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Stanza

iPhone eBooks and eReaders out Gun Games for First Time

by Jay Garrett on November 2, 2009

stanza_iphoneFor anyone thinking that reading a book on a small screen is a bad idea and the power of paper should never be overlooked then be prepared to rethink.

Whilst the Kindle, Sony Reader, Cool-er and even Alex are pretty certain of the future; Apple’s iPhone has stepped in with its own proof.

The obvious advantage with e-Books is portability – I am, at the moment, carrying around with me 15 titles. Which, even in paperback form, would way a considerable amount. Also, these books will not get dog-eared from being shoved in my man-bag!

The smartphone/web browser/gaming machine/iPod has gone and gone and added being a popular eBook reader according to a survey by San Francisco-based analysts Flurry to its achievements.

According to the report, there were more e-books or book-related programs launched on the app store in September than games.

This is the first time this has happened: From August 2008 to August 2009 gaming pwned the app store.

Flurry said that “The sharp rise in e-book activity on the iPhone indicates that Apple is positioned to take market share from the Amazon Kindle as it did from the Nintendo DS [with gaming]. Despite the smaller form factor of the display, we predict that the iPhone will be a significant player in the book category of the media and entertainment space.”

Personally I’ve just finished Metropolis and am now reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels via Stanza on mine – what are you reading on your iPhone and which reader do you use?

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Amazon Kindle Coming Too Late to UK

by Jay Garrett on October 1, 2009

kindle22 years.

That’s almost half a century in tech years.

But that’s how long it’s taken for Amazon to spring their eBook reader over to the UK.

Yup – it sounds like we might finally be graced by the presence of Kindle 2 – but do we need it now?

It’s not like we’ve all been forced to keep dragging real paper books with us – personally I’ve been using my iPhone and Stanza :)

The Bookseller has been tipped the wink from an anonymous source that Amazon will make the announcement next week, having tied up a raft of non-disclosure agreements with publishers.

Let’s face it – an announcement isn’t the same as product on shelf is it? With less than 2 months before Santa drops shiny tech in our gadgety stockings Amazon is cutting it fine to say they’ve had a coupla years to plan it ;)

Why has it taken all this time? Well it’s apparently down to mobile network protocols, which differ between the US and Europe. According to the Bookseller again, ‘key things’ have now been tied up.

Qualcomm is reportedly working on providing the UK Kindle’s wireless service, which allows users to download ebooks, magazines and newspapers from pretty much anywhere.

Could this be too late for the Amazon slab? We have the lovely Apple iTablet and Microsoft Courier on the horizon that will be able to handle simple eBook stuff and a whole lot more.

Not only those 2 possibles we have the Interead Cool-eR soon getting a refresh and the dual-screened Asus EeeBook or EeeReader penciled in for Crimbo.

What would your choice be?

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