e-reading

A few months ago, I bought a Kindle. The cheap kind: $79, with "Special Offers." I bought it because I wanted to read more efficiently, and because the iPad 2's screen was giving me eye fatigue.

You'd think that with the new Retina Display iPad that my Kindle had been one-upped. Clearer, crisper text is exactly what I was hoping for on an iPad, and it did indeed come to pass. I upgraded to a third-generation iPad, although I did it mainly for storage space and to explore gaming with the new A5X graphics.

Yet, the new iPad hasn't been able to unseat my little old Kindle. Not entirely. In fact, I've been surprised to find that the Kindle has carved out a special place in my heart, and it's one that the iPad has a hard time filling.… Read more

Yesterday, we reported that Apple had finally cracked down on iOS e-reading apps, enforcing its new in-app subscription rules that require app developers to strip out any links to external mechanisms for purchasing digital books or subscriptions. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo all altered their apps to reflect the rules change, removing any links or mentions of their respective company Websites.

Now Kobo is first out of the gate to announce that it's prepping an HTML5 Web app that will be accessible through Safari on the iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, and will provide improved functionality even beyond … Read more

Scribd, which has become known for being the "YouTube for documents," has launched a new app today called Float, which the company says is designed to improve the mobile reading experience.

We met with Scribd CEO and co-founder Trip Adler prior to launch and he showed us the new app in action. It's actually difficult to describe exactly what it does, but imagine it as a cross between Flipboard, Instapaper, and a filtered Twitter feed (see video below). You select various areas of interest and pick favorite Web sites to "follow" and you get stories … Read more

I've written a screenplay or two in my life. When the iPad was released more than a year ago, I imagined that it could eventually be a killer tool for reading and editing scripts, saving a trip to a printer or laptop. Well, so far, the iPad's been great for a lot of documents and publications...but a little slow on the uptake when it comes to the complicated formats of screenplays.

For my last screenplay revision, I actually saved my script to PDF format using Final Draft, then opened up GoodReader to check out my work. iBooks … Read more

A few days ago, Kobo turned 1 year old. To celebrate the anniversary, the company enhanced its iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch apps, adding Instapaper integration and new social-media features that allow you to share what you're reading with others.

All in all, the Kobo iOS apps look more jazzed up and we expect all the big e-reader players to continue building out the social-media functionality in their apps (Amazon and Barnes & Noble also feature social-media hooks in both their devices and apps). The Instapaper integration is interesting because it allows you save Web clippings as you surf … Read more

Recently, Barnes & Noble announced that it was rebranding its eReading software across various platforms and calling it Nook. As part of that evolution, the company has released a "next-generation" Nook for iPhone application that incorporates many of the features found in its Nook for iPad app. At the same time, it's updated Nook for iPad to include some new features, including one that allows you to rate e-books from within the app. Users had been requesting the feature, the company said.

Nook for iPhone appears to be a big improvement over the company's previous B&… Read more