| The DC graphic novel sale made a big impact on this week’s comiXology and Kindle best-seller lists, and Fox Trot, Allie Brosh, and Coldplay all make appearance on this week’s lists as well. 1. Forever Evil #4 DC takes half the slots in this week’s comiXology top ten with the Forever Evil crossover, the latest Justice League, and three of the Batman graphic novels, which are marked down to $5.99 at the moment. It’s unusual to see a sale make this big an impact on comiXology’s best-seller list, but these are DC books, and this was a sparse week for new comics. Saga #17 makes the list for the second week in a row, and the first issue of Timestorm 2009/2099, which envisions the 2099 versions of Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, and the X-Men someow makes an appearance on the list although it’s not a new title by any means. 1. The Essential Calvin and Hobbes That DC graphic novels sale is having a big impact on Kindle users as well. Interestingly, Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half, which is a book based on her very popular blog (which has comics elements to it) makes it to the number 2 slot. That Fox Trot book isn’t new, but it suggests a lot of kids got tablets or Amazon gift cards, or indulgent parents were buying that one thing for the kids. Overall, this is a pretty diverse list, even more so than usual for Kindle. 1. The Sandman: Overture #1 Those DC graphic novels are “on sale” for $9.31 apiece at Barnes and Noble’s Nook store, so it’s not surprising that they aren’t cracking the top ten. The Nook best-seller list is almost the same every week, and this week is no exception. iBooks 1. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #12 This week’s iBookstore list is a bit different than usual: The ponies and zombies are joined by Mylo Xyloto, the comic by the band Coldplay, which was marked down to 99 cents this weekend—and advertised with a single Tweet from the Coldplay account, although I’m sure that signal was boosted by their followers. The sixth and final comic in the series made the number 12 slot. Digital Comics Best-Sellers for December 29, 2013 is a post from: E-Reader News |
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Digital Comics Best-Sellers for December 29, 2013
eBook Review: The Redhead Plays Her Hand by Alice Clayton
| Verdict: 5 Stars In the final installment in the series which Clayton started with The Unidentified Redhead and The Redhead Revealed, “older” actress (she really hates to be called that) Grace Sheridan has a hit new series, a heartthrob sexy actor boyfriend, and a new house in LA. Unfortunately, she also has all of the baggage that goes with it, including stalker paparazzi, a manager who insists that Grace and Jack not take their relationship public for business reasons, sleazy egotistical fellow actors, and a producer who’s at his breaking point that she hasn’t lost another twenty pounds. Add to that the blogs, Facebook posts, and Twitter rants from fans who are outraged that the studly star of the hottest movie franchise of the decade is dating this Sheridan “cow,” and Grace is ready to turn her back on the dream she worked so hard to achieve. When Jack’s superstar behavior takes him down the path of all-night partying and illegal drugs, Grace is ready to give up on him, too. In a book series that is both highly sexually charged and hilarious, Clayton has managed to create a girl-next-door persona out of a major name actress. As readers who watched Grace’s star slowly rise through the first two books, we are both enthralled and surprised when she makes it big in Hollywood. This feels more like reading a text message conversation with our best friend than a novel about the lives of the Hollywood elite. If there was any criticism to dish out, it would be that Grace is far too willing to let Jack off the hook, sending the mildly irritating message that celebrities get special treatment. Ironically, Jack hits rock bottom for that very reason when he tires of being treated as a superstar everywhere he goes. All three of the Redhead books in the series are available now.
eBook Review: The Redhead Plays Her Hand by Alice Clayton is a post from: E-Reader News |
Samsung Expected to Launch Galaxy Gear Successor Soon
| Having tested the waters in the fast emerging personal wearable segment with the Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch, Samsung now seems to be ready to up the ante with a new version that offers far better capabilities. Surprisingly, this comes within just months of the Galaxy Gear launch, which suffers from some serious shortcomings, namely its lack power given that the smartwatch has to be charged almost as frequently as the smartphone itself that it is tied to. The other aspect of the Galaxy Gear that hasn't been well received is its ability to perform only in conjugation with a Samsung device. While this should be okay with diehard Samsung fans, many consumers would prefer a more versatile device. There are rumors that the second smartwatch offering from Samsung could be just months away. As for its qualities, unofficial sources claim it's going to be more of a band than strictly a watch; given the South Korean company's penchant for bendable displays, it’s not too far-fetched that such a display be associated with the next Galaxy Gear. In any case, bendable displays are far more suitable for smartwatch devices than perhaps anything else. The Galaxy Gear in its present form is a bit unwieldy given its close resemblance to conventional watches, which is far from the futuristic device that it wishes to be. Better battery life is also imperative for smartwatch devices. Both Qualcomm Toq as well as the Sony Smartwatch 2 offer three to four days of battery life, and Samsung should offer similar levels of performance, if not improve on it considerably. Meanwhile, in a related development that is expected to add impetus to Samsung's efforts to come up with a much improved smartwatch, Luc Julia–until now associated with the development of Apple's Siri–has joined Samsung, and is expected to lead the team entrusted with developing the successor to the Galaxy Gear. As for a possible launch window, while we might be treated with a prototype or such at the upcoming CES, it is only around MWC that we can expect to come across something more substantial on this.
Samsung Expected to Launch Galaxy Gear Successor Soon is a post from: E-Reader News |
How to Get the Most Out of Your New e-Reader
| Thousands of people received new e-readers over the course of the Christmas Season. Kobo, Amazon, Barnes and Noble are the mainstream brands found in North America and most of Europe. No matter what device you have, finding great books goes beyond the bookstore that comes pre-loaded on your reader. Online retailers constantly are pushing you to buy something and not necessarily discover something you may like. Today, we look at some of the great websites out there to aid you in your literary endeavors and look at some cool services that will get you the most out of your e-reader. GoodReads – This is one of the worlds largest online book club, where users can rate and review books they have read and create their own collections. There are over 18 million members that participate in the culture and over 570 million books are currently on users shelves. Every single month, 11 million books are flagged as "Want to Read," and every single second 250 are added. There are currently 857,000 book reviews in the system and it becomes fairly easy to discover great new books to read. AuthorGraph – One of the pitfalls of going digital is not being able to get first editions and having them autographed. Authorgraph is a innovative platform where authors can sign eBooks digitally for both Kindle and most other devices. Over 5,000 authors have listed more than 20,000 books to be made available on the platform and 50,000 digital autographs have been signed. You may not find super famous authors here yet, but is a vibrant community and growing. Calibre – When it comes to the internt and eBooks, you will often find a ton of free content out there. Not all eBooks work on every e-reader and you will frequently find great books that are incompatible. If you have a Kindle e-Reader, most often you will find books in EPUB, and not AZW, MOBI, PRC or other Amazon friendly formats. Calibre is a free open source program that is easy to install and use. One of the many core features is being able to convert eBooks from one format to another. Found a PDF you want to read? Found a Zip file with 100 free books in it, Calibre is your friend and should be loved. Chances are your Local Library is Digital – Libraries may not be seeing the foot traffic they used to, with many young adults flocking to tablets and smartphones. Most libraries in Canada and the US are now connected with digital distribution services from Overdrive, 3M, and Baker & Taylor. They allow residents to borrow eBooks for free, directly from the libraries system. Often, they have a more current and wider selection of digital titles, because its cheap and cheerful for them to do it. You will often find audiobooks, videos and music also available to check out. Libraries are trying to stay relevant and your new e-reader will net you a ton of great content. Specific Interests? There is a website for that – One of the great aspects of the internet are the young communities that have developed to focus on specific books or genres. Pottermore is not just a store where you can buy the digital books but its also a online game where you can play the role of a minor character in the Harry Potter Univerise. It is quite popular and essential to checkout for anyone who grew up reading the books. Wattpad is a site that specializes in long and short fiction, where authors often serialize their works. The site brings a high interactive element to readers influencing an authors work and is one of the top communities out there. Many publishers have started teen sites, to focus on specific niches. One of my favorites is a new site by Penguin, called “Teen Australia.” It has a compelling HTML5 design and has been getting acclaim in the web development world. How to Get the Most Out of Your New e-Reader is a post from: E-Reader News |
