| Pocketbook has a new e-reader that they will be officially releasing in the next few weeks. It is called the Pocketbook Touch Lux 3 and the key selling point is that it employs e-ink Carta. This is the same e-paper technology that makes the Kindle Voyage so great. A German e-commerce website accidentallyy put the new Touch Lux 3 as a product before Pocketbook could officially make an announcement.This is actually a fairly regular occurrence in the e-reader industry and recently occurred with the Kobo Glo HD. The Touch Lux 3 has a six inch e-ink Carta display with a resolution of 1024×758 pixels. This model will likely be ideal for people who intend on bypassing the Kindle Voyage or Kobo Glo HD. Underneath the hood is a 1GHZ processor, 256 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage and a Micro SD to increase memory up to 32 GB. Pocketbook is a brand that is fairly popular in Eastern Europe and to a lesser extent Western Europe. They are hardly a household name in North America but people dig the brand. Chiefly because its agnostic and does not lock you into any one specific ecosystem. Instead they support one of the largest array of e-book formats in the business. PDF, PDF (DRM), EPUB, EPUB(DRM), DJVU, FB2, FB2.ZIP,DOC, DOCX, RTF, PRC, TCR, TXT, CHM, HTM, HTML, MOBI, and ACSM. 2014 was a year of risks for Pocketbook as they broke conventions to see if it would lead to an influx of sales. It partnered with a French boutique firm to design the Sense e-reader, that so far has only been available in Russia. It had the eight inch InkPad e-reader and the first e-reader with a camera, the Ultra. I think the Lux 3 is Pocketbook playing it safe and slightly improving this model from past generations. Pocketbook Touch Lux 3 Available Soon is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Pocketbook Touch Lux 3 Available Soon
Podcast: New HarperCollins Deal with Amazon and Kobo Glo HD
| Welcome back to another exciting edition of the Good e-Reader Radio Show! Today we talk about the new publishing contract that Amazon and HarperCollins have signed. What does it mean for readers and will e-book prices dramatically increase? Also on the show Michael talks about the new Kobo Glo HD e-reader, how this fits into Kobo’s product portfolio going forward and will future models have an SD Card? Podcast: New HarperCollins Deal with Amazon and Kobo Glo HD is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Onyx Boox M96 Buyer’s Guide
| One question that comes up a lot around here is where to get an Onyx Boox M96, which version is best and what seller to buy it from. So I wanted to put together this article explaining the different places that sell the M96 and what the differences are between brandings. Not all M96’s are […] |
Launching Picademy@Google Leeds
| We love introducing educators to the Raspberry Pi; that’s why the education team are always on the road, at conferences, shows and events, sharing the Pi’s learning potential. Last year, we started a teacher training programme, and invited educators from all over the world to our headquarters for some fun hands-on learning. We called it Picademy. It’s been hugely popular, and so far we’ve trained around 200 teachers through seven events in our own unique way. The feedback has blown us away. Of those who completed our feedback questionnaire:
So we have a problem. We want to train thousands of educators – no – hundreds of thousands of educators, and that’s not possible for our tiny education team, even though it’s made up of a cracking bunch of superstars. Picademy is always oversubscribed. We have huge ambitions for education. Thanks to the generosity and support of Google, we think we are heading in the right direction. Today we are excited to announce our new Picademy@Google programme for educators, kicking off in Leeds, UK. This is another opportunity for primary, secondary and post-16 teachers to attend Raspberry Pi-flavoured computing and science training, but this time at a Google Digital Garage near where you live. The Digital Garages are a group of pop-up spaces – this first one located in Leeds Docks – which will help 200,000 British businesses learn crucial skills for the digital age, and use the power of the internet to reach more customers and grow faster. Here is Raspberry Pi Foundation trustee Pete Lomas with representatives from Code Club Pro and Computing at School (who will also be offering teacher training opportunities at the Digital Garage) at the launch event in March. The Picademy@Google courses will be run by hand-picked community members and educators, and will be a a mix of hands-on making, project-based learning and general hacking (think Picademy meets Raspberry Jam!) They will run alongside our definitive Picademy course and are, as always, completely free to attend for teachers. We will be launching Picademy@Google in other UK cities as Google Digital Garages open over the next few months – to be informed about when one opens up near you, please sign up to our education newsletter. The Leeds Digital Garage will be open between now and November, and we’ll be running a number of Picademy@Google courses there, so start spreading the news: sign-ups for teachers are open!
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eHighlights Adult Edition- April & May
| The arrival of a new month brings another great edition of our Adult eHighlights catalog. April and May are both amazing months for new books so I'm sure you'll love browsing through all the great new titles. My personal favorites this month include Oliver Sacks' extraordinary memoir On the Move, Toni Morrison's gripping new novel God Help the Child, and Clifford Jackman's fierce and thrilling western noir novel The Winter Family. Jon Cryer's memoir, So That Happened, had me cracking up at my desk as I listened to the audiobook. All of these great new titles (and many more) had me wishing there were more hours in the day! Titles can be viewed in the catalog or directly in marketplace carts. Happy reading!   |
HarperCollins, Amazon Reach Agreement
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On the surface, the wholesale model would seem to be the best form of pricing, at least as far as consumers are concerned, and certainly where publishers and authors are concerned. The publisher makes its agreed upon royalty–which it goes on to divide with the author according to their contract–and the consumer stands to benefit from an all-out price war among the retailers. The retailer gets to entice customers with the best deal possible, while using their interest in one product (the book) to encourage the sale of other items. It sounds like the American dream, capitalism at its finest. But a recent interview with Smashwords’ CEO Mark Coker helped explain why that might be mutually beneficial in the immediate sense, but over time will lead to a break down of the entire publishing industry. A look at the history of corporations in the US shows a pattern of prosperity and decline, a system in which major companies go through stagnant years and are forced to reinvent themselves in order to climb back up to the top. The wholesale model means that one or two key players will have the power to sell books at a loss, driving out the smaller competition until there is no competition. Whether or not that’s the intended outcome when major players get to control the purse strings is irrelevant; once the competition is gone, where do readers turn for books when the major players also shutter their doors? It comes as no surprise that HarperCollins and Amazon have reached an agreement, as the clock is ticking on one of the most important literary milestones of the century: the release of the long-awaited sequel to one of the most widely read books in modern history. If HarperCollins wants to sell Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman and Amazon wants to benefit from that sale, a meeting in the middle had to take place. But as of this writing, Amazon is offering the book for pre-order–something that many mom-and-pop independent bookstores aren’t even set up to do–for less than $13 for the hardcover; the Kindle edition is priced just over $11, while Barnes and Noble and Kobo are offering the ebook edition for pre-order for more than $16. While those are the major players in the online bookselling and ebook selling space, how many independent bookstores or online startups will be able to even come close to those prices? While the terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed, it is a multi-year agreement in which HarperCollins will set the prices of its ebooks but allow Amazon to offer incentives to its customers. The most important statement made on the agreement comes from the publisher, who stated that its books will continue to be available from Amazon, a fate that was called into question if an agreement couldn’t be reached.
HarperCollins, Amazon Reach Agreement is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Reviewing God Help the Child by Toni Morrison
| Nobel laureate Toni Morrison know how to tug at people's heart-stings. Her work is notoriously fierce, poignant, and emotional and God Help the Child has claimed its place among her canon of extraordinary novels. In less than 200 pages, Morrison The center of God Help the Child is a love story between a young African-American woman named Bride and a young African-American man named Booker. Both are suffering from a lingering anguish over their equally disturbing and terrible pasts. Bride was born to a mother who detested her due to her dark skin color and was abused deeply, physically and emotionally. Booker's brother was brutally murdered by the hands of a serial child molester. Their collective scars have prevented them from thriving in adulthood and their stunted maturity causes difficulty both personally and professionally. As their lives weave and unweave together, Morrison paints a tragically beautiful picture of torment and redemption. As with many of her previous novels, prepare to be shocked and uncomfortable at times throughout the story but her account is equally gripping and socially important. God Help the Child is a perfect book for anyone who wants to be challenged and entertained at the same time. I suggest you free up an afternoon so you can read entirely in one sitting. Thank you, Toni Morrison. Your heartfelt novels are truly a gift. This title will be available to borrow from your library on April 21st but you can place a hold right now! Titles may have limited regional or platform availability. Check OverDrive Marketplace to find what is available for you.
Rachel Kray is a Collection Development Analyst with OverDrive  |
Monday, April 13, 2015
Taifuu no Noruda Original Animated Film Announced
| A new animated film was announced by Studio Colorido this past week entitiled Taifuu no Noruda (Typhoon Noruda), during their premier of TV series Punchline. The new animated film is set to debut in Japan on June 5th and will remain in theatres for a limited three weeks. Taifuu no Noruda will be Studio Colorido’s first feature-length film since their development in 2011 and will be directed by former Ghibli animator Yōjirō Arai. Working along side the first time director is Hiroyasu Ishida who will e designing the characters and serving as animation director. Hiroyasu previously directed award-winning shorts such as "Fumiko’s Confession" and "Rain Town". Masashi Hamauzu (Good Luck Girl!) will be working on composing the music. A few of Studio Colorido’s previous works include a number of short Ona anime, along with two short films released in November 2013 entitled Shashinkan and Hinata no Aoshigure. The film takes place at a middle school during the evening of the culture festival on a small and isolated island. A boy who has been passionate about baseball is entire life has quit playing and has a fight with his best friend. Suddenly they meet a mysterious young girl with red eyes, a huge hits the middle school. You can check out the official website for more upcoming info but in the meantime, check out the 15 second teaser that has been released! Taifuu no Noruda Original Animated Film Announced is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Research – Where do you Buy your eBooks?
| There are hundreds of digital bookstores all over the world and the purpose of our research is to determine the most popular. Over the course of the last two weeks 364 people cast their vote and today we would like to share our results. Amazon currently controls 75% of the e-book market in the US and 95% in the United Kingdom. These are staggering figures that really shows how little market penetration Barns and Noble and Kobo actually have. Our research shows that 57% of our audience prefers the Kindle ecosystem, capturing 211 votes. Kobo has been in the e-reader game for as long as Barnes and Noble and is likely the largest book ecosystem in the world. They have almost 4 million titles and the company prides itself on accessibility. Their complete line of e-readers and vibrant bookstore obviously resonates with our audience, as 18.41% said they preferred to do business with them. These two bookstores account for 76% of the total vote, which really shows how much market penetration they actually have. Things dramatically tapered off in all of the other positions with B&N capturing 6% of the vote, directly from the publisher (4%), indie bookstores (3%) and iBooks, Google Books and Pottermore remain irrelevant. It is very surprising that Apple and Google basically only had 10 votes each. Considering both of their digital bookstores are preloaded on every new smartphone and tablet they sell, it is apparent that the average consumer simply doesn’t do business with iBooks or Google Books. Research – Where do you Buy your eBooks? is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Kobo Aura vs Kobo Glo HD
| Kobo has three e-readers in their current portfolio that they market all over the world. The Kobo Aura and Kobo Glo HD are two of the most notable and customers may be wondering, what is best for me? Today, we compare them against each other so you can get a sense on what they bring to the table. The Kobo Aura features a six inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 X 758 and 212 PPI. This device is employing older e-ink technology called Pearl, which result in a bit slower page turns. The one thing I find truly compelling with this e-reader is that the screen is flush with the bezel, much akin to your smartphone or tablet. Underneath the hood is a 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. The Glo HD currently does not have an SD card, which many people claim is very limiting. The brand new Kobo Glo HD features a six inch e-ink Carta screen with a resolution of 1448×1072 and 300 PPI. It has the same front-lit display as the Kobo Aura H2O, so you will be able to read in low-light conditions or complete darkness. I think the main reason Kobo rushed the Glo HD to the market was because of the overwhelming success of the premium Kindle Voyage. This Amazon branded device was released late last year and at the time had the best resolution and highest PPI in the world. It also carried a hefty price, retailing for $199 US vs the $129 of the Glo HD. Underneath the hood is a 1 GHZ processor and 4 GB of internal storage. When you take the e-reader out of the box for the first time you only have 3.1 GB of memory, primarily because the OS takes up a fair amount of space. Today we look at the overall e-reading experience and what these two devices bring to the table.
Kobo Aura vs Kobo Glo HD is a post from: Good e-Reader |
3M Cloud Library Expands Into Australia and the United Kingdom
| Residents of Australia and the United Kingdom will now be able to enjoy healthy competition in the digital library space. The 3M Cloud Library will now heavily compete against Overdrive and Softlink, giving libraries a viable alternative. 3M Cloud Library has been an industry leader in advancing technology in the eLending market and is currently available in over 1000 libraries in the US and Canada. Simplifying digital lending for libraries, this system offers an end-to-end, easy to implement and manage service. Along with comprehensive training and support tools, the Content Acquisition Tool allows Librarians to easily curate their own collection from a catalog with several hundred thousand eBooks and digital audiobooks. 3M's entry into these new markets will be supported with dedicated sales and support resources across the UK and Australia. This launch will help bring awareness and boost digital lending in these territories at a critical time, as public libraries are realizing the potential and the benefits of expanding digital library services. The United Kingdom digital library scene is quite immature compared to their counterparts in Canada, US and Australia. For example, there is hardly any wireless internet access points, preventing users from borrowing e-books. There is also strict limitations on the duration in which content can be borrowed and publishers are remiss to give them their frontlist content. 3M Cloud Library Expands Into Australia and the United Kingdom is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Second Sailor Moon Crystal Series to Come This Summer
| On Friday, Toei Animation Europe has stated in a news article that a second series for the popular Sailor Moon Crystal is in the works and will premiere this summer! For the fans that had read the manga, this means this new series will follow the Mugen (Infinity) arc which will introduce the outer senshis, Pluto, Uranus and Neptune as well as the new threat to humanity: The Death Busters (Alternately called the Heart Snatchers in the English adaption.) The first Sailor Moon Crystal series consists of two arcs into one season, the original Sailor Moon Arc and the Black Moon arc which introduces Chibiusa and also unveils the future for Usagi and the others in Crystal Tokyo. At the moment we are unsure if we are going to get the Yume arc as well, but if they are going to be following the same format as the first series, then you can expect to see Chibiusa and Pegasus hopefully sometime next year! At this rate, fans are hoping to see the Stars arc animated as well, but only time will tell, and I have full confidence the whole SMC series will be animated. The anime first premiered last July with new episodes streaming on the first and third Saturdays of each month. If you want to catch up before the second series begins, you can head over to Crunchyroll, Hulu or Neon Alley to view the remake of a classic! Second Sailor Moon Crystal Series to Come This Summer is a post from: Good e-Reader |
The Apple iPad is a Surprisingly Awful PDF Reader
| For years I’ve been telling people that a good tablet makes for a better PDF reader for extensive use than most E Ink ereaders, but after some further testing I’ve found that I need to refine that statement because, quite frankly, the Apple iPad is a pretty terrible PDF reader. I’m sure there’s a decent […] |
Kindle Paperwhite 2-Day Sale for $99
| Once again the Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $99 for the next couple of days at Amazon and Best Buy. It’s funny how they never offer the Kindle Voyage at a discount, but the Paperwhite regularly goes on sale for $99. I’ve always said the Paperwhite is a much better value than the Voyage, […] |
What Rook Can Teach the Industry about Bookselling
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So how is giving away ebook content good for the industry? As the research has been demonstrating for years, literally going back to early studies by Kobo, Sourcebook, OverDrive, and other reputable industry sources, consumers are fairly trustworthy. Whether it’s library lending, free sampling, or book series discounting, readers will take a risk on a book purchase if they know they’re going to enjoy it. How do they discover that they like a book or an author? By reading. And the studies have proven time and time again that letting consumers try content for free or at drastically reduced prices leads to purchases of either the same title or other titles by that author. An article in the Guardian on the new app sums it up entirely: “Experiencing something for nothing, or next to nothing, can be the start of a fruitful relationship between consumer and producer. Library users buy more books, as do Kindle Unlimited users, according to a recent Nielsen survey. It's risky to part with £17.99 on an unknown author, but take a punt for nothing and you might be so enamoured you'll pre-order their next at the bookshop. Or so the theory goes.” But with multiple studies and surveys, why aren’t more publishers getting in line to adapt to this consumer behavior? Because they don’t know how. A four-hundred-year old industry wasn’t built on giving away content, and publishers are loathe to experiment with their front list titles, especially under the false belief that it will lead to more piracy. The fact that ebooks themselves haven’t led to increased piracy, and that industry studies have shown book pricing or free content also doesn’t increase or decrease piracy, hasn’t seemed to sink in with publishers. As with so much about the industry, genuine change is coming from the smaller entities in the game. Independent publishers–two of which will be named as early Rook supporters at the London Book Fair this week–and self-published authors continue to not only shake up the publishing business but also provide the proof that these studies compile. Hopefully with more mainstream approaches like Rook, the rest of the industry will eventually catch up.
What Rook Can Teach the Industry about Bookselling is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Amazon Can Move Forward with US Drone Delivery Testing
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But that’s not the concern of the FAA, who has placed the limitations on Amazon’s testing, limitations that the agency revised only last week. While the new limitations still have some pretty useless restrictions that will keep Prime Air from really working–restrictions like requiring the drone to remain within the line of sight of the operator, making it more like a remote controlled toy airplane than a genuine drone–the agency has long said it is erring (make that, airing) on the side of caution. Drone technology is relatively new, especially to the commercial and private citizen sectors, and the FAA cannot envision a free-for-all in the skies where drones clog US airspace. Amazon fired back against the restrictions with the news that it has already begun drone testing in other countries, which led to the FAA relaxing its grip somewhat and approving limited testing. Unfortunately, the agency took so long in doing such that the drone it approved for testing was no longer even in use by Amazon, who’d moved on to better technology while waiting for the approval. The April 8th announcement, though, allows Amazon to test its latest drones in the US, but with those stringent restrictions in place. If the pattern continues in the way its gone for the retailer so far, drones will be entirely obsolete by the time the FAA approves the full implementation of Amazon Prime Air.
Amazon Can Move Forward with US Drone Delivery Testing is a post from: Good e-Reader |
The Newest Indie Author Tool: Video Interviews
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Fortunately, there is an entire toolbox full of options for authors who are largely going it alone. Social media, blogging, crowdfunding, book coupons, multi-author initiatives, and reader communities like Goodreads and Wattpad are tools that have something to offer authors who want a boost in getting the word out about their books. One specific tool that has been available for some time but hasn’t taken off in a mainstream way is video interviewing, in which an author creates a professional-quality video to share across social media, post to his website, post on his Amazon Author Central page, and more. It’s truly an untapped resource, and companies like self-publishing business BookVenture are trying to ramp up the effectiveness of it before the internet is inundated with authors pimping their books via YouTube. There are some things to keep in mind if authors want to maximize the impact of a video. First, as with all available self-publishing tools, there’s something to be said for hiring a pro if this isn’t a skill set you already have. Next, just as with any form of online communication, when trying to reach out to readers it’s important that you’re offering more than just a commercial for your book. Your video should stick to the theme of your writing–as in, don’t film your video at a playground if you’re an erotica writer–and should convey a professional message that still sets the tone that readers can expect within your books. Finally, there’s no point in wasting the time, money, or energy on a quality video if you don’t have a broad social media presence to share it from. Posting your video and just hoping that it somehow goes viral is as pointless as posting your book and just hoping people manage to find it and buy it. However authors choose to spread the word about their writing, it’s important to remember to keep the focus reader-centric, and to utilize the complete toolbox instead of only one aspect of promotion. Video is just one more channel for reaching readers, but it’s not a magic wand towards book sales.
The Newest Indie Author Tool: Video Interviews is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Get 3 free seasons of Sesame Street for your digital collection!
| Want to earn FREE Streaming Video titles for you library's digital collection? Here's how: Purchase our Family Friendly video pack (worth ~$2600 USD) and you'll get 3 seasons of Sesame Street for free! That's right – Big Bird, Elmo, and the whole gang will be added to your collection for free! This award-winning children's series has been beloved for decades and is a must for any streaming video collection. Don't let your patrons, young or young-at-heart, miss out the fun! As an added bonus, these titles will also help fill up your Kids eReading Room. Don't have an eReading Room? Contact your collection development specialist for details. This promotion ends April 30th, so order soon to receive 3 seasons of Sesame Street for free! If you have any questions, contact collectionteam@overdrive.com. Due to publisher geographic availability, this promotion is limited to our public library & school partners in the United States & Canada.  |
TyFone – a DIY Smartphone
| One of the most popular projects we’ve featured here was Dave Hunt’s PiPhone. It’s a working mobile phone built around a Raspberry Pi; it does all the telephony you’d expect, but it’s a smart-ish phone, not a complete smart phone, which made some of you sad. In the year since the PiPhone was first built, Tyler Spadgenske has been beavering away at his own version, which improves on the original. We think it’s rather splendid. What’s new here? The TyPhone can take photos (and send them to Dropbox or another device), send texts and manage its own battery level, as well as placing and taking calls. Tyler wrote own OS in Python, 3d-printed a rather smart enclosure, and now has a phone he’s built from the bottom up – hardware and software both. Tyler has made full, diagrammed instructions, a parts lists and a Thingiverse file for the 3d-printed case available over at Instructables. |
#WeNeedDiverseBooks
 A fantastic campaign started one year ago in April of 2014 to address the lack of children's literature with diverse voices. It is called We Need Diverse Books. Ellen Oh, the President of the organization, said "Armed with statistics, we knew that the lack of diverse narratives had a direct correlation to our country's literacy problem". Within the year that the campaign started they've seen an overwhelming response from kids, teachers, librarians, administrators, parents, and other organizations. Books teach us about the world around us and the people that populate it, so when we lack representation in novels, picture books, and nonfiction we are doing our children a disservice. Books help us empathize with the main characters and the best way to teach a child about themselves or another is to let them live through a character in a story. I will now step off my soap box and highlight some books that feature diversity. Also check out the #We Need Diverse Books list in OverDrive Marketplace for other great additions to your collection. Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero The main character, Gabi, chronicles her last year of high school in this book. The book is highly regarded and about a young woman dealing with her identity, school, the future, and her family/friend relationships. The reason it made this list is because Gabi is Latina and her story is a modern coming of age story worth reading. This new comic for middle grades and above is the perfect girl power text! Set in a summer camp the Lumberjanes are a girl-scout-esque group, seeking badges and "Friendship to the Max!". Then strange things start happening and it's up to this group of gifted gals to figure it out. Two of the girls have strong feelings for one another and this is one of the best female led texts I've read in a while. The perfect empowerment for any girl. Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg "A funny, honest novel about being out, being proud . . . and being ready for something else." Rafe is open about his sexuality, but he's tired of being the gay guy. He just wants to be normal, so when he moves to an all-boys boarding school, he decides to keep his sexuality to himself. The Last Leaves Falling by Sarah Benwell Abe Sora is dealing with a disease that will kill him young, ALS. After he loses the use of his legs, he turns to samurai poetry and seeks friendships via the internet. He is tired of people's pity and ultimately wants to end life on his terms. A beautiful and thought provoking read set in Japan. Pecan Pie Baby by Jacqueline Woodson and Sophie Blackall This is an adorable picture book about a soon to be big sister who is tired of hearing how excited everyone is over the new baby because she's not sure where that will leave her? This is the perfect book for any sibling and features an African American family.
Kristin Milks is a Collection Development Analyst with OverDrive  |