TED releases official app for Android and Kindle Fire

TED talks are coming to more handsets and tablets, thanks to a new app for Android as well as Kindle Fire that was officially released Thursday morning. The new app offers free access to more than 1100 TED talks and includes mobile-specific features like offline viewing as well as a special audio mode to give people on their morning commute or during their workout a way to enjoy TED without having their eyes on the screen.

TED’s Android app first showed up online a few days ago, but the final version was published Wednesday. It comes four months after the conference maker released an iPhone app with similar features. That app has since been downloaded more than one million times, according to a TED spokesperson.

TED has been on a roll in recent days, announcing a number of significant initiatives:

  • TED-ED, a new YouTube channel that features shorter, animated videos for high school students, launched Monday morning.
  • On Tuesday, TED announced an open API, making it possible for third-party developers to integrate TED talks into their own apps, as long as these are non-commercial.
  • And in case you missed it: New York Magazine recently published an excellent story about TED and some of its conference competitors.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

  • What Amazon’s new Kindle line means for Apple, Netflix and online media
  • Q4 Wrap-up: SOPA and the future of digital content
  • Updated: Forecast: global mobile subscribers, 2010–2015



GigaOM