| It looks 2015 is going to be the year of the dual screen E Ink smartphone, as this is the third dual screen E Ink phone article this week. The Yotaphone 2 was the first dual screen E Ink phone to hit the market early this year; it’s expected to come to the U.S. in […] |
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Huateng Flag D1 Dual Screen E Ink Smartphone (Video)
Pocket PiGRRL: is that an emulator in your pocket?
| Huge, city-destroying robot for scale (Photo: Adafruit/ Ruiz Brothers) Last year we went into full retronerd dribble mode over the PiGRRL, a Pi-powered Gameboy. Our friends at Adafruit have brought the project up to date with the Pocket PiGRRL. It has a 3D printed case and uses the smaller Raspberry model A+ plus a 2.4″ PiTFT HAT to bring the size down. Emulation is handled by RetroPie. Adafruit say that "it's easier than our previous PiGRRL build" and the use of components such as the amplifier and charger means that it's suitable for a confident beginner—at the very least you'll earn your soldering skills badge. The post Pocket PiGRRL: is that an emulator in your pocket? appeared first on Raspberry Pi. |
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Would you buy an e-Book from a Hotel or Airport?
| Would you buy an e-book from an airport, museum or hotel? Big five publisher Simon & Schuster hopes you will. Simon & Schuster has partnered with mobile content delivery service Foli to offer customers complimentary access to a selection of full-text e-books in airports, museums and hotels in the United States. Foli specializes in Geo-targeting, which basically allows the delivery of a single digital e-Book, or group of titles, to a specific geographic location. In order to access the e-books in the program you need to download the official Foli app for Android or iOS. If you visit the National Air & Space Museum a free digital edition entitledd “The Wright Brothers” will be available to read for free. You have three days from visiting the venue to read it, then you have to buy it. S&S has also ironed out agreements with a number of airport lounges for another 18 titles. Will customers buy single editions on their smartphone or tablet? Obviously you will not easily be able to load it on your Kobo or Nook and these DRM e-books are not compatible with the Kindle. Would you buy an e-Book from a Hotel or Airport? is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Overdrive Audiobooks can Now be Played on a Web Browser
| Overdrive has been quite progressive about having content displayed within an internet browser. Whenever a patron borrows an e-book from the local library, they have the option to read it within a dedicated app on their smartphone or tablet, or their favorite browser. Today, Overdrive has just announced that they now have support to listen to audiobooks in a web browser too. The new platform is called OverDrive Listen and requires no software to play an audiobook, other than your internet browser. You can now browse, checkout and listen in a singular experience, without the need to lean on a dedicated app. Libraries can rest assured that Overdrive Listen feature has automatically been added to any audiobook that is available in the MP3 format. Nothing else has to be done on an individual branches part, other than just build awareness that patrons now have the ability to listen to audio content on their PC, MAC, smartphone or tablet. Overdrive Audiobooks can Now be Played on a Web Browser is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Margaret Atwood Will Time Capsule a New Book May 26th on Periscope
| Margaret Atwood is the first author that will be participating in the Future Library time capsule project, which was announced last year. The official ceremony will begin next Tuesday, May 26 and the historic moment will be captured on Periscope. Her work will remain unpublished – and unread – until 2114. Margaret posted a short essay in her involvement in the project on Wattpad. The key takeaway is that she loves digging in the dirt and finding things. “As a child, I was one of those who buried treasures in jars, with the idea that someone, some day, might come along and dig them up. I found similar things while digging in the various gardens I have made: old nails, old medicine bottles, fragments of china plates… That is what the Future Library is like, in part: it will contain fragments of lives that were once lived, and that are now the past. But all writing is a method of preserving and transmitting the human voice.” What is the Future Library Project all about? Well, a thousand trees have been planted in Nordmarka, a forest just outside Oslo, which will supply paper for a special anthology of books to be printed in one hundred years time. Between now and then, one writer every year will contribute a text, with the writings held in trust, unpublished, until 2114. Tending the forest and ensuring its preservation for the 100-year duration of the artwork finds a conceptual counterpoint in the invitation extended to each writer: to conceive and produce a work in the hopes of finding a receptive reader in an unknown future. Margaret Atwood Will Time Capsule a New Book May 26th on Periscope is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Viz Manga Hires Dreamworks’ Brad Woods
| Manga distribution company Viz Media announced on Monday that they will be making a big staff change. Brad Woods, previously the Senior Vice President of Dreamworks Animation, has been named as the Chief Marketing Officer at Viz. What this means is Woods will be in charge of marketing all the titles Viz holds. Woods has had experience marketing successful film franchises, notably 'Madagascar' and 'How To Train Your Dragon.' This is also not his first, or even second, company rodeo. Woods worked at Mattel and Warner Bros. before Dreamworks. While hiring a man with a successful marketing background may seem like a very good idea, it has some wondering. How much does Woods know about manga, anime, and the world he is entering into? Will he hep put manga 'on the map,' so to speak? Or will he end up mis-marketing the titles? How will this affect Viz Manga in the long run? It is interesting to note that Woods is coming from Dreamworks Animation, the offshoot to Dreamworks, and the company responsible for the upcoming 'Ghost in The Shell' movie. Could bringing in a man with such a Hollywood background mean we may get more of a Westernised, Hollywood feel to Viz Manga? And if so, is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Only time will tell as Woods embarks into the world of manga. But we'll be watching to see if the changes he makes are good, or if he makes any change at all. Viz Manga Hires Dreamworks' Brad Woods is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Shortlist Announced
| Kobo has just unveiled the shortlist for a new literary initiative that celebrates digital works by Canadian authors. The Emerging Writer Prize was created for debut authors in three categories: Literary Fiction, Genre Fiction, Mystery and Non-Fiction. Each winning author will be awarded a $10,000 CAD cash prize as well as promotional, marketing, and communications support. More than 140 entries were received from 40 different traditional publishers, as well as from more than 45 self-published authors. The shortlist, selected by Kobo's team of booksellers and taking into consideration book completion rates, customer ratings and reviews, comprises five books in each genre. The shortlist will now move on to the final selection process, led by top Canadian authors: Charlotte Gray for Non-Fiction, Miriam Toews for Literary Fiction, and Ian Hamilton for Genre Fiction (Mystery), with winners announced on July 7. Non-Fiction
Literary Fiction
Fiction (Mystery)
Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Shortlist Announced is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Kobo Glo HD PDF Review (Video)
| People are always asking how each ebook reader handles PDF files, so I wanted to put together this dedicated PDF review for the Kobo Glo HD to show all the features available for PDFs. Like the Kobo Aura H2O and Kobo’s other ereaders, the Kobo Glo HD is designed primarily to display ebooks from Kobo […] |
The Inquirer Tech Hero Awards
| This is not a flashy post with lots of pictures and farkles. It's a thank you note. In February 2012 we started selling the Raspberry Pi (you may not have heard the story—it went pretty well ;)). A year later we moved into a small office. There were six of us. Our very first office. Aww, cute. Less than a year later we stormed the penthouse floor of the same building and have been there ever since. (We even have our own fridge now so we don't have to write our names on our pies with a Sharpie). And here we are three years later—things have gone swimmingly and we've picked up one or two awards (OK, lots) along the way. We love getting awards but not (just) in a big-headian way. They are a confirmation that we are doing something right and doing something good. Last night I travelled on the InterCity to London to attend the first ever Inquirer Tech Hero Awards (Liz and Eben are away and I was sent because I most resemble him physically). We were nominated in three categories: The Raspberry Pi 2 won 'Best Product' and Eben won 'Tech Champion'. We had a great night, chatted to a load of people and we brought back two impressive chunks of glass that say, "Keep doing your thing, it's good." The best photo I could manage – these things are shiny AND transparent So thanks to the Inquirer and to everyone who voted. But the biggest thank you goes to our amazing, unique and lovely community. We wouldn't be here without you. Cheers. The post The Inquirer Tech Hero Awards appeared first on Raspberry Pi. |
OverDrive Listen is now live!
| We are excited to announce a new listening option for audiobooks, called OverDrive Listen, is now available for your audiobook collection! Similar to OverDrive Read for eBooks, OverDrive Listen offers the same ease of use; simply browse, borrow, and listen right in your browser with a single click. There are no downloads or software required; all you need is a compatible web browser. Using OverDrive Listen, you can add bookmarks, take notes, or make highlights. This additional listening option has been automatically added to MP3 audiobooks in your digital collection (where publisher permits) at no additional cost. There is no action required on your part. We look forward to offering this new listening option for your users. If you have any questions, please contact your OverDrive Account Specialist.   |
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Bill Gates Posts his Summer 2015 Reading List
| Microsoft founder Bill Gates has just posted his reading list for the summer. Every year he posts six novels that he wants to read or has read. This year he has a series of books that had made him laugh or were thought provoking. Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh. The book, based on Brosh's wildly popular website, consists of brief vignettes and comic drawings about her young life. The adventures she recounts are mostly inside her head, where we hear and see the kind of inner thoughts most of us are too timid to let out in public. You will rip through it in three hours, tops. But you'll wish it went on longer, because it's funny and smart as hell. I must have interrupted Melinda a dozen times to read to her passages that made me laugh out loud. The Magic of Reality, by Richard Dawkins. Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, has a gift for making science enjoyable. This book is as accessible as the TV series Cosmos is for younger audiences—and as relevant for older audiences. It's an engaging, well-illustrated science textbook offering compelling answers to big questions, like "how did the universe form?" and "what causes earthquakes?" It's also a plea for readers of all ages to approach mysteries with rigor and curiosity. Dawkins's antagonistic (and, to me, overzealous) view of religion has earned him a lot of angry critics, but I consider him to be one of the great scientific writer/explainers of all time. What If?, by Randall Munroe. The subtitle of the book is "Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions," and that's exactly what it is. People write Munroe with questions that range over all fields of science: physics, chemistry, biology. Questions like, "From what height would you need to drop a steak for it to be cooked when it hit the ground?" (The answer, it turns out, is "high enough that it would disintegrate before it hit the ground.") Munroe's explanations are funny, but the science underpinning his answers is very accurate. It's an entertaining read, and you'll also learn a bit about things like ballistics, DNA, the oceans, the atmosphere, and lightning along the way. XKCD, by Randall Munroe. A collection of posts from Munroe's blog XKCD, which is made up of cartoons he draws making fun of things—mostly scientists and computers, but lots of other things too. There's one about scientists holding a press conference to reveal their discovery that life is arsenic-based. They research press conferences and find out that sometimes it's good to serve food that's related to the subject of the conference. The last panel is all the reporters dead on the floor because they ate arsenic. It's that kind of humor, which not everybody loves, but I do. On Immunity, by Eula Biss. When I stumbled across this book on the Internet, I thought it might be a worthwhile read. I had no idea what a pleasure reading it would be. Biss, an essayist and university lecturer, examines what lies behind people's fears of vaccinating their children. Like many of us, she concludes that vaccines are safe, effective, and almost miraculous tools for protecting children against needless suffering. But she is not out to demonize anyone who holds opposing views. This is a thoughtful and beautifully written book about a very important topic. How to Lie With Statistics, by Darrell Huff. I picked up this short, easy-to-read book after seeing it on a Wall Street Journal list of good books for investors. I enjoyed it so much that it was one of a handful of books I recommended to everyone at TED this year. It was first published in 1954, but aside from a few anachronistic examples (it has been a long time since bread cost 5 cents a loaf in the United States), it doesn't feel dated. One chapter shows you how visuals can be used to exaggerate trends and give distorted comparisons—a timely reminder, given how often infographics show up in your Facebook and Twitter feeds these days. A useful introduction to the use of statistics, and a helpful refresher for anyone who is already well versed in it. Should We Eat Meat?, by Vaclav Smil. The richer the world gets, the more meat it eats. And the more meat it eats, the bigger the threat to the planet. How do we square this circle? Vaclav Smil takes his usual clear-eyed view of the whole landscape, from meat's role in human evolution to hard questions about animal cruelty. While it would be great if people wanted to eat less meat, I don't think we can expect large numbers of people to make drastic reductions. I'm betting on innovation, including higher agricultural productivity and the development of meat substitutes, to help the world meet its need for meat. A timely book, though probably the least beach-friendly one on this list.
Bill Gates Posts his Summer 2015 Reading List is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Introducing the OverDrive Summer Read program
| OverDrive is excited to introduce our inaugural OverDrive Summer Read program, designed to encourage your students to keep reading all year long. This program aims to help prevent the Summer Slide by providing exciting titles young readers that are simultaneously available during the summer weeks. The below titles will be automatically added to North American and European OverDrive-powered school library websites in eBook and OverDrive Read formats (and Kindle format where available) with unlimited access from June 9-July 9. Public libraries who offer eReading Rooms will also receive this content on their eReading Room pages. Similar to the Big Library Read this program will enable young readers to enjoy these titles without any wait lists or holds during the summer.
The Fat Boy Chronicles by Diane Lang & Michael Buchanan. It's bad enough being the new kid, but as a freshman, Jimmy finds school less enjoyable than many of his classmates. Standing 5'5″ and weighing 187 pounds, he's subjected to a daily barrage of taunts and torments. His only sources of comfort are his family, his youth group, and his favorite foods. When his English teacher assigns a journal as a writing project, Jimmy chronicles not only his struggles but also his aspirations – to lose weight and win the girl of his dreams. Inspired by a true story and told in first-person journal entries, The Fat Boy Chronicles brings to life the pain and isolation felt by many overweight teenagers as they try to find their way in a world obsessed with outward beauty.
Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky by Sandra Dallas. It's 1942: Tomi Itano, 12, is a second-generation Japanese American who lives in California with her family on their strawberry farm. Although her parents came from Japan and her grandparents still live there, Tomi considers herself an American. She doesn't speak Japanese and has never been to Japan. But after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, things change. No Japs Allowed signs hang in store windows and Tomi's family is ostracized.
Things get much worse. Suspected as a spy, Tomi's father is taken away. The rest of the Itano family is sent to an internment camp in Colorado. Many other Japanese American families face a similar fate. Tomi becomes bitter, wondering how her country could treat her and her family like the enemy. What does she need to do to prove she is an honorable American? Sandra Dallas shines a light on a dark period of American history in this story of a young Japanese American girl caught up in the prejudices and World War II. Digital libraries that only serve elementary students will feature Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky. All other school partners will feature both titles. Contact your Account Specialist if you have any questions.  |
‘Daisuki’ Anime Streaming Service Adding ‘God Eater’ To Summer Line Up
| This weekend at Anime Central convention, Daisuki, a new anime streaming service, has announced that God Eater will be added to it’s summer line up. It was earlier this year that the anime adaption of Bandai Namco’s popular PSP game would be getting it’s own tv series to be directed by Takayuki Hirao with character designs by Keita Shimizu (Tales of Phantasia) along with music by Gō Shiina (God Eater games) Daisuki describes the series as follows: The series will star Ryūichi Kijima as the protagonist Lenka Utsugi and returning to their roles from the game series include: Hiroaki Hirata as Rindou Amamiya Daisuki will begin streaming the new series starting on July 5th and the stream will be available worldwide except for China and Japan. In Japan, the series will air on Tokyo MX TV, BS11 and other stations. ‘Daisuki’ Anime Streaming Service Adding ‘God Eater’ To Summer Line Up is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Fairy Tail Getting Second Movie
| This past weekend, the staff of Fairy Tail held a fan event called the Dragon King Festival. Named after an event in the manga, this gathering included fan merchandise, guest appearances by voice actors and series creator Hiro Mashima himself, and a few very exciting announcements for Fairy Tail fans. It has been confirmed that Fairy Tail is getting another movie. This will be the second movie, after 2012's 'Phoenix Priestess.' A teaser image for the movie was released, featuring the dragon slayer Natsu Dragneel half-formed into a dragon. This set fans ablaze with excitement and theories, as it was revealed as a plot point some time ago that dragon slayers, if their magic is used too excessively, can turn into dragons themselves. While most anime movies do not contain anything important to the series' plot, this movie will clearly have some relevance, even in the smallest of ways, to Fairy Tail's main plotline. We will also be blessed with another OVA – original video animation. This is the seventh OVA for Fairy Tail, and the third to be based on actual material. This OVA will be adapting the bonus chapter "Penalty Game," which takes place after the Grand Magic Games, chronologically. Mashima also spoke a bit about the next anime arc. The Tartarus arc was popular along readers, albeit a bit dark and depressing. A sneak peek at some of the animation was revealed, along with some information. Anime staff are always looking for extra bits to pad the story and make it longer, but this time they'll be taking bits and pieces that were supposed to happen in the manga, but time and space ran out and they had to be cut. Mashima mentioned three extra villains and a mini storyline that pertained to character favourite Laxus Dreyar, so it's very possible the anime will have more Laxus – not that anyone will ever complain about more Laxus. The manga also received several stunning revelations in the latest two chapters. For the last five weeks, two chapters have been released at a time. All this has been to culminate an incredible ending for the most recent mini-arc, capping it off with some major plot twists. No spoilers, but it involves some unexpected family relations and a…reintroduction to a character, of sorts. It's been an amazing few weeks for Fairy Tail fans, and though next week we'll be back to the usual chapter-a-week pace, things will only be getting crazier from here on out. Fairy Tail Getting Second Movie is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Hoopla Adds eBooks and Comics to Library Lending Service
| Hoopla Digital offers a service much like OverDrive that provides free access to digital content from public libraries across North America. Hoopla gives library patrons access to over 300,000 movies, TV shows, full music albums, audiobooks, and now they’ve just added ebooks and comics to their selections as well. All you need is a library […] |
The Yotaphone 2 has a Unviable Business Model
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The smartphone’s creator has launched an Indiegogo campaign to fund the handset’s entry into the US market, with American backers able to pre-order the YotaPhone 2 for as little as $500. The campaign goal was a cool $50,000 and less than a day remaining they have reached over $80,000. It is important to note that these phones are pre-orders and the entire concept of the crowd funding campaign was to gauge demand. Yota also made it very clear that the majority of this money would be used to pay the necessary licensing fees to have it certified by the FCC and other regulatory bodies. In reality, due to Indiegogo Flexible Campaign policies Yota Devices keeps all of the money they raised, regardless if they launch it in the US or not. Yota Devices is a Russian company and they sold their first generation phone primarily in Europe. Their second generation model made it to the UK, where it was met with trepidation due to the high cost and unknown brand. Many carriers would not carry the device, which increased the cost further. I think the entire YotaPhone concept is flawed. Relying on a notoriously shady website to generate funds just to see if there is a demand and the phone isn’t even certified in the market its trying to break into. Will Yota use the $80k they raised to certify it for the US market, or will they use the money to work on a 3rd generation model? Will they actually ship the phones to the users that ordered them without the FCC certification? There are too many questions swirling around this companies business model for the US market. I know many serious digital readers might think this phone is amazing, due to the 4.8 inch E INK screen and 5 inch AMOLED display. Regardless, I would recommend to not invest in it until its commercially available from a legit website. The Yotaphone 2 has a Unviable Business Model is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Yotaphone 2 Dual Screen E Ink Phone Arrives in August
| The Yotaphone 2 is offically headed to North America in a few months after being released in parts of Europe and Asia in December. Yota is running an Indiegogo campaign to bring the Yotaphone to wider markets. For those that make a contribution in the first 48 hours of the campaign, by May 21st, you […] |
Two factor authentication safe deposit box
| A skilled hacker attempts to crack 2FA Securing your digital life with two-factor authentication (2FA) is pretty common nowadays. A password alone just doesn't hack it. (Or does it?) Typically, 2FA on the web requires a one-time code, sent to your phone, as well as your password to log in. Other systems may use factors such as biometrics (e.g. fingerprints) or hardware dongles. (My own bank requires me to use a silly little (very losable) card reader every time I want to transfer a fiver.) Safety deposit box with two-factor authentication Thinking inside the boxPablo Carranza Vélez decided to apply the principle of 2FA to a physical object, a Raspberry Pi controlled safe deposit box. To get into the box you need both your personal entry code and the code sent to your phone. This then triggers a solenoid to unlock the box. Lots of cool stuff going onThe box uses resin.io and Authy API. Full details, schematics and code can be found on Pablo's hackster.io page. It's a simple concept but there's lots going on in terms of hardware and software—Authy, resin.io, MongoDB, node.js, Bootstrap, breadboard circuits, solenoids—to make a great project and an interesting proof of concept. It's also an excellent introduction to the contemporary technologies used and there's even some computer science with a nod to state machines. Opening the resin safebox from Pablo Carranza Vélez on Vimeo. A pre-emptive note thing"Just hold on this minute!" shouts a completely imaginary concerned reader. "You could (literally) brute force it with a sledge hammer/ hack it with a giant Wile E. Coyote magnet/ steal the building it was attached to / drill a hole in it and send in a tiny monkey to feebly tug at the solenoid." Well yes, you could. To all of them. Our advice is: do not make one of these to store your ultra-rare U2 Panini stickers in as they might get nicked (my brother swears to this day that it wasn’t him who drew NHS specs on Bono in red biro). The 2FA safe box is a thought provoking Raspberry Pi / IoT project, not the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street, lawks! (I've always wanted to write that, it's a cracking name :)) Solenoid control breadboard prototype The post Two factor authentication safe deposit box appeared first on Raspberry Pi. |
Google Announces New e-Book Font – Literata
| Google has announced a new font that they have developed that will replace Droid Serif for all of its e-Books. Literata has been in the works since April 2014 and is "perfect for long reads on all devices". Google worked on the new font in conjunction with the TypeTogether design team. In a recent blog post they said “A new book typeface was needed that would provide an outstanding reading experience on a whole range of devices and high resolution screens running different rendering technologies. Additionally, the new Play Books type is meant to establish a recognizable visual identity for Google's native eBook App and stylistically distinguish itself from other eReader competitors.” The competitors that TypeTogether refers to is Amazon, who developed their own hybrid version of Caecilia, that was optimized for e-ink screens. It was first shown off in the first generation Kindle Paperwhite and has been the font of choice for subsequent models. Why did Google even bother developing a new font? Well, when Droid Serif was first developed it was for low resolution smartphone screens. People these days are reading books on super large phones, like the Galaxy Note and 10.1 inch tablets. Obviously an outdated font is not going to cut it anymore and Google had to modernize in order to keep reading e-books on their own platform more viable. Not much is known about the new font right now, but there are 1,100 characters per font, and it supports PanEuropean languages. I can find no license from Google that applies to this font, except the “All Rights Reserved” embedded in the font itself. So we must assume that Google does not want the font distributed outside the Play Books app at present. If you want to check out the new font for yourself, it can be found in Google Books version 3.4.6. Google Announces New e-Book Font – Literata is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Upcoming ‘Dragon Ball Super’ Anime to get Manga Adaption
| Just last month it was announced that the Dragon Ball Super anime will be hitting the Japanese airwaves in July after it’s last series ending almost 18 years ago. The July issue of Shuiesha’s V Jump magazine is revealing on Thursday that Toyotarō will be launching the manga version of the upcoming anime series, crediting creator Akira Toriyama with the original story. The new manga will launch in the extra-large August issue of V Jump. The announcement notes that while the story of the new anime and manga still remain a mystery, it will in "no doubt exceed everyone’s expectations." Toyotarō previously drew the three chapter manga adaption of the recently released Dragon Ball Z: Fukkatsu no F (Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection’F’) film. Dragon Ball Super will premiere on Fuji TV and other channels in July on Sundays at 9:00 AM, so be sure to set those alarms! This will be the first new television series since Dragon Ball GT which ended back in 1997. The story of the new anime series sis set a few years after the defeat of Majin Buu, when Earth has become peaceful once again. It’s been only a month since the initial announcement of Dragon Ball Super and yet it feels like it’s coming so fast! Like so many other anime fans, the Dragon Ball series is what paved the way for me into the anime-loving life style and I’m counting off the days till the new series begins! Upcoming ‘Dragon Ball Super’ Anime to get Manga Adaption is a post from: Good e-Reader |
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