Google brings books to mobile users

Google has brought its Book Search service to iPhone and Android devices, giving users mobile access to millions of books.

Like the web version, users can search by title, author or subject, or can browse the list of 'featured books' and listed categories.

"One of the great things about an iPhone or Android phone is being able to play Pacman while stuck in line at the post office," said a team of Google engineers in the first post of a new Google Book Search blog. "Sometimes, though, we yearn for something more than just playing games or watching videos."

A previous agreement with authors and publishers means that users will have free access to whole books that are out of copyright, and a preview of books still in copyright.

Google Mobile Book Search can be accessed on a mobile browser at books.google.com/m