Welcome to another edition of the Good e-Reader week in review! This week we have seen a ton of new Tablet PCs announced and also some firmware updates for Kindle! Always, we have the latest in E-Reader, Digital Publishing, eBook and other news! Good e-Reader is the definitive source for all things E-Reader and Tablet PC. If you want to see the full story, or pictures of any of the stories we talk about, click on the hyperlinked text (or the title of the article)
Barnes & Noble e-reader software updated
The latest e-reader news coming in revealed the Barnes & Noble e-reader software for the HTC HD2 has been provided with an update so that what was already a nice and comprehensive application has now acquired a more exciting and interesting outlook.
Samsung Galaxy Pad might cost $200 to $400 in US
While early reports did point to a bit hefty price tag of the Galaxy Pad tablet for the European market, those awaiting the Samsung 7 inch tablet in the US can be considered more fortunate. For as per the latest tablet PC news coming in, price for the same in the US is likely to be around the $200 to $400 mark.
Elonex launches 9 Android tablets
To have a tablet that looks like the iPad is perhaps the easiest method of emulating the success of the magical tablet device from Apple. It is perhaps this line of thought that has prompted many to start off their tablet venture with a device that looks like the iPad and Elonex as well are keen to be identified in this group. Also, it’s not just one or two tablet devices that Elonex will be coming up with but an entire range of tablets consisting of – wait for it! – 9 devices in all that will start off with a 5 inch sized screen while the biggest of the lot will be all of 10 inches.
How to Self Publish and Market an eBook on Amazon
Earlier on in the week we posted the most comprehensive guide on the internet on how to self publish a digital ebook on Amazon! We give you all of the tips you need to do cover art, a table of contents, as well as making an Amazon account and submitting your book. We also give you made ideas on how to self promote your book, via social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and more! Click on the title of this article to access the entire guide.
Coby 810 tablet spotted
Coby did have a few portable media players as well as netbooks in its past line up, but they can’t actually be considered exceptionally successful in either segment. However, the company has now set its sights on the most happening segment at present; that of tablet PCs and is showing off a new tablet device at the ongoing IFA event at Berlin.
Telefunken T9HD 3D Android Tablet
At the IFA annual conference in Berlin, we have seen many new Tablet PCs unveiled. We also saw a slew of 3D TVs as well. A company merging the two segments is Telefunken and they have shown off two different tablet computers that have a 3D display.
Kobo Releases new Desktop Application to Manage their E-Reader
Although this Desktop application is not entirely new, select people were invited to use it when Kobo updated their factory firmware that allowed ePub books that were downloaded outside of Kobo to display the proper fonts. Now it looks like Kobo has ditched the invite only aspect of this software suite and opened it up to the public.
This program is billed to be able to effectively manage your Kobo E-Reader library and remove books from your Kobo when you’re done with them. The application also allows people with smart phones, other brands of e-readers, and tablet devices to purchase books and use the Kobo Desktop Software to transfer them to your E-Reader.
Kno dual display tablet to make year end debut
Remember the Kno tablet device, a dual screened tablet that is aimed primarily at the educational sector? It has been a long time since we last got to hear of it and it’s in the news again. This time with a firm launch schedule which is towards the end of the year. This is also the time when a lot of tablet devices have lined themselves up for a market launch and the Kno is one more addition to that list. And the reason why the makers of this dual screened tablet are able to come up with the launch window is that they have secured a whooping $46m funding that is needed to make the Kno tablet a market reality.
RAmos W9 tablet PC
Here is one more tablet device in the 7 inch category. It runs on the Android operating system and looks like the iPad. Further details are sparse and there is no confirmed information coming from Ramos, the makers of the tablet. So the only other thing that’s known is that the tablet will carry microSD card slot, will have a 3.5mm headphone out port along with a micro-B USB port. It’s likely to be built around the new and powerful 1GHz Rockchip RK2818 and will run at least the 2.1 version of Android, if not the latest 2.2 Froyo.
Best Buy will now stock the Amazon Kindle
The latest e-reader news coming in should elicit cheers to all the die hard fans of the Kindle as well as Kindle aspirants. For the e-reader is one step closer to the consumer, now that Amazon announced it will allow Best Buy to sell their popular range of Kindle and Kindle DX e-book reading devices.
This will bring the double-B in line with other stores like Staples and Target that are now also entitled to sell the Kindle e-readers. The Kindle e-readers have been available from the US retail giant Target since April, while US office supply store Staples will begin to sell the same later in the year. Consumer electronics giant Best Buy will have the new Kindle priced at $189 for the 3G version and the $129 for the WiFi only version at its stores from this fall. Later will follow the larger Kindle DX priced at $259.
Cool-er to launch new colour e-book reader in partnership with Elonex
It was just a few months ago (July to be specific) that we carried the news of the Cool-ER e-reader having bit the dust. Well, such was the time when the e-reader segment was in turmoil and for a while, even the strongest had seemed vulnerable. The news of Interead, the United Kingdom based company which branded and distributed the Cool-ER brand of E-Readers having filed for bankruptcy led many to believe that was the last they will ever get to hear of the e-reader anytime again. However, the latest e-reader news springs a surprise as now we get to hear the company is back. And how!
New update for the Kindle Software
It is now possible to create user accounts on the Kindle device itself, thanks to a software upgrade. The updated Kindle software, version 3.0.1, is already being made available and will ensure a completely untethered digital reading experience with the Kindle.
Touch Screen Chip Makers Revelling in Tablet Market Growth
Many popular touch screen manufacturers and companies making chipsets are entering an golden age of sales and profit directly arbitrated to the proliferation of tablet and slate computers.
With the tremendous success of the Apple iPad, many companies such as Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, HTC and Cisco Systems Inc are all working on a new generation of Tablets. Many companies already have begun to usher their products to market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Pad.
Here and There
The IFA conference in Berlin, Germany has come to a close and we were there giving you the most extensive coverage anywhere online! You can view all of the new E-Readers, Tablets and Slate PCS shown off at IFA HERE.
We saw a screenshot of the new Motorola MZ600 Tablet PC in Verizons inventory sysetm, can we see a Droid branded tablet before the holiday season to be launched?
We are currently running a contest on the Good E-Reader forum to win a new Kindle Graphite WI-FI E-Reader! Entering is free, check it out.
In the land of the Rising Sun we see a new tablet computer called the “Mouse”
At the Apple Conference in San Francisco they confirmed they had over 35 million ebook downloads, since the service first went live in April. We also heard totals thrown out for Movie, Music, and App Downloads. They also gave us the skinny on Apple TV, and the new iPod line of MP3 Players. Check out the full story HERE.
That about wraps it up for this week in E-Reader, Tablet, Slate PC, Digital Publishing and ebook news! Remember if you have an Apple product, you can listen to the Good e-Reader Radio Show on itunes! Click on the picture on the right hand side and you can listen! What can you expect? An audio version of the Good e-Reader Week in Review, as well as Music, Songs, Rants on technology, and contest news!
We also would like to thank all of our visitors that check out Good E-Reader on a daily basis! Its your support that keeps us going! We would like to also welcome Kevin Spiss as one of our new Freelance Writers.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.