E-Readers are undergoing a resurgence in popularity and more new devices were released in 2019, than any other year. There were two different types of hardware, consumer grade e-readers such as the Kindle, Kobo, Nook and E-Notes such as the Onyx Boox MAX 3 and Likebook Ares. Amazon released four new e-readers in 2019 - the Kindle Paperwhite 4, which now is waterproof, the … [Read more...] about The Year in Review for e-Readers
Archives for 2019
Review of Jump Festa 2020
Jump Festa 2020 has just occured in Chiba Japan and it focuses on the manga industry. It is run by Shonen Jump and there were all sorts of figurines that were available to buy and lots of new things that were announced. One of them was the 2nd generation eOnebook by Progress technologies, that features a dual screen E Ink display and in Japan there are 21 different series that … [Read more...] about Review of Jump Festa 2020
The ebook revolution that did not come to pass
The 2010s will go down in the annals of history as the decade when everyone thought ebooks would kill print, but it never came to pass. Digital sales have stabilized and major publishers generate 20% of their quarterly revenue from ebook sales, audiobooks are on the rise, but represent a drop in the bucket when it comes to hardcover and paperback sales. What happened? When … [Read more...] about The ebook revolution that did not come to pass
Warm Light disrupts sleep more than Blue Light
There has been a strong movement by Apple and Google to adopt warmer colors on the screen, to help you fall asleep faster. Common wisdom was that blue light was more disruptive to people's circadian rhythm than warm colors. Some past studies have suggested that blue light suppresses melatonin, a hormone that influences sleep. This might not be the case, according to a new … [Read more...] about Warm Light disrupts sleep more than Blue Light
Google Play had 116 billion downloads in 2019
Google Play had a massive year when it came to digital downloads on e-readers, smartphones and tablets. There were over 116 billion app downloads on Google Play, which sets an all-time record. The other big thing that occured in 2019 was the release of Android 10, which was built around three important themes. First, Android 10 is shaping the leading edge of mobile innovation … [Read more...] about Google Play had 116 billion downloads in 2019
EU Court of Justice claims selling used ebooks is illegal
Publishers all over Europe have been fighting Tom Kabinet since 2014 and the European Court of Justice has issued a ruling, reselling used ebooks is illegal. It is basically a violation of copyright law. Tom Kabinet stated that the first sale doctrine should apply to ebooks and users should be able to do whatever they want with them, after they are legitimately purchased. … [Read more...] about EU Court of Justice claims selling used ebooks is illegal
Germany is lowering the VAT on ebooks to 7%
Germany plans on lowering the VAT on ebooks from 19% to 7% starting in January. This VAT reduction was made possible by the passing of the VAT Directive from 2018, which created the possibility of equal tax treatment for printed and digital publishing products. Germany is the second country to officially announce a change to the VAT policy for ebooks. The Netherlands was the … [Read more...] about Germany is lowering the VAT on ebooks to 7%
Hisense A5 is impossible to buy
The Hisense A5 is one of the most interesting E INK smartphones because it was going to retail for $150 and features 5.8 inches E Ink Carta display with a resolution of 640×720 and you will be able to adjust the screen brightness with the built in front-lit system, but it does not have amber LED lights. Underneath the hood is a Qualcomm 660 Octa-core processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB … [Read more...] about Hisense A5 is impossible to buy
Barnes and Noble discounts the Nook Glowlight Plus to $159
Barnes and Noble is running a sale on their latest generation Nook Glowlight Plus 7.8. They have slashed 20% off the regular price and is available in-store and online for $159. This discount is lower than their Black Friday promotion, so now is the time if you are thinking about buying this e-reader. The Nook features a E Ink Carta HD 7.8 inch display with a resolution of … [Read more...] about Barnes and Noble discounts the Nook Glowlight Plus to $159
Don Katz is no longer the CEO of Audible
Don Katz founded Audible in 1995 and turned it from a scrappy startup to the biggest audiobook retailer in the world. He sold the business to Amazon in 2008 for $300 million and remained the outspoken CEO, but it is time for a change. Starting on January the 2nd, media and publishing veteran Bob Carrigan will be the new CEO. Carrigan most recently was executive chairman of … [Read more...] about Don Katz is no longer the CEO of Audible