The Astak Pocket Pro (my review here) is selling for $99 at BooksOnBoard. What’s the catch? Well, the catch is that you have to buy $400 worth of BooksOnBoard ebooks. I haven’t shopped there in a while, but from a brief glance through their selection, most of their ebooks are $9.98, with new/popular releases going for $14.98, about $5 more than Amazon and Sony. Doesn’t quite add up, but it’s out there.
Before we get to the links, a little site promotion: I was Christmas shopping for books today and I wanted to get a mystery novel for my grandfather. Where did I look? Why the C4 Book Reviews section of course. Give it another peek, maybe you’ll find some gift ideas of your own. Also, check out our Best Books of 2009 feature, which will be updated Mondays through January. Well, enough of that…
I walked by a SonyStyle store the other day, and I have to admit they’re doing a good job of pushing their Readers in brick and mortar stores (I’ve also seen them in Best Buy stores amongst others as well). And while they have a decent selection of models, I’m not sure these themed Readers are quite necessary. In other ereader news, the Aiptek Storybook inColor is pretty neato looking, though I still don’t think an LCD ereader is ever going to really fly. The Aluratek Libre has a nice pricetag, but the same LCD concern still applies. (Before you poo-poo me, electronic ink–in our opinion–really does make a huge difference. Here are my initial impressions of the tech from last spring.)
The COOL-ER is getting a hardware upgrade, making it marginally cool-er in the eyes of the other wallflower ereaders. And there’s lots of Applet Tablet rumors floating around this week, but I’m not going to link to any, beacause I’m sick of them. We’ll discuss an Apple Tablet and its secondary ereader abilites only when (if) it actually gets announced. Here’s a review of the Sungale Cyberus, which also doesn’t look all that impressive.
The library portion of Reader Library is fairly bare-bones, but functional
There hasn’t been much love lost between me and Sony’s ereader software—I wasn’t a fan, to put it lightly, of the original eBook Library for Windows or the more recent Mac version. Last Friday, Sony came out with a new version, 3.1, for both Mac and Windows. To commemorate the new software and the accompanying switch away from their old proprietary format and toward the more open Adobe ePub (DRMed), they’ve renamed their online store the “Reader Store,” and the eBook Library software has become “Reader Library,” and they’ve partnered with Borders for some reason. So far, so… meaningless.
So how does the rest of Reader Library 3.1 stack up to its forebears? The question isn’t “Is it good?”—I’ve given up on good software from Sony—the question is “Is it… like, a little bit better? Like maybe not crashing quite so much?”
The answer is surprising: the Sony software is more usable than ever. It’s nobody’s dream, but it no longer inspires nightmares.
The following brief review applies to the Mac version of the software, but Sony’s a Windows company, so presumably the Windows version is at least as good, if not better. … Continue reading »
I’m only recently back in the country, so this might be a bit strange since I’ve been out of the loop for two months. In any case, here’s some news about books and ebooks from around the web:
The Barnes & Noble Nook: We’ve learned a few things from the “nook,” primarily that nobody takes it seriously when you try to uncapitalize your product’s name (and, really, it does look silly). We’ve also learned that people loveloveloveto talk about which gadgets are going to “kill” other gadgets. So is the Nook a Kindle-killer? I could care less; there’s room for more than one device. In reality, the Nook and the Kindle are roughly 95% identical. The Nook has the touchscreen interface, which Engadget says isn’t all that hot, while Gizmodo likes it despite the interface hiccups. CNET says the perks (like lending books to friends) make it a worthwhile device. The big difference in my eyes is that the Nook does Adobe ePub, which means library ebooks, though I’m guessing they won’t work over wireless. We’ve also learned that Amazon isn’t the only one who has trouble filling ereader orders. Oh, and also… remember Borders? I’d say they have about 2 years of financial solvency left. It’s going to be like a brontosaurus dying.
Something called Opium, which is evidently a funny lit mag, has launched an iPhone app. Sounds promising; their interview about it was pretty funny. They publish quick stories and daily content—so far, no word on price.
Canada’s version of the RIAA, the CRIA, has been viciously hoisted by their own petard. For decades, they’ve been using songs for anthologies without compensating the artists, roughly 300,000 times. That’s piracy! In fact, it’s worse than piracy, because they’ve been profiting on their theft. Now they’re getting sued for $20,000 per song (actually a deal compared to the RIAA’s $80K per)—that works out to $6 billion. Ouch. And, ha ha.
Sony’s proprietary BBeB format is deadas of Friday. They’re adopting ePub as planned, meaninglessly rebranding their “eBook Store” to be the “Reader Store,” and rolling out a new 3.1 version of their desktop software. Which was necessary. Very necessary. I’ll give 3.1 a shot and let you know how it goes. Next on Sony’s docket: the Reader Daily Edition, with wireless. Something tells me it might be a Kindle-killer…
It’s the end of the year, so everybody’s doing best book lists, including us (you can keep track of our Best Books of 2009 series here). Sam Jordison at the Guardian’s books blog has a different take: here’s his hilarious post about the worst books of the decade. It’s good therapy, Dan Brown has a starring role—seriously, 80,000,000 readers?
Random of the week: “Mark the Spot” is an official AT&T iPhone app that lets customers tell AT&T where their coverage is thin, and detail specifically how they suck (dropped call, etc.). I’m guessing Mark the Spot won’t be making a cameo on those Luke Wilson commercials anytime soon. Pretty hilarious.
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.
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:
Here’s author Sherman Alexie on last night’s Colbert Report, explaining why he doesn’t sell his books in digital format (i.e., why he’s terrified of ebooks). Among the eggs of knowledge he drops:
It’s easier for the government to spy on you when all your books are in one place.
The music industry doesn’t make any money because “somewhere between 75 and 95% of music is pirated.” (Airtight.)
Books will be easily pirated once digital. The industry will then fail and (he intimates) there will be no more books.
The Internet makes it so there’s no intellectual property and no “artistic ownership.”
Stephen King and James Patterson should especially be worried. (I would be petrified if I were either of them. I’m not sure … exactly what I’d be scared of … but I’d be petrified.)
If authors did more readings, that would fix everything—but they can’t.
So basically the same ol’ stuff with an extra dose of paranoia.
Look, I get it: it’s fun and easy to be scared of digitization. But to say that 95% of music is pirated and that books are dying because not enough authors are “storytellers”… that’s a stretch. Books are dying because we publish 400,000 a year in the U.S. alone—99.9% of which are complete garbage—and even an avid reader can only read 50 of those. What you got there is a three-legged goat.
[UPDATE: I think Alexie was talking about this report that likes to throw around the stat that "95% of music is pirated." What they mean by it, however, is tough to decipher. They don't mean that their sales are down 95%, which their phrasing implies. Instead, they apparently mean that 95% of albums and song are pirated by at least one person. Which is a stat that means nothing to anyone. Except, evidently, Sherman Alexie.]
Also, while we’re on the subject, if you’re popular enough to be pirated, you’re probably making a decent living. If you embrace as wide an audience as possible, you will become more popular and more wealthy. That’s the way it is.
Also… not selling your books on Kindle isn’t going to “save white culture.” Just to clarify.
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.
This review is going to be a little different, as I read this book using the Enhanced Editions iPhone appbook version of the book. The first half will review the book, and the second will be an installment of iPhone Readers.
Nick Cave’s musical background is immediately evident when you begin reading this book. I haven’t read his debut And the Ass Saw the Angel, but I’ve since heard the writing is similar. Cave utilizes strong rhythms and cadences to his syntax. And while he doesn’t turn the crispest phrases, there is a hypnotic and musical feel to his writing, even if it is a bit manic and cacophonous at times. … Continue reading »
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?
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:
Wednesday again. As usual, let’s start off with ereaders and go from there.
The Barnes & Noble ereader (maybe named Athena or Nook) is looking pretty snazzy. It’s rumored to be priced competitively at $259; it’s got dual screens and runs on Android. Not to be outdone, so does the mysterious Spring Design’s Alex. Plastic Logic also released some details on their upcoming device, the QUE, which looks pretty sleek and will be available in just a few months.
Google has decided to launch an ebook store called Google Editions., which got the Frankfurt Book Fair atwitter. Walmart wants in too, so they will begin selling ebooks on Walmart.com. For the most part I find Walmart to be just about the most evil corporation on the planet, but it will be interesting to see what effect this has on ebook prices, beyond the current scuffle with Amazon–and what formats they make available.
German parliament bought a buttload of ereaders for some reason. And, might we see ebooks in bookstores soon? Aussies will. Corey Doctorow put an interesting piece for Publisher’s Weekly about ebooks and why he thinks they can be free. Read this interesting response to a savage review of Jonathan Lethem’s new book. Find a great “captain” Ahab or Poe tee shirt over at Novel-T.
For fun this week: Ugliest Tattoos is funny stuff. Until 10/25 you can get the awesome World of Goo (Mac/PC/Linux) legally and name your own price. This Brit video is pretty funny/clever.
And, finally, if you are the Russian spammers overloading our comments, please stop. It’s really annoying. (We’ve been scrambling to get the spam cleaned up, so we apologize to any commenters if your post gets deleted by mistake. Feel free to email us if this happens to you and we’ll get your post reactivated.)
Author: Nick Cave