Amazon Acquires Lexcycle

Amazon.com has acquired Lexcycle, makers of electronic book reader Stanza. Lexcycle revealed the purchase on its Web site Monday afternoon.

Stanza is a desktop and iPhone application that allows users to download and read ebooks in multiple formats. Currently Stanza supports Adobe PDF, EPUB format, the XML-based standard format and support for Adobe's eBook content protection technology, allowing users to purchase commercially published eBooks.

Of course, one of the features that would have attracted Amazon is Stanza's ability to export PDFs, Word documents and other eBooks for the Kindle. Once exported the ebooks can be placed on the Kindle and read like any other eBook.

Stanza on the Mac also has the ability to export books as an MP3 file and then added to iTunes as an audio book.

Stanza has more than 1.3 million users in 60 countries, according to the company's Web site. With the acquisition by Amazon, Stanza users may think that the app will change significantly, but Lexcycle says not to worry.

"We are not planning any changes in the Stanza application or user experience as a result of the acquisition," the company said on its Web site. "Customers will still be able to browse, buy, and read ebooks from our many content partners. We look forward to offering future products and services that we hope will resonate with our passionate readers."