Chamber Four » Android

Wednesday Links 1-27-10

Sean Clark — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:13:16 +0000

Basically, nobody wants to shut up about the new Apple tablet (supposedlydubbed the iPad–consider it nominated for this week’s dumbest new ereader name award). It’s slated to be revealed today, so I’m not going to bother parsing out the rumors. This one bit about pricing strategies and the coming battle between Apple and Amazon is interesting though. Not sure where B&N is in all this. I guess they probably shouldn’t have f-ed up the Nook launch so badly. Perhaps they are waiting for a boost from Apple? If you’re foolishish enough to get a first generation iPad (thus ignoring Apple’s track record of vastly superior second gen devices), here are some other fun uses for it.
It looks like Asus’s EeeReader (or are they Asustek?) will have two models. Acer’s got one running Chrome. Then there’s Mustek. And the Lenovo Tianji. And Endless Ideas has a WiFi BeBook Neo. There’s the Oppo Enjoy (dumbest name: winner). Copia is still hanging around. Even Nintendo is getting in the fray, selling romance novels on their DS. Man, the market is officially awash.
Amazon has quietly laxed their DRM policies. So quietly that hardly anyone has noticed. In what could be an enourmous shift, Apple will allow iTunes users to store libraries in the cloud, rather than their harddrives (hopefully it doesn’t require a .Mac subscription). Besides fighting with China, Google is also in a tiff with its old buddy Apple. This may lead to Apple dumping Google integration from their devices and adopting Bing, which is of course owned by–Mac geeks are fainting left and right over this, I’m sure–the evil Microsoft. Regardless of Google’s early success (maybe) with Android’s apps, Apple is still the undisputed ruler of App-land.
It’s kinda old news, but apparently colleges are being sued for using ereaders in classrooms because blind students can’t use them. How using a braille edition to supplement a Kindle (which reads books–poorly–out loud) is less fair than if the other students use deadtree, I do not understand. It won’t help the blind, but if you’ve no backlight on your ereader and can’t figure out how to turn on your lamp, try this dongle. This Boogie Board doodle toy isn’t an ereader (and probably isn’t much use to anyone not a basketball coach) but it does seem pretty cool, and uses no power at that.
We’ll be posting on Friday about some of the many changes we have planned for our second year. There’s a lot of good stuff planned, and we’ll be getting bigger and better as time goes on. Check back Friday for that.
I really like this comic explaining proper semicolon use; there’s also one for the apostrophe. Also at The Oatmeal, the best Twilight review I’ve yet read (yes, I read the books). Everyone in this school district should be given a lobotomy. And Scholastic Surprise! should chill on this one and use their noggins. Finally, Farmville is stupid (no link, just spouting the truth).

Wednesday Links 12-02-2009

Sean Clark — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:49:30 +0000

Wow, been a while. Here’s a healthy collection of links to make up for the last few weeks. And if you’re sick of my style, fear not: Nico is back and will be helming next week’s edition.

Good news for Amazon and bad news for everyone who wanted one in 2009, the Nook has apparently been delayed until January 11. Sony’s having trouble getting stuff out the door for the holidays too. The second ereaders started running Android we all saw it coming: the rise of the clones… and clones… and clones… and clones. The Nook and the Alex showed a fair bit of innovation this (next) year, so lets hope other companies keep up with experimentation and competition–or at least something not-white.
Amazon added pdf support to their Kindle, and there might be a large scale software upgrade on the way. After surely catching a lot of flak for not, Barnes & Noble will be accepting gift cards for ebook purchases. Here’s a creative use of the iPhone for interactive books. Step aside Tom Waits, ecomics are big in Japan; Sony even stuck an ecomic reader on their PSP firmware. Smashwords bought indie publisher BookHabit and formed an alliance (oooh) with Shortcovers. And…this week in stupid names: iMagz.
Three years from now in London: will the Cloud be cool or stupid? Right now in NY: I think these hamster pictures are hilarious. Dads in Short Shorts is currently my favorite blog.
For videos, Pigeon Impossible is a really cool animation (which I won’t embed here because it’s better when bigger). Also, check out this cool, literary video:

Wednesday Links 11-11-2009

Sean Clark — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:05 +0000

This week we got a better look at the Alex, which, depending on the final price point, could provide some decent competition for the Kindle and Nook come Black Friday the holiday selling season. We also saw more of the Entourage. I know I sniped at it last week, but the functionality of an Android netbook hybrid could make for an interesting device. All in one devices are certain to gain in popularity, but will the OLPC really happen?
It’s not really an ereader device at all, but the tech in the new Intel Reader is neat-o and something that could have cool applications for etext down the road, as well for its intended healthcare market. And, in the tradition of stupid names for ereaders: presenting the PocketBook(s). Finally, I’m not sure what I think about the Sungale Cyberus.
Lulu added a bunch of established authors to their ebook store, and Simon & Schuster is trying to mix up the way ebooks are sold. University of Montana is hopping on the ereader wave, but Irish monks, perhaps predictably, haven’t. Over at reader.ly there’s an interesting post about ebook readers and the Kindle’s top 5 bestsellers.
If you do go out an buy a Nook for that special someone when it’s released, be warned that B&N gift cards apparently don’t apply to ebook purchases. Also, stay away from Random House ebooks for as long as they think it’s okay to charge $70 for an ebook on sushi.
Here are this week’s videos. This time I’ll let them speak for themselves (whatever a loris is, it’s toasty-cute and I want one):

Wednesday Links 11-4-2009

Sean Clark — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:21 +0000

So after taking last Wednesday off for haiku, we’re back with two weeks’ worth of scuttlebutt:

Creative (maker of the iPod’s poor, homely, and ignored cousin) threw their hat into the ring with the Zii Mediabook. I’d like to go on the record as saying this is an even dumber name than Nook or Alex. Speaking of, the makers of the Alex have sued Barnes & Noble over the Nook’s dual screen design. Also with dual screens, I can’t decide if the Entourage Edge looks cool or crappy, but I’m leaning toward crappy.
The inexpensive Jetbook Lite is available now (thanks to reader Ben for the heads up). And on the horizon, ASUS wants in the ereader game after all their netbook success. And so does Bridgestone, after all their tire success? It’s bendy, which is cool. Apparently there are some snazzy new E-Ink processor chips in the pipeline, so hopefully we’ll seem even more creative new tech soon. Lots of ereader hype this selling season, might we finally be at the verge of the Great eReader Adoption?
Up for some light reading? How about an ebook about mail order Russian brides? These ebook “covers” are so cheesy they’re funny. I find the idea of a cloud library pretty intriguing. And I’m definitely in favor of ebook happy hour, too bad they only serve well books.
Outside of ebooks, a new Beatles b-side has been discovered, as has the creepiest thing I’ve seen–except for maybe Wii Baby and Me–in a long while: a ventriloquist choir singing “Yesterday.”

and finally, I’m mesmerized by this Carl Sagan auto-tune video:

Google and Amazon Canoodling on Mobile Devices

Sean Clark — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 14:37:54 +0000

Releasing an iPhone optimized version of their expansive if frustrating Book Search service might not be enough for Google in their push for digital ubiquity. Google has announced (via currentworldnews.net) that they will team up with Amazon to create ebook distribution software for mobile devices. That Amazon is involved may not bode so well with those not keen on the Kindle’s distribution model, but the fact that it is aimed at more devices than just the Kindle might mean this is a (hopefully not the only) first step toward an easily accessible and user-friendly approach to ebook distribution–though it probably means accessing the whispernet through Android. Let’s just hope it doesn’t fragment things further.

Read our full review of Google Book Search for iPhone later this week.

[via currentworldnews.net]

Google Book Search on iPhone and Android Devices

Sean Clark — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:45:32 +0000

Google has optimized (sort of) their Book Search feature for iPhone and phones packed with Android. While it’s certainly nice to have free access on mobile devices, Google Book Search is not without its flaws. Check out our full review of Book Search on iPhone later this week.

[via The Register]

UPDATE: Not to be forgotten, the ambitious Project Gutenberg has also been working for mobile optimization.