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Amazon launches shopping app for BlackBerry

Designed specifically for Research In Motion’s BlackBerry, the application offers customers who use a BlackBerry device with a track ball a way to find, discover and buy products from Amazon.com and thousands of other retailers. This release follows the launch of Amazon’s iPhone shopping app in December.

“Amazon App for BlackBerry is a new mobile application from Amazon that allows BlackBerry users to simply and quickly find the items they want, conduct product research, make price comparisons across multiple merchants and purchase products using Amazon’s secure checkout process, 1-Click and Amazon Prime shipping benefits from their mobile device,” said Cinthia Portugal, publics relations manager for Amazon.com, Seattle.

Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel; Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial.

In addition to Amazon shopping features, BlackBerry users can now access the Amazon Remembers feature to build a list of photographs showing products they want to remember for later and make price comparisons across multiple merchants before buying.

Amazon Remembers helps customers keep track of items they see in their daily lives and tries to match photos of products to the same or similar products available on Amazon.com.

Customers snap photos with their BlackBerry and the photos are automatically uploaded to Amazon.com, which then tries to find products similar to the ones in the photos.

As soon as the customer receives the results, they can then buy the item immediately or “remember it” for later in their Amazon account.

The Amazon App for BlackBerry offers customers access to their Amazon.com account and shopping features such as purchases using Amazon’s 1-Click ordering and Amazon Prime.

Consumers can also track packages and modify orders using the Your Account feature; receive personalized recommendations; view editorial and customer reviews; get the Gold Box Deal of the Day; and access their Wish List.

The Amazon App for BlackBerry is carrier-independent.

Once installed on the smartphone, the application works on supported BlackBerry devices with a data plan from any carrier. 

“The BlackBerry app is the latest offering in Amazon’s growing line of mobile solutions—a mobile shopping site for any Web-enabled mobile device and a shopping app for iPhone and iPod touch,” Ms. Portugal said.

“Subsequent editions will support other major smartphone platforms and devices but we have nothing further to announce at this time,” she said.