| Here’s my weekly look at the digital comics best-sellers, or at least a snapshot taken on Sunday evening. 1. Injustice: Gods Among Us #33 ComiXology had a lot of comics on 99-cent sale this weekend, but the only one to crack the top ten list is Justice League #8, at number 10. Five more made it into the top 20, though, all of them Justice League issues (leading up to the Trinity War crossover; apparently some folks had some catching up to do). In fact, the first non-Justice League sale comic to pop up on the best-selling pages is the Red Hulk graphic novel, which is below number 60 in the rankings. This is interesting because it shows that however many comics comiXology is selling at that 99-cent price point, there are far more customers willing to pay full price for this week’s new comics. 1. Injustice: Gods Among Us #33 Amazon also had Justice League comics on sale for 99 cents, and again, only one made it into the top ten list, but the long tail is much shorter here—there’s only one additional Justice League comic in the top 20. This is the “Comics & Graphic Novels with Kindle Panel View” list; the other list, of straight-up Kindle comics, consists entirely of single issues of Injustice: Gods Among Us except for two issues of Justice League; three more show up when you stretch it to the top 20. While the Panel View readers go for quite a few graphic novels, the other list is entirely single issues. 1. Injustice: Gods Among Us #32 What you’re not seeing here, because I filtered them out, is a lot of free Nook books, both previews and full issues of comics, including several issues of the digital manga magazine Gen. The number 10 comic on my list is number 37 on the Nook best-seller list, meaning there were 26 free books that did better. iBooks 1. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #10 Last week, I commented that this list had the most variety; this week, the ponies and Injustice dominate once more. And Batman: The Dark Knight Return continues to enjoy its post-San Diego sales bump. Digital Comics Best-Sellers for September 1 2013 is a post from: E-Reader News |
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Digital Comics Best-Sellers for September 1 2013
Kobo Aura Nighttime Reading Tests
| Welcome to another Good e-Reader Video! The New Kobo Aura e-Reader has a built in front-light that allows you to read in the dark and have control over the luminosity. Being able to properly configure the brightness depending on your environmental conditions allows for more flexibility to get them most out of your Kobo. Today we compare the Kobo Aura against the Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, and Kobo Glo. You can get a sense of how this device stacks up against the competition and how the overall reading experience is in complete darkness. Kobo Aura Nighttime Reading Tests is a post from: E-Reader News |
iStoryTime, TapJoy Bring Children’s Content and Value to Parents’ Devices
| From its initial days when parents were reluctant to put expensive devices in their kids’ hands, the children’s digital publishing market has exploded into an industry all its own. Part of the reason for that is there are very special considerations when introducing content to children via a tablet or smartphone. The typical methods of embedding ads or offering in-app purchases are not popular with parents who may have concerns about what their children view or what they have access to buy. Zuuka, the parent company of popular children’s novelization app book developer iStoryTime, has now teamed up with TapJoy to offer the value pricing that users can benefit from thanks to ads and purchases, but without putting young users at risk. Under this new model, parents will earn points towards free content by interacting with the ads offered through TapJoy’s mobile value exchange system, although young readers will not be exposed to them. Additionally, parents can make new book purchases, but can feel confident that their kids cannot stack up an expensive bill by accessing those purchase options. According to Steve Wadsworth, CEO of TapJoy, "With Zukka and the iStoryTime app, we are empowering parents to earn credits for use toward their family's favourite narrated books. We are seeing a trend of app publishers utilising the mobile value exchange model to enable their users to get the premium content they want." Some of the ways parents will be expected to interact with an ad are to take a survey or watch a video, while some of the companies have opted to allow parents to simply scroll through the ad. Zuuka has ensured that all of the advertising is pertinent to their customers’ needs and that none of it detracts from the reading experience for the children.
iStoryTime, TapJoy Bring Children’s Content and Value to Parents’ Devices is a post from: E-Reader News |
Kindle Announces Potential Refunds to Customers
| In a mass email to its customers yesterday, Amazon announced some good news for customers who’ve been awaiting news of the results of the Apple/Big Five settlement. Despite the fact that the email didn’t contain any concrete information on when customers will receive account credits or when those credits will appear, it was a small reassurance to customers that the wheels are at least turning. According to the email, “You do not need to do anything to receive this credit. If the Court approves the settlements in December 2013 and there is no appeal, a credit will appear automatically in your Amazon.com account that can be used to purchase Kindle books or print books. We will contact you when the credit is applied to your account. While we will not know the amount of your credit until the Court approves the settlements, it is estimated that it will range from $0.73 to $3.06 for every eligible Kindle book that you purchased. To be eligible, you must have a U.S. billing address and must have purchased a Kindle book published by Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin or Macmillan between April 1, 2010 and May 21, 2012. These publishers will provide the funds for the settlements. If you have already requested a check instead of a credit in response to the notice you received last fall, that request will cover these additional settlements and you do not need to do anything else. If you would like to request a check, you may do so by following the instructions included in the formal notice of the settlements, set forth below. You can learn more about the settlements at www.amazon.com/help/agencyebooksettlements.” The most interesting news in the email was also the least discussed. Throughout the investigation and the trial, Amazon has remained somewhat quiet, cautiously not weighing in on the alleged price-fixing. They seemingly only answered to how the actual resulting pricing model has affected their business model and not really discussed who may have said what behind closed doors, and whether or not it was intended to bring down the retail giant. But in the email, Amazon very pointedly mentioned that this settlement, if it goes through, will ensure that their customers continue to receive the best possible prices on ebooks. “In addition to the account credit, the settlements impose limitations on the publishers' ability to control eBook prices. We think these settlements are a big win for readers.”
Kindle Announces Potential Refunds to Customers is a post from: E-Reader News |
Flip PDF Software For Creating Page Flipping eBook Launched
| Flip PDF is a new software tool that can be used to create page flipping ebooks using HTML 5 . This will ensure the ebook will be compatible across platforms such as iOS, Android or Windows. Or in other words, the ebook can be read on popular devices such as the iPad/iPhone, Android devices, MAC and PCs. The software enables the user to create the page flipping ebooks in just three simple steps. The first step after having invoked Flip PDF will be to import the content in PDF format. Users will next have the option to select the theme and template that will go with the ebook. The last step will yield the ebook in HTML 5 format while also offering the option 'Also Make Mobile Version'. Following these easy steps will allow one to have their own ebooks that is compatible across platforms while also offering the look and feel of turning the pages of a real book. Users will also be able to send the ebook via email or published online. What's more, the Flip PDF application is completely royalty free, which means there are no fees to be paid to the company even if the book is published for commercial gains. This should come in handy for those in business as the software can be used to create some nice looking catalogs or reports where the page flips just as it would have done in the real world. All of this is achieved without having to write even a single line of a computer program. Flip PDF Software For Creating Page Flipping eBook Launched is a post from: E-Reader News |
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Amazon and Condé Nast Combine Digital and Print Magazine Subscriptions
| Amazon is in the process of launching a new digital and print magazine subscription service. The new pilot program is called "All Access" and will allow readers to use their Amazon account to easily purchase, manage and renew their print and digital magazine subscriptions. The first publisher to commit themselves is Condé Nast and will start off with Vogue, Glamour, Bon Appétit, Lucky, Golf Digest, Vanity Fair and WIRED, with the remaining brands joining later in the year. For a limited time, customers will get introductory deals for "All Access" content – just $6 or less for 6 months of issue. "Combining Condé Nast’s must-have content with Amazon’s 1-Click shopping platform is a huge win,” said Bob Sauerberg, president of Condé Nast. "Our influential and loyal customers want to be the first to know, purchase and share, which is why we wanted to be the first to develop a service like ‘All Access’ with Amazon, the world's most trusted and proven e-commerce platform." "Customers are increasingly consuming magazine content in both print and digital formats, and 'All Access' allows them to subscribe to both in a very easy way, and read content digitally on whatever device or platform they use," said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President of Kindle Content. "Condé Nast is known for creating some of the best content in the media industry, so we're excited to start this new program with them." Being able to combine print and digital is often relegated to the newspaper industry and magazine companies are all looking for the right strategy. Many publishers have told us the Holy Grail is being able to offer lower introductory prices and increase the prices once they have people locked in. Being able to combine both print and digital with an online entity like Amazon is the right play for Condé Nast. Likely other publishing companies will monitor sales and customer acceptance before committing themselves. Amazon and Condé Nast Combine Digital and Print Magazine Subscriptions is a post from: E-Reader News |
IDW Comics Debut on Madefire Motion-Comic App
| Madefire is a digital-comics app for iOS and the web that’s a little different from most of the other comics apps: Its focus is on motion comics. Like comiXology in the Guided View mode, Madefire displays most pages a panel at a time, with the user controlling the timing of the panel reveals. Unlike Guided View, though, Madefire takes things a step further. Once you swipe to reveal a panel, it may slide in, drop down, even vibrate a bit. The word balloons drop in after the art is in place. Figures move slightly within the panels, giving a 3-D effect, and sometimes a bit of sparkle or smoke is animated. And there’s audio as well, at least in some of the comics. You can see a short video demo here. Madefire launched with a line of comics by its own creators, most of which are free, but in July they announced partnerships with several other publishers: IDW, BOOM! Studios, Top Cow, and ITV. This week, they released the first trio of IDW titles, based on IDW’s My Little Pony, Star Trek, and Transformers comics. I bought the first episode of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic on Madefire and compared it with the first issue of the comic on comiXology. The first thing to note is that while both comics cost $1.99, the Madefire “first episode” is only half of the full issue, so you get twice as much comic for your money on comiXology. However, Madefire does provide a more pleasant reading experience on the iPad, because the pages of My Little Pony tend to be a bit crowded, and seeing the panels one at a time helps give the reader a bit of structure. The panels are the same size in both apps, but the resolution is better in comiXology, because they have high-definition images (this test was done on an iPad 3 with retina display); the lines in the Madefire version appeared jagged. Whether the animation adds value or not is a matter of personal taste. There were several points when it enhanced the storytelling, as when several sets of eyes appeared in the dark and then were revealed to be hostile animals. When the ponies scream “Nooo!” the sound effect appears isolated on a black screen, rather than at the bottom of a rather busy page, so the impact is increased. There was some variety in the way the panels appeared on the screen, which was nice; my favorite bit of business was when a character appeared and pushed a panel slightly to the side to make room for his own panel. One frequent trick the designers use is to have the scene move when the panel first opens, giving the sense of a camera panning across the scene. This is particularly effective with the smaller panels, as it gives the sense that the reader is peering through a viewer (the panel border) into a large scene. What was less effective was having two-dimensional shapes slide past one another; that seemed like a cheaply animated cartoon. Mark Waid, who uses many of these techniques himself, often talks about the importance of the reader being in control of the timing. In his comics, the reader controls every motion on the page—the word balloons that drop into the panel, the shifts in focus, every single change is initiated by the reader. The Madefire comics work differently: The reader swipes to reveal a new panel but does not control the pacing after that. Several pictorial elements may appear or move without any input from the reader. This takes changes the dynamic: Instead of controlling the pacing of the comic, the reader only controls the pacing of the panels. It’s a different type of reading experience, one that is worth sampling, although I’m not sure it’s worth paying twice the price of the static comic. Madefire has forged an interesting partnership with DeviantArt, which is an online community for artists, and the comics can also be viewed there in their web reader. Several DeviantArt creators are working for Madefire, doing the conversions to motion comics, and Madefire editorial director Bill Abernathy told Publishers Weekly he hopes to make Madefire’s authoring tools available publicly via DeviantArt later this year. IDW Comics Debut on Madefire Motion-Comic App is a post from: E-Reader News |
Kobo Aura vs Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
| The new six inch Kobo Aura was recently unveiled at a New York launch party and Good e-Reader was live on the scene. We managed to score the Aura ahead of the late September release and today we are happy to compare it against the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. Over the course of this video review we look at the key hardware and software differences. Beyond the Book and X-Ray have a bit in common and we show you how both companies approach people, places and things in entirely new ways. We also compare the e-Reading experience in both traditional books and PDF editions. Kobo Aura vs Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a post from: E-Reader News |
Tablet PC Outsell PCs in Middle East And Africa
| Tablet sales have long been predicted to overtake that of PCs, and the same is already proving to be true in the Middle East and African regions. According to figures with IDC, the tablet segment in those aforementioned regions grew by an astounding 208 percent, which translates to 2.79 million tablet devices being shipped in the second quarter of 2013. An interesting aspect of the tablet segment in the regions is that it is Android that reigns supreme with almost 2 million of 2.79 million tablets shipped being Android based. Also, it is the cost of the device that has proved to be the most important factor in deciding the purchasing decision, with low cost Android tablets turning out to be the crowd favorite. This would explain a not too favorable response to the iPad Mini or any other Apple tablet here. Meanwhile, IDC has further predicted that the tablet segment will continue to be price sensitive with it being the low cost tablet devices that will be driving growth of the segment, be it in the emerging markets in the east or the more developed market in the west.
Tablet PC Outsell PCs in Middle East And Africa is a post from: E-Reader News |
All E Ink Kindles Should Come With Free 3G Wireless
| Something occurred to me this past week with the WiFi Kindle Paperwhite becoming unavailable from Amazon.com (unless you live outside the United States, that is). Why does Amazon charge more for the Kindle Paperwhite with 3G wireless? Why do WiFi-only E Ink Kindles exist at all? After all, when we really stop to think about […] |
Pi Weekly: a free email newsletter
| Back in June, Raspberry Pi superfan Ryan Walmsley and Manchester brain-on-a-stick (and kayak rescue hero) Ben Nuttall decided to set up a free weekly email newsletter for Raspberry Pi topics, with curated links to news, projects, articles and more. It’s now on its 11th issue, and there’s a wealth of interesting information already available in the archives, which are available to leaf through on the Pi Weekly website. (Click on the image below to visit the site.) We highly, highly recommend that you subscribe. Ben and Ryan are old hands at the Pi game, and they’re very active in the community, so they’re in a great position to get their hands on news early – sometimes, even before we hear about it at Pi Towers. If you’ve got news of your own that you’d like them to disseminate, they’re always looking for submissions, which you can make through piweekly.net. Pi Weekly is released every Friday. Head over and sign up! |
Friday, August 30, 2013
Kobo Aura HD and Kobo Aura Comparison
| Welcome to another Good e-Reader Comparison Video. Today we take a look at the Kobo Aura HD and the recently announced Kobo Aura. Obviously they both have the same name and could be a bit confusing on what these devices bring to the table. The essence of this comparison is to dispel the myths and rumors and give you a solid indication on the core differences and put them head to head. The Kobo Aura maintains the standard six-inch approach that the company made famous with their entire product line. It currently has a super high resolution e-Ink "Clarity Screen" with 212 DPI and sixteen levels of grey. Really, the resolution is the exact same on the Glo, and has not broken any barriers on using a next generation e-Ink display. This e-Reader has the exact same front-lite technology that was found on the original Kobo Aura HD. This will allow readers to adjust the brightness settings to suit their environment. Currently, Kobo has the best front-lit screen in the business and has surpassed Amazon in terms of quality. To turn the screen light on, there is a button at the very top and then a virtual slider bar to control the brightness. You can also take advantage of the capacitive multi-touch display and use two fingers to change the brightness. It is powered by the quintessential Freescale i.MX507 1 GHZ processor and has 1 GB of RAM. There are 4 GB of internal memory, which can be enhanced via the Micro SD Card. It seems that Kobo e-Readers still have expandable memory, which makes adding books to your collection fairly easy and painless. It also has over two months of battery life, which is ideal. The Kobo Aura HD features a 6.8 inch touchscreen with a resolution of 1440×1080 with 265 DPI. This e-reader is seriously the best in the business with its high-definition display. The Kindle Fire HD 7 has 1280×800 and the Nook HD has 1440×900. What this means is that as an e-reader, it actually has better image quality than the majority of mainstream tablets on the market. The Aura HD also has a built in comfort light, which allows you to read in the dark with a front-lit display. The Kobo Aura HD is using a 1GHZ CPU processor and has 4 GB of internal memory. This is 2 GB more than what the Glo offers, and you can expand the memory up to 32 GB via the Micro SD card. Battery life is fairly respectable at a solid month of normal use. Aside from the marginal hardware differences the software is also quite different. The six inch Aura has some useful enhancements with Pocket – Formally Read it Later and Beyond the Book. Pocket is sort of like Instapaper and allows you send articles to your account from Flipboard, Pulse and social media networks. Beyond the book is really neat, it hyperlinks specific words throughout a novel and gives you a greater insight on people, places, and things. Instead of just your standard dictionary you can pull up biographies and related eBooks. The video below documents fairly extensively all of the core differences. Kobo Aura HD and Kobo Aura Comparison is a post from: E-Reader News |
Nook For Android App Updated to Version 3.4.1.20
| Barnes & Noble has just announced a new update for its Nook app for Android. The latest iteration, version 3.4.1.20, introduces some cool new features apart from the usual bug fixes that are integral to every updates. Among the new features to look forward to, the Nook app includes larger book tiles for a better visual experience, along with availability of the Time, Inc. magazines, which are more in demand. Time will join other popular titles such as SELF, WIRED, Glamor, Vanity Fair, GQ, and others that are already available. Better accessibility features for the visually impaired or for those with low visibility is also part of the upgrade package. Elaborating on the latter, the app makes use of Android assistive technology, such as higher screen magnification, which is applicable for Android version 4.2 and higher and TalkBack that has Android 4.1 as the minimum requirement. Also, the update will mark the return of Black as the Night Theme color, something that users have been clamoring for. Apart from these, the My Files filter is now better equipped to deal with duplicate contents that might have been sideloaded. Overall, the latest upgrade to the Nook app for Android is nothing too significant over the version 3.4 it had launched just a few weeks ago, though upgrades are always welcome.
Nook For Android App Updated to Version 3.4.1.20 is a post from: E-Reader News |
Kobo Aura and Kobo Glo Comparison Video
| Welcome to another Good e-Reader Comparison Video! Today we take a look at the brand new Kobo Aura, the six inch e-Reader that was unveiled in New York a few days ago. We compare it directly to the flagship Kobo Glo, which has been available for a number of years, and is the most commonly owned device. Over the course of this video we look at the key differences with hardware and software. If you are thinking of upgrading from the Glo to the Aura, this is a must watch video. The Glo and Aura are fairly similar in terms of the overall hardware. They have the same resolution and processor, but the Aura has 2 additional GB of internal memory. The big draw about the Aura is the capacitive multi-touch display, which is a first in e-Readers. This new screen is totally flush with the bezel and allows you to easily pinch and zoom PDF files, but also control the front-lit display with gestures. There are also some dramatic software upgrades found on the Aura, that are not available on the Glo, or any other Kobo e-Reader. Beyond the Book is a great new feature which literary goes beyond the standard dictionary look-up of a word, and gives you more options. For example, the Hobbit has hyperlinks found throughout the book that gives you a full profile on all of the major characters, author and similar books. Check out the full comparison video for a full detailed list of all hardware and software differences.
Kobo Aura and Kobo Glo Comparison Video is a post from: E-Reader News |
Hachette eBooks Account for 34% of all US Sales
| Hachette has just released a new financial report that documents eBook sales for the first six months of 2013. The publishing company has experienced massive gains in the US sector with 34% of all sales deriving from electronic books. This is a dramatic increase from 27% from the same period in 2012 and it shows that overall eBook sales are only increasing. Not only has the US experienced strong gains for Hachette, but the United Kingdom is also doing quite well. eBooks now account for 31% of all book sales, which is up significantly from 22% from the same period in 2012. Globally, the publisher stated that 11% of their entire net sales are from digital books, which is an increase of 2.9% from last year. Many industry experts in the publishing field have consistently stated that the entire ebook market is tapering off and starting to stabilize. Still, we are still seeing consistent growth. Random House just announced today that eBooks account for 20% of their global sales. Hachette eBooks Account for 34% of all US Sales is a post from: E-Reader News |
Digital Comics Bargains for Labor Day Weekend
| The long weekend is almost here, so it’s time to load up the e-reader with some cheap comics! ComiXology has you covered this week, with a lot of different options. The first deal ends on Sunday evening: An assortment of Dan Slott Spider-Man comics for 99 cents each. Not a Spider-Man fan? How about <a href="Next, they have Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted #1 for 99 cents. That’s about the right price, in my opinion, and if you’re already a Wolverine fan, it’s a steal. (I paid full price a couple of weeks ago; here’s my review.)”>vol. 1 of Red Hulk for $3.99. This 127-page volume collects issues #1-6 of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness’s series, and the price is what you’d pay for one new comic. Not bad. This deal is also good through Sunday night. If you want something a little different, check out Robert Kirkman’s Invincible. It’s a story about a teenage superhero who has to deal with his developing powers and all the hassles of high school besides. The first issue is free, so there’s no risk, and if you like it, the rest of the issues are 99 cents and collected editions are $2.99-$5.99. Or you could just buy the two digital omnibi and get over 1,500 pages of story for $50. This sale runs through September 2. Next we have Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted #1 for 99 cents. That’s about the right price, in my opinion, and if you’re already a Wolverine fan, it’s a steal. (I paid full price a couple of weeks ago; here’s my review.) That sale also runs through September 2. If you want to prep for the Trinity War crossover, both comiXology and Amazon have a selection of Justice League, Justice League Dark, and Justice League of America comics for 99 cents each. Over at Dark Horse Digital, the big weekend sale is on Star Wars comics, including the new Brian Wood-written series that goes back to the original movies. Several of their other Star Wars series are marked down as well. And finally, if you’re planning on buying some digital manga from Viz, better do it soon: Their 20% off sale ends on September 2, and on October 1, the regular price of a volume of manga will go from $4.99 to $6.99. The higher-priced manga on the site, such as the VizBig omnibus volumes, will also go up in price. That’s a big jump, so stock up now. Digital Comics Bargains for Labor Day Weekend is a post from: E-Reader News |
Jamie Oliver Cookbook Offered as Value-Added Content to UK Libraries
 Graphic courtesy of HollywoodReporter.com Thanks to initiatives like the joint Sourcebooks and OverDrive project earlier this year, The Big Library Read, publishers are finally receiving concrete data on how library lending impacts their book sales. In what appeared on paper to be a bold move that cost the publisher and the author a great deal of money, Sourcebooks made one of its titles available to all of OverDrive’s partner libraries for free for a limited time. The results of the initiative demonstrated exactly how library patrons respond to lending opportunities with an increase in book sales. Now, Penguin Random House is working on an effort of its own, with the support of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. The well-known chef, who has spear-headed nutritional programs and endorsed a return to homemade cooking over processed, packaged foods, has released a new title, Save with Jamie, which the publisher is donating to every library in the UK. Oliver is quoted as saying, “We know from the fabulous work that libraries do every day that everyone deserves a chance to learn basic skills that can improve everyday lives. Reading and cooking are two of those skills for sure. I'll admit I've been a late developer with the first, but I can definitely help with the second.” The response to this program has been tremendous, especially from the library communities who have seen an influx of patrons looking for the book, which makes perfect sense given that the book is about creating a budget, living within one’s means, and stretching one’s income in order to be able to pay bills while still saving money. Libraries have long been known as the source of free information and entertainment, so what better venue for the publisher to experiment with value-added content for patrons in need of financial support. Several commenters on an article for The Boookseller announcing the program asked whether the initiative would include school libraries, as all too often students are left without any form of financial planning instruction. It would also make sense as Oliver’s widely publicized and somewhat controversial school nutrition program in the US targeted schools that served expensive meals that were not well-received by their student bodies.
Jamie Oliver Cookbook Offered as Value-Added Content to UK Libraries is a post from: E-Reader News |
IDC Lowers Tablet Shipment Figures For 2013, Demand For Phablets Growing
| Tablets are all the rage these days, something that several market research firms have tried to quantify with lofty figures from time to time. IDC, though, decided to walk a different path by actually lowering the tablet shipment figures for 2013 to 227.2 million units. That is still an impressive figure by any means, while it is admittedly lower than the originally estimated 229.3 million devices expected to be shipped in 2013. As for reasons, IDC attributed the emergence of phablets, or big screen smartphones, along with smart watches that led them to lower their shipment figures. While it's clear that consumers have always been looking for mobile devices to get along with their everyday computational needs, the rising popularity of phablets shows there are many who'd prefer even smaller devices. The slightly lower shipping estimates could also be the early sign of a market that is settling down from the initial euphoria it generated. The lack of any exciting tablet launches during Q2 is another reason when there might be less tablets shipped this year. However, these are only estimates, and things could quickly turn around, especially when there are quite a few exciting tablet launches expected this fall. Apple is slated to launch the new iPad 5 and likely the new iPad Mini 2, and Amazon is reportedly readying its third gen Kindle Fire devices for a launch during roughly the same time frame. IDC further pointed out that it is countries like China that would be seen fueling the next wave of tablet sales and not North America, western Europe and Japan who have been the early adopters. Also, while manufacturers will continue to explore ways to bring down tablet prices further, its unlikely to be lower by any substantial margin than those prevalent right now. Meanwhile, there has been a shift in consumer preference towards big screen smartphones that has earned the tag of phablets. Manufacturers too have woken up to the segment, something that is exemplified by the several high profile phablets that has either been launched or is waiting in the wings. These include the HTC One Max, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the Nokia Lumia Bandit (still in rumor stages unlike the other) along with of course the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 that has been the sole player in this segment for two years. Apple too has been rumored to enter the phablet with an enlarged iPhone version. As for advantages of phablets via-a-vis the tablets, the former makes for a more handy device that does all that a tablet does, which includes playing games, watching movies, and reading ebooks. Plus, phablets offer calling options and include a stylus which in turn adds to the functionality of the device. However, phablets seem to enjoy a loyal fan base that is also growing. What remains to be seen is if they can actually usurp the small tablet segment in the long run. The price advantage, though, seems to be there but that could change later.
IDC Lowers Tablet Shipment Figures For 2013, Demand For Phablets Growing is a post from: E-Reader News |
Index Award, and Rob’s talk from Science City in Kansas
| First up, we’ve got a bit of fantastic news today: we won the Index Award for Education last night here in Denmark. The Index Award is the world’s biggest design award, and it comes with €100,000 for the Foundation, which we’re absolutely overwhelmed to receive. We’ll be using the money to take on two new hires over the next few months (you’ll be hearing more about them when they come on board) to work exclusively on free educational materials and outreach. We’d like to thank the Index Award jury for choosing us from an enormous pool of more than 1000 nominees: we’re enormously grateful, and the prize will help us to make a real difference to the way we work with kids all over the world. I’m hoping to get some pictures from last night’s ceremony at Elsinore for you later in the week. In other news, Rob Bishop has just returned from his mammoth tour of the USA, where he was speaking at hackspaces across the whole continent. I saw him very briefly in the office on Wednesday, when I was leaving for the airport and he was returning from it. It’s good to have Rob back (although we do notice that any sweeties or baked goods left in the office disappear about 78% faster when he’s around). Here’s the talk he did at Science City in Kansas last week. |