Apple's Miss on eBooks

Discussion in 'iOS Apps' started by BulletDev, Jan 1, 2009.

  1. BulletDev

    BulletDev Well-Known Member

    Sep 20, 2008
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    produce applications under "Bullet Development"
    Vancouver, BC
    It's too bad that Apple didn't introduce they're very own eBook service earlier on for the iPhone, because now we are crowded with hundreds of independent apps that serve little or no purpose. That would be the Books section.

    It isn't really too late for Apple to create they're own eBook app just like Kindle, but it's going to be a huge transition for the people who spent money on App Store novels.
     
  2. don_k

    don_k Well-Known Member

    Oct 9, 2008
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    #2 don_k, Jan 1, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 3, 2009
  3. BulletDev

    BulletDev Well-Known Member

    Sep 20, 2008
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    produce applications under "Bullet Development"
    Vancouver, BC
    Exactly. If they did this, the Kindle would be completely dead, considering that more authors/publishing companies would go with Apple, iPhone/iPod is a more desirable device for less money, etc etc.
     
  4. your personal robot

    your personal robot Well-Known Member

    Nov 11, 2008
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    Berlin
    I'm in...make iPhone the better Kindle!!
     
  5. Noah

    Noah Well-Known Member

    Sep 30, 2008
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    Steve Jobs said that he'll never make an eBook device, because people don't like to read.

    Me, on the other hand, recently purchased a Kindle and I LOVE it!

    A touch-screen Kindle made by Apple would rock my world.
     
  6. Kuratsu

    Kuratsu Well-Known Member

    Nov 4, 2008
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    That would be great, but for the moment I'm quite enjoying Stanza especially since you are not limited to the databases they provide you (you can add ebooks you already have).
     
  7. dcescott

    dcescott Well-Known Member

    Dec 22, 2008
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    I DL'd Stanza, I can't seem to get it to work right. I have Air Share, I got it for free somehow, loaded up my ebooks to the public IP, viola! ebooks to read and share!
     
  8. silla

    silla New Member

    Jan 2, 2009
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    Wouldn't the Kindle still have an advantage thanks to it's paper-like screen? That's the reason I want a Kindle - I'm damaging my eyes by reading books on the computer screen all the time.

    How is it on the eyes to read books on the iPhone/iPod Touch?
     
  9. Noah

    Noah Well-Known Member

    Sep 30, 2008
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    Oh, the eInk screen the Kindle has is pretty much amazing. I can read for hours and not have any sort of eye strain at all.
     
  10. Maeks

    Maeks Well-Known Member

    Dec 21, 2008
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    #10 Maeks, Jan 2, 2009
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2009
    I just downloaded Stanza last night and I must say I'm kind of impressed.

    It does seem like Apple is missing out, but with something like stanza, it has what seems to be all the functionality that I think Apple would put into it, despite the unnecessarily complex method to get your ebooks onto yout iPhone/Touch (download, connect ipod and computer to same network, blah blah blah).

    With Stanza doing all the work, if Apple doesn't want to do it, then why should they?

    But yeah, it's funny to see all those "Classics" in the app store for $.99 when you can get them for free with something like Stanza, or at your library, etc.
     
  11. DukeofAnkh

    DukeofAnkh Well-Known Member

    Nov 17, 2008
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    I have Air Sharing too, but I only use it to read short-story type documents (I have a lot of files to read on the train and stuff). It's not hard to put them on to Stanza, I just prefer to do it this way. I use Stanza for actual ebooks. It's easy, you either download stuff from their online catalogues (Gutenberg etc) or install the computer (Mac, PC and I think Linux) app, open your own ebook (or pretty much any text file) using that then download it onto your phone via wireless.

    I have no problem with it. I use Stanza with black text on slate/paper colour during the day and light blue text on black for reading at night. The latter so that I can read with the light off without the bright screen straining my eyes. I use a fairly small font, but you can make it as big as you want. I have absolutely no problems reading off the iPhone screen. That said, I also have no problems reading off my computer screens for long periods of time. Maybe that's because it's something that I've done in large blocks for half my life. But I've never had issues with any sort of LCD screen. CRT on the other hand give me a headache after five minutes.
     
  12. I'm a grad student, and I do a ton of reading on my iPod Touch using [app]Annotator[/app] for PDFs. I have read whole books on iPod Touch, and I get funny looks in class when I pull out my iPod when we have a class discussion.
     
  13. Vende

    Vende Well-Known Member

    Nov 11, 2008
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    I read Stanza books every day on my train home and sometimes in bed; trust me, there's no eye strain at all and it's a very comfortable experience.

    If anyone's interested, you should check out author Charlie Huston's trilogy. The first is called 'Caught Stealing' and the last is 'A Dangerous Man.' I haven't found the book in the middle yet, but I can tell you the first and third are very enjoyable reads. I can't remember where I found these books specifically (it was one of those Stanza sublinks), but if you find them, download them. They're very hard to put down:)
     
  14. marlenedegrood

    marlenedegrood Well-Known Member

    The one your missing is "Six Bad Things" and you can find all 3 in the Stanza sublink of Random House Catalog.
     
  15. Vende

    Vende Well-Known Member

    Nov 11, 2008
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    #15 Vende, Jan 2, 2009
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2009
    You, my friend, are a king! I was going to play Brothers in Arms on the train tonight (just bought it) but no longer:)

    Of course having read the third book already, I can't say there'll be much suspense with the second.

    I'm telling you - Apple commercials should be focusing on the iphone as a e-reader! People absolutely adore the kindle and enjoy the Sony Reader. There is clearly a huge market, and I want to see those cute commercials featuring Stanza, E-reader, Classics, and all those other e-programs!!! A 3.5 inch screen is big enough, damnit!
     
  16. Kamazar

    Kamazar Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2008
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    Honestly, I can't see myself reading on a screen. No, I'm not one of those geezers born in 1911 that consider moving pictures without sound the future, I'm actually pretty young, but the screen, after reading for about 15 minutes I get this light headache that slowly evolves over time like a pokemon 'til it contains the ferocity of a charizard... hmmm, gotta work on my analogies. I love my sometimes ridiculously large books. I can't trade them in for a 3.5 in. screen.

    Perhaps the event that scarred me most was when I was reading this mystery/thriller. It was on a Nokia N810 (which died on me, but anyways...), and I was just getting to the part where the culprit was about to be revealed when bbbbbzzzzzzt: the battery dies. I almost smashed the thing then and there.
     
  17. gospel9

    gospel9 Well-Known Member

    Oct 5, 2008
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    I don't think Apple believes in eBooks... or reading for that matter.

    They believe in richer media formats, obviously. Audiobooks maybe.
     
  18. marlenedegrood

    marlenedegrood Well-Known Member

    I actually find it much easier to read a book on my ipod touch than an actual book. You don't have to hold the book open, it's much lighter than a book, it fits in your pocket, you can turn the page with 1 finger (ever try reading a paperback book while eating?) and the type size is larger (scalable too) than a paperback. You can also change the type color and paper color to make the combination that easiest on your eyes.

    I turn off my wifi to save on the battery.

    I also enjoy audiobooks as well as ebooks on my iPod Touch. The trouble with audiobooks is that if I listen to them in bed in the evening, I fall asleep and I have to rewind to try and find what I last remember listening too. I can last longer when reading an ebook and if I do fall asleep .... I don't lose my place.
     
  19. PlayScreen

    PlayScreen Well-Known Member

    Jan 2, 2009
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    On the other side, I have spent hours on trying to get crosswords and other appropriate games launched on Kindle. Amazon just doesn't want outside app developers to have access to the platform.
     

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