Archive for June, 2010
New Kindle DX Announced no comments
Amazon has just announced a new version of the
Kindle DX ereader that will be priced at $379 and will have a new e-ink display with higher contrast. The new DX has a graphite colored body – that alone should give an apparent boost to the contrast. It looks like the white version will also be available if you prefer.
EDIT: Only the graphite model is the new DX. The white Kindle DX,
Amazon says the new display is 50 percent sharper than the present DX ereader.
The display size remains the same at 9.7 inches.
Pre-orders for the new Kindle DX
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Kobo eReader Firmware Update no comments
Kobo has announced a firmware update that should be available over the next week or two depending on your location and where you purchased your Kobo eReader.
Some of the new firmware features:
- The ability to resize fonts for any ePub file, no matter where it comes from.
- Improved battery management
- The ability to hide/show the preloaded free classics
- Charging lights that make sense (red/violet when charging, blue when finished)
- Sleep Mode: eReader will go to sleep if inactive for more than five minutes
For more details and instructions to obtain the update sooner see the Kobo Blog.
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Kindle Cover Sale no comments
Amazon is having a sale on a selection of Kindle covers.
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eReader News and Links– 6/30/2010 no comments
Color Kindle coming sooner rather than later? Pocket-lint, in a brief article covering a demonstration of Mirasol display tech and the coy comments of a Qualcomm spokesperson does absolutely nothing to dampen hopes that we may see a color Kindle with a Mirasol display by the end of the year. Some nice photos are included as well.
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Copia, which will sell both ebooks and pbooks and will have a strong emphasis on social networking is set to launch in July. The company also has been planning to launch six different ereaders – four with 6-inch and two with 9-inch e-ink displays – with varying feature sets.
Publishers Weekly quotes Copia senior VP Anthony Antolino as saying that Copia has reconfigured its ereader lineup and will be selling a 5-inch color LCD model for $99 and a 10.1-inch touchscreen LCD model for $299. It is not clear from the article if Copia will be completely abandoning its e-ink based devices.
The new ereaders have not yet made an appearance at the Copia website. It really never made much sense to me that Copia would have so many different ereader models, and it makes even less sense now in the current market.
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Baker & Taylor, Inc, which makes claim to being the world’s largest distributer of books both paper and digital, is also one of the powers behind the Blio reader. B & T recently announced that they have entered into an agreement with F+W Media to bring that company’s rich, highly formatted content to Blio.
F+W Media publishes full color, richly illustrated instructional titles for graphic designers, artists, craftsmen, woodworkers and others. Baker & Taylor has announced similar agreements to bring graphics-rich content to Blio from other publishers, including John Wiley & Sons and Elsevier. The latter is a leading publisher of medical, scientific and technical books.
I’m looking forward to having Blio on the iPad; I saw the Blio demo at CES and it was impressive.
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Amazon’s previously announced 70 percent royalty option for its Digital Text Platform (DTP) goes live today. Amazon also announced some feature improvements to make DTP more convenient for authors and publishers: a more intuitive “Bookshelf” feature and a simplified two-step publishing process.
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The New York Times is reporting that Google is close to reaching a deal with the American Booksellers Association which would make Google Editions the main source of ebooks on the websites of most independent booksellers.
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Amazon’s Kindle will be sold at some airports around the US. HMSHost has signed an exclusive deal with Amazon to sell the 6-inch Kindle at its shops in the following airports:
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Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International: Simply Books
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Charlotte Douglas International: Simply Books
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Dallas Ft. Worth International: Simply Books
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George Bush Houston Intercontinental: Simply Books
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Miami International: Simply Books
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Minneapolis-St. Paul International: Simply Books, Authors Bookstore
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LA/Ontario International: Authors Bookstore
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Salt Lake City International: Simply Books
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San Diego International: Authors Bookstore
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Mineta San Jose International: Authors Bookstore
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Tampa International: Authors Bookstore
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Cisco Cius Tablet no comments
Today’s new tablet announcement comes from Cisco. The Cius tablet is aimed at business users rather than at the consumer market and Cisco promises that it will feature strong cloud-based computing and collaboration capabilities. A virtual desktop client application will come with the Cius, enabling the tablet to also act as a thin client on Cisco Collaboration Architecture and giving it the ability to coexist or replace a thick Windows PC client.
Some of the features:
- 7-inch color touchscreen.
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G/4G and Bluetooth.
- HD video (720p); HD audio.
- Battery: removable, eight hours.
- Highly secure connections with Cisco AnyConnect Security VPN Client.
- Virtual Desktop Client enabling access to secure cloud-based business applications.
- Android-based.
- Processor: Intel Atom 1.6 Ghz with 32 GB flash memory.
- Collaboration applications including Cisco Quad, Cisco Show and Share, WebEx, Presence and IM.
- The HD Soundstation docking station provides IEEE 10/100/1000 wired connectivity as well as other features.
The video below is a promo from Cisco:
The Cius is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2011.
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More Kindle & nook Covers, Cases & Jackets no comments
If you have a nook or Kindle ereader there really are a lot of covers and cases to choose from now. Besides protecting your ereader, finding the right cover is a great way to personalize your reading.
Splash Proof Kindle Case
If you are looking for water and sand resistance but don’t need a full-on water
proof case for your Kindle 2 ereader then the new KlearKase is worth looking at. The KlearKase is made of polycarbonate and is splash and dust proof and also protects against bumps, scratches and drops. This case is designed to be left on your Kindle all of the time – not just when you are reading around the wet stuff.
The KlearKase is not meant to be used if you actually take your Kindle into the water; it would be great for use poolside, while the M-Edge Guardian Case
Since this case is clear, you could also use a skin on your Kindle to personalize it. For other waterproof ereader covers and cases see my previous post.
JAVOedge nook Covers & Cases
JAVOedge makes a lot of different cases and covers for the nook.
These come in many styles, but there are a variety of floral prints on canvas or other fabric. Many of the JAVOedge ereader cases are available in either a book style or flip style and there are also sleeve style cases as shown in the picture. Prices are reasonable – mostly ranging from $20 to $40.
Moleskine Kindle Cover
The Moleskine cover is available for both the 6-inch Kindle and the Kindle DX ereaders. It is slim and elegant. The interior is lined with microsuade and four wide elastic bands are use to hold the Kindle in place. The Moleskine cover comes with a reporter-style notebook for note taking. The model for the 6-inch Kindle
OCTOVO Vintage Leather Kindle 2 & Kindle DX Cover
This is one of my favorites – I love old leather. 
The OCTOVO Vintage Leather Kindle Case
With this type of rustic leather each cover will take on its own unique appearance over time. The craftsmanship of these covers is high, and they are somewhat more expensive; $74.99 for the 6-inch Kindle size and $84.99 for the DX size.
Amazon for some reason does not have the Vintage Leather Case for the Kindle DX lately, but you can order it direct from Octovo.
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Free Kindle Books and eReader Sales – 6/29/2010 no comments
There are a few new freebies at the Kindle Store:
Eternal Hunter
No Mercy
Tuscan Holiday
Lakota Flower
The Heir
For more free titles check my Free Kindle Books page.
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Newegg.com now has the Sony Daily Edition 7-inch ereader on sale for $279.99 + $1.99 shipping. This is the lowest price yet for this one as far as I know.
By the way, if you borrow ebooks from your public library then you are no doubt aware that Overdrive also provides audiobooks through public libraries. I listen to audiobooks in my car, and as I drive a lot I go through one or two books a week in audio format. Unfortunately my media players are not compatible with Overdrive so I have not been able to borrow any of these from the library.
While looking through Newegg’s July 4th sales I found the SanDisk Sansa Fuze 2GB recertified for only $27.99 with the promo code EMCYTNX42 which is good until July 5. This one is OverDrive – compatible, and if you want to listen in your car you can just plug an FM transmitter (quite cheap also) into the earphone jack and listen on the car’s radio.
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Sony to Promote Digital Reading at Public Libraries no comments
Today is Library Advocacy Day, and to celebrate that Sony has announced its Reader Library program to support public libraries as they grow their ebook collections. Through the program Sony will provide public libraries with training on digital reading devices and will contribute ereaders for use by library staff. Instructional materials for library patrons on the access and use of the digital holdings at their library will also be provided.
From the press release:
The Reader Library program is open to public libraries with robust eBook lending programs. Program components include:
-- A training program for library staff developed by Sony. This one-time web-based session covers digital reading formats, an overview of sources for digital materials, and training on Sony's Reader digital reading devices. -- Sony's Reader digital reading devices for use by library staff and educational materials to provide readers background materials on digital reading devices. Sony will begin the program with a handful of libraries nationwide to tailor educational materials that reflect the content and features of each library's digital collection. -- Bi-annual update sessions designed to keep libraries and their staff current with the latest developments in digital reading content, format and devices.
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OverDrive to Add Disney eBooks 1 comment
Overdrive just announced a preliminary agreement with Disney Digital Books to add Disney ebooks to its catalogue. From the press release:
OverDrive (www.overdrive.com), the leading global distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, and digital content to libraries and schools, today announced a preliminary agreement with Disney Digital Books (www.disneydigitalbooks.com) that will enable libraries to offer access to Disney’s comprehensive library of books online. Young library patrons and their parents will be able to enjoy-for the first time-unlimited access to over 600 new and classic Disney books for kids of all ages with just an Internet-connection and library card. The extensive library features hundreds of digital books available at the click of a mouse, including favorites from popular Disney franchises such as Mickey Mouse, Toy Story, Disney Princess, Cars, and Hannah Montana, along with many other classic and contemporary Disney stories.
To see if your library is a member of the OverDrive network, visit http://search.overdrive.com.
Disney Digital Books is an innovative way for children to experience the joy of reading in a robust and safe online environment. The site offers children of all ages, reading levels, and interests a broad selection of books and features including Look and Listen titles that allow children to hear a story read aloud; a Story-Builder feature so kids can create and share their own stories; and an age-appropriate dictionary that lets children click on any word to hear it read aloud, select unfamiliar words, and read simple definitions.
Libraries will be able to add a subscription to Disney Digital Books using their OverDrive Content Reserve (www.contentreserve.com) account. Users will authenticate on the existing OverDrive-powered library website, and then the Disney Digital Books website will launch in their browser. The service is PC and Mac® compatible and does not require a download.
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Amazon Releases Kindle for Android no comments
Today Amazon announced the release of the promised 
Kindle for Android app. This is a free app and is available for customers worldwide. From the press release:
Android-powered device owners can now take advantage of the features that customers love about Kindle and the Kindle app experience, including:
- Search and browse more than 620,000 books, including 108 of 111 New York Times Bestsellers, plus tens of thousands of the most popular classics for free directly from their Android device. Bestsellers such as "Backlash" by Aaron Allston, "Big Girl" by Danielle Steel, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot, and "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown, and hundreds of thousands of other popular books are $9.99 or less in the Kindle Store
- Read the first chapter of books for free before they decide to buy
- Access their library of previously purchased Kindle books stored on Amazon’s servers for free
- Synchronize last page read between their Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, PC, Mac, BlackBerry and Android-powered phone
- Customize background color, font color, and font size to help ease eyestrain
- Read in portrait or landscape mode, tap on either side of the screen or flick to turn pages
- Adjust screen brightness from within the app to make reading easier
Several features will be added to Kindle for Android in the near future, including full text search and purchasing of Kindle books from within the app.
The press release makes a point of telling us that the Kindle Store now has over 620,000 books – that’s up 80,000 from May 19 when in another press release Amazon said there were more than 540,000 books. The Kindle Store has been growing by more than 13,000 titles per week during this period – that’s a lot.
You can find the download link for the new Kindle for Android app on the Kindle reading apps page.
