this ebook. It’s a story that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. Hang onto your hats!” says Hickland.

Since its release, rave reviews have been flooding in from around the nation.

“Well written, excellent characters and an amazing story will keep you turning page after page. You'll both be anxious to get to the end and dreading it because you won't want the story to end,” commented one reader, reviewing the book on Amazon.

Another reader, Valerie, was equally as impressed – “I adore books such as this and this book delivers with a great tale of a powerful leader, his hidden treasure, an ancient protector with three world powers all after the same prize over generations!”

With demand for the book increasing, interested readers are urged to purchase their copies as soon as possible.

‘The Guardian of Genghis Khan’s Tomb’ is available from the following outlets (click on the link):

• Kindle Store at Amazon.com
• UK Kindle Store  
• Barnes & Noble 
• Song 
• Kobo 
• e-Sentral 
•  

More information can also be found at the book’s official website. 

Skip the commercial at the beginning and see the Guardian of Genghis Khan 60 Sec You Tube Promo below. You'll like it!

Kindle TV on the Horizon? Amazon Is Reportedly Working on a Video-Streaming Set-Top Box for TVs

BREAKING NEWS

April 24, 2013 – In a report earlier today, Bloomberg stated that it has heard from its sources that Amazon is planning to soon release a TV set-top box for streaming multimedia content over the cloud into televisions in customers’ homes. Bloomberg referred to its sources just as "people with knowledge of the matter" because they asked not to be identified.

Reportedly, the device will be released later this year. With the push, Amazon will be competing with Apple and Google, both of which have set-top boxes dubbed "Apple TV" and "Google TV."

Releasing a set-top will give Amazon control over end-to-end delivery of its streaming video offerings, which are currently supported for televisions via third-party set-top boxes, such as Roku, and gaming consoles, such as Xbox and PS3. In addition, Amazon's streaming video offerings are supported by its Kindle Fire product line, which includes the Kindle Fire tablet in 7- and 8.9-inch versions.
 
The report quoted venture capitalist Jason Krikorian, a general partner at DCM, as saying that Amazon's releasing a tablet certainly makes sense given that Amazon has already acquired – and continues to acquire – media content and has millions of existing customers to whom it can easily cross-sell such a device.

The company had made a foray into the consumer electronic hardware business with its successful launch of Kindle eBook and Kindle Fire Tablet devices, both of which are extremely successful. Rumors also indicate that the company is also working on a smartphone.

The set-top device is reportedly being developed in the same R&D center in California, where Amazon also builds Kindle devices. The California subsidiary, called Lab126, is based in Cupertino, which is also the home of Apple's headquarters.

Like Apple and Google, Amazon is trying to expand its apps market. Earlier this year, Amazon had won dismissal of Apple’s claim that the online retailer’s use of the term "app store" for Android device software is false advertising.

While pricing information for the planned set-top box hasn't been released, Amazon has publicly admitted selling the Kindle line of media consumption hardware "at cost," with a goal of making profits by selling digital content. The TV set-top box, which may very well be branded as "Kindle TV," may follow the same logic.

Amazon stock price closed today at 268.78, falling by 0.08%. Amazon plans to announce its Q1 results tomorrow, April 25, after the close of the stock market at 4 PM EST.

Malachy Moynihan, a former vice president at San Jose-based Cisco Systems is in charge of this project. At Cisco, Moynihan had worked at various video-streaming initiatives. He had also worked at Apple for nine years.

Amazon has been able to draw from Silicon Valley's talent pool and has attracted to Lab126 video-streaming leaders, including senior-level engineers and architects from companies such as TiVo and ReplayTV.

Amazon, a leader in online delivery of media products such as books, CDs and DVDs, has been aggressively going after the digital media market. It has been pushing its MP3 download market against the Apple Store. It also launched Kindle, an eBook reader, in 2007, aggressively selling bestselling books at prices lower than physical books (and incurring a loss in many cases, based on its contracts with the publishers) and then launching its self-publishing platform dubbed the KDP.

Now Amazon is pursuing the streaming video market with the same zeal as it had for dominating the eBook market. It offers access to a select list of TV shows and movies offered for free to its Prime members, who also get membership to the Kindle Owners Lending Library for books and free two-day shipping for products.

Like Hulu, a prominent streaming service, Amazon has also set up its own studios to create TV programs and movies. The company also secured exclusive streaming rights to hit shows.

Amazon currently supports competing streaming media services such as YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix on its Kindle Fire tablets, so it is likely that it may do the same on Kindle TV, though it will obviously be optimized for Amazon's own multimedia offerings from its digital media store.

You can access Bloomberg's report here.

Now on Kindle: How to Make Delectable Bacon-based Desserts – and Catch a Man While You’re At It!

Although a lot of us are bacon lovers and dessert junkies, very few have actually experienced these two wonderful treats together in one dish. But why not? Bacon-based desserts are perfectly logical – as logical (and as delicious) as salted caramel on dark chocolate ice cream!

In Kindle e-book “How to Catch a Man with Bacon,” you will find excellent tried-and-tested recipes such as bacon ice cream, bacon cinnamon rolls, spicy chocolate-covered bacon, bacon with crème brulee, bacon brownies, etc.

These desserts are so delicious, it’s inconceivable for any man to resist them – but if, in the end, you find nothing worth catching, you’ll still have mouthwatering bacon ice cream and bacon brownies, which will comfort you far better than any man can!

To download the Kindle e-book “How to Catch a Man with Bacon,” click your country’s name below:

United States
United Kingdom
Canada
Germany
France
Italy
Spain
Other countries

Kindle Book Artificial Imagination created at Univ of California by an Asian Student?

Get a Univ. of California Computer Engineering student's Hilarious e-Memoirs at Amazon, on June 1st and 2nd. No device required, this eBook can be read using a browser (Chrome or safari) or downloaded and read using a Free eBook App on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desk top. 

Only a limited number of copies are available for Free download on a first come, first served basis, click below to see if you can still download it for FREE! 

• US Kindle Store - Available to readers all over the world
• UK Kindle Store 
• Kindle-Shop in Deutschland 
• France Boutique Kindle
• España  
• Italia.

This eBook is really a memoir of a foreign born student who studies at the University of California, and then goes on to work in famed Silicon Valley and later in Seattle. The title of the book comes from author's proposed project of creation of Artificial Imagination at University of California. 

Boston Bombing Suspect - a US citizen of Chechen Origin - Can Get Death Penalty Even Without a Confession, Say Experts

National Media has quoted Russian officials as saying that they expect US investigators to contact Russian Investigators with regards to  Tsarnaev, the sole survivor among the two bombers suspected of planning and placing the bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15th; and that Vladimir Putin, President of Russia is being apprised of the latest updates regarding the involvement of Tsarnaev brothers in the bombing incident. 

Meanwhile, A report published on NYDailyNews website claimed that charges against Dzhokhar will be filed even before he is released from the hospital. It also quoted experts saying that a confession from the lone surviving bombing suspect, will not be needed for his prosecution and conviction and he can be sentenced to death on the basis of.the Video forensics evidence and his murder of an MIT officer. 

The surviving 19-year-old bombing suspect, Tsarnaev remains confined in a Boston hospital, where he is being interrogated while reportedly fighting for his life 

Tom Fuentes, former assistant director of the FBI, told CNN that Dzhokhar will surely be facing the death penalty, and  cooperation with the FBI is in Dzhokhar's best interest. He also said that the authorities don't need Dzhokhar's confession for murder conviction because of the video evidence and the murder of an officer.

The Boston Marathon bombing suspect will be questioned by a special interrogation team which will not inform him of  his Miranda rights, which is considered legal under an exception for public safety to protect the public and the police force from danger.

Investigators have started to seize all the devices that may have the electronic footprints of the suspect and his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was killed in a shootout early Friday.

Locations that investigators have searched so far are: a Cambridge residence; Boston, Cambridge, and Watertown crime scenes; and the suspect’s dorm room in the University of Massachusetts.

The director of the Center for Strategy Research and Technologies at UMass-Lowell James Forest told the media that the Tsarnaevs are likely to be compiling things for the attack for a while. He proposed that the brothers from Chechen gathered Boston Marathon coverage of previous years to help them plan their attack and must have known that the explosions will be captured live by th media. 

Brian Jenkins, a expert in international terrorist with Rand Corporation,  a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis  shared his opinion with the media stating that it was very important  for investigators to 'nail down" the evidence confirming Tsarnaev brothers' were the ones who planned and carried out the bombing. In addition to making a case for the court of law, it was also important for the court of public opinion. 

For now, investigators wish to keep the suspect alive to be able to retrieve details about the planning and execution of the hideous attack. 

Click here for Tsarmaev Brothers' detailed profile. 

Kindle Book: “Into the Heart of the Mind,” a Technology-Themed Romantic Comedy with a Bitter Sweet ending; Limited Time Offer

Amazon.com and its international affiliates - Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it and Amazon.es are offering Kindle Best seller "Into the Heart of Mind" for FREE! Only two Days! 

"Into the Heart of the Mind" is a sentimental tale of a 21-year-old foreign-born computer student coming to America to do research at the University of California and ends up writing the story of his first three months in US as a Roman à clef, A story so imaginative and so incredible, no fiction writer could ever have thought of it!

Witness this young man’s funny, sentimental, and every-bit-true journey through a brave new world by downloading “Into the Heart of the Mind” for free this weekend! 

Available at the following Amazon Kindle stores:

     

·        Amazon.co.uk in the United Kingdom

·        Amazon.de in Germany

·        Amazon.fr in France

·        Amazon.it in Italy

·        Amazon.es in Spain

Take advantage of this limited time Free download promotion. After the promotional period, this Kindle ebook returns to its original price of $4.99.

“Into the Heart of the Mind” is written by Kalpanik S. and published in the United States by the Center of Artificial Imagination, Inc.