May 31

$100 Tablets are Coming!

Jorgen stopped by with a link to another exciting find. The Financial Times technology section is talking about a wave of low priced tablets that are expected over the coming year. This development will threaten iPad’s coveted lead in the lucrative full-color, multi-function tablet market. The article says the start of this low-priced invasion will begin when a $100 tablet is launched at the Computex (trade show) in Taiwan.

May 30

eBook Readers in the Office

Many thanks to Jorgen for a link to a Globe and Mail story here about the various eBook Readers on the market and their place in the office environment. An excellent weekend read where writer Lynn Greiner makes some interesting observations about the eBook Revolution in the work place.

May 29

Barnes and Noble’s eReader App for iPad.

Take this link over to ZDNet if you’re interested in Mobile Gadgeteer reporter Matthew Miller’s first look at Barnes and Noble’s eReader App for iPad.

Again, I want to take my hat off to B&N for embracing the eBook Revolution, and to Apple too, for allowing this feature and the broader selection of titles it will give readers.

May 28

iPad goes International

Read CNN’s coverage of the iPad’s International launch here. Apple’s color touch-screen tablet and newcomer to the eBook Revolution goes on sale in Canada, UK, Switzerland, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Australia and Japan. That’s an impressive launch for the machine that also functions as web browser, movie player and video game platform. The machine is perfect for people who are willing to pay a little more to add multi-function to their eBook reading experience.

May 27

Aluratek’s Libre Reader: $150 list, $100 at Sears

BoingBoing.net (tech, culture, science blog) has posted some interesting news that is in keeping with our recent focus on low-priced eBook Readers. It seems that Aluratek’s Libre reader is hitting the market priced from $100-$150, depending where you pick it up. They go into detail at the link about its pros and cons, but can’t say anything wrong about the price.

This is just the start of a line of low-priced devices without the trimmings that will soon start to flood the market. Another great option for first adopters who are happy with the single function: ‘reading’ on an eBook reader.

May 26

$200 Full Color eBook Reader from Pandigital

Thanks Jorgen for this link to a LinuxInsider post about a $200 full color eBook reader from Pandigital that is bound to give the iPad a run for its money. The compact (5.5 by 7.5 by 0.5 inches & 16 ounces) WiFi-enabled device will arrive on the US market next month. Developers are very interested in the fact it runs on the Android platform and sports most of the functions of its soon-to-be chief rival, and much more expensive iPad.

Check out the full story here.

May 25

More about the $150 Kobo eReader

Okay. I know I’m obsessing about this thing, but come on… think of how much time we’ve talked about the pricey Kindle, nook, Sony Reader and iPad. Doesn’t an affordable E Ink eReader deserve some extra attention?

ZDNet has had some hands-on time with the $150 Kobo eReader. Check out their post here. There’s a great picture gallery too.

I think of the $150 Kobo eReader as the mainstream machine. The eBook Revolution has been waiting for a device that uses E Ink technology, and is priced to sell. It will open the door for the curious and hesitant adopters and if it becomes as popular as industry insiders think, the affordable machine puts pressure on Kobo’s competitors to lower their prices.

May 24

Free eBook Horror at SkinEaters.com

I’ve been enjoying this chap’s writing and promotions. Now that he’s got the entire Variant Effect eBook finished (he wrote it in serial installments) I’ll post this from his press release. The whole eBook’s available at the address. Enjoy!

The final installment of THE VARIANT EFFECT – Part Seven: ALPHA is now available in FREE multi-format downloads at SkinEaters.com.

May 23

Are eBooks Green or not?

Sorry for the late post. Holiday weekend here.

Stuff.co.nz ponders the Green eBook question. Data’s starting to pile up, but it’s still too early to make the call. Check it out here.

May 22

Harlequin Goes Where Many Have Gone Before

Here’s a link to a story at The Wall Street Journal describing publisher Harlequin Enterprises‘ intention to sell a novella that “will serve as a link” between a novelist’s debut book and the second, that goes on sale July 27.

It will be interesting to see if people will buy what is generally offered as a freemium out there on the web, but you have to expect that a publisher will try selling eBook samples if there’s a remote possibility that they can get away with it.

We’ll see if the eBook Revolution has evolved to allow for this kind of thing, or whether the reading public will see it as an attempt to charge $2.99 for a 15,000 word ‘linking’ novella.