e-BOOKVINE

Kindle and Textbooks

There are some reports lately about kindle is getting popular in U.S. universities. People are also expecting that textbooks will be popular in kindle formats, though I’m skeptical about that in this stage. Unless kindle can natively support PDF format, its unlikely to be true. Anyway, here is an excerpt from pocket-lint:

The Princeton University Press is planning to launch textbooks on the Kindle platform, with one tome by Robert Shiller, a Yale uni economist, getting a release 2 weeks earlier on the Kindle than in print.

Apparently, by the beginning of the autumn, Princeton plans to have several hundred books available for sale through the Kindle - and - good news for students, the e-editions are often cheaper than the hard copies.

Princton joins Yale University Press and Oxford University Press in publishing for the Kindle, while the University of California Press recently had about 40 of its volumes readied for the Kindle and is “ramping up” production.

FREE Sherrilyn Kenyon Download

Hello kindle owners, you can now download Sherrilyn Kenyon’s  Seize the Night for free until July 3rd to celebrate upcoming release of Acheron in her bestselling Dark-Hunter series, according to amazon kindle blog.

Seize the Night

 Kindle: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device Price: $359.00 USD

Steinbeck Now on Kindle

According to amazon kindle blog:

We’re thrilled to announce that the iconic works of John Steinbeck are now available for immediate download.  We hope you enjoy the latest additions of these Penguin Classics to the Kindle Store.

The books are:

The Red Pony

Down to a Soundless Sea

The Grapes of Wrath

Cup of Gold

East of Eden

Cannary Row

Of Mice and Man

Once There was a War

The Pearl

Sweet Thursday

Travels with Charley in Search of America

Tortilla Flat

Kindle Shortcuts

Amazon Kindle blog has released some shortcuts for kindle:

At any time, you’re able to put your Kindle to sleep and wake it up with Alt + aA.

In “Home”:
Alt + T = show time
Number keys = jump to corresponding page in the Home Menu
Alphabet keys = jump to corresponding page from alpha-sorted Home Menu

As you’re reading your content:
Alt + B = bookmark
Alt + T = spell out time
Alt + Next Page = go forward to next annotation or “chunk” of text
Alt + Prev Page = go back to previous annotation or “chunk” of text

Search (push the Search bar):
@store = store search shortcut
@web = Web search shortcut (Google)
@wiki = Wikipedia search shortcut
@time = show current date and time

Font (aA options)
J = show/hide justification options

Audio Player:
Alt + F = next song

 

Kindle: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device

Sony Vending Machine

Sony has started selling some its products through vending machines in different US airports. Mobileread contributor JSWolf has recently spotted such a vending machine in Logan airport in Boston. Similarly, Taylor514ce from mobileread has also found such machine in Dallas Forth Worth airport. Sony is selling PSP games, memory sticks, headphones, and sony ebook reader PRS-505. By using your credit card you can get one of them like a soft drink can.

……………………………………………………………………..

Sony Digital eReader Bundle - PRS-505 with AC Adapter & Pink Cover

Price: $349.99 USD

Sony PRS-505/LC Blue Digital Book Reader

Price: $277.99 USD

Here are some kindle stuffs you should think about buying

Book light:

ReLight Rechargeable Book Light

Price: $34.95 USD

Xtra Flex 2 LED Book Light, Silver

Price: $16.99 USD

Xtra Flex 2 LED Book Light, Blue

Price: $16.99 USD

Flexible LED Book Light Package with Bonus Screen Protector + Microfiber Cloth for Amazon Kindle 6 Color Options

Kindle Case cover:

Premium Amazon Kindle Silicone Skin Case cover for Amazon Kindle electronic reading device

Premium Amazon Kindle Sleeve Case Deluxe Package, Neoprene Sleeve Case Cover for Amazon Kindle Electronic Reading Device + Bonus Screen Protector

Amazon Kindle Protective Portable Case / Neoprene Pouch (Made in USA) from Pouch Inc. - Silver

Genuine Leather Executive Case for Amazon Kindle, Red

Price: $54.99 USD

iPhone ebook reader from iphoneapps.org: No need to unlock phone

The company called iphoneapps just released a bundle of 10 applications for a price of $24.95, which includes an ebook reader. According to the company,

You can install our applications onto any iphone regardless of what firmware version is installed onto your iphone.

and

Your iphone does not have to be unlocked to install our applications.

And about the ebook reader, here is what they say:

This is a must have application for all of you book worms out there. You can download any ebook from the internet using your iphone and then use our Books application to read your book at leisure.

With this application you can save your page, change font size, font colour, scrolling options and much, much more.

That’s a neat idea. If you can download the ebooks directly on to the iphone then you’re free from syncing with itunes. However, it’s not clear what kind of formats does the application allow. It’s not also clear whether these applications would br compatible with 3G iphone.

Update: According to the customer service, book application supports almost all formats, not sure though.

How can you get the most out of your Kindle?

Here is a link on 100+ ways to get the most out of your Kindle. The 100+ ways are divided into tips, tutorials & guides, shortcuts, tools, book sources, publishing, and resources.

3G iPhone From e-book Perspective

Apple has already announced its new 3G iPhone to be launched on July 11 worldwide amid broad speculations. No big news for ebook lovers; but people who used to read ebooks on pocket pc or PDAs or smart phones might find it more convenient for its larger screen size. There are some ebook reader applications including mobipocket available on all these devices. For iPhone we don’t have any attractive ebook applications yet; but according to some report:

By the end of the year, Mobipocket will release updated readers for the various platforms, as well as release a new reader for the Apple iPhone.

That’s a good news? Yes, but think about the pricing of ebooks on Mobipocket which is an Amazon owned company. Amazon has dual pricing system - one for Kindle, and the other for Mobipocket. In one of my previous posts titled Is amazon ripping off its customers I’ve shown how Amazon is charging very high prices from customes with mobipocket format. For the New York Times bestsellers in mobi format, you’ve to pay 84% more over kindle format, which is essentially a mobi format with different DRM specification. Surprisingly, p-books cost 24% less than mobi format.

iPhone is no longer a US thing, but Kindle is. So the rest of the world will pay more on ebooks if they use mobipocket as the reader while people in the USA have both options.

How to Turn iPhone/iPodtouch into a Moleskine Book, aka an e-Book

Here is entry on wired blog on how to turn your iPhone or iPodtoucTouch into an e-book device that is manageable while reading since these devices are tiny with are tiny with small screen thigh sharp. Here is an hand-on approach on how to do it: