| Data Conversion Laboratory specializes in creating digital editions of client-generated content, but also invests in hosting online learning opportunities that focus on digital publishing, conversion, and content. Tomorrow, DCL will be hosting a webinar for anyone considered to be a stakeholder in education, aimed at working on how to build a stronger digital classroom, entitled ,”eBooks in the Classroom: A Stakeholder’s Guide to Going Digital.” While these stakeholders would initially be administrators or those who can make key decisions that center on how to incorporate digital technology, the focus of the event will actually speak to anyone who has a vested interest in digital implementation, such as classroom teachers, parents, and even community members whose tax dollars fund these initiatives. According to the registration materials provided by DCL, “Educational books are being converted to digital for ereaders and an increasing number of books are being written specifically for digital and enhanced formats. But what is the real-world experience of ebooks for teachers, students, parents and administrators? What are the benefits and the needs? What do stakeholders need to know about implementing the use of ebooks in the classroom? And how can authors and publishers deliver products that will be needed, wanted and used?” The webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 11th, from 1:00pm until 2:00pm ET. Registration for the event is still open, and can be found by clicking HERE.
Data Conversion Laboratory Hosts Webinar for Education Stateholders is a post from: E-Reader News |
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Data Conversion Laboratory Hosts Webinar for Education Stateholders
Kobo Aura, Kindle Paperwhite 2, Sony PRS-T3: Which New eBook Reader Do You Choose?
| With all the new ebook readers coming out at the same time, it can make it a little harder to choose which one is right for you. Like always, each brand has its unique pluses and minuses to make the decision-making process more difficult (or easier, depending on where you stand). All three new ebook […] |
Page to Screen: eBooks that inspired upcoming movies
| At the beginning of June, we kicked off summer with a list of literary inspired motion pictures hitting the big screen in 2013. As we approach the last quarter of the year, we're revisiting that list and sharing updates to the "Book to Movie" flyers (now available in the Partner Portal) that can be displayed in your library or shared in the community to help promote your digital collection. From unbelievable true stories to classic literature adaptations, here is a list of more digital titles that tie-in with movie releases this year:
Now Playing "J.D. Salinger: A Life" by Kenneth Slawenski Salinger, a documentary about the reclusive author, is currently in limited US release.
"Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader" by Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, released in August, is still playing in select theaters.
October "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" by Richard Phillips Captain Phillips is scheduled for US release October 11th.
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare
"Inside WikiLeaks" by Daniel Domscheit-Berg & "WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy" by David Leigh and Luke Harding The WikiLeaks movie, The Fifth Estate, is scheduled for US release October 18th.
November "The Wolf of Wall Street" by Jordan Belfort The Martin Scorsese directed film adaptation is scheduled for US release November 15th.
"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak The popular YA book becomes a movie November 15th.
December "The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History" by Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter George Clooney directs and stars in The Monuments Men, scheduled for US release December 18th.
"Mary Poppins" by P.L. Travers & "The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life" by Steven Watts Saving Mr. Banks, the story behind the scenes of how Walt Disney convinced P.L. Travers to bring everyone's favorite magical nanny to the big screen, hits movie theaters December 20th.
Don't forget to check out the first 2013 'Page to Screen' blog for more popular releases including "Carrie", "Catching Fire" and "The Hobbit". Are there other 'page to screen' titles you'd like to promote? Create your own book to movie posters or displays to help get the word out!
Movie release dates are subject to change and are for the U.S. market. Title availability may vary by format and geographic region. To add these eBooks and audiobooks to your digital collection, visit the OverDrive Marketplace.
Melissa Marin is a Marketing Specialist at OverDrive.
 |
Electronics Weekly visits the Pi factory: video
| Electronics Weekly dropped in to the Pi factory in Pencoed, South Wales, did a lot of filming on the factory floor, and had a chat with Claire Doyle, who runs Raspberry Pi global distribution for Farnell, one of our manufacturing partners. We know you can’t get enough video of the process behind the building of your Pi, and this is, we think, probably the best and most detailed we’ve seen yet. A big thank you to Gareth and the rest of the team in Pencoed for putting up with yet more disruption on our behalf! (Gareth says he thinks he’s seen more film crews since his factory started making Raspberry Pis than he had in his entire career up to that point.) I’ll be seeing Gareth and the team later this month. Leave a comment below if there’s anything you’d like me to ask them then. |
Monday, September 9, 2013
ComiXology Adds HTML5 Retailer Storefronts—Why You Should Care
| I was laid low by a bout of the flu when the news came out two weeks ago that comiXology has converted its retailer storefronts to HTLM5, so I didn’t think too much about it. But it is kind of a big deal, because it reinforces the broad base of comiXology’s business. If you think of comiXology as the guys who make the Comics app that you use to read and buy comics, you’re missing part of the story. Before there was an iPad, comiXology was out there with a service that allowed readers to create digital pull lists. While Diamond has yet to put the full Previews catalog online, comiXology has full solicit information on all upcoming comics on their website. That makes it easier to buy print comics at a retail shop as well as digital comics online. ComiXology started offering digital storefronts to retailers two years ago. When a user buys a comic through the storefront, the retailer gets a cut of the sale—and the customer can read it on comiXology’s Comics app alongside all his or her other comics. The idea is that digital readers who are loyal to their local comic shop can support it by buying their digital comics through their retailer’s digital storefront. Some readers like to buy both the print and the digital version of a comic, while others might want to buy digital comics to fill in back issues they can’t find in print. The most recent news is that the digital storefronts have been retooled to be HTML5 compliant, which means that readers can now visit their retailer’s storefront on their mobile devices; I believe the previous version was Flash-based so it didn’t work on iOS devices. It’s a little surprising that Apple allows this, actually; comiXology has to fork over a percentage of its in-app purchases that go through iTunes, but my understanding is they don’t have to share sales that go through their website, although of course they do give a percentage to the retailer. At any rate, the retailer storefront program must be working pretty well if comiXology is still investing in it, which means that both sides must be making money. It also shows comiXology’s continuing commitment to serving brick-and-mortar comics shops. ComiXology Adds HTML5 Retailer Storefronts—Why You Should Care is a post from: E-Reader News |
Adobe Joins the Readium Foundation to help with EPUB 3
| Adobe has announced today that the company is joining the Readium Foundation, with the intention to make a significant contribution to the development of the Readium SDK project, a full-featured EPUB 3 rendering engine optimized for native apps on tablets and other mobile devices. "Adobe has been a strong supporter of EPUB since its inception" said Tridib Roy Chowdhury, General Manager and Sr. Director of Products at Adobe. "We are delighted to be taking another important step in promoting this important open standard by joining the Readium Foundation and collaborating with other key industry stakeholders in development of the Readium SDK project."
It is anticipated that through Adobe's contribution, in the near future it will be possible for any client application built with Readium SDK to directly incorporate support for handling EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 content protected via Adobe Content Server 4, the most pervasive Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution for eBooks and other digital publications. Adobe Joins the Readium Foundation to help with EPUB 3 is a post from: E-Reader News |
www.linebaugh.org
San Antonio Public Library shares the Connect at Central experience
| Recently, San Antonio Public Library premiered Connect at Central, a brand new 12,800 square foot space at their Central Branch devoted exclusively to bringing the digital media experience into the physical library. In addition to two OverDrive Media Stations (OMS) for users to discover, sample and send to their devices the titles in San Antonio Public Library's digital collection of eBooks, audiobooks, video and music, Connect at Central boasts hundreds of computers and dozens of devices, along with a dedicated training center and tech lounge for users to learn new skills and explore digital content.
To learn more about this awesome and ambitious project, I spoke with San Antonio Public Library's Community & Public Relations Manager, Caitlin Cowart.
Tell us a little about the Connect at Central space – what can patrons expect to find when visiting the Central Branch?
Connect is an innovative, sleek 12,800 square foot space located at our Central Library downtown. Connect provides free, faster Wi-Fi that can handle more users; reduces public wait time by providing 114 desktop computers as well as 15 laptops, and 20 Google Nexus tablets for check-out; provides easier access to training opportunities; and educates about emerging technologies through our Technology Test Drive that features the OverDrive Media Stations.
Technology Test Drive is an exploration area with a "sandbox" where patrons can experiment with tethered tablet devices and interact with staff to understand basic functions and features. Technology Test Drive also includes tethered iPads downloaded with apps that are intended to teach digital literacy, stimulate the imagination and provide entertainment.
Training at Connect offers classes in Back to Basics, eReader U, Life and Learning Skills and 21st Century Tech Skills. In an effort to bridge the digital divide for San Antonio, we are really excited about the enhancements to our training classes.
What prompted the initial idea of Connect at Central and how will this initiative benefit your library's community?
A grant from the Federal Broadband Technology Opportunity Program enabled the San Antonio Public Library to make technology and broadband enhancements at 13 branch libraries and the Central Library. As for Connect, this was the brainchild of the library director. He has a vision of improving the overall library experience for visitors of the San Antonio Public Library. It was an opportunity to make the best use of the grant in a way that would have the greatest positive impact on the community. The entire process was truly a team effort among partners at the Texas State Library, OverDrive, City of San Antonio ITSD department and San Antonio Public Library staff.
Connect at Central is among the first library spaces to feature OverDrive Media Stations (OMS). How will OMS help accomplish your library's goals?
What has the response been like so far and how do you expect it to grow?
We've had a ton of positive patron feedback! Our regular visitors have seen the evolution of the space from the start of construction until today and the enthusiasm has been building for quite a while. Our computer usage numbers are way up and our reference librarians are receiving positive feedback left and right.
As the community continues to visit Connect, we believe that many will be inspired by the digital learning opportunities available in the space. We expect a lot more interest in the months ahead!
Is there anything else you'd like to share with other libraries on your experience launching this innovative space?
Libraries around the country are experiencing transformation in best practices for information access and digital literacy. As mentioned, the themes of the project were vision, teamwork and partnerships. It's time to get creative and together, we make it all possible! We hope that Connect is a model for our system that will eventually be rolled out to our branches. As far as our fellow libraries out there – good luck to all who are considering or undergoing any project that provides innovative services to the community. Feel free to reach out to us with questions at any time.
Heather Valentine-Gold is an Account Specialist with OverDrive
 |
Mindsy’s Subscription-Based eLearning Content Now Available
| As more and more content providers look at subscription-based platforms for distribution–all of whom seem to compare themselves to the company who has succeeded globally on a large scale, Netflix–a wide variety of formats have begun their own experiments. Everything from film to books to music has been made available in the “all you can eat” model, often in both freemium and ad-free paid subscriptions. Now, Mindsy is bringing that concept to online learning. Unlike similar learning platforms, Mindsy is for a broader type of content rather than market-specific materials that focus on the learning needs of a particular audience. With everything from academics to art instruction, Mindsy is looking at reaching anyone who needs online video-based content, all for $29 a month. Currently, the catalog of titles is broken down into categories such as technology, business, design, arts and photography, health and fitness, lifestyle, personal growth, math and science, languages, music, crafts and hobbies, sports, games, and its broader category, simply called Other. What makes Mindsy so interesting in its offering is that the company openly admits that this level of content is available elsewhere, but that it is often available for a fee that equates to one video module costing users the same amount as an unlimited month of instruction. By aggregating content from across a variety of fields, Mindsy hopes to lure users in with the implicit value of a subscription versus pay-as-you-go.
Mindsy’s Subscription-Based eLearning Content Now Available is a post from: E-Reader News |
PiHub – a robust powered hub, made especially for your Raspberry Pi
| Here’s Pimoroni’s latest. We love Pimoroni. Their history as a company has been very intricately linked with ours, starting from the day that Paul Beech won the competition to design our logo back in 2011. Since then he’s gone from being a penniless graphic designer to owning a small factory with his friend Jon Williamson, and employing a growing group of people in Sheffield, all on the back of his work with Raspberry Pi. They’ve become an incredibly valuable part of the Pi ecosystem (we’re teaming up with them for Maker Faire NY later this month – come and visit us at the Pimoroni stand), and have been crazy-busy manufacturing cases and accessories for the Pi, running our Swag Store (please buy some swag – every penny of profit goes to support our charitable aims and educate kids), and bringing manufacturing and employment back to a part of England that really needs it. They’re also extraordinarily nice people. (Jon is a vegetarian, but he’s so lovely that we don’t hold it against him.) PiHub is a sign of the way things are moving at Pimoroni: you may have noticed that until recently, they were only making things they could laser cut. Recently they took delivery of a pick and place machine, have done a lot of work with PCB design packages, and have started producing electronics too. PiGlow was their first product in the range: PiHub comes about because they spotted that not all powered hubs are created equal, and that many of you are looking for a hub designed especially to work with your Raspberry Pi. And they’re made in Pimoroni’s workshop in the UK. Let’s take a quick trip through the arched window: PiHub retails at Pimoroni and at Cyntech for £13.95 on its own, and £19.95 with a 3000mA power supply. We think that’s an insanely good deal. It’s made in the UK, it’s made with your Pi in mind, we think it’s adorable (there’s one on my desk, one on Emma’s desk and one on Gordon’s desk at the moment), and we love watching Pimoroni go from strength to strength. Alex at RasPi.TV has had a prototype PiHub to play with for a while, and has put together this video introducing it. Let us know what you think of it too – and thanks to Paul, Jon and everybody at Pimoroni!
|
Xbox Music Now Available On the Web For Free, iOS and Android Apps To Follow Soon
| Microsoft is keen to position itself as a serious player in the devices and services segment, something borne out of its latest move to open up Xbox Music service for free on the web, and the Android and iOS apps are likely to debut soon. Microsoft also stated they are making Xbox Music available to those outside of Windows 8, a move that will introduce millions more to the Microsoft music service, as Windows 7 continues to be the most used Windows version even after almost a year since the launch of Windows 8. “Xbox Music now, more than ever, powers music experiences between Windows 8, Xbox, Windows Phone, and now iOS, Android and the Web,” Xbox General Manager Jerry Johnson. This will bring Microsoft into direct competition with Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and other services and music providers. As of now, users can choose from over 30 million tracks. The service also allows tracks to be downloaded but for a fee while also offering a web radio service as well. Xbox Music can be enjoyed free on the web supported by ads, though there is an ad-free version available for a fee of $10 per month or $100 a year.
Xbox Music Now Available On the Web For Free, iOS and Android Apps To Follow Soon is a post from: E-Reader News |
The Future of the Traditional Bookstore in a Digital World
| We live in a divided world where some people buy digital and the vast majority still buy the real thing. Major publishers are seeing 24% of their global revenue stemming from eBooks and print still reigns supreme. The gap is quickly closing and many industry experts agree the total eBook market will account for $9.7 billion worldwide in 2016, more than three times the $3.2 billion in 2012. Bookstores have always played a pivotal role in book discovery and book culture in general. How will the bookstore change when digital becomes the preferred format? The quintessential bookstore has changed drastically since 300 BC when scribes would sell books directly to philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. It also is easier to start one, then it was in France. In 1810 Napoleon created a system by which, a would-be bookseller had to apply for a license (brevet), and supply four references testifying to his morality, and four confirmations of his professional ability to perform the job. All references had to be certified by the local mayor. Bookstores large and small are hubs of social activity and drive book culture. Not only can you find a large selection of detectible delights to purchase but also meet authors and participate in discussions. It is quite common in New York for a local bookstore to organize parties or wine nights for companies such as Flickr. Book discovery is central to bookstores and they invest significant time and money into aesthetics. Barnes and Noble, Indigo and WH Smith all have it down to a science on the art of product display and maximizing space to visually draw the eye. Your average best seller shelf is filled with vibrant colors and display stands hype up other notable authors or themes. How will the modern bookstore change when by 2015 the amount of digital books sold will reach 50%? We have seen the collapse of Borders in the US, Whitcoulls in New Zealand and RedGroup in Australia. Thousands of small bookstores all over the world have also closed due to readers shifting to digital. How will bookstores transition from exclusively selling physical books to actively promoting eBooks? The one worry many bookstores face is being a showroom for 3rd party eBook companies. This is evident in the relationship with bookstores that belong to the American Booksellers Association and sell books from Kobo. The indie bookstore makes very little commissions on each eBook and relies on selling physical books to stay in business. Barnes and Noble is the only one in the world with quite a large ecosystem of content and makes hefty digital returns. Indigo, Chapters, WH Smith, Foyles and many other bookstores all sell tablets and e-readers in their stores. Over the course of the last few years, reading devices have been a boon to these stores and they are seeing modest returns. Indigo recently has been launching a series of Tech Zones, which significantly increases the size of their product display area. They now sell iPad, iPad Mini and an assorted array of new e-readers and tablets. When customers buy these devices, where do they go to buy books? The bookstore of the future must develop their own eBook infrastructure in order to preserve their own identity and maximize profits. It is critically important that major chains develop their own digital bookstore and sell eBooks directly to their shoppers. It is simply not sustainable to encourage all of your patrons to buy the digital editions from Amazon or Apple There is always more money to be made by phasing out the middleman and reaching your audience directly. Bookstores are not positioned well to start their own online eBook system. I have heard on many occasions that for the most part, they have all lost touch with the publishers. In the past, great relationships will directly forged with the publisher and that is how the stores bought their books. Now, its all agents and sales reps, the average bookstore never even speaks with the publisher anymore. The majority of stores now deal with companies like Ingram, and rely on them for books, magazines and everything else. With no direct line of communication with the publishers, it is going to be a long-road to cultivate a relationship and get their own digital bookstore going. In the end, bookstores need to develop their own bookstore and develop a series of apps for readers to use. These need to be loaded on any tablet or e-reader that their store carries. If the hardware vendor does not want to play ball, you ditch them. Bookstores sustain themselves from selling books, magazines and hardware. They need to unshackle themselves from a strict reliance on a 3rd party and bite the bullet and develop their own digital storefront. The Future of the Traditional Bookstore in a Digital World is a post from: E-Reader News |
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Digital Comics Best-Sellers for September 8 2013
| Here’s our weekly snapshot of the best-selling digital comics on four platforms—taken Sunday evening. 1. Injustice: Gods Among Us #34 We’re seeing DC’s Villains Month at comiXology, with the first issue of Forever Evil and two of their villain-focused comics, Batman #23.1 and Justice League #23.1, making the chart. Nothing beats Injustice: Gods Among Us, though. Marvel has the edge in market share, with five comics in the top ten, compared to four from DC and one from Image. 1. Injustice: Gods Among Us #34 What’s that at number 10? It sounds like a book for knitters, but Wool is actually a graphic-novel adaptation of Hugh Howey’s dystopian novel. It’s published by Amazon’s own comics imprint, Jet City, and it’s serialized in an interesting way: You pay $4.99 for the entire thing, with each new episode being automatically added to your Kindle for free. Making this even more interesting is the fact that the first episode doesn’t come out until October; this book charted on pre-orders alone. We’ll see if it’s still there next week. 1. Injustice: Gods Among Us #32 The folks at Barnes and Noble must be terribly grateful to the odd couple of Charles Schulz and Robert Kirkman, because without them they would have almost no comics sales on the Nook. OK, there are two issues of Injustice, but just like last week, there are more free than paid books on the Nook list. In fact, there are 25 free books that did better than that third volume of The Walking Dead. iBooks 1. Injustice: Gods Among Us #34 As usual, iBooks users show a lot of enthusiasm for Injustice and My Little Pony; it’s interesting that this is the only chart to show the latest issue of Batman Beyond 2.0, which came out on Saturday. Digital Comics Best-Sellers for September 8 2013 is a post from: E-Reader News |
Amazon issues Mandatory Kindle for iOS 7 update
| Amazon has just pushed a new mandatory update to their apps for iPhone and iPad. This is to insure full compliance with massive new iOS 7 firmware update that should be available next week. Apple is holding a press party on Tuesday, where they are expected to announce a new two new iPhones, iBooks for iPhone and updates to their Apple TV service. The average tablet owner simply does not always keep their apps up to date. In your circle of friends, there is always one person who seems to have always have a thousand emails in their inbox or never updates their apps. This is the Amazon update that you should install because it preserves all of the books you have downloaded on your device. If you update to iOS 7 and don’t update the Amazon app you have to download all of your books again. Amazon issues Mandatory Kindle for iOS 7 update is a post from: E-Reader News |
Viz VP Explains Digital Manga Price Hike
| Viz Media is the largest manga publisher in the U.S., and when they launched their digital manga service, almost three years ago, they instantly became a pioneer in that realm. They quickly ramped up with a cross-platform service that worked on the web, iOS, and Android devices and also made their books available on Nook (and, more recently, Kobo). And their prices were reasonable: The standard price for a volume of digital manga was $4.99. About a week ago, Viz announced via a letter (which has since disappeared) on its Vizmanga site that it is raising the price of a volume of manga from $4.99 to $6.99 as of October 1. Some volumes, such as omnibuses and mature titles, are priced higher and their prices will go up commensurately. I asked Viz vice president and chief technical officer Gagan Singh to elaborate a bit on the price increases and why they were necessary. Here are his responses. Good E-Reader: Why did you decide to raise the price of your manga, and why now? Gagan Singh: We debuted our digital manga on the iPad at the end of 2010, and our prices have stayed constant since the launch of VIZ Manga. We’ve expanded from our own app on iPhones and the web, to having digital manga available on the Nook, as well as recently on the Kobo. In order to continue bringing great manga to North America, we now need to offer our digital manga at a slightly increased price. The increase helps support the manga creators (artists & writers), as well as the editors, producers, engineers, and more that make it possible to enjoy manga anywhere. Why did you decide to go with a $2 increase, rather than a series of smaller increases phased in over a period of time? Were you losing money before this? We wanted to provide stability and predictable prices in order to minimize any long-term aggravation smaller incremental increases would bring. Our digital manga sales have been doing well, but as is the case with any company, there are always increases in the cost of running business. Will you maintain price parity across all platforms (apps, Nook, Kobo)? Yes, the list price will be the same across all digital manga platforms. Are you worried that your sales will drop because of the increase? Or will the increase compensate for that? In the short term, perhaps. In the long term, we are confident, as more and more people adopt digital manga, our sales will continue growing. What about the problem of piracy—do you see it as sensitive to price, or is it simply a paid vs. free situation (i.e., people who go to bootleg sites won't pay no matter what the price)? It’s an education process. By purchasing manga through our digital platforms, fans are supporting the creators, the companies that bring out the manga in Japan, and in turn, us in bringing the manga to fans in North America. Outside of piracy, do you see your chief competition being other manga or print editions of your own manga—are you concerned that selling the digital at a lower price is undercutting your print business? Sales of our digital manga don't cannibalize those on our print side. We anticipate the same trend moving forward. In fact, we've noticed that the crossover between print and digital readers is relatively small, and that many of our digital readers prefer digital editions exclusively. Our biggest competitors for mindshare are actually the myriad of other entertainment options out there, from video games to mobile games, tv and movies. We've found that people tend to engage in activities friends recommend, rather than pick up something out of the blue. In the end, great content is the key to attracting and retaining fans. Do you have any plans for incentives, added content, or sales to mitigate the effect for your fans? We're always looking for ways to improve value for our customers; please stay tuned for updates! We want to thank our fans & readers, who have and continue to support our digital manga program. Their patronage is what drives us every day to work tirelessly to bring great manga to everyone faster and in their preferred format! Viz VP Explains Digital Manga Price Hike is a post from: E-Reader News |
eBook Review: Salinger by David Shields and Shane Salerno
| Verdict: 2 stars One of the most highly anticipated recent book launches has been Shields’ and Salerno’s Salinger, billed as an exhaustive biography of of one of the most reclusive writers of our time. What was actually published, unfortunately, was nothing more than transcripts written in interview format of discussions about the author with people who claimed to know him, nearly 200 people, in fact. While there is the occasional insight into the author’s life or the briefest of pieces of new information about the man, a lot of the material uncovered is very anecdotal tabloid-quality stuff. Was it really vital to share the status of Salinger’s testicles? No, I think not. (spoiler alert: apparently Salinger only had one, and for some reason, the authors of the book felt that knowledge was somehow important to our understanding of their subject) Over the years, Salinger’s son Matt has developed quite a reputation for taking his father’s privacy to extremes, even going so far as to disparage his own sister’s memoir as “gothic” and “unsupported.” At one point, he even sued for the return of a letter his father had written after a collectibles dealer put it up for auction, claiming that it was his father’s writing and therefore the property of the estate. Given that Salinger is the end result of not blocking the publication of information about a very private man, it’s easy to understand why Matt Salinger may have felt the need to be so protective. On a brighter note, the book is apparently almost a word-for-word transcript of the documentary film on the life of J.D. Salinger, and the film might be far less difficult to wade through given that it will be presented in video by the people who actually claim to have stories to share about the author. The film was released September 6th. Salinger is available now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, and more.
eBook Review: Salinger by David Shields and Shane Salerno is a post from: E-Reader News |
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Opinion: Why It’s Trendy to Hate on Amazon
| I have attended many different publishing and technology events this year, such as IDPF and Book Expo America, and covered O’Reily Tools for Change, Digital Book World, FutureBook and the London Book Fair. I have sat in on close to 70 different speaking engagements and there is one consistent theme. It is trendy to hate on Amazon. Many speakers are capitalizing on anti-Amazon sentiments to attenuate a point or to give them instant credibility in the audience’s eyes. It’s quite easy to get a cheap pop by insulting them or to make a lighthearted joke. Almost every single speaker this year referenced Amazon or painted them in a negative light. It is quite easy to go after a target that has seen monumental success and pioneered both e-Readers, eBooks and digital publishing. Amazon gets unjustified hatred just to get a headline. I always laugh to myself when even well-known authors or owners of other publishing websites hate on Amazon. They often do it at the very beginning of their speaking engagements or when answering audience questions. I can expect about half of the speakers will do this and I laugh about their consistency to hate. You don’t have to insult a company or put them down just to illicit an audience response. Sure, it’s a company that everyone knows, but there is zero point in making yourself look like an idiot by jumping on the bandwagon. Amazon is the most profitable eBook company in the world and has the most dominant line of e-readers. They have the most successful self-publishing platform and give free digital copies away when consumers buy the print book. They make the most money out of all the other resellers online. People try and emulate them in this sector, just like so many tablet and phone companies tend to emulate Apple. I implore the greater internet at large and public speakers at publishing events to think twice before mindlessly placing blame on Amazon to get a cheap pop. If you have to seem relevant through insults and finger pointing, you don’t deserve to have people take what you say seriously. Opinion: Why It’s Trendy to Hate on Amazon is a post from: E-Reader News |
Opinion: Amazon – The Empire We Love to Hate
| You’d be hard pressed to attend a publishing event and hear someone sing the praises of the largest online retailer in the world. Amazon, who started life as a book and ebook selling website, was at one time the darling stepchild of the publishing industry, a way for the once-Big Six to reach a potentially larger audience than they were at the time. They were happy to pat Amazon on the head for a job well done if the retailer could help them sell a few more books. But from its humble beginnings, Amazon grew to be a force to be reckoned with. With a global reach and its dominance in both the book selling and book publishing industries, more than a few frowns appear when you talk about Amazon with publishing industry professionals. It has even been dubbed “The Evil Empire” in some circles. So when did the transition happen? Was it when Amazon decided it wasn’t enough to make a few cents per copy of books that the industry still had complete control over? Was it when ebooks came along and the technology giant proved that low-cost, instant access, digital reading was not the flash in the pan that critics predicted? Or was it when Amazon threw open the gates with KDP and let anyone become an author? While the fear and loathing were already well underway, the final straw in the coffin for Amazon’s reputation in publishing came with the creation of its own traditional publishing house, Amazon Publishing. The company brought industry icon Larry Kirshbaum to lead the way, and quickly turned a lot of long-held customs in publishing on their heads. Amazon Publishing offered higher royalties than traditionally published authors were used to receiving, as well as discarded the quarterly-payouts system of royalties in favor of the monthly payments that even no-name self-published authors enjoy. But whatever the cause of the animosity between Amazon and the rest of the industry, there still begs one question: if everyone hates Amazon, how did they get to be so big? Someone must have made them who they are. If consumers, authors, and industry professionals alike want to dismiss the retailer as the Evil Empire, why do they spend their money with the company? Are we guilty of proclaiming that Amazon is the death of books and bookstores, even while secretly hiding under the covers with our laptops and ordering low cost books and household items with free shipping? Through its own business practices of offering fast product delivery, above par customer service, and prices that no one else seems to be able to even reach, let alone beat, Amazon grew into the entity that it is now. But we’re the customers who put them up on that pedestal.
Opinion: Amazon – The Empire We Love to Hate is a post from: E-Reader News |
Cote Details Limits of Apple’s Relationships with Publishers
| In a seventeen page document from US Judge Denise Cote filed on September 5th, Apple learned the full extent of how it is expected to conduct business with publishers from now on. This expectation arose as a result of the price fixing allegations that rested on Apple and five of the then-Big Six publishers; Random House was not named in any of the investigations or resulting lawsuits, and has since merged with Penguin, who was named. In the ruling, Cote outlines not only what expectations there are for price adjustments, discounting, selling, and conduct, but also gives a strict deadline for Apple to report any future misconduct. Apple is also required to hire an outside non-Apple employee who will oversee all of its future deals with publishers in order to avoid anti-trust violations. The document even specified how many months Apple is to maintain this status with each publisher who was named in the lawsuit. A link to the full seventeen pages can be found on Scrib’d by clicking here. The full amount of damages that Apple will actually pay out will be determined by May 2014.
Cote Details Limits of Apple’s Relationships with Publishers is a post from: E-Reader News |
71% of Travelers Prefer Print Books Over e-books
| As the summer holidays come to an end, research conducted by Heathrow Airport has shown that 71% of travelers would rather pack their suitcases full of books than opt for a lightweight eReader. Books fare far better around sunscreen, swimming pools and sand, but our love of a good paperback goes deeper – 67% said they prefer to stick with print because they enjoy the feel of a real book in their hands. Over 1 in 10 (12%) want to leave technology behind altogether whilst abroad. Of the 2,000 people surveyed, 67% said they turn to friends and family for their reading recommendations, closely followed by librarians and book-sellers (22%). Auto-generated online suggestions were found to be least helpful – 33% felt that the recommendations were too stereotyped, and 15% argued that they were just plain dull. Heathrow Airport Retail Director Muriel Zingraff-Shariff said: “There's no doubt that the popularity of eBooks has boomed in recent years, but when it comes to relaxing on holiday it seems you just can't beat a good book. People want a break from technology whilst they're abroad, so it's understandable that people would rather swap their Blackberry for Malorie Blackman.” Simon Smith, Managing Director at WH Smith Travel said: "Books remain a valuable part of people's holiday experience. Our stores at Heathrow are always popular with customers and we're delighted to continue to offer a great range of bestselling titles, airport exclusives and fantastic promotions to the 70 million passengers who fly through the airport each year." 71% of Travelers Prefer Print Books Over e-books is a post from: E-Reader News |
Good e-Reader Magazine August Edition
| Welcome to another edition of the Good e-Reader Magazine! In this months issue we cover the Kobo Launch and all of the new devices they have officially announced. We also look at the top news from the month and essential stories you need to know about.
Good e-Reader Magazine August Edition is a post from: E-Reader News |
