Amazon Adds HTML5 Ebooks In Kindle Format 8

Amazon is talking up the new features that it is adding to the Kindle Format 8 (KF8) upgrade for ebooks. The key feature is the support of HTML5 in the new format. That HTML5 support brings all sort of goodies with it that will make ebooks using the new KF8 format more interactive and exciting. HTML5 means support for CSS3, fixed layouts, embedded fonts, drop caps, floating elements, text on background images, lists and a bunch more.

KF8 will replace Mobi 7 and will is the format showcased on the Kindle Fire tablet. The big benefits of this new format won't be your normal ebooks. The ebooks that benefit most will be children's books and graphic novels that need lots of color and benefit from more interactivity. The update adds over 150 new formatting capabilities to the ebook bag of tricks.

There are enhancements to the Kindle Publisher tools that will let the publisher create Kindle books to take advantage of the new formatting supported in KF8. Amazon will be launching a Kindle Previewer 2 soon to allow the publisher to preview how books will look using the new format. The Kindle Fire will be the first device to support the new format and in the coming months support will be rolled out to existing apps and devices.