Hasta La Gadget!

Not depressed enough yet about the impending death of print? This might help: Brewster Kahle, the fellow behind the Internet Archive, is in the process of gathering together every book ever published for safe storage against a future where the prevalence of digital media has utterly devalued physical texts — it’s a perhaps unreachable goal, he admits, but Kahle’s warehouse is currently at 500,000 books and growing fast. The Associated Press describes the undertaking as something more akin to The Svalbard Global Seed Vault than the Library of Congress — these books aren’t being saved for lending, they’re being stored for the future. If you’re reading this Brewster, we recommend signing up for an Amazon Prime account. Those shipping fees can really add up fast.

Internet Archive founder wants to collect every book ever published originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Typically, when a new gadget makes its way through the FCC, we have to do a fair amount of digging to get to the juicy details, put Pandigital’s latest 8-inch tablet / e-reader, the SuperNova, isn’t holding anything back. This Android 2.3-powered slate follows in the footsteps of its 9-inch predecessor, the Novel, acting more as a glorified e-reader than a real-deal tablet. Like the Novel, it comes with B&N’s Nook app pre-installed and lacks access to the Android Market — apps can be downloaded via SlideMe. What’s more, it’s got front (0.3 megapixel) and back-facing (3 megapixel) cameras, 4GB of internal storage, HDMI and mini-USB connectivity, support for 32GB micro-SD, and an 8-inch capacitive touch screen. Just about the only things missing from this FCC filing are price and availability, but we have a feeling the pair isn’t far behind. If SAR reports and tablet entrails are your thing, you can peek even more SuperNova details at the source link below.

Pandigital’s SuperNova Android tablet gets its FCC on, leaves little to the imagination originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kobo hopes that a web app will help it skirt Apple’s App Store rules

E-book and e-reader seller Kobo is planning an HTML5 web app to bypass Apple’s latest restrictions on its iOS devices. In the last few days, Kobo’s iOS app, along with Amazon’s Kindle app and Barnes & Noble’s Nook app have all been forced to remove links to their online e-book stores.

This is in response to Apple’s rule which bans apps from allowing access to retail channels other than its own in-app purchase option, of which Apple takes a 30% cut.

The rule makes things worse for users. You or I might know that we can go to the Kobo, Amazon or B&N websites to buy new books, and that they will then show up in their respective apps. But e-books are a market also popular with regular people, and they need all the tech-help they can get.

Kobo’s response is to make a web-based e-reader app available. This will run in a browser (or a browser-powered view) and is therefore exempt from any App Store restrictions. It will also run in any HTML5-compatible browser, not just Safari on iOS.

It seems like a great solution, but for one thing. Nobody but nerds install web-apps. Auntie May is going to get her Kobo reader from one place — the App Store. And us nerds won’t bother either, as we’re the ones who already know how to buy books from our browsers.

Web apps are great for Apple. They’re a way for the company to excuse its restrictive App Store terms. But web apps will never be as popular as native ones, and Apple knows it.

Kobo Developing HTML5 eReading Web App to Serve iOS Users [Press release / Reuters]

Changes from Apple affects Kobo’s iPhone/iPad App [Kobo]

See Also:

• Kobo International E-Book Store Launches: Why Amazon Should Be …
• Kobo Beats iBooks with International iPad Bookstore, App
• Sidestepping Apple: From Amazon to Condé Nast, Companies Rethink …

Panasonic already took its UT-PB1 e-reader out for a step-and-repeat at the e-Book Expo Tokyo this year, but kept some important details under wraps. Now the tablet e-reader is ready for its official coming out party. The 7-inch, color touchscreen Raboo UT-PB1 is set to launch in Japan on August 10th, retailing at about ¥34,800 (that’s $444) and packing 600 plus “pre-viewable books.” There’s an Android OS running on an unspecified dual-core CPU under that book-mimicking surface with the company’s own UI slathered all over it — so there’ll be no tablet-esque shenanigans here, yet. The 400 gram (14 ounce) handheld also comes furnished with 8GB of storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, microSDHC, support for various video and audio files, and packs basic web and email apps. Sound like a dedicated reading device to you? Unfortunately, it only plays nice with the XMDF e-book format, so if you’re interested in picking one up, you’re gonna be tied to the Rakuten E-Book store. Check out the video below for a glimpse of the non-tab in action and maybe even a little dental training doll cameo.

Continue reading Panasonic Raboo UT-PB1 e-reader gets official, acts more like a tablet

Panasonic Raboo UT-PB1 e-reader gets official, acts more like a tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it was unveiled back in January, the Story HD, iRiver’s first entry into the US e-reader market, boasted all manner of exciting technologies, including an “HD” display and a souped-up (in e-reader terms) processor. Things have changed in the past six months, thanks in part to new Nook and Kobo devices. The other week, however, iRiver pulled out a pre-release surprise that turned plenty of heads: a partnership with Google Books. Are these features enough to make the company competitive in an already crowded market dominated by the Kindle? Find out the answer to all that and more in the review below.

Continue reading iRiver Story HD review

iRiver Story HD review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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