Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[E-Books Pick up Steam as Paperback and Hardcover Sales Slide]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/03/21/e-book-sales-double-printed-books-slide/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/21/e-book-sales-double-printed-books-slide/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/21/e-book-sales-double-printed-books-slide/#commentsAmericans are increasingly doing their reading on screens, according to the Association of American Publishers. From January 2010 to January 2011, e-book sales more than doubled, increasing by 116-percent to $69.9 million. By contrast, hardbacks and paperbacks fell by 11.3- and 19.7-percent, to $49.1 million and $83.6 million respectively. By our calculations, ten years from now, "turn the page" will signify nothing more than a Bob Seger song.

SwitchedE-Books Pick up Steam as Paperback and Hardcover Sales Slide originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booksbusinessdeath of printDeathOfPrinte-booke-readerebooksereadersprint is deadPrintIsDeadsalestopMon, 21 Mar 2011 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[E-Books May Turn Digital Divide Into a Reading Divide]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/03/18/e-books-may-turn-digital-divide-into-a-reading-divide/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/18/e-books-may-turn-digital-divide-into-a-reading-divide/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/18/e-books-may-turn-digital-divide-into-a-reading-divide/#comments boy with ipad Due to the rise in popularity of e-books and other digital texts, some worry that the digital divide may soon become a "reading divide." Low-income communities, particularly African American ones, have not only struggled to keep up in a world increasingly reliant on technology, but continue to trail their peers in literacy rates by a significant margin. The author Marita Golden told Reuters, "My biggest concern is that the technology will continue to widen the gap. It won't just be the digital divide but also a reading divide if reading becomes an activity that's now dependent on technology."

E-Books and other digital media have many advantages over traditional paper, but in a world where those tools can cost $100 or more (not to mention the price of the e-texts themselves), lower-income students may quickly find themselves on the wrong side of a growing gap in education and literacy. While iPads and laptops are being handed out students at expensive colleges and experimental high schools, access to newer digital texts is severely limited in low-income neighborhoods. This may not be a major issue when teaching literature, but schools in poorer neighborhoods may have to settle for older textbooks, or community colleges could have to rely on aging research, as publishers shift focus to digital initiatives.

Continue reading E-Books May Turn Digital Divide Into a Reading Divide

SwitchedE-Books May Turn Digital Divide Into a Reading Divide originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital divideDigitalDividee-readerseducationliteracymarita goldenMaritaGoldenreading divideReadingDividetopFri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[U.K. Customers Are Getting Free Kindles. Will the U.S. Get Them, Too?]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/03/16/free-kindles-in-the-uk-will-us-get-them/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/16/free-kindles-in-the-uk-will-us-get-them/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/16/free-kindles-in-the-uk-will-us-get-them/#commentsTwo weeks ago, the Amazon announced that the Kindle would be sold in AT&T stores; it's already available at Best Buy, Staples and Target here in the U.S. Now the e-reader device will be popping up in Best Buy and Carphone Warehouse locations across the U.K.

Both retailers will be offering the e-reader with an interesting twist: In addition to being able to purchase a Kindle at the regular price, the Wi-Fi only version will be offered for free when customers sign up for two years of mobile phone service with select handsets. Customers can even upgrade to the 3G Kindle for a lowly £15 (about $24).

Continue reading U.K. Customers Are Getting Free Kindles. Will the U.S. Get Them, Too?

SwitchedU.K. Customers Are Getting Free Kindles. Will the U.S. Get Them, Too? originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbest buyBestBuyCarphone WarehouseCarphoneWarehousee-readersereaderskindletopWed, 16 Mar 2011 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Librarians: Let the E-Book Wars Commence]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/03/09/librarians-let-the-e-book-wars-commence/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/09/librarians-let-the-e-book-wars-commence/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/09/librarians-let-the-e-book-wars-commence/#commentsLess than two weeks after Harper Collins incited a firestorm with news of its e-book library circulation cap, the American Library Association has thrown its hat into the ring. This week, one of the group's recently-convened electronic book task forces met in D.C. to draw up recommendations for an ALA response to stingy publishers' licenses.

Among the recommendations suggested by the (wittily-named) presidential task force on Equitable Access to Electronic Content is: "Develop a national public relations and education campaign highlighting the importance of libraries as essential access points for electronic content." That proposal reads like a direct assault on Harper Collins, which announced late last month that, starting this week, e-book licenses sold to libraries would expire after 26 loans. The news was met with dismay and anger; some librarians have even pushed for a boycott against the publishing giant.

In addition to the task forces, the ALA will be launching a new site within 10 days calling for public reaction, as well as solutions. Cue the Reading Rainbow theme song and sign us up.

SwitchedLibrarians: Let the E-Book Wars Commence originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>American Library AssociationAmericanLibraryAssociationDRMe-bookse-readerharper collinsHarperCollinslibrarynewsWed, 09 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Forced Obsolescence': HarperCollins Makes Libraries Re-Buy E-Books After 26 Checkouts]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/03/04/forced-obsolescence-harpercollins-makes-libraries-re-buy-e-bo/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/04/forced-obsolescence-harpercollins-makes-libraries-re-buy-e-bo/http://www.switched.com/2011/03/04/forced-obsolescence-harpercollins-makes-libraries-re-buy-e-bo/#comments HarperCollins places restrictions on eBooks.
HarperCollins has placed a restriction on the number of times its e-books can be checked out from a public library. After 26 checkouts, the expired title becomes locked in the library's virtual collection until a new digital copy has been purchased. The idea is that the physical copy of a HarperCollins book would be worn out after about 26 checkouts, and the library would then have to purchase a new copy of it. With money on its mind, HarperCollins figured the same rule should apply to electronic versions of the books.

But there are a couple problems with this line of thinking. For one, e-books don't wear out! As for the other, some librarians in Oklahoma have proven that HarperCollins's arbitrary checkout limitation is arbitrary even when judged by physical books. Having examined the HarperCollins hardbacks in their library, these librarians show that some books could survive five times as many checkouts as HarperCollins had suggested.

Continue reading 'Forced Obsolescence': HarperCollins Makes Libraries Re-Buy E-Books After 26 Checkouts

Switched'Forced Obsolescence': HarperCollins Makes Libraries Re-Buy E-Books After 26 Checkouts originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookse-booke-bookse-readerE-readersharpercollinslibrarieslibrarytopFri, 04 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Lendle Lets Kindle Users Share E-books]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/lendle-lets-kindle-users-share-e-books/http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/lendle-lets-kindle-users-share-e-books/http://www.switched.com/2011/02/16/lendle-lets-kindle-users-share-e-books/#commentsLendle allows Amazon users to borrow and share e-books. Lendle, an e-book sharing site that launched this week, allows Amazon users to borrow and lend select Kindle e-books, of which 821 are currently available, for two-week periods. All you need is at least one of the free Kindle apps for Mac, PC, iOS or Android (or a Kindle, itself). Besides that, you'll need an Amazon account and a willingness to share with others. Just make sure you return the borrowed e-book on time, because being late can get you banned from the site. Lendle's Brian Ford notes in the comments:
Books are auto-returned by Amazon's lending service after 14 days. We can't control that and neither can the borrower. The primary reason we would ever ban someone is if it was discovered they were harvesting emails rather than fulfilling promised lends.
Thanks!

SwitchedLendle Lets Kindle Users Share E-books originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon kindleAmazonKindleappse-booke-readereBookkindlelendlereadingtopwebWed, 16 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Continues to Rake in the Cash, Selling More E-Books than Paperbacks]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/01/28/amazon-sells-more-ebooks-than-paperbacks/http://www.switched.com/2011/01/28/amazon-sells-more-ebooks-than-paperbacks/http://www.switched.com/2011/01/28/amazon-sells-more-ebooks-than-paperbacks/#commentsAmazon's empire is continuing to grow, with the company reporting an increase in profits of eight-percent in the fourth quarter of 2010. That growth was a little slower than expected, but the really big news from Amazon's quarterly financial report is the fact that sales of Kindle e-books have surpassed that of paperbacks. It was only in July sales of e-books passed that of hardcovers -- making it all that much more impressive that, in six months' time, e-book sales have grown enough to eclipse paperbacks, despite the fact that sales of paperbacks actually increased during the period. It seems that e-books have helped spark renewed interest in reading, regardless of medium. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos had said he expected e-books to eventually overtake paperbacks, but he didn't expect that to happen until the second quarter of 2010.

In the second quarter of 2010 Amazon was selling 143 e-books for every 100 hardcovers. By Q4, that margin had grown to around 300 e-books for every 100 hardcovers, and 115 electronic texts for every 100 paperbacks. And there's no reason to expect sales of e-books to slow any time soon. As long as the Kindle continues to perform and Amazon continues to sell e-books at a staggering pace, the company should continue to reign as king of online shopping.

SwitchedAmazon Continues to Rake in the Cash, Selling More E-Books than Paperbacks originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbooksbusinessdeathofprinte-booke-bookse-readerskindletopwebFri, 28 Jan 2011 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Barnes & Noble's Colorful NOOK Kids App Comes to iPad]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/01/05/nook-kids-for-ipad-app-barnes-and-noble/http://www.switched.com/2011/01/05/nook-kids-for-ipad-app-barnes-and-noble/http://www.switched.com/2011/01/05/nook-kids-for-ipad-app-barnes-and-noble/#commentsBarnes & Noble launches Nook Kids for iPad. Already available on Barnes & Noble's NOOKcolor e-reader, the 'NOOK Kids' app is now available on the iPad. According to TUAW, the app features hundreds of colorful, interactive books, which it will read aloud to your kids, and also easily syncs with your NOOKcolor device. The free app, which also works on the iPhone, comes with two initial downloads -- Richard Scarry's 'Colors,' and Rudyard Kipling's 'The Elephant's Child.' After that, parents (who, let's face it, are the ones really being targeted by this app) will have to purchase new titles each time their little darling wants something to read. Finding something to read shouldn't be a problem, since just about every kid's favorite -- from Amelia Bedelia to Thomas the Tank Engine -- is available in the B&N store.

CNET points out that, while it might be a little more enjoyable to read a colorful kid's book on the iPad's larger screen (almost ten inches versus NOOKcolor's seven), Apple's App Store offers some cheaper kid's books for iPad users.

SwitchedBarnes & Noble's Colorful NOOK Kids App Comes to iPad originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleappsBarnesAndNoblecesces 2011Ces2011e-bookse-readeripadIpadAppiphonekidsnookNookColorNookKidstopWed, 05 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[E-Books Outsell Printed Ones, To Nobody's Great Surprise]]>http://www.switched.com/2011/01/05/e-books-outsell-printed-ones-to-nobodys-great-surprise/http://www.switched.com/2011/01/05/e-books-outsell-printed-ones-to-nobodys-great-surprise/http://www.switched.com/2011/01/05/e-books-outsell-printed-ones-to-nobodys-great-surprise/#commentsAh, what unsurprising news a year can bring! Just as everyone predicted, e-books continued to nibble at the ankles of their printed forebears this holiday season, with between three and five million e-readers activated in the week after Christmas. Barnes and Noble claimed that it sold a million e-books on December 25th alone, while Amazon's been outselling print bestsellers with digital ones since October, according to USA Today. That newspaper's own Best-Selling Books, coming out on Thursday, will show that digital editions of the top six books outsold the print versions in the last week, and that 19 of the top 50 titles had higher digital sales than print ones.

As if there were any wonder about what kind of readers are buying into the e-book trend, it's most certainly the bestseller crowd. Paul Bogaards of Knopf, the U.S. publisher of Stieg Larsson's unstoppably popular 'Millenium' trilogy, said that 165,000 Larsson e-books and 155,000 print versions were bought last week alone. Putting those numbers aside, however, it's not as though the printed book will disappear tomorrow. Kelly Gallagher of the publishing research firm Bowker told USA Today that the recent e-book sales boost isn't a "sustainable trend," saying that sales in 2011 may double those of last year but will still flatten out. Sure, the spike in sales will taper off as people become less excited by their new gadgets -- but that won't make that old paper pulp any more attractive to digitally converted consumers.

SwitchedE-Books Outsell Printed Ones, To Nobody's Great Surprise originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbooksdeathofprinte-booke-readerE-readersholidaysmediaStiegLarssontopWed, 05 Jan 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Finally Lets You Lend Kindle E-Books]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/30/amazon-kindle-loan-this-book/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/30/amazon-kindle-loan-this-book/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/30/amazon-kindle-loan-this-book/#commentsLend Kindle E-Books In October, Amazon announced that it would begin allowing Kindle owners to lend books to friends and family, so long as they use a Kindle (or the Kindle app), too. The company promised the feature would arrive before the end of the year and, while Amazon is cutting it pretty close with a December 30th launch date, it stayed true to its word. Users can now lend e-books for up to 14 days, although they won't be able to read the books while they're out on loan, and publishers will ultimately decide whether to allow their books to be lent out at all. The total number of loanable books is unclear, but Amazon has said that it includes over half of the currently available library. Instructions for how to loan out books can be found here.

SwitchedAmazon Finally Lets You Lend Kindle E-Books originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon kindleAmazonKindleappse-readersebook lendingEbookLendingebooksereaderskindlelendingtopThu, 30 Dec 2010 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Kindle 3 Now Amazon's Best Selling Product Ever]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/27/kindle-3-amazon-best-selling-product/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/27/kindle-3-amazon-best-selling-product/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/27/kindle-3-amazon-best-selling-product/#commentsThe Kindle is officially the iPod of the e-reader world. It has its own locked media ecosystem and offers a best-of-breed user experience. And, this holiday season, the Kindle 3 offically became the best selling product in Amazon history, beating former top seller 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.' Amazon also set a single-day sales record on Cyber Monday, with orders for 13.5 million items coming in.

SwitchedKindle 3 Now Amazon's Best Selling Product Ever originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazone-readerE-readersereaderskindlekindle 3Kindle3topMon, 27 Dec 2010 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[NOOKcolor Shines With Magazines, Disappoints With Books]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/21/nookcolor-review-barnes-and-noble-e-reader/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/21/nookcolor-review-barnes-and-noble-e-reader/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/21/nookcolor-review-barnes-and-noble-e-reader/#commentsNOOKcolor The NOOKcolor is the first of its kind: a serious, full-color e-reading device. Sure, the iPad and Galaxy Tab have found some success moonlighting as virtual readers, but they're first and foremost devices for apps and browsing the Web. Plus, they're a lot more expensive. The NOOKcolor is $249 of straight-up, reading-focused hardware and software. You can still browse the Web and do other things with this Android-based device, but Barnes and Noble has made no bones about it: the NOOKcolor is an e-reader, not a tablet. That being said, the NOOKcolor is clearly an entirely different beast from the E-Ink devices that currently dominate the market. Those screens are stuck in black and white, refresh too slowly for video playback, and require quite a bit of light to read.

We don't really have a precedent for the NOOKcolor because it's a creation that stands alone, more or less, in the current market. Is there room for a device in the space between E-Ink readers and tablets? Barnes and Noble is certainly certainly hoping so.

Continue reading NOOKcolor Shines With Magazines, Disappoints With Books

SwitchedNOOKcolor Shines With Magazines, Disappoints With Books originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbarnes and nobleBarnesAndNoblee-readernooknook colorNookColorreviewtablet pcTabletPctopTue, 21 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Your Christmas Morning E-Book Shopping Spree Will Be 'Curated' by Random House]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/20/your-christmas-morning-e-book-shopping-spree-will-be-curated-b/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/20/your-christmas-morning-e-book-shopping-spree-will-be-curated-b/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/20/your-christmas-morning-e-book-shopping-spree-will-be-curated-b/#commentsThe New York Times states that, on Christmas Day, "hundreds of thousands of consumers are expected to unwrap new e-readers that they received as gifts, and quickly begin downloading books to read." No surprise there, really, since Christmas Day 2009 doubled as the Bataan Death March of the popular printing press -- the first time that Amazon sold more digital books for its Kindle reader than it did physical ones. But, apparently, new e-reader owners will be so confounded by their alien devices that they won't even know how or what to read. "Should I download some Proust? Rhonda Byrne? This Martian contraption has destroyed my faculty of understanding!"

Thankfully, there's an e-book guide to e-books, for people who can't figure out e-books. 'The E-Book Insider,' being made available for free by Random House on December 25th, will offer reviews and recommendations for people who have forgotten how to look at the New York Review of Books and other such quaintly antiquarian relics of the Pre-Kindle Period. The Times helpfully notes that "many of the [e-book] suggestions are books from the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, the division of Random House that is heading the promotion." So it's a thoughtfully crafted list, to be sure.

Continue reading Your Christmas Morning E-Book Shopping Spree Will Be 'Curated' by Random House

SwitchedYour Christmas Morning E-Book Shopping Spree Will Be 'Curated' by Random House originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>curatione-bookE-bookInsidere-readerE-readershggkindlePublishingRandomHousetopMon, 20 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Supreme Court Showdown: iPad v. Kindle]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/14/supreme-court-showdown-scalias-ipad-v-kagans-kindle/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/14/supreme-court-showdown-scalias-ipad-v-kagans-kindle/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/14/supreme-court-showdown-scalias-ipad-v-kagans-kindle/#comments Forget Roe v. Wade. Forget Miranda v. Arizona. Forget 'The People vs. Larry Flynt.' They're all milestone cases, to be sure, but they all pale in comparison to the virulent ideological divide that's ravaging today's Supreme Court: iPad v. Kindle.

In a recent interview with C-SPAN, Justice Elena Kagan confessed that she reads many of her court briefs on her Kindle, where, presumably, she can ponder society's thorniest legal questions in stark black-and-white. The always colorful Justice Antonin Scalia, on the other hand, is more of an iPad man. Both justices admit that they still read many of their briefs on old-fashioned paper, and that the e-readers only complement their workload. Nevertheless, a bitterly divided bench is never good for the American people, and can be particularly devastating for the forgotten victim in all of this: the Nook lobby.

Continue reading Supreme Court Showdown: iPad v. Kindle

SwitchedSupreme Court Showdown: iPad v. Kindle originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonAntoninScaliaAppleE-readersElenaKaganipadkindlelawpoliticsSupremeCourttopTue, 14 Dec 2010 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[e-Book Anonymity Boosts Romance Novel Sales]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/10/e-book-anonymity-boosts-romance-novel-sales/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/10/e-book-anonymity-boosts-romance-novel-sales/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/10/e-book-anonymity-boosts-romance-novel-sales/#commentsromance novel on nook colorRomance novels are enjoying a renaissance, largely thanks to the discreet power of the e-book reader. The tawdry books have always been popular among female readers, but many of the more self-conscious readers out there would be too embarrassed to read the books in public, in part due to their bodice-ripping covers, bearing long-locked Fabio clones and breathless damsels. But, since e-readers don't broadcast the cover of the book you're reading, commuters are free to read whatever they wish without worrying about a fellow traveler casting a judgmental glance.

Romance novels are now the fastest growing category of e-books. Barnes and Noble chief executive William Lynch told the New York Times that, until recently, the store was but a minor player in the romance novel market. Thanks to the success of the NOOK, though, the company now commands 25-percent of the market. The store has even launched a dedicated "romance shop" for the NOOK Color. Dominique Raccah, the chief executive of the independent publisher, Sourcebooks, told the Times that at the beginning of the year, only 8-percent of the company's romance novel sales were e-books. By the third quarter, that number had skyrocketed to 27-percent -- a shocking number when you consider that e-book sales only account for around 10-percent of total book sales nationwide.

Continue reading e-Book Anonymity Boosts Romance Novel Sales

Switchede-Book Anonymity Boosts Romance Novel Sales originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookse-readersebooksereadersmediaplayroomRomanceNovelstopFri, 10 Dec 2010 10:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Google eBooks for Android: Hands-On]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-ebooks-for-android-hands-on/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-ebooks-for-android-hands-on/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-ebooks-for-android-hands-on/#commentsGoogle eBooks for Android While we've been waiting for the iPad and iPhone versions of Google eBooks to land in the App Store, we put the Android version through the paces. While it's not the most feature-filled e-reading app available on Android, it is slick, polished and easily the best non-NOOK and non-Kindle e-reading app for the platform. There are some limitations, like the lack of simple bookmarking and the absence of any sort of highlighting and searching tools. Most confusing, though, is that you can browse your collection and open the settings in landscape mode, but books are locked in portrait. (Not a huge deal if you ask us -- landscape is great for websites, not so much for books). We also were a little irked that shopping for books isn't integrated into the app -- tapping 'Get Books' kicks you out of the app and into the browser. Overall, however, Google eBooks provides a pleasurable reading experience, which is ultimately the most important thing. Check out the hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Google eBooks for Android: Hands-On

SwitchedGoogle eBooks for Android: Hands-On originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsebooksebookstoregooglegoogle ebooksGoogleEbookshandsonswitchedvideotopMon, 06 Dec 2010 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Launches eBooks for Just About Every Device, And We Don't Hate It]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-ebooks-ebookstore-launches-every-platform/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-ebooks-ebookstore-launches-every-platform/http://www.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-ebooks-ebookstore-launches-every-platform/#commentsGoogle ebookstore The rumors were true. Google eBooks has officially launched here in the U.S., and just about everything you've heard about the service, originally said to be called Google Editions, has turned out to be spot-on. Largely cloud-based and able to be synced across devices via your Google account, eBookstore claims to offer the largest selection of any electronic reading outlet, largely thanks to Google's database of over three million free and public domain books. You can add books to your collection through the Google eBookstore, which offers plenty of ways to filter and browse content, including quick lists like "New York Times Best Sellers." Once you've purchased a book, you'll be able to read it via your PC's Web browser, on your iPhone, iPad or Android device using the installable apps, or by downloading an EPUB file to load onto your NOOK, Sony Reader or other reading device.

The interfaces of both the Web site and Android app are simple and clean, and we imagine the iOS app will be similar. (It's not showing up in the App Store just yet.) You won't find any advanced features like note-taking, dictionary look-up or even bookmarking, but your current page will be synced across devices, just as it is with the Kindle and NOOK apps. As with any other decent reading app, you can change the font and text size, and, in the mobile apps, switch to "night" mode for reading in more dimly lit environments. One unique feature, available for some books, is the ability to switch from the "flowing text" view of the EPUB document to the original scanned pages. As expected, Google is also working with independent booksellers like Powell's and Alibris to offer eBooks through third parties.

Continue reading Google Launches eBooks for Just About Every Device, And We Don't Hate It

SwitchedGoogle Launches eBooks for Just About Every Device, And We Don't Hate It originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsebooksebookstoreereadersgoogleGoogleEbookstoreiostopwebMon, 06 Dec 2010 12:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Gift Guide: Kindle 3 Is Our e-Reader Pick for Under $300]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/11/26/amazon-kindle-3-e-reader-pick-under-300/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/26/amazon-kindle-3-e-reader-pick-under-300/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/26/amazon-kindle-3-e-reader-pick-under-300/#commentsAh, the difference a year makes. Last holiday season, we struggled to find nice things to say about many members of the first e-reader generation. Fast-forward to this August, when we revisited the topic, and we were blown away by how things had (and in some cases hadn't) changed. New models have appeared since, but, for us, Amazon's most recent Kindle continues to be our hands-down pick.

That's not to say we don't have a few niggling reservations. (Click here to read our review.) Still, for now, the Kindle (in either the $139 Wi-Fi or $189 3G versions) offers by far the most potent combination of quality, simplicity and value. The device itself is well-made and lightweight, and it has a stupendous E-Ink screen, a ridiculously long battery life (a month with the wireless turned off) and a truly pleasurable interface. And, as the saying goes, it just works. Navigation and purchasing are all completely intuitive for even the most technophobic Luddite. We're sure some young upstart will eventually appear and kick Kindle to the curb, but you can't currently find a more perfectly crafted and full-featured e-reader for the price.

Gallery: Kindle DX

SwitchedGift Guide: Kindle 3 Is Our e-Reader Pick for Under $300 originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonAmazonKindlee-readerhggkindleKindle3topFri, 26 Nov 2010 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch to Launch iPad Newspaper]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/11/22/steve-jobs-rupert-murdoch-daily-ipad-newspaper/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/22/steve-jobs-rupert-murdoch-daily-ipad-newspaper/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/22/steve-jobs-rupert-murdoch-daily-ipad-newspaper/#commentsRumor has it that Steve Jobs and Rupert Murdoch are joining forces to create the world's first digital "newspaper" designed exclusively for the iPad. The new publication, titled the 'Daily,' will be officially unveiled at the end of the month before launching sometime early next year. As the Guardian explains, the publication will combine "a tabloid sensibility with a broadsheet intelligence," and will exist neither in print, nor online. Sources close to the project say that the Daily will be priced at $0.99, and, thanks to some help from Apple's engineers, will be delivered directly to subscribers' iPads or other tablets.

Murdoch apparently hopped on the tablet train after studying the results of a survey, which showed that consumers typically spend more time reading on their iPads than they do on the Internet. And, with some analysts estimating that Apple will have some 40 million iPads in circulation by the end of 2011, the News Corp chief clearly thinks his publication will find a large audience. "He envisions a world in which every family has a iPad in the home and it becomes the device from which they get their news and information," a source revealed. "If only 5-percent of those 40 million subscribe to the Daily, that's already two million customers."

Continue reading Steve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch to Launch iPad Newspaper

SwitchedSteve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch to Launch iPad Newspaper originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleE-readersipadjournalismmediaNewsCorp.newspaperPayWallRupertMurdochSteveJobsTheDailytopMon, 22 Nov 2010 11:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Lets You Gift Kindle Books, Makes Holiday Shopping Even Lazier]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/11/19/give-kindle-books-amazon-gift/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/19/give-kindle-books-amazon-gift/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/19/give-kindle-books-amazon-gift/#commentsGive Kindle Books Back in October, Kindle users got the ability to lend e-books to friends, and, now, just in time for the holidays, Amazon is introducing e-book gifting. Lazy shoppers, rejoice! You can delay your shopping until Christmas morning, and just purchase and send e-books gifts to anyone with a Kindle reader or app.

SwitchedAmazon Lets You Gift Kindle Books, Makes Holiday Shopping Even Lazier originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazone-readerebookhggkindletopFri, 19 Nov 2010 16:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Copia, A Social E-Reading App, Quietly Launches]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/11/19/copia-social-e-reading-app-quietly-launches/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/19/copia-social-e-reading-app-quietly-launches/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/19/copia-social-e-reading-app-quietly-launches/#commentsCopia E-book reading platforms are a dime a dozen these days. (Don't believe us? Just do a search in the Android Market or iTunes App Store for "e-reader" or "books.") But Copia -- a new e-reading app/store/community -- stood out when it was announced at CES almost a year ago, thanks to the deeply social reading experience it provides. In addition to syncing your spot in a book, taking notes and highlighting excerpts, Copia lets you connect with other users. You can view notes that friends have made in the margins of a book, or join Copia Groups (essentially e-book clubs) and share recommendations. Copia has many of its own social networking features, but it also can connect with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Wired's Tim Carmody has been using the service (and its accompanying apps) for a while, and even though he thinks Copia is a solid idea with a clear vision, the execution falls a bit flat; syncing must be done manually, importing books that haven't been purchased through the Copia market causes the reading software to cough up errors, and the desktop app lacks a full-screen view. And perhaps Copia launched too late, since readers like the NOOKcolor have beaten it to the punch with many of these social features. Still, the company has an interesting vision, and will soon be available anywhere you might want or need an e-reading app. (Apps are currently available for Mac, PC and iPad, and coming soon to Android and traditional single-function e-readers.) Download the beta here, and check out the video after the break to see Copia in action.

Continue reading Copia, A Social E-Reading App, Quietly Launches

SwitchedCopia, A Social E-Reading App, Quietly Launches originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappscopiae-readerseBookipadmacpcreadingsocial networkingSocialNetworkingtopFri, 19 Nov 2010 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Relents, Pulls Bestselling Pedophilia Guide From Kindle Bookstore]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/11/11/amazon-pulls-pedophilia-guide-from-kindle/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/11/amazon-pulls-pedophilia-guide-from-kindle/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/11/amazon-pulls-pedophilia-guide-from-kindle/#commentsWhen a book offering guidance on how to be a pedophile inexplicably landed in the Kindle's list of Top 100 Paid Bestsellers, Amazon suddenly found itself at the center of a brewing national controversy. Thousands of users posted comments of anger and disgust, and many even threatened to boycott the retailer. Through it all, Amazon held firm, and steadfastly refused to remove the title -- until now.

Late last night, Amazon pulled Phillip R. Greaves's 'The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: A Child-Lover's Code of Conduct' from the Kindle Store, where it sat at Number 96 on the Top 100 list of bestsellers. Strangely enough, the book briefly popped up again, at number 80 on the list, before Amazon finally removed it -- presumably for good. Clicking on the link to Greaves's opus now results in a blunt '404 error.'

Continue reading Amazon Relents, Pulls Bestselling Pedophilia Guide From Kindle Bookstore

SwitchedAmazon Relents, Pulls Bestselling Pedophilia Guide From Kindle Bookstore originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbooksboycottcensorshipcontroversye-readerebookebookskindleKindleStorepedophilePedophilesGuideToLoveAndPleasurePhilipR.GreavestopThu, 11 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NYT Sunday Book Review Will Include E-Book Bestseller List in 2011]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/11/11/new-york-times-e-books-bestseller-tracking/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/11/new-york-times-e-books-bestseller-tracking/http://www.switched.com/2010/11/11/new-york-times-e-books-bestseller-tracking/#commentsNew York Times e-book tracking Further cementing e-books' relevance to mainstream culture, the New York Times announced Wednesday that it will include e-book bestseller lists for fiction and non-fiction titles in its Sunday Book Review, beginning early next year. The Times, with help from data-tracking company RoyaltyShare, will cull sales numbers from publishing houses, big-box bookstores, indie bookstores, online retailers and other sources. "To give the fullest and most accurate possible snapshot of what books are being read at a given moment you have to include as many different formats as possible, and e-books have really grown, there's no question about it," said Sam Tanenhaus, editor of the Sunday Book Review. In fact, according to the Association of American Publishers, e-book sales saw a 190-percent increase in the first nine months of 2010 from the same period in 2009, totaling $304.6 million -- a staggering increase, considering that holiday sales have only just begun to ramp up.

SwitchedNYT Sunday Book Review Will Include E-Book Bestseller List in 2011 originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookbook reviewBookReviewbookse-readereBookebookseReaderereadersNewYorkTimestopThu, 11 Nov 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[NOOKcolor E-Reader Targets iPad, Declares Reading the 'Killer App']]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/26/nookcolor-ereader-barnes-noble-reading-killer-app/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/26/nookcolor-ereader-barnes-noble-reading-killer-app/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/26/nookcolor-ereader-barnes-noble-reading-killer-app/#commentsNOOKcolor unveiled Earlier today at its Union Square location in downtown Manhattan, Barnes & Noble announced the latest addition to the Nook family of readers: the NOOKcolor. The seven-inch tablet packs a full-color touch screen, runs Android (though won't have access to the Android Market) and has Apple's iPad squarely in its sights. The $249 device has a reading-first focus, treating apps and Web-browsing as nice extras, but Barnes & Noble makes no bones -- reading is the killer app.

The screen is a 1024x600 ips display, similar to the iPad, but trumps it in terms of pixel density. The screen also has an anti-glare screen coating that should improve readability (both indoors and out), but don't expect it to match e-ink devices. In the brief demo we received the screen looked gorgeous, even under less than ideal lighting conditions. The NOOKcolor has 8 gigabytes of storage included (enough for around 6,000 books) and a microSD card slot for expanding storage. Unfortunately, wireless is limited to Wi-Fi; Barnes & Noble decided to skip 3G connectivity for now, presumably to keep costs down. The lack of 3G also keeps battery life at a respectable, but hardly stunning, eight hours.

Gallery: NOOKcolor demo

Continue reading NOOKcolor E-Reader Targets iPad, Declares Reading the 'Killer App'

SwitchedNOOKcolor E-Reader Targets iPad, Declares Reading the 'Killer App' originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbarnes and noblebarnes nobleBarnesAndNobleBarnesNoblebest buyBestBuybooks a millionBooksAMillionE-readersnooknook colorNookColornookkidswalmartTue, 26 Oct 2010 18:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Colleges Save Students Cash by Forcing Them to Buy E-Textbooks]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/26/colleges-force-students-save-buy-e-textbooks/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/26/colleges-force-students-save-buy-e-textbooks/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/26/colleges-force-students-save-buy-e-textbooks/#commentsWe've already heard about how students are clinging to printed textbooks despite many of the advantages provided by e-books. Sales of electronic textbooks are expected to increase in the coming years, but growth may be relatively slow, with optimistic estimates projecting a 15-percent adoption rate by the end of 2012. But a new report from the Chronicle of Higher Education claims that some colleges could accelerate the transition by forcing students to purchase e-texts. The move is a proactive one on the part of schools to reign in rising textbook costs. Both students and teachers struggle under the current model, by which individual texts can cost up to $300 and buying used books is actively discouraged. Students dropping out because they can't afford the required materials has apparently become a serious issue in colleges like Daytona State in Florida.

Schools are now testing programs that save money by opting for electronic texts over printed copies (as they're much cheaper to produce and distribute) and by leveraging the power of bulk purchasing to negotiate even lower costs. Rather than suggesting that students go to the bookstore to buy a text, administrators include the text's price in the cost of tuition as a "materials fee."

Continue reading Colleges Save Students Cash by Forcing Them to Buy E-Textbooks

SwitchedColleges Save Students Cash by Forcing Them to Buy E-Textbooks originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>collegedeath of printDeathOfPrinte-booksE-readerse-textbookeducationFlatWorldKnowledgemediaschooltextbookstopTue, 26 Oct 2010 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon to Finally Let You Lend Kindle Books to Friends]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/25/amazon-kindle-lending-lets-you-share-books/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/25/amazon-kindle-lending-lets-you-share-books/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/25/amazon-kindle-lending-lets-you-share-books/#comments Kindle-wielding bibliophiles will soon be able to share their favorite books with their literary friends, thanks to a new book lending policy that Amazon announced on Friday. As TechCrunch explains, the new policy will allow readers to lend out their e-books to other Kindle users, who will be allowed 14 days of alone time with the lender's publication of choice. There are, however, some catches. The lender will not be able to read the book during the two-week lending period, nor will every book in the Kindle Store be included in the program -- that's a decision that Amazon will leave to individual publishers or rights holders.

Amazon also announced that customers will soon be able to read Kindle newspapers and magazines on their Kindle apps. This particular feature will begin rolling out on iOS apps, before expanding to include Android and other platforms. The idea, according to Amazon's motto, is to allow readers to "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" -- and, apparently, with every one of your friends.

SwitchedAmazon to Finally Let You Lend Kindle Books to Friends originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonAmazon KindleAmazonKindleandroidappbookse-readerIOSkindleLendingmagazinenewspapertopMon, 25 Oct 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Printed Textbooks Still Thriving in the Age of The iPad]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/21/printed-textbooks-still-thriving-in-the-age-of-the-ipad/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/21/printed-textbooks-still-thriving-in-the-age-of-the-ipad/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/21/printed-textbooks-still-thriving-in-the-age-of-the-ipad/#comments The iPad and NOOKstudy were supposed to usher in the death of the traditional textbooks. Yet, for all their undeniable advantages (lower price being key amongst them, since a single semester's texts can cost up to $500) students have clung to their bound-paper tomes. But while Google searches have replaced microfiche and Skype has replaced weekly phone calls home to ask for money, the iPad and its ilk have yet to find a place in college classrooms. Students who spoke to the New York Times cited everything from concerns about battery life, the vulnerability of computing platforms to malware and the temptation of sites like Facebook as reasons they continue to rely on printed texts.

In 2010, digital editions only accounted for three-percent of textbook sales. The National Association of College Stores expects that number to reach as high as 15-percent by 2012, but e-textbook publishers face an uphill battle. The association's own research and a separate survey performed by the Student Public Interest Research Groups show that a full three-quarters of students prefer printed and bound textbooks to digital ones. As more texts become available in digital format and as e-reader software matures, e-texts are likely to become more popular. But, for the immediate future, it seems like there will still be a market for used books as students cling to one of the last vestiges of our fading analog world.

SwitchedPrinted Textbooks Still Thriving in the Age of The iPad originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e-booksE-readerseducationipadmediatabletpcstext booksTextBookstopThu, 21 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Booki.sh: An HTML5-Powered E-Reader for Everybody]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/18/booki-sh-an-html5-powered-e-reader-for-everybody/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/18/booki-sh-an-html5-powered-e-reader-for-everybody/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/18/booki-sh-an-html5-powered-e-reader-for-everybody/#comments The new HTML5-powered 'Booki.sh' e-reading app is entirely Web-based and, unlike Kindle, Nook or even Blio, can be viewed in any modern browser, regardless of platform. This means that PCs, Macs, Linux, Android, iOS and BlackBerry can all view content through Booki.sh. The app takes advantage of HTML5's rarely used offline storage to let you read without a wireless connection. As you can see in the gallery below (we put our iPhone in airplane mode), you simply need to be connected when initially opening the book, and it will be cached for offline reading later.

Publishers and authors can use Booki.sh, based on an open source reader called Monocle, to embed content in their websites, but they can also use it to streamline the process of previewing, purchasing and reading a book. Eventually, an author may be able to embed a book on a site where a reader can read blurbs, reviews and a preview of the first chapter, without having to leave the e-reader's interface. Booki.sh is still relatively young, but it has the potential to be a serious (and seriously interesting) e-book distribution system.

Gallery: Booki.sh

Continue reading Booki.sh: An HTML5-Powered E-Reader for Everybody

SwitchedBooki.sh: An HTML5-Powered E-Reader for Everybody originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsblackberrye-readersebooksereadershtml5ioslinuxmacpctopwebMon, 18 Oct 2010 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kindle Singles: Amazon Announces Shorter E-Books at Smaller Prices]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/13/kindle-singles-amazon-announces-shorter-e-books-at-smaller-pric/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/13/kindle-singles-amazon-announces-shorter-e-books-at-smaller-pric/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/13/kindle-singles-amazon-announces-shorter-e-books-at-smaller-pric/#commentsLong before the 30-minute time slot defined the TV show, and the 45-minute LP defined the album, aspiring authors were constrained by how many, or how few, words a publisher was willing to print. Such has largely been the case for our lifetimes, but, if Amazon has anything to do with it, it may not be the case much longer.

Today, the company announced that it will begin offering shorter e-books, known as Kindle Singles, at an unspecified point in the near future. The books will inhabit their own section of the Kindle Store, will lie somewhere in the range of 30 to 90 pages, and will feature lower price tags to match. Amazon hopes, and we don't think grandiosely, that the new electronic page guidelines will invite a new form, much as the EP did with music. Of course, in the meantime, Singles will likely be the domain of novellas, treatises and the like -- works that are too long to be considered articles or essays, but too short to be novels or non-fiction tomes.

So, there you have it, young writers. Your work is before you. Don't worry; it's not too much.

SwitchedKindle Singles: Amazon Announces Shorter E-Books at Smaller Prices originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon kindleAmazonKindlebookse-readerebookereaderskindlekindle singleskindlesinglestopwritingWed, 13 Oct 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Craig Mod's E-Reader Incompetence Checklist]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/11/craig-mods-e-reader-incompetence-checklist/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/11/craig-mods-e-reader-incompetence-checklist/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/11/craig-mods-e-reader-incompetence-checklist/#commentscross-eyed ipad "Can you copy text?" "Would a PDF actually provide a better reading experience?" Book designer and developer Craig Mod wonders why publishers are putting their products on e-readers if they don't look or act any better than they would on a Web browser. Mod provides a series of common-sense metrics that call much of the e-reader concept into question. (We disagree about the New Yorker app, but whatever.)

SwitchedCraig Mod's E-Reader Incompetence Checklist originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CraigModdesigne-readerebookTheNewYorkertopMon, 11 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Briss Trims and Repaginates PDFs for Better E-Reading]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/10/briss-trims-and-repaginates-pdfs-for-better-e-reading/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/10/briss-trims-and-repaginates-pdfs-for-better-e-reading/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/10/briss-trims-and-repaginates-pdfs-for-better-e-reading/#commentsPDFs viewing on an e-reader is a must-have feature. But there is a problem; many PDFs you'll find, whether passed out by professors or downloaded from free e-book sites like Project Gutenberg or Google Books, are poorly formatted for reading on the devices. There are often errant page headers and page numbers that end up in seemingly random spots of the text. You might occasionally encounter documents that have a two-column layout, which is not particularly e-reader friendly.

Briss is a cross-platform Java app that allows you to crop, trim, and repaginate PDF documents for cleaner reading on a portable device. The UI should seem friendly enough to anyone who has ever cropped a photo. Briss looks for repetitive structures, and identifies existing pages. It then asks you to select (using a free-hand rectangle tool) the parts of the document to keep. You can even choose different parts for even and odd pages, or split two pages that are in a single image (the result of placing a book face down on a scanner). This will help make legible images out of those that would otherwise be impossible to read on smaller screens like those of the Kindle, Nook, and Sony Pocket Reader.

Continue reading Briss Trims and Repaginates PDFs for Better E-Reading

SwitchedBriss Trims and Repaginates PDFs for Better E-Reading originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 10 Oct 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsbrissdownloadse-bookse-readersereaderslinuxmacpctopSun, 10 Oct 2010 09:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Barnes & Noble PubIt DIY eBook Platform Lets You Take on J.K. Rowling]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/10/06/barnes-and-noble-pubit-diy-ebook-platform-lets-you-take-on-j-k-ro/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/06/barnes-and-noble-pubit-diy-ebook-platform-lets-you-take-on-j-k-ro/http://www.switched.com/2010/10/06/barnes-and-noble-pubit-diy-ebook-platform-lets-you-take-on-j-k-ro/#commentsPubIt Barnes & Noble is continuing to improve its e-book offerings and, with the launch of its PubIt! platform, is now offering writers and small-scale publishers the ability to make their works available through BN.com. You'll need a Barnes & Noble account to start, and then you'll need to register with PubIt!, which entails providing your tax and banking information. Once you're all signed up, it's easy to upload your book, and add important meta data like author, title, blurb, genre and cover. You can upload books directly in ePub format, but you can also upload them in HTML, RTF, TXT, DOC or DOCX. PubIt! will then automatically convert your book to ePub.

The cross-device ePub format should attract some publishers and writers, but the 65-percent of royalties Barnes & Noble offers to authors can't quite match the 70-percent offered by Amazon. (These rates only apply to books priced between $2.99 and $9.99.) At the same time, though, Amazon offers less pricing flexibility. Barnes & Noble allows books to be priced from $0.99 to $199.99. We were impressed by the dual promise of automatic conversion and the Nook emulator, which allows you to preview how your digital text will appear. However, in our brief testing, we had trouble getting either to work. If Barnes & Noble can improve the stability of the service, PubIt! could prove popular with authors and small publishing companies who don't want to be locked into the Kindle format.

SwitchedBarnes & Noble PubIt DIY eBook Platform Lets You Take on J.K. Rowling originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BarnesAndNoblebookse-readerebookereadersmediapubitpublishingtopWed, 06 Oct 2010 07:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Scholastic Study: Kids Read Less as They Get Older, But Want to Use E-Readers]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/29/scholastic-study-kids-read-less-as-they-get-older-but-want-to/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/29/scholastic-study-kids-read-less-as-they-get-older-but-want-to/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/29/scholastic-study-kids-read-less-as-they-get-older-but-want-to/#comments'winnie the pooh' on ipad If you give a kid a Kindle, she's going to ask for more fun books.

A study commissioned by Scholastic -- the publisher of the 'Goosebumps' and 'Harry Potter' series -- found that 57-percent of kids aged 9 to 17 were interested in reading on electronic devices. Their parents, however, believe that using electronic devices of any kind limits the amount of time they would actually read, do physical activity or hang out with their families. This past spring, the Scholastic survey interviewed 1,045 children aged 6 to 17 and their parents. (Download the PDF version of the report here.)

The report is full of curious figures about children's and parents' attitudes toward reading in general. Of the kids who read for fun less than one day a week, one third said they would read more books for fun if they had access to e-books; but two thirds of all kids said they would never want to give up their printed books. But as kids get older, the amount of time they spent reading overwhelmingly decreased, while the attention paid to using the Internet and talking and texting on the phone increased.

Continue reading Scholastic Study: Kids Read Less as They Get Older, But Want to Use E-Readers

SwitchedScholastic Study: Kids Read Less as They Get Older, But Want to Use E-Readers originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childrene-readerebookGoosebumpsHarryPotteripadkidskindlenookreadingscholasticstudysurveytopWed, 29 Sep 2010 15:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Kno Adds Single Screen Model to E-Text Book Lineup]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/28/kno-adds-single-screen-model-to-e-text-book-lineup/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/28/kno-adds-single-screen-model-to-e-text-book-lineup/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/28/kno-adds-single-screen-model-to-e-text-book-lineup/#commentsKno blew a few minds at this year's D8 with its dual-screen tablet aimed at students. The Linux-powered digital textbook offered two 14.1-inch capacitive touchscreens and a powerful Tegra 2 chipset from NVIDIA for "less than $1,000." Now, the 5.5-pound behemoth has a single-screened little brother that will be priced "much lower" than the two-screened model. The more traditional tablet-style Kno is the same on the inside; only the number of screens has changed.

Both models are slated to go on sale later this year, but, according to our friends at Engadget, the company still has its work cut out for it. While the IPS screen is big and beautiful, and the six to eight hours of battery life enough to survive an average school day, the UI is laggy and incomplete. In addition to e-reading and note-taking, the Kno will pack both graphing and scientific calculator apps. The library of possibilities will be expanded with the addition of an SDK in early 2011. Can the Kno succeed where the iPad and the XO, despite having spurred interest and speculation, failed? We doubt it, but we'll be keeping an eye on the intriguing device. Check out the promo video, starring the dual-screened model, after the break.

Continue reading Kno Adds Single Screen Model to E-Text Book Lineup

SwitchedKno Adds Single Screen Model to E-Text Book Lineup originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>educationereadersknoschooltabletTue, 28 Sep 2010 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Kindle for the Web Improves E-Reading Previews]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/28/amazons-kindle-for-the-web-improves-e-reading-previews/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/28/amazons-kindle-for-the-web-improves-e-reading-previews/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/28/amazons-kindle-for-the-web-improves-e-reading-previews/#commentsKindle for the Web Amazon already has Kindle apps on the three biggest smartphone platforms and the two most popular consumer OSes, so what's left for it to conquer? (Besides Linux that is.) The Web, of course, and Amazon has staked its claim on that next frontier with the debut of Kindle for the Web. Kindle for the Web is not an online, feature competitive e-reader, though. Instead, it is used to display samples of books from the Amazon site. Customers can purchase full copies from within Kindle for the Web, or send the previews to others via e-mail, Facebook or Twitter. More importantly for Amazon and its associates, though, is the ability to embed the Kindle Web app in any page that allows embeddable media. That means bloggers and others can insert book previews in their posts, and collect any referral fees.

We've embedded a sample below. You'll find that a few things are customizable, such as color scheme and text size, but Kindle for the Web is mostly a bare-bones affair. Get your own hands-on after the break.

Continue reading Amazon Kindle for the Web Improves E-Reading Previews

SwitchedAmazon Kindle for the Web Improves E-Reading Previews originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon kindleAmazonKindleappse-readerebookereaderskindlekindle for the webkindle for webkindleforthewebKindleForWebwebTue, 28 Sep 2010 10:11:00 EST<![CDATA[BlackBerry Births the PlayBook: The First 'Professional-Grade' Tablet]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/27/blackberry-births-the-playbook-the-first-professional-grade-t/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/27/blackberry-births-the-playbook-the-first-professional-grade-t/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/27/blackberry-births-the-playbook-the-first-professional-grade-t/#commentsBlackBerry Playbook It was really a matter of when, not if, RIM would throw its hat into the tablet arena with a BlackBerry branded device. Now the fun and games iPad has an appropriate foil in the all business BlackBerry PlayBook. The 7-inch device runs an "amplified" (to use RIM's marketing speak) version of BlackBerry OS with multi-tasking, a WebOS-like app switcher and a brand new WebKit browser with support for Flash 10.1. The usual mix of media and e-reading apps will be present, as will the ability to edit office documents, connect to screens and projectors via HDMI (and pump out 1080p video!), and of course all the BlackBerry e-mail and messaging goodness you've come to associate with the brand. Under the hood, the BlackBerry PlayBook packs a dual core 1Ghz processor and a full 1GB of RAM, theoretically doubling the power of that other big name tablet.

RIM is billing the PlayBook as the first "professional-grade" tablet, and while Apple (among plenty of others) might take umbrage, other companies don't command the same amount of respect from enterprise customers as RIM. The iPad might have cornered a large market, but a device like the surprisingly sexy PlayBook has a good shot of getting tablets into the boardroom. Sadly, there's no word on price or release date yet. Check out the promo video after the break.

Continue reading BlackBerry Births the PlayBook: The First 'Professional-Grade' Tablet

SwitchedBlackBerry Births the PlayBook: The First 'Professional-Grade' Tablet originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackberryblackberry playbookBlackberryPlaybookplaybookrimtabletMon, 27 Sep 2010 17:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Bus Driver Caught Reading Kindle Behind the Wheel]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/22/bus-driver-caught-reading-kindle-behind-the-wheel/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/22/bus-driver-caught-reading-kindle-behind-the-wheel/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/22/bus-driver-caught-reading-kindle-behind-the-wheel/#commentsBus Driver Reading While Driving Texting while driving is bad enough, especially when you're trusted with the lives of dozens of passengers as an employee of a public transportation system. But 40-year-old Lahcen Qouchbane, a driver with Portland's TriMet system, decided that glancing down occasionally to send a message just wasn't dangerous enough. He opted to get some reading done while shuttling TriMet patrons towards downtown Portland. Qouchbane placed his Kindle on the dashboard of his bus, and can be seen in a video -- recorded by a passenger's cell phone -- glancing down and changing the page while slowly working his way through rush hour traffic. Several customers called to complain, and TriMet immediately pulled Qouchbane off his route. He's been reassigned to administrative duty, pending an investigation.

We understand sitting in near standstill traffic several hours a day can be boring and frustrating, but we suggest the next bus driver who wants to get some reading done on his route invest in some books on tape. They're still against the rules, but are likely to generate fewer complaints.

Continue reading Bus Driver Caught Reading Kindle Behind the Wheel

SwitchedBus Driver Caught Reading Kindle Behind the Wheel originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazon kindleAmazonKindledrivingdriving while distractedDrivingWhileDistractedkindletopWed, 22 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet Nelson, Coupland and Alice: IDEO's Future Books]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/21/meet-nelson-coupland-and-alice-ideos-future-books/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/21/meet-nelson-coupland-and-alice-ideos-future-books/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/21/meet-nelson-coupland-and-alice-ideos-future-books/#commentsIDEO Last week, design innovation factory IDEO wowed us with a reinvention of the woefully stagnant ATM. Now, it has released a video highlighting three new concepts for digital reading. 'Nelson' helps to contextualize a given book, granting sidebar access to online commentary, statistics about cultural impact and links that fact-check the book's data. 'Coupland' is designed for professionals, allowing co-workers to suggest and share relevant books, to start book clubs and conversations, and to create a company library. 'Alice' is about interacting with novels, turning the act of reading into a game-like experience in which plot elements are discovered, characters are addressed, and the story is ultimately modified by the reader's contribution.

While we simultaneously relish and worry about Nelson's unfettered access to an ADD-producing glut of info, and Alice's inclusion of a Foursquare-like, GPS game engine, we have to concede that the consistently genius ideas springing forth from IDEO trump the barely pleasurable experience of reading on the Kindle or iBooks any day. Check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Meet Nelson, Coupland and Alice: IDEO's Future Books

SwitchedMeet Nelson, Coupland and Alice: IDEO's Future Books originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliceconceptcouplandDesignConceptideoipadkindlenelsonvideoTue, 21 Sep 2010 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Easy E-Reading: The Ventral Route and the End of Experimental Text]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/15/easy-e-reading-the-ventral-route-and-the-end-of-experimental-te/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/15/easy-e-reading-the-ventral-route-and-the-end-of-experimental-te/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/15/easy-e-reading-the-ventral-route-and-the-end-of-experimental-te/#commentstristan tzara on kindle Wired's Jonah Lehrer recently spoke to neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene, who explained that our brain uses two processes to interpret the written word: the "ventral route" for fast reads, and the "dorsal stream" for difficult verbiage. Cohort Tim Carmody then weighed in, wondering about Lehrer's analysis and why ventral-oriented e-readers won't be mediums for avant garde texts. What will the Marinettis and Mallarmés of the future use?

SwitchedEasy E-Reading: The Ventral Route and the End of Experimental Text originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f.t. marinettiF.t.Marinettijonah lehrerJonahLehrerneurosciencereadingstanislas dehaeneStanislasDehaenestephane mallarmeStephaneMallarmetim carmodyTimCarmodytopWed, 15 Sep 2010 08:10:00 EST<![CDATA[The Best PDF Reader Apps for the iPad]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/09/14/the-best-pdf-reader-apps-for-the-ipad/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/14/the-best-pdf-reader-apps-for-the-ipad/http://www.switched.com/2010/09/14/the-best-pdf-reader-apps-for-the-ipad/#commentspdfs on ipad The school year's already begun for most American college students, and they are no doubt racked with the same problem that we had as undergrads: carrying around countless handouts, course packets, articles, essays and notes. Depending on the breadth of your study and the wickedness of your professors, you could be faced with a small mountain of paper for each class. (Your author recalls, not so fondly, a class in Russian literature with a 15-pound course packet.)

Luckily, many professors have transitioned from handing out hard copies of documents to employing PDFs, often through BlackBoard or a class listserv. The problem is, most students still print out their PDFs to keep them organized and portable, defeating the purpose of making them digital in the first place. If you happen to own an iPad, however, PDF reading is intuitive and untaxing. We took a look at some of the more popular PDF-reader iPad apps for students to help you cut through the chaff and find the best bets for cracking the digital books.

Continue reading The Best PDF Reader Apps for the iPad

SwitchedThe Best PDF Reader Apps for the iPad originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresgoodreaderiannotate pdfIannotatePdfibooksipadpdfpdf readerpdf reader pro editionPdfReaderPdfReaderProEditionReaddlereviewssmileydocstopTue, 14 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST