Kobo Plus is an ebook subscription program that launched in the Netherlands a year and a half ago. In that time over 150,000 people have tried the service and 85% of them end up paying a monthly fee after the free trial expires. Major publishers are also seeing value in that Kobo is trying to do and recently Harpercollins Holland and Prometheus signed on and have contributed … [Read more...] about The Kobo Plus ebook subscription program continues to grow
E-Book News
Kobo Touch 2.0 vs Kobo Clara HD
The Kobo Touch 2.0 and Kobo GLO HD are the two e-readers that the Kobo Clara HD replaces. The Touch came out in late 2015 and the GLO a year later. Many people wait a few generations before upgrading their e-reader, mainly because E-ink technology moves at a glacial pace, compared to smartphones.The Kobo Touch 2.0 features an e-Ink Pearl display with a resolution of 800×600 … [Read more...] about Kobo Touch 2.0 vs Kobo Clara HD
Amazon Announces the Best Books of 2018
Amazon has just announced the best books for the first half of 2018. The Amazon editors normally do this twice a year and it gives readers a chance to discover new authors or to be made aware of new titles from their favorites. All of these books are available in print and digital.Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover: Tara Westover didn't see the inside of a classroom until … [Read more...] about Amazon Announces the Best Books of 2018
There is a psychological divide over ebook ownership
People's sense of psychological ownership is affected by three primary factors: whether they feel as if they have control over the object they own, whether they use the object to define who they are, and whether the object helps give them a sense of belonging in society. There no true ownership when it comes to ebooks, you merely lease them from an online retailer such as … [Read more...] about There is a psychological divide over ebook ownership
Alibaba launches new ebook app called Tmall Reader
Alibaba is leveraging their Literature unit and has just released a new e-reader app called Tmall Reader. It is now available for download from both iOS and Android app stores, offers access to titles, ranging from business and children’s stories to Chinese translations of popular foreign authors. There are thousands of ebooks from 300 publishers and more content will added on … [Read more...] about Alibaba launches new ebook app called Tmall Reader
The President Is Missing is having a huge first week
The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson is having a massive first week. 147,000 hardcover copies of the thriller were sold in bookstores and 113,000 audiobook and ebooks were sold from retailers such as Amazon, Apple iBooks, Barnes and Noble and Kobo.The plot centers on a fictional president facing impeachment, for supporting terrorism, and tells of his … [Read more...] about The President Is Missing is having a huge first week
Apple has just shared a preview of the new iBooks app
Apple is going to release a new version of the iBooks app this fall when the new iPhones are released. The company has just shared a preview of all of the features, including how the new curation system will work and what users can expect out of the entire e-reading system.The new Reading Now tab is home to the books you are currently reading or listening to, as well as a … [Read more...] about Apple has just shared a preview of the new iBooks app
iBooks has been rebranded as Apple Books
Apple iBooks is going to receive a tremendous redesign when iOS 12 comes out later this year. It has been rebranded as Apple Books because of the synergy between Apple News and Apple Music. There is going to be a reading now function which will show you what audiobook and ebook you are currently engaged in and will give you a sense how far along you are in a specific title. The … [Read more...] about iBooks has been rebranded as Apple Books
Amazon is encouraging Australians to pirate ebooks
Amazon announced today that they will no longer allow Australians to buy digital content through their US portal and are forcing everyone to use the dedicated Australian page. Hundreds of thousands of customers will lose access to their ebooks on July 1st because Amazon does not allow customers to transfer Kindle purchases from one country to another.In a statement issued … [Read more...] about Amazon is encouraging Australians to pirate ebooks
Microsoft Edge for iOS now supports ebooks
The Microsoft Edge browser for the iPad and iPhone can now read ebooks you have purchased from the Microsoft Bookstore. This app is considered to be in preview mode, so it lacks most of the functionality as the main desktop version, such as TTS and Cortana.The only thing the new Edge browser does well is change the size of the font and the font type. Unfortunately, things … [Read more...] about Microsoft Edge for iOS now supports ebooks
Patricia Cornwell developing original ebooks for Amazon
Patricia Cornwell has just signed a two book deal with Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon Publishing. The first title is called Quantum and it weaves military action, espionage, and space age technology into the story of a young NASA test pilot/aerospace engineer, Captain Calli Chase, whose quest to uncover the secrets behind her fighter pilot twin sister’s murder takes her … [Read more...] about Patricia Cornwell developing original ebooks for Amazon
Bill Gates issues new summer reading list
Bill Gates has been doing his annual summer reading list since 2012. The billionaire bookworm always reads a few books a month and a bunch when he is on vacation. The underlying theme of Gates' 2018 summer book list is that they all "wrestle with big questions," the self-made billionaire and Microsoft co-founder writes. "What makes a genius tick? Why do bad things happen to … [Read more...] about Bill Gates issues new summer reading list
Libraries signed up 30,000 new card registrations on Libby
Libraries in the United States add 30,000 new card registrations in the first four months of 2018. This is due to the Overdrive Libby app which recently added the ability for patrons to apply for a digital library card, without having to visit the branch.Here is how the online signup process works; Libby confirms a new patron’s residency and eligibility for a library card … [Read more...] about Libraries signed up 30,000 new card registrations on Libby