| Today Google has updated their publishing platform for eBooks published on Google Books. Starting today, you can use this new interface to upload and manage your titles. Some of the big updates include adding other users to your publisher account, view and edit book descriptions, author biographies, subject/categories, and other bibliographic information right within the interface. Remove titles from your account with a few clicks. Check out the video below for an overview of the new interface.
Google eBooks Publishing Center Updated is a post from: E-Reader News |
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Google eBooks Publishing Center Updated
Kobo to bring e-Readers and eBooks to Spain via La Central Bookstores
| Kobo has just inked a new partnership with La Central Bookstores in Spain to bring its entire next generation tablets and e-readers to the public. Starting this November readers can buy the gadgets in the bookstore or shop for them online. Kobo has been selling eBooks in Spanish since 2011 and this marks the first big bookstore partnership. Michael Tamblyn the chief Content Officer told Good e-Reader on many occasions that “you can’t simply just open up a eBook store and hope for the best. It is important to solidify ties with local bookstores, and be where the readers are, instead of being sold at specialty electronics shops.” “Partnering with La Central is an exciting proposition for Kobo,” said Michael Serbinis, CEO, Kobo. “Their commitment to building a superior catalogue of titles across a number of areas like philosophy, history, fiction, and culture is a key differentiator among booksellers and one that appeals to those Readers most passionate about the written word. Together, with Kobo’s ecosystem, we will be able to extend the La Central experience to more Readers across Spain, helping them to read any time, any place, and on any device.” “With Kobo we have found the best eReading platform for our customers,” said Antonio Ramirez, Director, La Central. “This partnership will let La Central focus on what we love – recommending great books whether they are to be read on paper or electronically.” Kobo to bring e-Readers and eBooks to Spain via La Central Bookstores is a post from: E-Reader News |
3M and Kobo Sign Partership for Paid eBooks for Libraries
| The 3M Cloud Library service has just inked a deal with Kobo to allow libraries to sell eBooks on their websites. When patrons click the BUY button, they will be taken to the Kobo Bookstore to finalize their digital book purchases. 3M will donate a portion of each book sale to the library for use in purchasing additional eBooks from the 3M Cloud Library. With library budgets under constant pressure, this additional revenue stream can be a valuable way to enhance collections. "With this program, a portion of the profits from an eBook sale will be donated to the library," said Matt Tempelis, Global Business Manager for 3M Library Systems. "Kobo is a company that stands for Readers, and as such, emerged as the ideal partner for this initiative. We are excited to work with them to support libraries through eBook purchases." The new eBook purchase program will be available to all 500 libraries that currently deal with 3M. It is poised to launch in the middle of November and should give libraries the ability to opt into the program or not. This move further solidifies that libraries are starting to act as retailers, much to the chagrin of the ALA. 3M and Kobo Sign Partership for Paid eBooks for Libraries is a post from: E-Reader News |
Hands on with the Tolino Tab 7 and 8.9
| The Tolino Group has been pushing their dedicated Shine e-Reader in the retail sector since last year. The one disadvantage they had with a singular device is not appealing to people who wanted multi-purpose tablets. Today, they sought to remedy this situation by unveiling the Tolino Tab 7 and Tolino Tab 8.9. The hope, is to compete against Amazon and Kobo’s portfolio of new devices that is hitting Germany later this month. At the event, one representative told us “”We want to close the gap to Amazon with these two tablets” The Tolino Tab 7 features a resolution of 1440 × 900 pixels at (243 dpi), while the 8.9 model has a very respectable resolution of 1920 × 1200 at (254 dpi). Both tablets run the same internal hardware with a 1.6 GHz quad-core CPU Rockchip processor, Wi-Fi, Bluetoot, microHDMI and 16 GB of internal memory which can be expanded via microSD. Only when there are differences in working memory: The tab 8.9 has 2 GB of RAM, while the the tab 7 has only 1 GB. Customers should garner around 12 hours of battery life while doing their daily tasks. In order to appeal to the widest range of customers both tablets will be running Google Android 4.2.2. They are also Google certified, which means you will be able to access Google Play and all of the official apps, such as Gmail, Maps, Google+. Both tablets will hit the market in mid-November, the prices depend on the bookseller. Thalia has the two devices are already listed and you should be able to get the seven inch edition for 180 euros and 250 euros for the 8.9. Hands on with the Tolino Tab 7 and 8.9 is a post from: E-Reader News |
Hands on with the Tolino Shine 2
| The Tolino Shine 2 e-Reader was unveiled at the Frankfurt Book Fair today and seeks to compete against Amazon and Kobo in Germany. The production and marketing of this unit is done in conjunction with Hugendubel, Thalia, Bertelsmann Club, and Deutsche Telekom. These companies are really taking the Amazon threat seriously because last year was the first time they have all banded together to try and make a go out of hardware and digital books. The Tolino Shine 2 features a six inch e-Ink Regal display screen with a resolution of 1024×758 pixels. This is the same new screen technology found on the new Kobo Aura and Kindle Paperwhite 2. This new hardware seeks to eliminate ghosting and full screen refreshes. Night owls will rejoice as this model will allow you to read in the dark with the built in front-light. You will be able to garner around seven weeks of battery life and store 2,000 ebooks on it with 4 GB of storage. If you need more memory, you can upgrade it via the Micro SD card. It will also be running on the Google Android operating system, much akin to the Sony and Nook brands. One of the big advantages of this unit is the Dropbox app that comes installed on it. You can upload your eBook collection to your account and then download any of the eBooks or audiobooks right to your reader. It is also now possible to combine the accounts of participating bookstores partners: for example, if a customer has an account with Worldview and Thalia, it can merge its contents into a singular library. Finally, a new firmware update this December will allow for the bulk purchase of collections, instead of one by one. There is a massive ebook store bundled on the device and can be accessed via WIFI. Over 350,000 titles are available in German and English. There is also 25 GB of cloud storage available to store all of the purchases you make. If you decide to shop elsewhere, you can load in any books you purchase in EPUB or PDF form via Adobe Digital Editions. Hands on with the Tolino Shine 2 is a post from: E-Reader News |
More Companies Emerge to Connect Authors with Readers on Works in Progress
 Ashleigh Gardner and Allen Lau of Wattpad. Over the course of the first two days of coverage from the CONTEC conference and the Frankfurt Book Fair, no less than four companies have spoken with Good e-Reader about a new type of reader-author interaction in which fans are able to connect with–and in some cases, collaborate on–a book while the author is still at work on the title. Each company brings their own twist to this work-in-progress publishing, but all offer similarities that have brought fans to the sites. PubSlush and LeanPub, both of whom were represented on the self-publishing panel at CONTEC yesterday, are a uniquely intentional way for authors to optimize on crowdfunding to pay for the services their books need by encouraging readers to sample the book and offer input as it is being written. Unlike popular sites like Kickstarter, both LeanPub and PubSlush reach a targeted audience that is self-selecting for book projects, as opposed to a wider variety of projects, which in turn increases their authors’ success rates. “Forty-three percent of Kickstarter projects reach their goal, but of those projects, only one percent are books,” explained Amanda Barbara, Development Director of PubSlush. One of the newer companies to appear for this form of progressive publishing option is Brazil-based Widbook. According to Creative Director Gui Damiani, “it’s a social network for readers and writers, a place that connects the author and reader. With Widbook you can publish chapter-by-chapter or the entire ebook for your network. It’s completely free, and you can customize your own digital bookshelves of the open books you have.” One of Widbook’s most compelling features is the ability to collaborate on books, both with established users or just by accepting the suggestions Widbook readers make. Any work that is incorporated from an outsider makes that person a credited collaborator on the project. “As you read the book, if you see that something is missing or there’s something that can help that author, the author accepts right away or not. If so, you become a collaborator on that book.” One of the most well-known of these types of connected platforms is Wattpad, a company that has made news recently both for its pilot program which allowed authors to solicit donations for the projects and which streamlined the route to publication with a number of publishers showing interest, including Sourcebooks, who has already signed on the read and publish young adult fiction under its Sourcebooks Fire imprint. “There are many reasons [why fans have take to Wattpad so readily], but interesting content is key,” explained Allen Lau, CEO and co-founder of Wattpad. “It’s available on mobile devices, all of the content is chapter-by-chater, and is very social.” One aspect that has made Wattpad so successful is the attitude of support between both the authors and the readers, especially in light of the fact that authors are putting their raw material out there for others to see and enjoy. “The writers on our platform are sharing stories and the audience is very thankful for getting to read it,” continued Ashleigh Gardner, Wattpad’s Head of Content. “I think what’s interesting about Wattpad is it’s like writing something on someone’s Facebook wall. It’s a much more intimate relationship with readers and they’re connected. We see overwhelmingly positive comments on the site.” “We also make an effort to make sure that [readers] post constructive criticism, but if you are really offensive or aggressive, we would issue a warning. Once you define that culture, everyone will learn from someone else. Once you have that foundation, it’s easier to keep that culture going,” added Lau about the efforts that Wattpad takes to make sure that the environment remains collaborative and supportive. Wattpad is nearly finished with a six-author pilot that allowed crowdfunding efforts to help support authors and their books, and so far has maintained a 100% success rate of authors reaching their fundraising goals.
More Companies Emerge to Connect Authors with Readers on Works in Progress is a post from: E-Reader News |
9.7″ Kindle DX on Sale for $189; 8.9″ Kindle Fire HD for $229
| It looks like Amazon is attempting to clear out some of their older devices by running a sale on the Kindle DX and 8.9″ Kindle Fire HD. Both are priced lower than ever, so beware, if you’ve got an itchy buying finger it might be too hard to resist. Kindle DX for $189 Kindle Fire […] |
DC Graphic Novels and Collections Come to ComiXology and Google Play
| In the beginning, digital comics were weirdly segmented, because different platforms had different exclusives. As those contracts expire and folks realize there’s plenty of money to be made in every channel, distribution is evening out. That’s what’s happening here: DC announced yesterday that its graphic novels and collected editions will be available via comiXology and Google Play. You might be thinking “Weren’t they always?” but that’s not the case. In fact, when DC first made its graphic novels available digitally, they were exclusive to Kindle Fire, which caused Barnes and Noble to pull the print editions from its brick-and-mortar stores, because they weren’t available on the Nook. On the other hand, comiXology and the DC app were the place to get single-issue comics until last November, when DC started putting them on the Kindle, Nook, and iBooks. Seems quaint now, doesn’t it? The expansion of platforms means that such classics as Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Sandman, and Y the Last Man are now available on comiXology and Google Play, along with collected editions of the New 52 comics that relaunched many of DC’s iconic characters and series two years ago. DC Graphic Novels and Collections Come to ComiXology and Google Play is a post from: E-Reader News |
Trajectory And Zhejiang Publishing United Group Announce Global eBook Distribution Deal
| Trajectory, Inc. and the state-owned Chinese publisher Zhejiang Publishing United have entered into a deal that will ensure greater exposure of Chinese ebook titles worldwide. The partnership was announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair and marks the largest agreement so far that will lead to exporting Chinese book titles elsewhere in the world. At the present time, it will be restricted mainly to children's books and graphic novels. “We are excited to deliver these best selling children's titles from China to Mandarin readers around the world,” said Trajectory President Jim Bryant. “This new initiative compliments our strategy to build a higher level of cross-cultural awareness as we engage, educate, and entertain the next generation of readers around the globe.” There will be about a thousand Chinese titles up for export, of which 600 will be comprised mainly of traditional Chinese children's stories, as well as classic children's stories from the west that has been translated into Chinese. Trajectory will have an additional 100 titles available for distribution later in the year. “China is one of the important publishing markets in the world and our multi-channel approach is well suited for publishers wanting to reach a global market,” said Scott Beatty, Trajectory's Chief Content Officer. “Reaching readers simply through a handful of eBook retailers is not sufficient. A multi-channel, multi-device approach serves both readers and publishers in the most efficient manner.”
Trajectory And Zhejiang Publishing United Group Announce Global eBook Distribution Deal is a post from: E-Reader News |
Ingram Adds Russia Based EE Media as its New Global Connect Partner, Will Ensure Greater Availability of Books in Russia
| Ingram Content Group today announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair they have entered into a partnership with EE Media, one of the largest publishing houses in Russia. Such an arrangement will lead to better distribution of content in Russia as well as the former Soviet countries. Russia is among the countries where ebooks have been gaining traction at an expansive rate, prompting Ingram to zero in on that country. Publishers in Russia will benefit from the deal as they will have access to “high-quality, print-on-demand book manufacturing and established relationships with the leaders in online, chain and independent booksellers and distributors in Russia and the former Soviet Union,” as stated in the press release. “Working with Ingram, more than 3,000 retail points of sale in the region will have quick and easy access to a greater selection of English language books,” stated Yevgeniy Khata, CEO, EE Media. “Where it typically took one to two months for English language books to reach consumers, now it will take 24 – 48 hours.” Mr. Khata further added, “Ingram is a true leader in the content distribution space, and we are pleased to be a part of their Global Connect program for the Russian and former Soviet Union markets.” Ingram had introduced the Global Connect program as a way to maximize potential of its printing facilities present in countries such as US, UK, Australia, and France. It has forged new partnerships with publishers and distribution channels in countries with high adoption rate of books. Further, all Global Connect partners follow the same levels of quality and specifications as laid down by Ingram's Lightning Source. "Our Global Connect network provides publishers with a comprehensive option to expand the reach of content to new global markets,” said David Taylor, Senior Vice President, Content Acquisition International, Ingram Content Group Inc. “In today’s immediate all-access world, publishers need solutions that ensure books are immediately available to people who want to buy them, and through Ingram’s proven Global Connect offer, they have a single, integrated solution to do that globally.” The above deal has also brought cheers to book sellers in Russia, something that is evident in what Denis Kotov, CEO of Bookvoed had to say. “Currently, English language books are poorly represented in Russia, but even despite this, there is healthy demand. Through the work between EE Media and Ingram, we look forward to having access to a greater number of quality English books for the consumers we serve.” Bookvoed is counted among the largest traditional book chains in Russia.
Ingram Adds Russia Based EE Media as its New Global Connect Partner, Will Ensure Greater Availability of Books in Russia is a post from: E-Reader News |
Nook Talks Devices, Self-Publishing, and Moving Forward at Frankfurt
| Good e-Reader sat down at the Frankfurt Book Fair today with Theresa Horner, Vice President of Digital Content at Barnes and Noble, to talk about the current state of the Nook division, the associated Nook Press self-publishing platform, and the upcoming affiliate drive to help authors receive an additional benefit for driving their own fans towards ebook purchases that offer a return on the transaction. One of the several interesting topics discussed was Horner’s pronouncement on the current status of the Nook division, something which the online rumor mill has alluded to more than once as a stone around Barnes and Nobles’ neck, along with rumors that the retailer is trying to unload its e-reader and tablet division. “We [Nook division] are so far from going away that it’s almost laughable,” explained Horner. “Clearly, we’re here. Barnes and Noble is 100% committed to Nook, we have stated publicly that we are going to come out with some new device products, and there’s a whole road map for that. Our teams in Palo Alto and New York are fully committed to developing new products and producing the innovative products that we’ve had to date. We’re still the strong number in the ebook market in terms of market share in the US, and we’re starting to take what we’ve learned and move it overseas. We’re learning how to be a non-US company, how to be international, and that’s why we’re here.” One of the features that Barnes and Noble was demonstrating at Frankfurt was the beta product that went live last night was a way to let non-US based authors take full advantage of Nook Press. Obstacles like paying authors in their currencies, taxes, and VAT have put up roadblocks the prevented authors who did not reside in the US from taking part in the platform to release their books for Nook. The international move will also allow authors to price their books as they choose for each market. This effort is a buildup to affording US-based authors to publish their titles in those foreign markets as well. Horner also addressed the affiliate program, specifically in terms of how affiliate status can help authors in maximizing revenue by driving their readers towards the Nook site to purchase their ebooks, mostly by making the process simpler and more streamlined. “This way we’re leveraging this huge network of authors who are out there and asking them to let the readers choose which retailer they want to go with. If you drive all your sales to one particular retailer, it’s a foregone conclusion that your entire market share will come from that retailer.” One summary statement from Horner helps explain why Nook has remained where it has, in spite of rumors and predictions about its stores and its devices. “This ebook business is still so new, for everybody involved. I think the entire market is starting to understand that you’re not going to have triple digit growth year after year, and how to turn this into a mature business.”
Nook Talks Devices, Self-Publishing, and Moving Forward at Frankfurt is a post from: E-Reader News |
Gear up for Election Day with a Good Laugh
| While it may be an off-year election, I'm sure many of you are still busy preparing for Election Day in your libraries. Whether it's passing out voter registration forms or campaigning tirelessly for an upcoming levy on the ballot, this can certainly be a crazy time of year for you and your communities. To help ease some of the stress, these books will be sure to get you in the mood for some politics while making you laugh until you cry. Click on any of the titles below to start reading a sample:
The United States Constitution promised a More Perfect Union. It’s a shame no one bothered to write a more perfect Constitution–one that didn’t trigger more than two centuries of arguments about what the darn thing actually says. Until now. Perfection is at hand. A new, improved Constitution is here. And you are holding it.
Americans are turning to popular culture to make sense of the American political system. In Homer Simpson Goes to Washington: American Politics through Popular Culture, Joseph J. Foy has assembled a multidisciplinary team of scholars to tackle common assumptions about government and explain fundamental concepts such as civil rights, democracy, and ethics.
A fun, funny, and informative guide to the weird world of American politics. How does the president get his job? How do people know who will win an election before everybody’s voted? Do the candidates hate each other? Politics are a crazy game, and with Dan Gutman teaching you the rules, you’re going to have a blast learning how to play.
All the Presidents’ Pets is the long-awaited, spine-tingling, muckraking blockbuster from political and pop culture commentator Mo Rocca–a tour de force of investigative reporting that for the first time tells the true story of who really runs America.
Leave it to the experts of the best-selling Worst-Case Scenario series to ferret out the most scandalous, dangerous, incompetent, and downright awful people to ever seek power. The most lavish palaces, the bloodiest coups, the stupidest declarations. . . . Plus all the lists, charts, maps, and profiles that have made the Worst-Case Scenario Almanacs such a success. Which country had more governments in the past 175 years—Italy or Bolivia? What ever happened to all those people who ran for vice president of the United States of America—and lost?
Rachel Somerville is a Account Specialist with OverDrive
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Narr8 Animted Book Motion App Lets Users Create, Share Content
| One of the most exciting demonstrations at today’s first day event of the Frankfurt Book Fair had to have been Narr8, the app and web-based platform that lets readers enjoy graphic and animated content from an in-house team of designers, as well as create and upload their own content using Narr8′s catalog of offerings. “Narr8 lets you create your own story, and then it gets published onto our app,” explained Narr8′s PR manager Alexis Valerio of the year-old platform. “Editor.narr8.me is the way you create and edit your work through your browser. I can select a background image, add a cover, add text, select background audio, and have a preview of what it is.” The user-generated content is currently free to read and other titles may be purchased with platform-specific currency that readers earn within the app. A program is in the works to help authors in a revenue sharing system for creating content that receives a pre-determined number of downloads. While still in private beta, over 1000 titles have been created and shared in serial format, including works of both fiction and non-fiction, educational content, and age-appropriate material for a wide variety of demographics. The pro edition will be launching soon, and Narr8 is actually collaborating with San Francisco-based Academy of Art to see what graphic art students can create with the pro version in exchange for the chance to earn a $2500 scholarship. The free app is available across most tablets and smartphones, while the content creator is solely web-based.
Narr8 Animted Book Motion App Lets Users Create, Share Content is a post from: E-Reader News |
Several Tablets and e-Readers Revealed at Frankfurt Book Fair
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One of the rumors before the event was that Tolino would get a facelift, but the European e-reader, created in a unique partnership between five different companies, not only got an update, it got two new tablet cousins. The Shine e-reader offers an ePub, PDF, and TXT file compatibility for ebooks on 4GB of internal memory, supported by an additional MicroSD card, but the two new tablets, which come in 7″ and 8.9″ screen sizes, provide a more in-depth experience with HD video and audio, additional storage, and access to over 800,000 apps through the Google Play store, all while running Android 4.2.2. The Tolino devices are due out in November. Bookeen also shared a preview of its upcoming device, also due out in time for the holidays. The device is still pending, meaning Good e-Reader was allowed to use the device and only photograph it with its cover closed. While still definitely an e-reader, this one maintains a streamlined, no-frills reading experience for people who just want portable access to books without having to carry a lot of bulk, as this one (with the cover in place) looks and feels like a good-sized greeting card. One of the more exciting devices introduced to Good e-Reader today was the Imcosys e-reader. Again, it’s a fairly lightweight device, but incorporates some exciting features like user-optional front lit display, touch screen and thumb buttons for relaxed reading, and the pre-installed Dropbox app. That app is actually quite important to Imcosys’ device, as it allows to be the only device currently on the market that lets readers share audiobooks, not just ebooks. The device also includes a browser and the ability to read ebooks of any file format, whether bought in the Imcosys store or the user’s favorite retailer. While Frankfurt has always traditionally been a rights’ fair where publishers and agents negotiated content deals, more and more companies are taking advantage of the hundreds of thousands in attendance to feature some of their new and pending projects.
Several Tablets and e-Readers Revealed at Frankfurt Book Fair is a post from: E-Reader News |
Frankfurt Book Fair Officially Kicked Off Today
| The first official day of the Frankfurt Book Fair has just come to a close, and if the remaining days are as packed with innovation and insight as today was, it will be one of the more memorable publishing events. One of the things that is setting this year’s staging apart from some of the recent years is the larger focus on digital publishing, self-publishing, and e-reading. On the digital publishing front, Good e-Reader spoke with txtr, Barnes and Noble, and Flipick about the recent upgrades and advancements, as well as initiatives in the works. For ebook reading consumers, we came across brand-new or limited edition devices from four different companies today, including Bookeen, Imcosys, Tolio, and txtr; txrt actually spoke at length about pending plans for a subscription-based reading service, highlighting several features that their platform will offer that the slow-to-adoption subscription reading market has lacked. And for self-published and traditionally published authors alike, we interviewed representatives from Nook Press, Widbook, Wattpad, and Narr8, a particularly exciting platform for creating and sharing animated and graphic novels. More so than in years’ past, this year’s event is more involved for everyone who has a stake in the publishing industry, and at anywhere along the book production spectrum. More detailed articles on today’s events are pending, including interviews with the companies and platforms mentioned.
Frankfurt Book Fair Officially Kicked Off Today is a post from: E-Reader News |
The trick or treat greeter
| Do you have any Halloween projects you’d like to share? Get them to us before the end of the month by mailing me at liz@raspberrypi.org, and we might feature them here. The village I live in is small enough that all the families with kids know each other, so a few parents take charge of all the village children every Oct 31. They all visit each other’s houses in a huge scrum dressed in bathrobes with accessory scythes, skipping all the houses with no kids, in order that old ladies are not perturbed. It took me a few years to cotton on to this (as a relatively young lady with no kids), which meant that every Halloween, I was left on my own with no visitors, a lonely pumpkin and a giant bowl of sweeties. If you are looking to tempt trick-or-treaters onto your porch (and then have them run, screaming, off it), I can’t think of a better way to do it than Chris Osborn’s solution. Chris’s original intention was just to have the setup make a scary noise at intervals, but he quickly found himself adding a motion sensor and lights. The motion sensor, positioned at the street end of the driveway, detects when a trick-or-treater is approaching, and triggers a sequence of events: the porch lights turn off, and unearthly noises start being played from a speaker under a stuffed, headless scarecrow with a carved pumpkin in its lap. A light in the pumpkin gradually becomes brighter, and the head whispers “HELP ME!”. When the sequence ends, the porch lights come back on. (No mention is made of whether the householder should provide a new pair of trousers for the terrified trick-or-treater at the end of the sequence.) Build instructions, audio files and code are available at opensource.about.com - and this project just cries out for your adaptations and embelishments. The site has a good selection of other public domain scary noises for your Halloween projects. “Cemetery Sounds for Halloween” is the current office favourite, and I am trying to work out how to embed a home-made tin-foil contact switch (there’s a nice example here at Hackaday) in the seat of one of the chairs we put visitors in without ruining it. |
New imcoV6L e-Reader Promotes the Open Android Concept
| The vast majority of e-Readers feature a closed software ecosystem that prevents users from installing their own apps. Many devices such as the Sony or Nook line of e-Ink readers all run Android, but provide zero flexibility in this regard. A new e-Reader unveiled at the Frankfurt Book Fair seeks to remedy this situation and provide a truly “open” Android experience. The imcoV6L features a six inch e-Ink Pearl HD display screen with a resolution of 1024×758 pixels. It also has a front-lit display, to allow you to read in the dark. Underneath the hood, it is powered by a Rockchip 1 GHZ CPU processor and 256 MB of RAM. There is 4 GB of internal memory and has an SD Card slot to enhance it up to 32 GB. One of the most interesting aspects of this device is external speakers and 3.5mm headphone jack. This will allow you to listen to audiobooks and music right on the device. Since it is running Android, you will be able to install apps such as Audible, to buy and listen to them right on your e-reader. The most compelling aspect of this new reader is the fact that you can load in your own Android apps. This will allow users to install Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Sony, Aldiko, Moon+ Reader, Marvel Comics for e-reading. It does not just stop there, but you can install Gmail, Dropbox or any other app that you want. Obviously you won’t want to play games on an e-ink screen, but productivity and e-reading apps will be amazing. It is set to retail for $129 euros and is poised to be a European exclusive. In the next few days we will try and get an exclusive first look at this new device and talk to the developers at their booth. New imcoV6L e-Reader Promotes the Open Android Concept is a post from: E-Reader News |
New Sony PRS-T3 BC Tipped for October 15th Launch
| Sony unveiled their new PRS-T3 e-Reader a few weeks ago and is a fairly solid device. One point of contention has been the built in case with sleep cover. You definitely need the case on at all times because of the way it was designed. Most people don’t like cases on their e-Readers and just want to hold it, without things poking them. Sony has just revealed that they are releasing the PRST3BC model October 15th in Canada and will solve this problem. The PRST3BC model will basically not need the sleep cover and will feature the rear housing consistent with Sony’s previous releases. When Sony initially filed their application for FCC certification, many people noticed the rear of the unit looked very different from the commercially released version. This was due to it being a completely different model. We have confirmation that they PRST3BC will be available to ship out October 15th, and likely retail stores will have it the week after that. There is no pricing available yet, but I would assume it would be in the $99 to $119 range, due to the elimination of the sleep cover. New Sony PRS-T3 BC Tipped for October 15th Launch is a post from: E-Reader News |
CONTEC Debuts to Tremendous Success at the Frankfurt Book Fair
| The big trend with major book fairs, such as the ones in London and New York are the digital conferences that occur the day before. For a number of years Good e-Reader has been covering all of these events and have seen the tremendous growth of digital and some of the startups that have come along to cornerstone niche segments. This year at the Frankfurt Book Fair we saw the CONTEC digital conference debut that was attended by 428 people from 32 different countries. The main focus of the 25 interactive panels was the digital bookselling supply chain, start-ups, self-publishing, mobile devices, and the future of bookselling and book-lending, CONTEC Frankfurt provided a rich programe for all attendees. "With CONTEC, we stepped away from formal presentations and opened up the dialogue beyond traditional topics. I am thrilled with the response and feedback from attendees and am already planning next years conference” said Kat Meyer, Programme and Community Manager. "Contec highlights just how badly the publishing industry needs a platform to surface, discuss and promote innovation. A worthy start to build on!" said Nick Perrett, Group Director Strategy and Digital Director for HarperCollins. Joe Schick, Director of Global Digital Content, Baker & Taylor: "When I started working in publishing, 'ebook' was a dirty word; conferences and conversations about ebooks were niche. Now they are mainstream and you can't talk about digital and print separately. But, most people don't need a high-level strategy or a hands-on technical discussion, they need something in the middle. CONTEC Frankfurt helps provide me with what I need to interact with technologists. 'Geek speak' for non-geeks." Richard Nash, Head of Partnerships and Content, Small Demons: "CONTEC isn't afraid to get down into the digital muck and tussle with the challenges we have yet to confront as opposed to congratulating ourselves on the year before." Kevin Franco, Co-Founder & President, Enthrill: "There is a great openness at CONTEC Frankfurt. People are interested in learning and exploring new and innovative options for digital publishing. I have a feeling that people want to be here instead of have to be here". You can catch our entire coverage of the CONTEC event coverage HERE. CONTEC Debuts to Tremendous Success at the Frankfurt Book Fair is a post from: E-Reader News |
Apple Rumored to Launch New iPad 5 And iPad Mini 2 on Oct 22
| Now that we have been treated with the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c variants, the focus clearly has shifted to the new iPad devices coming our way. Fortunately, the big occasion is just round the corner with those privy to the matter claiming the launch event is planned on the 22nd of October. That is about a week off than the earlier rumor which had pegged the launch schedule on 15th October. However, it's not clear where exactly the event would be held though that apart, what is almost a surety is that there will be both the iPad 5 as well as the iPad Mini 2 that will be launched. The new Mac Pro 2013 will also be unveiled during the same event, along with OS X codenamed Mavericks. The iPad 5 is expected to come with the biggest design change since it came into being nearly three years ago. The tablet will incorporate thinner bezels along the sides which makes it similar to its smaller brethren, the iPad Mini. This has made it seem to be a wee bit smaller than the present gen iPad though the display will still be of 9.7 inches. The new full sized iPad will also be thinner and lighter than its predecessor while incorporating some new changes in its interior as well. This includes a better and more capable camera as well as the 64 bit A7 chip that is sure to open up a new dimension as far as processing in a tablet device is concerned. However, with things being pretty much certain with the new iPad 5, its smaller cousin, the iPad Mini 2 continues to be dogged with controversies. The latest on this claim the smaller tablet might not be ready for launch before mid-November. Also, even if it is indeed launched, there might not be enough of it to satiate the holiday shopper's craze. The issue that sources pointed out is not with the incorporation of a high resolution display but with the fingerprint sensor that Apple wishes to include within the home button. In any case, it will be hard to believe Apple won't have on offer a new iPad Mini variant during the shopping season. The smaller 8.9 inch sized device has been Apple's bestseller in the tablet segment ever since its launch and the Cupertino company will lose out millions if it does not have enough of the device during launch. Another story doing the rounds is that the iPad Mini will be available in some exciting colors options such as the space gray, silver as well as the much sought after gold color. In any case, it will be interesting to see how the two iPad variants fare with the full sized iPad too incorporating design cues of the iPad Mini.
Apple Rumored to Launch New iPad 5 And iPad Mini 2 on Oct 22 is a post from: E-Reader News |
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