If you have a Kobo E-Reader by now you are aware of the deep social media imprint via Twitter and Facebook. With Reading Life you can earn rewards and achivements by reading books under different conditions. You have the unique ability to let your friends know all about your progress and even form virtual book-clubs. The company announced today that their apps and e-readers will have a new ability to provide Kobo readers with a more social and engaging reading experience as users can now share their Reading Life with Facebook Friends directly in their Timelines.
Starting today, people on Facebook can download the Kobo iOS app, and add Kobo Reading Life to their timeline. With Kobo Reading Life they can share their latest eBook activity with friends, from showing off their current read to staying atop of the hottest eBooks. Building upon the free downloadable Reading Life app launched in 2010, this new Reading Life feature for timeline adds a new dimension in Kobo’s commitment to making reading a more engaging social experience.
Right now it all starts on their iOS app, which is in effect their testing ground for new enhancements. The company has informed us that they are working on upcoming firmware updates for the Kobo Vox and Kobo Touch readers to give you the same ability.
[showhide type=’pressrelease’]TORONTO – Jan. 18, 2012 – Kobo, a global leader in eReading with over 7 million users in over 170 countries worldwide, today announced the integration of Reading Life on the Kobo iOS eReading app with Facebook Timeline; elevating the traditionally solitary pastime of reading into a more dynamic activity to be shared with friends online.
Kobo is proud to be one of a select few kicking off the launch of apps for Facebook Timeline; apps that allow users to bring their timelines to life through sharing what they’re doing, music they are listening to, books they are reading, and more.
Starting today, people on Facebook can download the Kobo iOS app, and add Kobo Reading Life to their timeline. With Kobo Reading Life they can share their latest eBook activity with friends, from showing off their current read to staying atop of the hottest eBooks. Building upon the free downloadable Reading Life app launched in 2010, this new Reading Life feature for timeline adds a new dimension in Kobo’s commitment to making reading a more engaging social experience.
“We know that readers have always loved sharing their experience with books, but organizing a book club isn’t always feasible in our fast-paced, digital world,” says Dan Liebu, Kobo Inc.’s Chief Technology Officer. “With the rise of social media and the growing popularity of apps, reading doesn’t have to be done alone – it’s something that can be shared with friends.”
“Reading Life for Facebook Timeline gives you a way to let others know what’s in your library while moving beyond simply sharing titles; this app is about sharing Kobo reading experiences in a fun and exciting way.”
The new app allows people to post every aspect of their reading experience: from reviewing and recommending eBooks, to sharing passages and keeping tabs on what friends are reading. People can also earn fun badges for hundreds of reading activities, like the Papillion (for extreme social sharers), the Twain (for daily readers), and the Witching Hour (for readers who read into the wee hours of the night).
The Reading Life app for Facebook Timeline builds on Kobo’s ‘Read Freely’ philosophy, which seeks to provide the ultimate reading experience any time, any place by giving consumers the freedom to read any book on any device – and to be able to get more from their reading experience.
“Reading Life for Facebook Timeline is a celebration of reading, where it’s not just about individual books but rather a way to share you reading life with friend everywhere,” says Liebu. “Reading often plays a key role in all our lives – whether temporarily transporting us away from reality or bringing an important issue front and centre. This app encourages discussion around reading, which really is embedded into our social fabric.”
The Reading Life application is available for the Kobo iPhone and iPad App and will soon be available on other Kobo platforms… For more information, visit www.kobo.com/readinglife. To download the apps visit: For iPhone: www.kobo.com/iPhone, and for iPad: www.kobo.com/iPad.
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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.
