| A new leaked roadmap of Blackberry's upcoming devices has appeared online, which provides us with a glimpse of what to expect from the Canadian manufacturer. While the credibility of the leak is debatable, the products that found mention do hold some value. Apart the Z10, there is also the Q10 QWERTY smartphone along with a phablet as well. However, what is of most interest to us is the mention of a tablet device named B10. While details are obviously missing, the B10 looks to be a rather big device with a 10 inch display. If this is true, it will be an acid test for the hardware as well as the new BB10 platform against its more established competitors, such as the iPad or the Android based Nexus 10. That said, the company's recently launched Z10 smartphone did make a strong positive impression in the world market, though there is also no denying that competing in the tablet space is an entirely different ballgame. Blackberry's earlier attempt was the PlayBook that offered a 7 inch display, but it never could make a dent in the tablet segment. While the above leak does lack an official seal of approval, a new tablet from Blackberry is well overdue. So stay tuned. Blackberry Roadmap Leaked is a post from: E-Reader News |
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Blackberry Roadmap Leaked
3 More Android Tablets with 9.7″ Retina Quality Screens
| Last week I posted about the new Archos 97 Titanium HD tablet that is among the first Android tablets to have a screen similar to that of the Apple iPad 3 and 4, with a 9.7″ display and screen resolution of 2048 x 1536. High pixel density screens like that are great for reading because [...] |
Charlotte Latin girls give a TEDx talk
| I met Tom Dubick about a year ago at Hackerspace Charlotte, NC. He teaches engineering to the girls at Charlotte Latin School, and we believe his class was the first to be using the Raspberry Pi in the United States. He and a group of his 13-year-old pupils have just given a TEDx talk called How Girls Should Serve Raspberry Pi. The girls here are presenting the projects they’ve made with Raspberry Pi over this semester, but there’s another important message here: we know that STEM subjects are not just for boys, but we should recognise that not all girls are the same, so our teaching approach is doomed if we decide that the only way to get girls into engineering subjects is to “shrink it and pink it”. Keep watching – the projects get better and better. (Rolling backpack indicator lights FTW!) |
Why Kobo and Sony Are Losing the Digital Race
| Sony and Kobo are in big trouble with their current business model of selling hardware and ebooks. The lack of meaningful content and acquisitions are making these two lag behind the competition. It is not enough anymore to merely offer ebooks as a way to gain customer loyalty and trust, these two companies have virtually no community and are trailing off on content discovery. Today, we will look at the reasons why in the next few years these and Barnes and Noble may be fade away into irrelevance. Last week Amazon acquired the book community site “GoodReads.” Many people in the industry claim that the sale was for $180 million dollars in cash and incentives to meet specific goals. Earlier in the year, Amazon also bought Voice recognition system Ivona. Amazon also purchased AbeBooks, a vendor of rare and used books from independent publishers in 2008. As part of that acquisition Amazon also got a stake in Shelfari's competitor LibraryThing, which AbeBooks had previously purchased a 40% stake in. Amazon ended up using both of these companies technologies in their X-Ray for ebooks feature that is evident in their entire line of e-readers and tablets. Also, don’t forget Audible. When Kobo emerged from its previous iteration “Short Covers,” the company has never made any meaningful acquisitions. The only company they ever bought was France based Aquafadas, which the company intends on implementing into Kobo Writing Life, to allow people to self-publish comic books. One of the drawbacks of the Kobo ecosystem is its reliance on other established social networks. It currently has integration with Pinterest, Facebook, and use the GoodReads API to pull book review information. When it first came out, the Kobo Vox used GetJar to allow people to download apps until the company reached an agreement with Google for access to Play. Kobo has an established track record of not really developing its own technologies to aid in proper content discovery, and instead exclusively uses third parties. Now to be fair, Kobo does Pulse and Reading Life as its own technologies, but Pulse remains a barren wasteland of user comments and discussion. Sony is in a more woeful position and has consistently lost market share in its core markets over the last three years. In 2011, the company accounted for 28% of all e-readers sold in Canada. In 2012, its presence diminished to 18% and in the first quarter of 2013 dropped down to 12%. The main reason Sony has fallen is the lack of new devices and a meaningful user experience. In the past, Sony would always release three new e-readers a year and for the last two years has only issued one. Sony also relies on 3rd parties for content, which often shoots them in the foot. They had an agreement with Google to hustle books directly with their PRS-T1 e-reader, but when Google changed their system and amalgamated everything into Google Play, it disallowed anyone with a Sony to buy books from the Play Store. Imagine having a new Sony e-Reader, using the device for the first time, and clicking on Google Books only to see error messages. The PRS-T2 did a little bit better of a job with Evernote and Overdrive Library lending. Sony has basically divested itself of e-readers and ebooks, but still continues to sell them and innovate its websites. Sony and Kobo might very well disappear in the next few years and see their market share in the US, Canada, and the UK decline. The reason? It’s not ebook prices or the availability of a new title, or even a free Harry Potter Book. Users tend to gravitate towards ecosystems with a meaningful experience and have software features not found anywhere else. Amazon has X-Ray, Ivona, audio dictionaries, free ebooks every month with Prime, a massive book discovery network, its own publishing company, and curated app store. Amazon is also the only company to really push audiobooks. There is a reason customers gravitate towards Amazon’s line of e-readers and tablets, because it is distinctive. I fear for the future of e-readers from companies that both manufacture their own hardware and sell the digital content. They rely too much on 3rd parties to offer an engaging social experience, without developing their own technologies or buying out established niche companies that they could incorporate into their own ecosystem. I fear the day when e-reader companies end up trying to license their technology out due to declining sales. Remember when low power display screens were the next big thing? Remember Bridgestone, Plastic Logic, Pixel QI, LG Flexible e-Paper, or Liquavista? All of these companies tries to make their own devices and ended up trying to license their technology to other companies and all failed. I fear this is the future of non-Amazon e-reader companies. What can Kobo do to remain relevant going forward in the future? I recommend buying a minority stake in Overdrive, and incorporating all of their developer SDK tools into their entire line of e-readers. This would allow anyone in Ireland, US, Canada, Australia, and other markets to borrow library ebooks for free without having to jump through a ton of hoops. I would also recommend the company buy Autography. These guys have developed a unique system that allows authors to autograph ebooks, and if paired with Writing Life,would be excellent for book tours and being able to really make their self-publishing program stand out in a crowded market. I would also recommend that Kobo bite the bullet and give Apple a percentage of every sale through its iOS apps. Apple customers tend to spend the most money on content out of any mobile operating system in the world. Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and other major companies have pulled the ability to buy books within their apps, resisting the commission Apple earns on every in-app purchase. Baseline, Kobo needs to sell more books and selling them within iOS and not the Cloud Reader is the right play. I would also recommend the company invest in Vook, and use its enhanced ebooks on the ARC and future line of tablets. It is only a matter of of time before Amazon does this. Finally, Kobo needs to develop their own social community. I mean, they don’t even have their own forums. Instead, their admin team visits popular websites like MobileRead to get feedback and interact with users. Sony, on the other hand, is in dire straights. The company’s number one priority should be hiring a proper PR agency to get the word out. Sony recently introduced a new EPUB 3 kids section to the main bookstore. It also revised its Android app to support EPUB 3. Do you think Sony informed the media about this? Nope, it did everything in stealth fashion, leaving it up to journalists to dig up the news themselves. Sony also has a monthly book club, but doesn’t promote this AT ALL! On a hardware level, Sony needs to catch up to the competition and issue an e-Ink Pearl HD display with frontlight. It also needs to BUY Evernote to streamline the software into the entire line of tablets and e-readers. I don’t think Sony realizes how committed a strong segment of people who are loyal to their e-reader brand can be. I know people that would never consider buying another device, because they love the build quality and design. Finally, Sony has no self-publishing program at all, and no way to buy indie titles. The company needs to consider buying Smashwords as their provider for these sorts of titles. The future of Sony and Kobo looks bleak unless they make moves to differentiate themselves and revitalize their product lines. The only way to do this is to buy established companies that have the technology they need to change their future. Doing everything in-house will not cut it in this day and age, it is nearly impossible to develop unique systems, when it is easier to buy an established one. Why Kobo and Sony Are Losing the Digital Race is a post from: E-Reader News |
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Barnes and Noble Offers Free eBooks and Magazines with Windows 8 App
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To find and download the free NOOK books and magazines, NOOK for Windows 8 users can simply scroll to the Popular Lists section in the app and find the “Welcome Offer” list. Customers will have to act fast to get their free copy of the modern classic, Life of Pi, which is only available to the first 100,000 customers who download the book on the NOOK app for Windows 8. To download the app, merely visit the Windows store and do a search for Nook to install it. One of the great aspects of this app in general is that it allows customers outside the UK and US to buy content. This is because all purchases are done from your Microsoft Account. “NOOK is the highest-rated reading and digital bookstore app for Windows 8, and by providing bestselling books and top magazines for free, new NOOK customers can start their digital libraries with some of the best content in the expansive NOOK Store,” said Jamie Iannone, President of Digital Products at NOOK Media LLC. “With the NOOK app for Windows 8, customers get an incredible reading experience and can choose from over 3 million NOOK Books, including 1 million free titles, as well as magazines, newspapers, and comics on any Windows 8 device.” Barnes and Noble Offers Free eBooks and Magazines with Windows 8 App is a post from: E-Reader News |
HTC Developing Windows 8 Tablet
| Reports emanating from Taiwan claim HTC is developing a new tablet device that will run the Windows 8 operating system. Details are scarce at the moment, though sources did mention the tablet will sport a HD 10.1 inch display that will pack in 1920 x 1080 pixels. That translates to a comfortable 218 pixels per inch. LG is tipped to be providing the displays while Pegatron Corporation will be assembling the device. However, both Microsoft and HTC declined to comment on the issue, which means it is still a rumor at best. HTC’s earlier attempt at the tablet segment comprised of the 7 inch HTC Flyer and the Jetstream that offered a 10 inch display. However, none failed to make a mark, which can be attributed more to the high price tag than anything else. Let’s just hope HTC does not repeat the same mistakes with its forthcoming tablet ventures. The company is already battling a low demand for its hardware and is currently engaged in an all out battle to promote sales of its current flagship smartphone, the HTC One. In fact, it is such a desperate a situation for the company that its CEO Peter Chou is said to have even put his job on the line and has promised to step down if the One smartphone does not succeed. The company already offers the Windows Phone 8X and a Windows 8 based tablet offering will be interesting, to say the least. The above image is for descriptive purpose only and may or may not bear any resemblance with the final product.
HTC Developing Windows 8 Tablet is a post from: E-Reader News |
Dark Horse Adds Two Classic Series to Digital Manga Service
| At this weekend’s SakuraCon, editor Carl Gustav Horn opened the Dark Horse panel with the announcement that it is adding two popular, long-running series to its digital service: Oh My Goddess and Blade of the Immortal. Both will debut in digital format in April. Oh My Goddess, which has been running in Japan since 1988, is the story of a college student who unwittingly summons a beautiful goddess and binds her to himself for life. Humorous complications ensue, and there are a number of multi-arc adventures, as the storyline has gotten more complicated over the years. Dark Horse started publishing it in 1994, one chapter at a time as a monthly comic, then gathered it into trade paperbacks. Dark Horse will release volume 44 in April. There is also an anime based on the series, with the slightly different title Ah! My Goddess. Blade of the Immortal is a classic samurai story about a swordsman who cannot be killed by a wound. He views his immortality as a curse and sets out to kill 1,000 evil men in order to have it lifted. Volume 26 of the series came out this month, and it was recently announced that it will come to an end in Japan with volume 30 (which will be volume 31 in the American numbering). Like Oh My Goddess, Blade of the Immortal was originally released as single-issue comics but is now published only as trade collections. Horn also announced two new licenses, New Lone Wolf and Cub and a series based on the Vocaloid character Hatsune Miku. While he didn’t say anything about digital versions of these two comics, it’s likely that both will show up on the digital service, as the original Lone Wolf and Cub is available on Dark Horse Digital and Hatsune Miku: Unofficial Hatsune Miku Mix is published in a digital-only anthology, Comic Rush, in Japan. Dark Horse Adds Two Classic Series to Digital Manga Service is a post from: E-Reader News |
Apple’s iRadio Slated for Summer Launch
| Apple's iRadio is almost a reality, and the service could be rolled out as early as this summer. Towards this, the Cupertino tech giant is reported to be in talks with several music companies and might have even made significant headway with at least two of the biggest, Universal and Warner. This marks an important development considering Universal can be considered among the last of the big names in the field to have signed up with Apple’s iCloud, while Warner wasn’t too comfy with cloud based storage until recently. A report earlier in March had mentioned that the deal is getting delayed over negotiations of the royalty fees and such. As per the report, Apple is keen to pay 6 cents per 100 songs and the music labels want it to be 21 cents, which is what the Copyright Royalty Board has stipulated for companies that don’t support their own broadcast operations. Pandora pays 12 cents per 100 songs while Spotify pays at the rate of 36 cents. No doubt Apple has made good use of its clout and bargaining tactics to arrive at a much lower rate. All of this can however make things a tad tougher for the likes of Spotify and other small time companies, while Google will likely emerge as Apple’s biggest competitor in the field of online music streaming. Google is also said to have reached a hush-hush deal with Warner that would provide music streaming services via Youtube. So its a musical summer we are looking forward to, it seems.
Apple’s iRadio Slated for Summer Launch is a post from: E-Reader News |
Iain and Seb from Creative Coding interview Eben
| What were you doing for the Bank Holiday on Friday? Eben cycled 15 miles to have a meeting, then cycled home to do a Google Hangout interview with the guys from Creative Coding, all before I’d even got out of my pyjamas. Here it is: lots of interesting stuff here, including a low-bandwidth and somewhat pixellated Mooncake at around 33 minutes in, who causes Eben to scream girlishly as she extends all her claws and proceeds to climb his…leg. |
Freading Library Platform Adds New Content
| While libraries still struggle to provide digital content for lending to its patrons and publishers still feel the need to examine all the ramifications of allowing patrons to borrow their bestselling–and sometimes, even back list–titles on their digital devices, some companies are working to change the concept behind the lending all together. Library Ideas‘ ebook lending platform Freading, which will be upgrading next month to include new content and new publishers, is an entirely different take on the concept of book borrowing. Close in nature to concepts like Amazon Prime, in which members have a pre-determined number of ebook checkouts for one annual membership price, Freading allows libraries to allot patrons virtual tokens that are exchanged for borrowable titles, tokens that are bought with actual money by the library, as opposed to a flat subscription price for using the catalog. The cost of a title is determined based on the publication date of the title. A new release typically costs the equivalent of around two dollars to borrow, and it is removed from the device after a two-week checkout period. Update: Brian Downing, CEO of Library Ideas, reached out to GoodEReader with clarification of the token model for ebook checkouts. The libraries incur the cost for the patron checkouts, much as they would assume the cost for a subscription to a lending catalog, only in the case of Freading, libraries only pay per circulation for a title. Additionally, libraries have unlimited simultaneous access to titles, eliminating the waiting list that frustrate so many digital patrons. One issue that Freading has struggled with, and which has been addressed for the upgrade on April 12th, is book discovery. Unlike some library platforms that use subscription-based limitations to keep prices affordable for libraries of all sizes, all of Freading’s catalog is available to its member libraries. This can lead to issues with search and discovery, but Freading has incorporated search headings in this new edition, especially popular seasonal headings, that make it easier to filter searches for books. To date, around 1500 library systems have signed on to use Freading’s lending platform, along with more than 850 publishers.
Freading Library Platform Adds New Content is a post from: E-Reader News |
Friday, March 29, 2013
BeWrite Books to Close March 31st
| BeWrite Books launched at the turn of the millennium as a publisher of exclusive, new, and high-quality fiction and nonfiction. It releases at least a dozen titles a year in paperback, each covered by an ebook edition. It also releases three sole-author poetry collections each year. By the end of 2011, BB had brought more than 250 exclusive new titles to recognized and international publication. The company shifted into an ebook only distribution model in 2012 and saw 30 new books a year being printed. The company announced today that it was shuttering its business model and closing all operations on March 31st. The website has the following statement: “We worked incredibly hard with a dedicated and passionate professional in-house team and some of the most gifted writers imaginable. We were ahead of the game for so long, surviving on tireless labour, wits, cooperation, friendship, love of the art … and hope. But recent market forces beyond our control force us to call a halt and – sadly and most reluctantly – wind down to a spring closure. Our job now is to find effective and prestigious new publishers for BB-published titles and to assist those BB authors who choose to take the self-publishing route. We're working flat-out on that and are succeeding in keeping works alive. But it's dispiriting and often heart-breaking to now count our every loss a success.” BeWrite Books to Close March 31st is a post from: E-Reader News |
The Amazon Kindle Touch Back in Stock in the US
| Amazon has quietly reintroduced the Kindle Touch e-Reader on their main US website but is not internationally. This was the last fully functional device the company released that had speakers and support for audiobooks. It is available with Special Offers and 3G, there is also refurbished models available, but you have to dig through the website to find them. The Amazon Kindle Touch is relevant again with a recent firmware update that mirrors the UI of the Paperwhite. The older iterations of the Kindle did not really have a proper homescreen, it would list the books in text form. With the new update you now have cover art and personalized reading recommendations. With the Kindle Touch, you basically have the same experience as the Paperwhite gives you, minus the illuminated screen. The Amazon Kindle Touch Back in Stock in the US is a post from: E-Reader News |
Google to Name Its Unified Messaging Service ‘Babel,’ Not ‘Babble’
| We all know Google is in the process of launching a unified messaging service that would serve to bring all its diverse chat options (like Voice, Gtalk, and G+ messenger) under one big umbrella. However, while we were informed is will be called Babble, Droid-Life is reporting that the name is actually Babel. Babel as a name is perfect for the intended service it is going to represent. As for its features, Droid-Life reports it would allow a cross platform messenger experience as the service will not only be compatible with iOS, Android, Chrome, Google+, and Gmail, but will also enable one to carry on with the chat seamlessly across platforms and devices. Among the expected features, Babel is believed to include a new conversation UI, the ability to post images, an advanced group conversation facility, as well as better notifications across devices. However, there still is no word on when Babel is going to be launched, though that is likely to happen at the upcoming Google I/O conference to be held May 15-17, 2013.
Google to Name Its Unified Messaging Service ‘Babel,’ Not ‘Babble’ is a post from: E-Reader News |
Kindle Fire to Now Accommodate Video-Enhanced eBooks
| A release from ebook developer Vook today announced that Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet will now accommodate embedded videos in ebooks, which is long-awaited news for authors who have until now not been able to promote and sell their titles on one of the largest retail platforms for ebooks. Matthew Cavnar, VP of Business Development for Vook, spoke with GoodEReader today about what this means for authors and enhanced ebook customers. “Amazon always said they were committed to [it], and they were true to their word. They released the update today, and it shows that consumer demand was there for the product. It’s been available on the iPad and iPhone and the Amazon Kindle for iPad app all along, but the number one request we got from authors was, ‘When will my book be available for my Amazon Kindle device?’” Now, the Amazon tablet has basically caught up with the rest of the tablet market in terms of devices that were already enabled for video enhanced ebooks, titles that haven’t been as huge yet because this single missing piece wasn’t available. “Even if it’s just one Amazon device, people want to know that Amazon supports their vision and that readers have an option for video-enhanced ebooks. The Nook tablet actually plays video enhanced ebooks now, so this is another competitive advantage for Amazon.” But given the time and financial investments involved in creating the actual videos to embed within their ebooks, is this really a lucrative move for authors? “Now, Amazon also provides up to 60% of sales of ebooks and iBookstore is another strong marketplace. We’ve built a platform that makes it very cost effective to get a video into your ebook, which means that suddenly the solution that we’ve been built to provide has a whole other compelling reason to do it. The price is not prohibitive for an individual author, and I would think that the marketplace that has opened up with the Kindle Fire allows authors to see the larger marketplace and channels as worthwhile when setting their budgets for their books.” One of the first authors to be standing ready for this development is Elle Lothlorien, who is currently in production of a video-enhanced ebook. “It was just a matter of time before Amazon went in this direction,” she said in an interview today. “A video for an ebook that was developed as an ePub for Nook or iPad, when the readers saw it the video would simply play within the book. The Amazon mobi platform didn’t support that, so you would have to have a link that took you out of the book to a video somewhere, then that reader would have to come back to the book. You don’t want to take the reader out of your book.” Vook is now ramping up production of the titles that have been ready to go, waiting for this news from Amazon. “We’re going to be putting more emphasis on authors who are working on exploring this option. It’s exciting for authors because the largest player in the game has now opened up to video enhanced ebooks, and we’re ready to help them get onto these devices.”
Kindle Fire to Now Accommodate Video-Enhanced eBooks is a post from: E-Reader News |
Are Smaller Windows 8 Tablets on the Way?
| Microsoft has quietly changed the minimum display requirement for manufacturers to place the Windows 8 logo on their products. While earlier it would require a display to have a minimum of 1366 x 768 pixels to justify its association with Windows 8, the same has now been reduced to 1024 x 768 at a depth of 32 bits. This could pave the way for manufacturers to start offering smaller tablets with 7 or 8 inch displays running Win 8. While there is no stopping tablet makers from launching a smaller tablet with a 1366 x 768 display, 7 inch tablets with that resolution are often prohibitively expensive and don’t do well on the market. Most tablets in this genre boasts of a cheap price tag of around $199 or so. No wonder there haven’t been any Win 8 tablets so far that offer a display of less than 10.1 inches. However, before we start to celebrate the prospect of smaller and hopefully cheaper tablets running Win 8, there will be a few compromises to be made. We may have to give up on a few unique features. These include Windows Snap, which enables two Windows Store apps to be viewed simultaneously. Microsoft has stated in its Windows Certification Newsletter that all companies that wish to make the best of the changed scenario will have to clearly mention what features their devices will not be able to support. The Win 8 operating system has given birth to a whole new segment of hybrid tablet devices, which are tablets with attachable keypad units that combine to form a notepad. Typically, they also cost much more than what the average tablet buyer would like to spend. Also, with the focus seemingly shifting towards the smaller tablets, which are a lot more affordable and portable, Microsoft would be stupid not to create a presence in that market. What remains to be seen now is how manufacturers respond to the scenario. HP, Acer, Asus, Lenovo, and others have all launched low cost Android tablets and maybe a Windows 8 version is next. Word on the street is that a smaller Win 8 based tablet from Barnes & Noble might also be in the making. Or maybe a low cost version of the Surface tablets with a 7-8 inch display. However, what is almost a surety is that manufacturers will most likely wait till Microsoft launches the nest Windows iteration, Blue, before venturing in the low cost Windows 8 tablet game. Microsoft Blue is due out this summer.
Are Smaller Windows 8 Tablets on the Way? is a post from: E-Reader News |
HP Slate 7 Shipment Pushed Back to June
| HP had earlier gone to town trumpeting its low cost Android tablet the Slate 7 will be launched in April. However, that does seem to the case anymore as the shipping date has now been pushed back to June. That is the date that HP is now mentioning on its website as the likely launch period for the Slate 7. Interestingly, the tablet has already paid its customary visit to the FCC though there is still some waiting to be endured in between. As for the tablet, we all know the Slate 7 will pack in a dual core 1.6 GHz Rockchip RK3066 ARM Cortex-A9 chip, a 1 GB RAM, 8 GB of storage and a 7 inch 1024 x 768 pixel display. The tablet will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and will also include a microSD card slot, front and rear cameras along with access to the Google Play Store. Sure the specs are not expected to turn heads around though HP is banking on a super cheap price tag of $169 to do that. Also, with such cheap tablet becoming dime a dozen these days, HP will also like to make the best of its star stature to lure in buyers. Reaching markets early is also of equal importance as such cheap devices usually have a very short life span.
HP Slate 7 Shipment Pushed Back to June is a post from: E-Reader News |
Samsung Developing 8 Inch Tablet to Take on iPad Mini
| Samsung is reported to be developing a new 8 inch tablet to take on the iPad Mini or Nexus 7. This will be in addition to the Galaxy Note 8.0 the company unveiled at the MWC in February, the pricing for which is still being withheld. Also, according to Sammobile, the tablet will sport a HD AMOLED display that will put it in a better position against the upcoming iPad Mini, which is also expected to carry a retina display. The company was earlier rumored to be working on a 10.1 inch tablet featuring a HD AMOLED display, though the emphasis seems to have shifted to the smaller 8 inch version right now. Also, the 8 inch tablet is likely to be launched at the upcoming IFA event in September, though the bigger 10 inch version will also be up for display, if not ready for launch. Then there also is a tablet in the offing from the South Korean manufacturer that can be considered to be a competitor to the Nexus 10. The biggest USP of the 10 inch Nexus is its resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, which is the highest on any tablet currently available. The last time Samsung has launched a tablet featuring an AMOLED display was the Galaxy Tab 7.7. While specs are anybody’s guess right now, the tablet will assuredly sport a quad core chip and Android Jelly Bean as the OS with maybe a 2 GB RAM. A stylus can be ruled out as Samsung has kept it exclusive to its Note series of devices. It is also likely that Samsung will keep two lines of tablet series, the Galaxy Tab as well as the Galaxy Note. Finally, if Samsung is indeed in the process of developing a new 8 inch tablet to put up against the iPad Mini, it will probably be cheaper in an attempt attempt to undercut the next gen mini iPad. Stay tuned for further updates.
Samsung Developing 8 Inch Tablet to Take on iPad Mini is a post from: E-Reader News |
Amazon Owns Goodreads… What Now?
| So far, the official press releases and arranged interviews about Amazon’s purchase of Goodreads have had a chance to make their way to the news front. An equal number of readers, if not more, have taken to social media to share their concerns and criticisms. But one surprising response has come from industry insider Mark Coker, the CEO and founder of Smashwords. Coker responded to several questions from GoodEReader about what this may mean for publishers, authors, and reading consumers. When asked about how a deal like this stands to have an impact on the all-important status of book discovery, Coker felt that this was actually a positive opportunity for for book fans. “This is a brilliant acquisition for Amazon, for a few reasons,” explained Coker. “It allows Amazon to forge closer relationships with customers and indie authors alike. This is important, because customers and indie authors ARE the future of publishing. In customer and author-recruitment, Amazon just gained an advantage. It prevents Goodreads from falling into the hands of a competitor. It gives Amazon a multi-year advantage in discoverability. Between Amazon and Goodreads, I don’t think any other retailer will have access to such a depth of discoverability information. It means Amazon has better data by which to match readers with books they want to read, and better data for identifying books that deserve merchandising promotion. It means Amazon will have better data to make customers happy, and better data to sell more books, which makes authors and publishers happy. Goodreads controls the eyeballs of millions of readers, so these are eyeballs Amazon can start funneling in the direction of Amazon. I see a lot of opportunity for Goodreads to integrate Amazon buylinks everywhere, and the opportunity for Amazon to integrate Goodreads reviews and social aspects of Goodreads into Amazon.” One of the key concerns readers have had at both Amazon and Goodreads, and will undoubtedly continue to cause concern under the new partnership, is the validity of book reviews in a climate where accusations have been hurled about paid reviews, trolls, and worse. Coker actually expressed optimism that by working together, Amazon and Goodreads would actually support the opportunity for genuine reviewing. “This is a win for both Amazon and Goodreads. I don’t have any criticism for either of them on the reviews front. Since they’re two of the most popular sites for book discovery, it means they’re going to be the biggest targets of those who try to game the reviews. If anything, Amazon will now have more data to draw upon, which will give them a better ability to detect, isolate and remove the gamers. For example, if a book averages 3 stars with 100 reviews at Goodreads, and a swarm of 20 5-star reviews come in at Amazon, they’ll know something’s amiss because the Goodreads data suggests that’s NOT a 5-star book.” Coker’s most supportive reaction, however, was reserved for consumers and readers who may not be quite as optimistic about Amazon’s buyout as other entities might be. After all, some of the more instantaneous criticisms of the news were that Amazon is once again building up its “evil empire” status by buying up one of the most well-known book discovery sites. “On the immediate front, I think we’ll see some changes. Sony and Kobo are in a tough bind, because they use Goodreads reviews. Goodreads, a trusted partner, has now become Goodreads the fox in the hen house. There’s no way to sugar-coat the gravity of their problem. These retailers have lost control of their reviews. It means Amazon owns these reviews, and any branding benefit Amazon’s competitors give Goodreads – or any valuable customers they turn on to Goodreads – only benefits the one company (Amazon) who’s working so hard to put these very retailers out of business. These retailers need to quickly wean themselves off of Goodreads. It won’t be easy, because without Goodreads, they’ll have a lot of books with few or no reviews. They’ll have weaker discoverability. Every day that Kobo and Sony continue with Goodreads is another day they help Amazon’s discoverability data while neglecting their own. “Luckily for Apple and B&N, they own their own reviews. “Longer term, we’ll see tighter integration between Goodreads and Amazon. We’ll see Amazon begin to squeeze out competing buylinks to other retailers. It’s inevitable that Amazon will start neutering or disadvantaging the buy links to their competitors. If they keep them, they’ll probably add a toll over and above the normal affiliate relationships. This means Amazon stands to gain an ever-increasing share of each book dollar’s pie, even if the books are sold at Amazon competitors. From the perspective of authors who benefit from Goodread’s discovery, these authors will probably see increased integration with KDP, and possibly increased incentives to enroll their books in KDP Select, Amazon’s exclusive program. Imagine, for example, if KDP Select authors were offered increased discoverability at Goodreads as a perk for KDP Select enrollment. This could further tilt the playing field in Amazon’s favor, and hobble competing retailers’ ability to attract books from indie authors. “So today is a great day for Amazon, and a well-deserved reward for the incredible team at Goodreads. But for Amazon’s competing retailers, it’s not a happy day. “The acquisition may also cause Amazon’s competitors to reevaluate their own merger and acquisition strategy as it pertains to discoverability, and customer and author recruitment. I’ve got to think that B&N, Apple and Kobo are wishing they had snagged Goodreads first, if only to keep them away from Amazon.”
Amazon Owns Goodreads… What Now? is a post from: E-Reader News |
Wot no comments?
| As you may have noticed, we’re having a bit of trouble with the comments facility on the website at the moment. (The problem is being caused by our new load balancer.) We’re working on it – we hope to have comments available again by tomorrow! |
Raspberry Pi for Dummies
| The name Mike Cook echoes around the corridors of Pi Towers every now and then when we make awed conversation about our hardware heroes. Mike used to write a column called Body Building for Micro User magazine back in the days of the BBC Micro, in which he’d create hardware projects that made kids like me swoon at the sheer potential of those GPIO pins at the back of the Beeb’s casing. (The Beeb’s exposed GPIO was a big influence in the design of the Raspberry Pi.) Mike was an early adopter of the Pi, and you’ll have seen several posts here featuring his otherworldly Pi hardware hacks. (The solonoid glockenspiel and the first persistence of vision project we ever saw for the Pi were both Mike’s – see this tag for all the posts on this blog featuring Mikestuff.) I thought Mike had been quiet for a bit. We hadn’t heard much from him in the last few months: turns out that this was because he was busy with the whizz-bang hardware section of Raspberry Pi for Dummies, the rest of which was written by Sean McManus. If you are even slightly interested in learning about hardware (and having fun with it), you should run to your nearest bookshop right now. Here are some videos to give you a taster of the sort of hardware projects you’ll be able to make with the book:
This second video is only the start of the potentiometer fun – you’ll end up making something that looks an awful lot like an Etch-a-Sketch. Sean McManus, by the way, who wrote all the non-hardware bits of the book, is also someone I’ve chatted with by email in the past about Pi – and he’s someone to whom I owe a vote of thanks for another excellent book he wrote, this time in the Older & Wiser series. His iPad for the Older & Wiser has saved me many, many hours of shouting “No! Touch the blue thing that looks like an A!” down the phone at my Dad, clearing time to have lovely fatherly/daughterly conversation instead, for which we are all grateful. So if you’re looking for an addition to your Raspberry Pi library, Raspberry Pi for Dummies comes highly recommended. Thanks to Sean, Mike and all at Wiley for your work on the Pi – we really appreciate it! |
BlackBerry Fourth Quarter Results Revealed, 370k PlayBooks, 1m Z10s Sold
| Blackberry just came out with its Q4 numbers which, it must be said contains all the elements of a brilliant comeback after what everyone had thought is almost over with the company. Revenue earned during the period stands at $2.7 billion which is a nice thing though a bit less than the expected $2.8 billion. Blackberry had also sold 6 million smartphones in the quarter of which, almost a million were Z10s that run the latest Blackberry 10 operating system. A total of 370,000 PlayBook tablet devices also found buyers during this quarter, which clearly shows the beleaguered tablet continues to linger on even in the presence of its more illustrious competitor. The company however has lost 3 million subscribers during the time so that its total consumer base now stands at 76 million worldwide. The same for the last 2 successive quarters stands at 79 and 80 million. “We have implemented numerous changes at BlackBerry over the past year and those changes have resulted in the Company returning to profitability in the fourth quarter,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO. “With the launch of BlackBerry 10, we have introduced the newest and what we believe to be the most innovative mobile computing platform in the market today. Customers love the device and the user experience, and our teams and partners are now focused on getting those devices into the hands of BlackBerry consumer and enterprise customers.” Also this would be the last quarter where Blackberry has a presence of its erstwhile BB OS7 platform. It's more modern and capable BB10 platform launched early this year has taken over the reins and though it's just the Z10 that the company can flaunt right now to be based on the new OS, more are in the pipeline. This also includes a successor to the PlayBook as well though the company is yet to acknowledge it officially. Meanwhile, the forst gen PlayBook tablets will be provided with an update that will enable them to run the new BB10 OS. Heins added, “As we go into our new fiscal year, we are excited with the opportunities for the BlackBerry 10 platform, and the commitments we are seeing from our global developers and partners. We are also excited about the new, dynamic culture at BlackBerry, where we are laser-focused on continuing to drive efficiency and improve the Company’s profitability while driving innovation. We have built an engine that is able to drive improved financial performance at lower volumes, which should allow us to generate additional benefits from higher volumes in the future.” A breakdown of the revenue earned reveals 61 percent from hardware, 36 percent from services and 3 percent from software and other revenue sources. Also in another significant development, Blackberry CEO Mike Lazaridis who has been associated with the company for the past three decades will step down with effect from May 1 this year. “With the launch of BlackBerry 10, I believe I have fulfilled my commitment to the Board,” Lazaridis said. “Thorsten and his team did an excellent job in completing BlackBerry 10. We have a great deal of which to be proud. I believe I am leaving the company in good hands. I remain a huge fan of BlackBerry and, of course, wish the company and its people well.”
BlackBerry Fourth Quarter Results Revealed, 370k PlayBooks, 1m Z10s Sold is a post from: E-Reader News |
Neelie Kroes Wants to Make Europe the Home of eBooks
| In 2010, Neelie Kroes became the Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda for Europe. She has been a staunch advocate of eBooks and their accessibility for all citizens. She gave a talk in Salon du Livre, yesterday on the future of publishing in Europe. Publishing in Europe has a long and storied history, for hundreds of years many companies have been in business producing some of the great literary works. Modern companies are facing a crisis because they are failing to adapt to the digital landscape that is starting to catch on in a big way. She mentioned “I know some see the advent of digital as a threat to the sector. But for me the biggest risk is that we fail to take advantage of new possibilities. Unless we embrace the future, the sector will for sure fall behind, overtaken by more forward-looking and dynamic parts of the world; overtaken by those who can look ahead and grasp the future. Then we will let down our economy, our people, and our cultural heritage. And as it stands we are not sufficiently taking advantage. We are not taking enough risks. In the US, eBooks are about one quarter of book sales; in only one European country does that figure go above 2%.” Europe currently has a number of avenues for the general public to access eBooks via Europeana. This is Europe’s online cultural gateway, people can access over 26 million exhibits, including books, from over 2,000 institutions like libraries and archives. The Orphan Works Directive also provides a god framework for getting more content online Neelie thinks that publishers have to think bigger then they are.”When competing with the American giants, piecemeal national initiatives won’t cut it. We need to think European to compete globally. Specifications and standards can help: for example, by supporting interoperability and portable eBooks. ePub is just one example. Most readers expect to be able to access their books in whichever country they are, and on whatever device they choose; if European publishers can’t meet those expectations, consumers will vote with their wallets; or go to the big American companies who can offer that kind of scale.” European licensing remains a murky issue, for hundreds of years publishers have been printing books in their own countries and seldom exporting. Most scenes in France, Spain and Germany don’t translate that well to other countries and seldom do they see localization for your average title. Being able to market your books and gain the necessary permissions of the publishers to sell digital content to any country in Europe is something the industry has to strongly consider to develop a cohesive solution. There is also many different variations of VAT. Neelie elaborated on the role that VAT tax in Europe plays a role in the current state of publishing and what it means going forward. “Globally, according to one study, the number of countries providing a VAT exemption or reduced rate to eBooks rose significantly, around 50%, over just three years. But not in Europe. Because in Europe we continue, for the most part, to charge the higher rate of VAT for eBooks; even when paper books enjoy a reduced rate. The EU Commission is obliged to enforce EU law. But that does not mean we all agree with it, or think it needs to stay as it is.” She went on to say “The VAT system is changing. From January 2015, it has already been agreed that the rule will be the "country of destination" principle. That is highly relevant for e-Books; and we will work with booksellers next year to develop guidance on this. Even more importantly, the intention is for the subsequent system to align VAT rates applied to print books and eBooks. But – as with all tax decisions – member states will need agree, unanimously. I think such a change would be good for our publishing sector; good for an education system increasingly trying to go digital; and good to remove artificial market distortions. After all, it is common sense that the same rules should apply to same products. I support such a consistent, non-discriminatory tax regime for paper and e-publications; and so does the OECD” The London Book Fair is right around the corner and it will be interesting to see the continued presence of digital this year and how companies are going to take advantage of a virgin landscape. There is a ton of business models that are available, that no one is doing. Such as informing a user in France when an eBook from Germany just came out. Unless you belong to that specific German eBook site, you will never know. Neelie Kroes Wants to Make Europe the Home of eBooks is a post from: E-Reader News |
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Apple Cutting iPad Mini Shipments in Q2 2013
| Apple is reported to have set in motion plans to cut production of its iPad Mini in the second quarter this year, a move which industry experts believe could be a way to herald in the new gen iPad Mini. On the cards is a 20 percent cut in production of the iPad Mini in April followed by more later on. In fact, the report carried at Digitimes claims Apple plans to bring down iPad Mini shipments down to just 10 million in the quarter. However, it's not known for sure if the plan to cut production can be attributed entirely to the coming of a new iPad Mini or from increased competition from the new budget tablets launched in the past month or so. In fact, there is a whole new segment that has come up with prices ranging below the $199 mark which at one time was considered the lowest a tablet can sell for. Also notably, it's the biggies in the business such as HP, Acer, Asus and the likes that have launched tablets in the ultra low price bracket. Then there also is the Galaxy Note 8.0 from Samsung that is believed to provide some stiff competition to the iPad Mini if its priced right. Apple CEO Tim Cook though has cautioned it would be unwise to make too much about reports of production cuts stating that the company typically sources its components from various manufacturers so that such data from supply chain sources cannot always offer a true picture of the real scenario.
Apple Cutting iPad Mini Shipments in Q2 2013 is a post from: E-Reader News |
Zinio Announces Nokia Lumia Exclusive Magazine App
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We're delighted to bring Zinio's leading app experience to Nokia Lumia smartphones with Windows Phone 8,” said Bryan Biniak, VP for Global Partner & App Development at Nokia. “Our ClearBlack phone displays are packed full of technology that delivers an enhanced viewing and reading experience in all conditions, be that at home or out and about on a sunny day.” Michelle Bottomley, President of Zinio, states, "Nokia Lumia smartphones with Windows Phone 8 were the perfect platform for Zinio to bring the future of digital magazine reading for discerning digital readers. We've rethought every portion of our smartphone reading experience to be as intuitive as possible, allowing digital readers to fully immerse themselves in the magazine content that connects them with their diverse interests." Zinio Announces Nokia Lumia Exclusive Magazine App is a post from: E-Reader News |
Amazon Set to Acquire Goodreads
| Today Amazon announced something that I’m surprised didn’t happen a long time ago. Amazon is set to acquire Goodreads, pending various closing conditions. With over 16 million members and over 30,000 book clubs on their website, Goodreads.com is one of the best places to go for personalized reading recommendations and to discuss and review books, [...] |
Amazon Announces the Acquisition of Goodreads
| Amazon has announced today that the company will acquire eBook discovery and social community site Goodreads. The entire deal will be finalized sometime during the second quarter of 2013 and all staff and the headquarters will be property of Amazon. Goodreads was founded in 2007 and currently has over 16 million members and over 30,000 bookclubs. Users have added 530 million books to their shelves and written more than 23 million reviews. The website has been the leading indie authority of discovering new books and many authors belong to the site. Over just the past 90 days, Goodreads members have added more than four books per second to the "want to read" shelves on Goodreads. "Amazon and Goodreads share a passion for reinventing reading," said Russ Grandinetti, Amazon Vice President, Kindle Content. "Goodreads has helped change how we discover and discuss books and, with Kindle, Amazon has helped expand reading around the world. In addition, both Amazon and Goodreads have helped thousands of authors reach a wider audience and make a better living at their craft. Together we intend to build many new ways to delight readers and authors alike." "Books – and the stories and ideas captured inside them – are part of our social fabric," said Otis Chandler, Goodreads CEO and co-founder. "People love to talk about ideas and share their passion for the stories they read. I'm incredibly excited about the opportunity to partner with Amazon and Kindle. We're now going to be able to move faster in bringing the Goodreads experience to millions of readers around the world. We're looking forward to inspiring greater literary discussion and helping more readers find great books, whether they read in print or digitally." "I just found out my two favorite people are getting married," said Hugh Howey, best-selling author of WOOL. "The best place to discuss books is joining up with the best place to buy books – To Be Read piles everywhere must be groaning in anticipation." Amazon Announces the Acquisition of Goodreads is a post from: E-Reader News |
Meet the Staff: Amy
Meet Amy, one of the few people on staff that came to us directly from the traditional classroom setting.  |
France Helps Out Its Bookstores, Can the US Follow?
| In the climate of digital-versus-print publishing and the effects that ebooks and online retailers can have on the bookselling industry, France is taking some very determined steps to ensure that its physical bookstores remain open. According to an article in The Bookseller, new budget allowances from the government are making funds possible for loans for bookstores who need assistance, along with several other financial measures intended to prevent the demise of both chain and independent stores. Additionally, there are plans in place to mandate mediators for use in settling disputes, as this could prove to be far less costly in the long run than the expectation of high legal fees. Obviously, the reactions to the new initiatives range from cautiously optimistic to highly favorable with bookstore owners and the parent associations over the retail book industry, but might not be as lauded by publishers, mostly where mediation has been proposed. In the meantime, there is hope that the several million euros that have been proposed to help ensure the survival of the bookstores will prevent situations like the collapse of Borders and other bookstores in the US. Unfortunately, proposals such as the one by the French Cultural Ministry aren’t likely to take hold in the US to prevent the closing of more bookstores. First, the US doesn’t have a cultural ministry to oversee and protect the interests of reading consumers and to recognize the value that bookstores have for society. Geographically, with nearly fourteen times more square mileage than France, readers in the US suffer from being so spread out that customers who don’t live in major cities are already feeling the effects of losing their local bookshops, and government initiatives aren’t going to make those bookstores closer to customers who have already found the convenience of online book purchasing. Finally, the US often takes heat from critics for its government bailouts of industries such as the airline industry and the automotive manufacturing industry, but those are businesses that the government can at least justify support our transit and shipping as well as provide more jobs for Americans than the book selling and publishing industries. If government initiatives aren’t enough to save brick-and-mortar bookstores in the US, then what will? At what point will citizens value access to books enough to continue supporting the stores, regardless of pricing, driving distances, and sheer convenience? And are digital publishing and the online retail industry to blame, or are they simply the next logical step in the evolution of technology?
France Helps Out Its Bookstores, Can the US Follow? is a post from: E-Reader News |
Guest post from Code Club: Raspberry Pi factory visit
| Liz: Do you remember those snippets of film from factories they used to show on educational kids’ shows when we were little? I have a very lucid memory of an episode of Playschool which (via the arched window) took you through the making of a rubber glove, and another segment featuring the manufacture of with chocolate biscuits. The manufacturing process is fascinating for us grownups. It’s even better if you’re a kid. So Code Club took a group of kids from Saint Saviour’s School in Paddington, London to the Pi factory in South Wales. Here’s how they got on. Thanks to Nick Corston for this post, which you’ll also find at http://sscodeclub.blogspot.co.uk/. To do our bit for National Science Week we took a trip to the Sony factory in South Wales where they make the Raspberry Pi computers – in fact they make 18,000 a week. A real success story for British manufacturing.We met at Paddington and, not to waste a school day, got stuck straight into a Code Club lesson using the programming language Scratch.     Thanks to Clare and Linda at Code Club HQ for lending us a a pile of netbooks with Scratch on them. We had enough for half the group - - so while they were waiting the other half got stuck into some worksheets to prepare them for the visit.  We were delighted when a passenger getting off the train, said how perfectly well behaved the children were, which, while not the be all and end all, made us very proud of them as they’d had lots of fun on the journey but also worked very hard.   We had a quick change of train at Cardiff station, before getting a much smaller train to Pencoed, where taxis were waiting to take us to the factory (if you ever do the trip, don;t even consider walking the short distance as the dual carriageway is UNCROSSABLE and dangerous).  Then we were at the Sony factory, a massive building in the countryside where Sony used to make televisions. Now they make the best TV cameras in the world as well as Raspberry PI’s and servicing Sony electronics devices from TVs to PlayStations, PSPs and camcorders providing much needing employment for the local community. We then had a briefing all about Sony and the Raspberry Pi sat round the Sony Director’s board table.  Before entering the factory we had to put on special shoes that make sure that any static electricity in us went to the ground and not into any thing we touched, as it can damage the sensitive electronics in the factory.   We saw the Raspberry Pi production all the way through the process. We learned how the circuit boards are coated in solder and saw then the tiny pin head size components put on the boards really quickly by a robot arm. Some parts still have to be put on by hand and there is a line of ladies who do that job.  The boards then pass on to a solder bath on a conveyor belt where these components are fixed in place.  Here one of the groups poses for a photo with Mr Corston who organised the trip and was helped on the day by Ms Bennett and Mr Lee.  A real bonus of the day was a visit to a company called Wales Interactive, who Sony are helping by letting them use some of their office space. They are a games development company and we saw how they create games for the PlayStation and iPhones and Android devices. They had some great free and paid for apps – we think Ms Woodford might particularly like their cat and dog calculator app!  Dave Banner who runs the company showed us how they create illustrations that get turned into computer graphics to go into the games. A really interesting aspect of this was the role of coding and computer programming in creating games. We saw the software they use, which uses flow charts a bit like Scratch to bring the games to life. We saw how important maths is to create the equations and physics formulas to make the games as realistic as possible. Dave said they only consider employees who have worked really hard at school and been to university.  Finally on the way home the children completed a quiz sheet based on what they had learned on the day and six lucky winners got a Code Club t-shirt as a souvenir of the day.  Thanks to all the children for being so well behaved, their parents for letting them come. Mr Corston, Ms Bennett and Mr Lee for their help and Sony TEC Pencoed for their amazing hospitality. Code Club for loaning us a bunch of netbooks with Scratch on and the prize t-shirts. More photos in a slideshow here and watch this space for exciting news re a movie of the day. |