Someone at Amazon must have figured out that things aren’t looking good for the middle class, because the four new Kindle models announced today are all ridiculously cheap, both compared to previous Kindles and the competition. Before the end of this year, someone shopping for an ereader device will be able to choose from five [...]
Today’s Bargain Book: “The Strain” by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
A financier obsessed with immortality brings a vampire to NYC, but the contagion quickly spreads beyond anyone’s control.
Checking out Kindle ebooks from the public library: a quick demo
While I was wrapping up a conference on a totally unrelated matter yesterday, Amazon unveiled its long awaited public library lending feature for Kindle ebooks. You can find out the official details at www.amazon.com/kindle/publiclibraries. This morning I gave it a shot with my local library. I’ve never particularly liked the whole OverDrive experience with EPUB [...]
Not dead, just sleeping
Contrary to recent appearances, this blog has not been abandoned or shuttered. I’ve gotten caught up in an unrelated project that’s taking the time I normally reserve for ebook blogging, so I’ve had to switch focus for a few weeks. I expect to resume here in the next few days.
Angry Robot plans fan-created anthologies via new WorldBuilder site
Fandom breeds content, as nearly any Internet user who has ever loved a TV show, movie or book already knows. Fans love to spend time absorbed in their favorite works by inventing new adventures, filling in backstories, and expanding the characters’ worlds with fresh details. (Or just by making the characters have sex with each [...]
Here’s an RSS feed for Amazon’s new Kindle Daily Deal
If you’re a bargain hunter when it comes to ebooks, there’s now a new source for discounted titles: Kindle Daily Deal at amazon.com/kindledailydeal. It’s similar to the Gold Box daily specials that Amazon has offered for years now, but focused exclusively on one-day discounts of a single Kindle ebook each day. Amazon says it will [...]
Man rigs special Kindle controls for sister with cerebral palsy
I was going to write up a short post* about this, but I’m running out of time today and Nate at The Digital Reader just posted about it, too, so I’ll point you there instead. (His is also the only other post I can find that bothered to link to the actual source material.) It’s [...]
John Hodgman has some great ideas for repurposing bookstores
This Daily Show segment where Jon Hodgman discusses Borders (it starts at the 7:57 mark) was aired nearly a week ago, but in my defense, Borders officially gave up the ghost nearly a month before that, so it’s not like this is breaking news. No, the reason I’m sharing it is because it’s good weekend [...]
A beta tester’s early review of Pottermore
Here’s an early take on what it’s like to visit Pottermore, written by a mom who loves the books and who has a daughter who loves them as well. Translation: it’s probably biased and incredibly positive. “It will satisfy even the most voracious Harry Potter devotee, as well as engage new fans who’ve just discovered [...]
Say goodbye to Google Books Settlement for good
The heavily criticized proposed settlement between Google and a small group of authors and publishers has been dealt a final, fatal blow, reports Publishers Weekly this morning—although in this case the deathblow comes indirectly because it’s actually about a different, older legal battle. In case you need a recap of what this is all about, [...]
How to make a Kindle case from an old book
I hadn’t intended to cut up the used book I bought online. But it turned out to be exactly the right size to house my Kindle, and it wasn’t in great shape to begin with, and my whole philosophy about digital publishing is that the physical container is not eternal and shouldn’t be treated with [...]
Like audiobooks? There’s a way to get $100 off a Kindle through Audible
Those $99 refurbished Kindles are nice, but if you want a really cheap Kindle, and you’re thinking about joining Audible, the best combo offer is one that isn’t that easy to find these days: sign up for a year of Audible Gold at $14.95 a month, and get a $100 code that you can use [...]