Linebaugh Library Techblog: 07/01/14

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

3M Unveils New Smart Terminal for Libraries

3M has released a few different generations of their self-checkout systems for libraries and their latest iteration certainly will impress. It allows for many different display languages and the ability to pay fines directly on the machine. This anonymizes the entire fine process, which is done in a safe and secure environment.

The Smart Checkout system not only is able to process the payment of fines via PCI-compliant payments but also provides book discovery and customization. Libraries can employ their own branding with backgrounds, animations, logos and color scheme.

I really liked the book discovery engine that showcases similar titles to the ones you just checked out. Not only does it display books currently in the library but also ones that will be available soon. If the book you want is checked out already, you can place a hold in one click.

The cost of the smart terminals vary depending on the library, but generally costs around $15,000 to $25,000. Larger libraries will obviously need more powerful machines, while smaller ones can get away with getting a discount.

3M Unveils New Smart Terminal for Libraries is a post from: Good e-Reader

Cute Overload in Disney Tsum Tsum Game

The only thing more adorable than a Disney character, is a Tsum based on one (think Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, the Chipmunks, and Pluto in the form of soft, fluffy toys). Described as a puzzle matching and stacking game, LINE: Disney Tsum Tsum charges you with connecting the characters in 3′s. Do this effectively and you enter Fever Mode, allowing you to quickly accumulate even more points.

This objective may sound easier said than done, because every Tsum has a different skill that may require you to adjust your strategy as you play.

Once you are fully addicted to the game, a line of fully-licensed Disney merchandise is already available –so you can fill your home with the Tsum characters you have come to love (particularly the one that you have designated as your favourite)… and then join the craze of taking creative photographs of the toys and sharing them on social media.

If you are ready to get your cute on, download LINE: Disney Tsum Tsum for free now.

Cute Overload in Disney Tsum Tsum Game is a post from: Good e-Reader

Video Review – Onyx Boox T68 Lynx

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The Lynx e-reader is very much akin to the Kobo Aura HD, in terms of specs. It features a 6.8 e-Ink capacitive Ultra HD EPD display screen and a resolution of 1440×1080 pixels. Underneath the hood is a Freescale i.MX Cortex A9 1.0GHz processor and 512MB of RAM. Books are stored on the device and has 4GB of internal storage with the option to increase it via the Micro SD Card up to 64GB.

This e-reader has a front-lit display that gives the Kobo Aura and Kindle Paperwhite 2 a run for their money. Most e-readers that allow you to read in the dark end up having a blue hue that detracts away from reading. Instead, this is a brilliant white, even at full brightness.

The most compelling aspect of this e-reader is the fact it runs an open Android version of Android. It currently has 4.04 and is bundled with Google Play to install hundreds of thousands of apps.

Video Review – Onyx Boox T68 Lynx is a post from: Good e-Reader

Onyx Boox T68 Kindle App Review (Video)

So one of the big questions with the Onyx Boox T68 ebook reader is if the Kindle for Android app works on it or not. This is important because it would make it one of the only non-Kindle E Ink ereaders to officially support Kindle ebooks out of the box, with no hacking required. The […]

Washington Post: What Would Bezos Do?

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It’s no secret that newspapers as a whole are on the decline. Some of the longest-standing family-owned outlets in the country have already shuttered their doors, and the ones who are managing to stay afloat are doing so with the help of digitization efforts and an online presence. This characteristic of journalistic publishing made the news this past spring that Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, had purchased the Washington Post all that much more interesting.

The Washington Post has an interesting history in its own right, one that includes the fame of bringing down a US President with its involvement in exposing the Watergate scandal. But according to an article about the paper in the Columbia Journalism Review, the Post has done little else since then to stay on top of the newspaper publishing market.

And that’s supposed to be where Jeff Bezos comes in. The man who built an empire out of selling stuff online did so by sticking to the concept that today’s work is never good enough, so there are those who are anxious to see how that translates into the future for an entity that is built on yesterday’s news.

According to the CJR, Bezos was the one who was approached about buying the paper for the simple reason that he could afford to, and because he had the digital know-how to bring the paper back to some measure of relevance. The owners at the time, an almost century-old family enterprise, knew they had a sinking ship on their hands if they didn’t catch up to what the rest of the digital publishing industry was doing, namely making the switch to digital subscriptions and app-based news opportunities like Press Reader or Zinio.

One of the big obstacles for the Post to overcome will be its narrow focus. Known as a Washington insiders’ look and the top-notch source of news that related to the small world of politics, that model isn’t going to be enough for Bezos. The man who morphed from selling books to publishing books to selling diapers, groceries, and hardware isn’t going to be content with a narrow focus like the Post’s. Fortunately, that focus is already shifting, and the paper is hiring.

One thing is certain, and that if anyone is qualified to bring a publishing outlet–even a journalism outlet–into the future, Bezos is the man to do it. What remains to be seen is whether or not he will cut his losses and close its doors, or if the paper will even resemble its historic ancestors once he’s finished with it.

Washington Post: What Would Bezos Do? is a post from: Good e-Reader

The American Library Association Annual 14 – In Pictures

The American Library Association Annual conference in Las Vegas is wrapping up and Good e-Reader was live on the scene. We checked out all of the emerging trends for the modern digital library, such as pay per use and the rise of audiobooks. Simon and Schuster rolling out their nationwide plan was also the topic of heavy conversation.

Did you miss ALA 14? You can get a sense on how the event was by checking out some of the pictures we took.