Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Google Books for iPad adds in-book search and landscape mode]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/google-books-for-ipad-adds-in-book-search-and-landscape-mode/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/google-books-for-ipad-adds-in-book-search-and-landscape-mode/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/google-books-for-ipad-adds-in-book-search-and-landscape-mode/#comments Google Books for iPad landscape view
Google has updated its Books app for iOS today, and the new version brings a handful of bug fixes, performance improvements, and a couple of new features. One of these is iPad-specific: reading books in the landscape orientation on Apple tablets is now possible. The second is the addition of a Find feature which shows you all the matches for a particular query as you scroll.

Tapping Get Books now logs you into the Google eBookstore with the same username you used to log into the app itself. The magnifier has been removed, the book downloading experience and the overall speed of the app have been improved, and 3D page turning now works on iPads running iOS 4.3.

All of these represent small steps toward making Google Books a solid and compelling e-book reader for iOS. What remains to be seen is whether it will ever manage to attract a significant number of users from the likes of iBooks, Kindle, or Kobo.

Download Google Books for iOS 1.1.0.2247 for free from the iTunes App Store

Download SquadGoogle Books for iPad adds in-book search and landscape mode originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsbook searchBookSearche-booksfindgooglegoogle booksgoogle ebooksgoogle ebookstoreGoogleBooksGoogleEbooksGoogleEbookstoreIOSipadlandscape viewLandscapeViewsearchtextTue, 05 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kindle update brings real page numbers, public notes, and new magazine layout]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/08/kindle-software-update-3-1-brings-real-page-numbers-public-notes-magazine-layout/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/08/kindle-software-update-3-1-brings-real-page-numbers-public-notes-magazine-layout/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/08/kindle-software-update-3-1-brings-real-page-numbers-public-notes-magazine-layout/#commentsAmazon KindleThe latest generation Amazon Kindle e-book reader is about to receive a software update over-the-air that will add quite a few interesting features. Chief among those is what's probably been the most requested feature from Kindle owners: real page numbers. These match the numbers in printed books and have already been added to tens of thousands of books, including the Top 100 best selling books in the Kindle Store. The page numbers show up alongside Amazon's 'locations' system, which until now was exclusively used to figure out your reading progress. Real page numbers will be available for Amazon's Kindle apps in the next few months.

Also in the update is support for public notes. This lets Kindle owners choose to make their notes and highlights publicly available. A 'following' system has been implemented here, akin to that pioneered by Twitter: you can follow different Kindle users' public notes. To do that, as well as turn on Public Notes in your own books, go to kindle.amazon.com.

Newspapers and magazines have received a new layout that gives you a quick snapshot of the news to help you quickly decide what you want to read.

When you reach the end of a book, you can now immediately rate that book, thanks to a new Kindle feature called Before You Go. This will also let you share your thoughts about the book, see more books by the same author, and get personalized recommendations for what to read next.

The 3.1 software update will be pushed to all latest generation Kindle and Kindle 3G devices soon. However, if you want, you can manually install it right now by downloading the Early Preview Release from here.

Download SquadKindle update brings real page numbers, public notes, and new magazine layout originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amazon KindleAmazonKindlee-booksE-readerskindleKindle 3GKindle software updateKindle3gKindleSoftwareUpdatepublic notesPublicNotesreal page numbersRealPageNumberstextTue, 08 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kindle e-books now out-selling paperbacks]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/28/kindle-e-books-now-out-selling-paperbacks/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/28/kindle-e-books-now-out-selling-paperbacks/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/28/kindle-e-books-now-out-selling-paperbacks/#commentsLast year we saw e-books outsell their hardback counterparts, but another arguably more important milestone has just been passed: e-books now outsell all paperback books on Amazon. Now for every 100 paperbacks Amazon sells, 115 e-books are sold, making e-books the most popular book format available. That number excludes the free and out of copyright e-books that Amazon distributes too, otherwise the ratio would be even higher.

With over 810,000 e-books available from Amazon's Kindle store alone, it looks like the days of the paper book are numbered. Whether you like it or not, e-books are here to stay, and paper will eventually go away.

Download SquadKindle e-books now out-selling paperbacks originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amazone bookse-book readerE-bookReadere-booksEBooksKindleKindle StoreKindleStoreFri, 28 Jan 2011 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MegaReader: an iPhone e-book reader with a live head-up display]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/megareader-an-iphone-e-book-reader-with-a-live-head-up-display/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/megareader-an-iphone-e-book-reader-with-a-live-head-up-display/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/megareader-an-iphone-e-book-reader-with-a-live-head-up-display/#commentsMegaReader
Have you ever walked into a lamppost, or tripped over a small wall, because you've been so engrossed in a book you simply can't put it down? Well it's time to stop hurting yourself -- introducing MegaReader 2.1 and its new 'heads up display.' Using any Apple device equipped with a camera and running iOS4, MegaReader now gives you the option of displaying the text of your favorite book as an overlay on top of a live view from your iDevice's camera.

OK, this isn't the first time we've seen a live view from an iPhone's camera used to steer people around obstacles while glued to their phone, but it is the first e-book reader to implement it. It'll also let you import any DRM-free e-books you might have over Wi-Fi from Calibre, provides you with 26 free books out of the box, and is optimized for the iPhone 4's Retina Display.

So if you're looking for a new e-book reader for your iPhone, and want to walk and read as you go, then give MegaReader a shot at $1.99. But before you go, make sure you check out the hilarious promo video we've included after the break.

MegaReader [iTunes] - $1.99

Continue reading MegaReader: an iPhone e-book reader with a live head-up display

Download SquadMegaReader: an iPhone e-book reader with a live head-up display originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appscellphonese-bookshead-up displayHead-upDisplayHUDiOSiPhoneMegaReaderread and walkReadAndWalkutilitiesWed, 19 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aldiko Book Reader for Android gains access to public library books, support for PDFs, new UI]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/aldiko-book-reader-for-android-gains-access-to-public-library-books-pdf/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/aldiko-book-reader-for-android-gains-access-to-public-library-books-pdf/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/aldiko-book-reader-for-android-gains-access-to-public-library-books-pdf/#commentsAldiko 2.0 for AndroidAldiko is probably the best-known and most used e-book reading app for Android that isn't Kindle, Kobo, or Nook. The free Aldiko Book Reader has just received a major update, taking it to version 2.0.

The most notable new feature is support for Adobe DRM, which effectively makes Aldiko able to open public library e-books. Instructions for getting such books into Aldiko are waiting for you after the break.

PDFs can now be imported into Aldiko as well as EPUB files, and the whole process is much easier and doesn't involve getting your e-books into a specific folder on your SD card anymore. There's also a new e-book marketplace built into the app, with books from many different book sellers. The whole UI has been improved, and there's now a home screen that lets you quickly get around the app's many features. An advanced library management system is also present, and it lets you sort books by different criteria such as tags and collections.

The reading experience is fully customizable -- everything including font type, size, foreground and background colors, margins, alignment, line spacing, brightness, and orientation can be tweaked to your heart's content. Other features of Aldiko include bookmarking, a dictionary, text search, copy and paste, day and night themes, and sharing your favorite excerpts from a book.

A demo video of Aldiko Book Reader 2.0 is after the break.

You can download Aldiko Book Reader 2.0 from the Android Market, from AppBrain here, or just scan the QR code after the break.

Continue reading Aldiko Book Reader for Android gains access to public library books, support for PDFs, new UI

Download SquadAldiko Book Reader for Android gains access to public library books, support for PDFs, new UI originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acsmAdobe DRMAldiko Book ReaderAldikoBookReaderandroidappse-book readerE-bookReadere-bookspublic library e-bookstextWed, 19 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Send to Kindle extension for Google Chrome saves articles to your Kindle]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/send-to-kindle-extension-for-google-chrome-saves-articles-to-you/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/send-to-kindle-extension-for-google-chrome-saves-articles-to-you/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/19/send-to-kindle-extension-for-google-chrome-saves-articles-to-you/#commentsKindle owners who would rather read web articles on their Kindle devices than on a laptop screen are in luck: there's now a Send to Kindle Chrome extension. With a little bit of setup, you can pass articles to your Kindle over Wi-Fi or Amazon's Whispernet with one click.

When you install Send to Kindle, you'll see a setup screen where you'll have to enter your Kindle's registered email address. Then, jaunt over to your Kindle Management page at Amazon and add the extension's email address -- "kindle@klip.me" -- to your list of approved senders.

Now the hard work is done. When you see an article you want to send to Kindle, you'll just have to click Send to Kindle's toolbar button, and it will be delivered immediately. If you have an older, pre-3rd-generation KIndle, just make sure that you've set some limits on 3G data transfer before you go too crazy racking up bandwidth charges from Amazon.

Download SquadSend to Kindle extension for Google Chrome saves articles to your Kindle originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazon kindleAmazonKindlechromechrome extensionsChromeExtensionse-bookse-readerskindlesend to kindleSendToKindleutilitieswebWed, 19 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon announces Kindle app for Android and Windows Tablets]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/04/amazon-announces-kindle-app-for-android-and-windows-tablets/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/04/amazon-announces-kindle-app-for-android-and-windows-tablets/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/04/amazon-announces-kindle-app-for-android-and-windows-tablets/#commentsAmazon has announced that it will release a Kindle app for Android and Windows-based tablets later this year. The app would be great on Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Tab, but it's actually designed to be ready for devices that haven't even been released yet, like the HTC tablet rumored to launch in February. "We're very excited to support the upcoming Android and Windows LCD tablet computers with free Kindle apps that we'll tailor for the particular devices," said Dorothy Nichols, Amazon's Kindle director, in a press release.

Like previous Kindle apps -- including the existing Android app for phones -- the tablet version will be free. It will also give you access to all your previously purchased books through Amazon's "buy once, read anywhere" Whispernet system.

Download SquadAmazon announces Kindle app for Android and Windows Tablets originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonandroide-bookskindlemobiletabletswindowsTue, 04 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Kindle lending lets you share e-books]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/amazon-launches-kindle-book-lending-feature/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/amazon-launches-kindle-book-lending-feature/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/amazon-launches-kindle-book-lending-feature/#commentsamazon kindle loan this book Amazon announced back in October that its Kindle e-reader platform would allow users to lend books to one another "by the end of the year." Today, Amazon introduced a lending feature for US customers just ahead of the deadline. Kindle users across the entire range of Kindle apps and devices can now lend each of their purchased books one time only, for a period of 14 days.

To lend a book, go to Manage Your Kindle on the web and click the "Loan this book" button. From there, just enter the recipient's email address and name, and add an optional note. The recipient has seven days to open the email message and accept your loan. After that, the book will be returned to you. Just like a paper book, you can't read your copy while someone else is borrowing it. (Of course, you can lend a paper book more than once, to as many of your friends as you want.)

Note that some Kindle titles aren't available for lending, because the decision to enable it (or not) is up to the publisher of each book. If there's no "Loan this book" button next to one of your purchased books, it's not lending-enabled. As for books you haven't yet purchased, the Amazon.com page for each one will let you know whether it's lendable.

Download SquadAmazon Kindle lending lets you share e-books originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon.comappsbookse-bookse-readersebookskindlelendingsharingThu, 30 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple updates iBooks with folders and PDF printing and emailing, Canadian books are coming soon]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/16/apple-updates-ibooks-with-folders-and-pdf-printing-and-emailing-canadian/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/16/apple-updates-ibooks-with-folders-and-pdf-printing-and-emailing-canadian/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/16/apple-updates-ibooks-with-folders-and-pdf-printing-and-emailing-canadian/#commentsiBooks 1.2 screenshotApple's iBooks has received an update today, pushing it to version 1.2. New in the app are a few features that have long been requested by iBooks fans.

First off, iBooks now has support for folders. These work in a similar fashion to iOS folders, only they're called 'Collections.' The two default collections are Books and PDFs. Of course, you can create your own, name them however you like, and move things around from one collection to another.

Also supported is emailing PDFs, as well as printing PDFs and notes from iBooks using Apple's AirPrint. Strangely enough, you still won't be able to print actual e-books -- just PDFs or annotations to books.

Rounding up the new feature additions are support for fully illustrated books (such as children's picture books) and more words per page being displayed, thanks to the addition of auto-hyphenation.

Also in iBooks-related news, the Canadian government has approved Apple's iBookstore. The iBookstore had been available in Canada prior to this, but did not have any Canadian works in it. Now that Apple and Canada have reached an agreement, expect Canadian books to show up in Apple's book store pretty soon.

iBooks 1.2 works on the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 3.2 or newer installed.

Download iBooks 1.2 from the iTunes App Store

Download SquadApple updates iBooks with folders and PDF printing and emailing, Canadian books are coming soon originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleappsCollectionse booke book readere-booksEBookEBookReaderfoldersibooksibookstoreiosipadiphoneipod touchIpodTouchThu, 16 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google eBookstore now available on Android, iOS, Nook and Web... if you're American]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-e-book-store-now-available-on-android-ios-nook-and-web/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-e-book-store-now-available-on-android-ios-nook-and-web/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/06/google-e-book-store-now-available-on-android-ios-nook-and-web/#commentsGoogle e-book store Gentlemen, start your e-readers! Google, as promised, has launched its e-book store. More than 3 million titles are available to read right now, and you can read the books on the Web, or a wide range of devices. [At the time of publishing, the iOS app isn't yet available.]

With Android, iOS, Nook and Sony e-reader compatibility, Google surely knows that it could have a Kindle killer on its hands -- at least in the US, anyway. Google says it's working with publishers around the world to bring its e-books to those of us not lucky enough to be born in America.

Download SquadGoogle eBookstore now available on Android, iOS, Nook and Web... if you're American originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androide-booke-readerebooksereadersgooglegoogle ebooksgoogle ebookstoregoogle editionsGoogleEbooksGoogleEbookstoreGoogleEditionsiosmobilenooksony readerSonyReaderwebMon, 06 Dec 2010 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Editions, Google's e-book store, to launch before 2011]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/01/google-editions-googles-e-book-store-to-launch-before-2011/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/01/google-editions-googles-e-book-store-to-launch-before-2011/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/01/google-editions-googles-e-book-store-to-launch-before-2011/#commentsGoogle's e-book retail operation, Google Editions, may be in business by the end of the year. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that even though Google missed its target of a summer 2010 launch, recent deals with publishers and independent booksellers mean the service will be ready for action in the US by the end of the year and internationally in Q1 of 2011.

Google Editions is a potential Amazon-killer, focusing on a read-anywhere, Web-based e-book model. Rather than targeting specific e-reader devices, like Amazon's Kindle or the Apple iPad, Google aims to make its books readable in any browser. Google Editions will also let individuals set up Google-powered e-book recommendations on their own sites and share the commissions with Google (which sounds a lot like Amazon's affiliate program).

More than 200 independent booksellers are reportedly on board with Google Editions, too. It's good news for brick-and-mortar bookshops, who are mostly missing out on the e-book boom. Although Google takes a cut, at least smaller retailers will have an easy way to deliver digital books to their customers.

Download SquadGoogle Editions, Google's e-book store, to launch before 2011 originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookse-booksgooglegoogle editionsGoogleEditionsWed, 01 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Killer Deal: O'Reilly offers 60% discount on entire e-book catalog, today only]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/29/killer-deal-oreilly-offers-60-discount-on-entire-e-book-catal/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/29/killer-deal-oreilly-offers-60-discount-on-entire-e-book-catal/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/29/killer-deal-oreilly-offers-60-discount-on-entire-e-book-catal/#commentsoreilly

Here's one you really don't want to miss: O'Reilly is offering their entire e-book and video catalog for 60% off!

This is a Cyber Monday sort of deal, so it's today only (Nov 29). If you've ever considered learning a programming language, honing your VIM skills or anything like that, now would be a great time to snatch a book about it. I don't know if their videos are up to par with Lynda.com, but their books are fantastic.

Download SquadKiller Deal: O'Reilly offers 60% discount on entire e-book catalog, today only originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 04:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cyber mondayCyberMondaye-booksOreillyMon, 29 Nov 2010 04:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Two quick ways to read library e-books on your iPhone or iPad with Bluefire]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/16/two-quick-ways-to-read-library-e-books-on-your-iphone-or-ipad-with-bluefire/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/16/two-quick-ways-to-read-library-e-books-on-your-iphone-or-ipad-with-bluefire/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/16/two-quick-ways-to-read-library-e-books-on-your-iphone-or-ipad-with-bluefire/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Bluefire e-reader for iPhone made a big splash last week because it's a free app that can read DRM-protected e-books, like the ones offered by many public libraries. We've reviewed Bluefire and shown you how to get borrowed e-books onto your iPhone, but there are two better and faster ways to accomplish this, without opening Adobe Digital Editions on your computer or syncing with iTunes. Whether these methods work depends on the e-book format your particular library uses, but they work with one of the most common formats, EPUB.

Continue reading Two quick ways to read library e-books on your iPhone or iPad with Bluefire

Download SquadTwo quick ways to read library e-books on your iPhone or iPad with Bluefire originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluefiredropboxe-bookse-readerhow-tohowtosipadiPhonelibraryTue, 16 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bluefire Reader for iPhone and iPad lets you read public library e-books]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/11/bluefire-reader-for-iphone-and-ipad-lets-you-read-public-library/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/11/bluefire-reader-for-iphone-and-ipad-lets-you-read-public-library/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/11/bluefire-reader-for-iphone-and-ipad-lets-you-read-public-library/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Bluefire Reader screenshot

Bluefire Reader is an e-reader app for the iPhone and iPad that, along with letting you read e-books in EPUB and PDF formats, has a unique twist compared to its competitors -- support for Adobe DRM. Not only that, but starting today, it supports the unique DRM used by public libraries, so you can download free e-books from hundreds of public library websites, transfer them to your iDevice using iTunes, then read them in BlueFire reader. Previously, such e-books could not be read on an iPhone or iPad.

Intrigued yet? Interested even? Then head on over to Mobiputing for the detailed instructions on how to pull this off. Don't let the number of steps overwhelm you -- once you get the hang of it, you'll be transferring public library e-books to your iPhone or iPad in no time.

One thing to note is that the e-book services of public libraries behave pretty much like their paper book services -- a loan is only good for three weeks. After that time has passed since your download, you won't be able to read the book anymore. Also, each library only has a limited number of licenses for each e-book -- exactly like they only have a limited number of actual books on their real shelves. Once one license expires, someone else can use it. Sounds like a rather absurd system for the digital world, but hey, at least reading the books is free.

Download SquadBluefire Reader for iPhone and iPad lets you read public library e-books originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DRMe-booke-book readere-book readerse-book-readerE-bookReaderE-bookReaderse-bookse-readere-reader softwareE-readersE-readerSoftwaree-readingipadipad appIpadAppiphoneiphone appiPhone AppsIphoneAppIphoneAppsmobilemobile appmobile applicationmobile appsmobile softwareMobileAppMobileApplicationMobileAppsMobileSoftwarepublic librariesPublic LibraryPublicLibrariesPublicLibrarytextThu, 11 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Four places to find great online deals for computer e-books]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/04/four-places-to-find-great-online-deals-for-computer-e-books/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/04/four-places-to-find-great-online-deals-for-computer-e-books/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/04/four-places-to-find-great-online-deals-for-computer-e-books/#commentsFiled under: ,

oreilly

For programmers and other nerds, reading computer books is kind of like eating your greens: it's often no fun, but it is important.

If you code for a living, you may already have a corporate subscription to Safari Books Online. But even with the incredible selection you can find on Safari Books, it's not always convenient to have to be online while reading. Granted, you can download some of the books, but downloading requires "tokens" - it's not exactly free.

So for the rest of us who don't have an unlimited Safari Books subscription or who like to read offline every now and then, here are four excellent places for daily deals on computer e-books:

  • Apress.com Daily Deal - Apress offers a single computer book for $10 every day. Each deal is valid for 24 hours, and the $10 price is an incredible discount. For example, as I write this, they're offering Pro .NET 4 Parallel Programming in C# for $10. The MSRP for that book is $59.99 - so that's a $50 discount. That's not too shabby! (By the time this post is published, this deal might have expired. It's just an example, though - there's a new book every day.)
  • InformIT $9.99 eBook Deal of the Day - This is similar to Apress, but it offers different books. You can get a single book for $10, and it changes daily. Today's offering is Presentation Patterns, which apparently isn't out in dead-tree form yet. So you get a great price and early availability.
  • Que Publishing - You'll find much the same deal here: one book per day, $10 per book. Today's offering is Microsoft Windows 7 In Depth, which was published in August 2009.
  • O'Reilly's One Day Only - Of course, O'Reilly offers a similar service of its own, and it's excellent. In fact, it's the only one out of the four listed options that has an RSS feed! O'Reilly features all sorts of daily deals, not just "one book for $10." Today, the offer is for 8 Microsoft-related books, each for 50% off, in celebration of Microsoft's PDC10.

Do you know of any other great sources for cheap, legit computer e-books? Let me know in the comments!

Download SquadFour places to find great online deals for computer e-books originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apressebookseducationoreillyprogrammingThu, 04 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kobo e-book reader gets newspaper and magazine content and subscriptions]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/27/kobo-gets-newspaper-and-magazine-content-and-subscriptions/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/27/kobo-gets-newspaper-and-magazine-content-and-subscriptions/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/27/kobo-gets-newspaper-and-magazine-content-and-subscriptions/#commentsFiled under:

Kobo Newspapers and Magazines

Aside from Amazon's Kindle and Barnes and Noble's Nook, there's a third, often overlooked, e-reading device+service combo out there -- Kobo from Borders. And while it doesn't get in the news anywhere near as much as the other two, it's still a decent offering. One glaring omission so far has been lack of subscriptions to newspapers and magazines.

Kobo now finally has newspaper and magazine subscriptions on offer, for the device itself and for the iOS Kobo apps (presumably support for other mobile platforms will follow). Well-known publications are included, among them the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the Harvard Business Review and PC Magazine. The full list is available on the Kobo website here. The list should continue to grow as time goes by.

You can have a free 14-day trial for any subscription, after which it will cost $13.99 per month for newspapers and $2.99 per month for magazines. New issues of the publications you choose to subscribe to are delivered to your Kobo as soon as they're published.

[via CrunchGear]

Download SquadKobo e-book reader gets newspaper and magazine content and subscriptions originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>borderse-readereBookebook readerebook readersebook-readerEbookReaderEbookReadersebookskobotextWed, 27 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GooReader is a snazzy way to search and read Google Books]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/12/gooreader-is-a-snazzy-way-to-search-and-read-google-books/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/12/gooreader-is-a-snazzy-way-to-search-and-read-google-books/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/12/gooreader-is-a-snazzy-way-to-search-and-read-google-books/#commentsFiled under: , ,


There are loads of books and magazines available for perusal on Google Books, but the web interface is a bit... lacking. It's cluttered, and it doesn't have that trademark laminate bookshelf background which is apparently a required component for eBook apps.

Fortunately, there's GooReader. And while the name isn't particularly awe-inspiring the app itself is very good. Fire it up and search by keyword or Google BookId and GooReader displays your matches cover-out on its virtual shelves. Books with a green bookmark can be read -- red ones, obviously, cannot. Click a book to open and get reading!

Type renders nicely in full screen mode, but readability suffers a bit when zoomed out (not really the program's fault, more a limitation of Google Books' original scans). There's also no way to create bookmarks or even to add a book to your favorites. Those two features would make GooReader a much stronger program -- so here's hoping we see them added to a future version.

GooReader is available in both free and paid versions: paying for a license gets you the option to save books as PDF files. It's currently Windows only and .Net 3.51 is required.

Download SquadGooReader is a snazzy way to search and read Google Books originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booksebooksgooglegooreaderreaderThu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kindle for Android will arrive this summer, with in-app book buying]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/19/kindle-for-android-will-arrive-this-summer-with-in-app-book-buy/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/19/kindle-for-android-will-arrive-this-summer-with-in-app-book-buy/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/19/kindle-for-android-will-arrive-this-summer-with-in-app-book-buy/#commentsFiled under: ,

Amazon's getting ready to go to war with Apple and the iPad in the e-book market, and it's about to bring out the big guns. Kindle for Android will reportedly launch this summer, with a feature that other mobile Kindle apps (including Kindle for iPad and iPhone, ahem) don't have: the ability to buy books directly from the app.

The iPhone and iPad apps would have that ability, too, but Apple would count the books as in-app purchases under its App Store terms of service. That means Amazon would have to let Apple take a 30% commission, and that's no way to stay ahead of the iPad bookstore.

The Kindle apps still have the advantage of seamless cross-platform syncing, so they're viable even if the Kindle hardware loses out to tablets like the iPad.

[via TechCrunch]

Download SquadKindle for Android will arrive this summer, with in-app book buying originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 19 May 2010 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonebookebooksereaderkindleWed, 19 May 2010 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Editions scores deals with "nearly all" U.S. publishers]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/10/google-editions-scores-deals-with-nearly-all-u-s-publishers/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/10/google-editions-scores-deals-with-nearly-all-u-s-publishers/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/10/google-editions-scores-deals-with-nearly-all-u-s-publishers/#commentsFiled under: ,

Although details about Google's forthcoming digital bookstore, Google Editions, are still hazy, at least we now know that it's going to have a huge number of books. Google has said that "nearly all" U.S. publishers will be included in the bookstore. Over 20,000 publishers and individual authors will be part of Editions, accounting for 2 million of the projected 4 million books on the site. The other 2 million books are older works that have fallen out of copyright and can now be offered by Google.

When I reported that Google Editions was slated to launch this summer, I said that the only thing it still needed to shake up the e-book market was deals with major publishers. Now it looks like Google has got that and more, so we're soon going to find out whether a (mostly) device-independent search-based e-book market will take a big chunk of business away from Amazon's Kindle store and Apple's iPad bookstore.

[via JapanToday]

Download SquadGoogle Editions scores deals with "nearly all" U.S. publishers originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 10 May 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booksebooksereadergooglegoogle editionsGoogleEditionspublishersMon, 10 May 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google prepares to launch its own digital bookstore this summer]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/05/google-prepares-to-launch-its-own-digital-bookstore-this-summer/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/05/google-prepares-to-launch-its-own-digital-bookstore-this-summer/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/05/google-prepares-to-launch-its-own-digital-bookstore-this-summer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Since everyone and their mother is in the e-book business now, it makes sense that Google would jump in with its own digital book offering. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google's bookstore could go live as early as next month. The service, called Google Editions, plans to make its books compatible with as many operating systems and devices as possible.

There's definitely a niche for an open bookstore, with Amazon focusing on its own Kindle software and hardware and Apple pushing the iPad. To make Google Editions a success, Google just needs to finalize deals with publishers and make sure it can compete with existing bookstores when it comes to selection and pricing. Publishers say this represents a test of whether e-books will save the book business once they're searchable, instant, and platform-independent.

What do you think? Should Amazon and Apple be worried?

Download SquadGoogle prepares to launch its own digital bookstore this summer originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 05 May 2010 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booksbookstoreebooksgooglegoogle editionsGoogleEditionsWed, 05 May 2010 08:45:00 EST<![CDATA[UPLOADnSELL lets you sell E-Books and software easily... maybe]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/26/uploadnsell-lets-you-sell-e-books-and-software-easily-maybe/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/26/uploadnsell-lets-you-sell-e-books-and-software-easily-maybe/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/26/uploadnsell-lets-you-sell-e-books-and-software-easily-maybe/#commentsFiled under:

UploadNSell

On paper, UPLOADnSELL sounds good:

  1. Upload an e-book, music files, software, or anything else.
  2. Send a PayPal link to your customers, via your site or email.
  3. The customer goes to PayPal and pays, and you get the money directly.
  4. UPLOADnSELL gets a notification from PayPal and emails your customer the link to your file.
  5. The customer downloads the file, and everybody's happy.

However, there are some important concerns here:

  1. The site seems badly written. It's all lowercase, with random things like two exclamation marks. It seems fishy to me.
  2. As is so often the case with such things, they're not clear on their business model. Their "How it Works" chart doesn't show how it works for them, which is weird.
  3. The whole thing seems, either, very new or very low profile.

What do you think? Would you try selling something through this site? If not, what's the best service for this?

Download SquadUPLOADnSELL lets you sell E-Books and software easily... maybe originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dubiouse-bookssalesMon, 26 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon previews the Kindle eReader for iPad and tablets]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/22/amazon-previews-the-kindle-ereader-for-ipad-and-tablets/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/22/amazon-previews-the-kindle-ereader-for-ipad-and-tablets/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/22/amazon-previews-the-kindle-ereader-for-ipad-and-tablets/#commentsFiled under:

With the iPad launch just weeks away, it's no surprise that Amazon has started showing off the big-screen version of its Kindle app, designed for the iPad and other tablets. Kindle for iPad is more than just an upsized version of the iPhone app we already know and love: the reading experience has been optimized for the iPad, and the app includes new ways to sort and view your book collection, as well as some nice new eye candy.

Font size and background color are customizable, and there's a slick new page-turning animation (so you know you're reading a book, I guess). The real question isn't whether Kindle looks good, though, it's whether Apple will allow a competitor to its free iBooks app. I think Kindle shouldn't have any problem getting approved, though, because Apple has already approved the iPhone version, and they shouldn't give the impression that the approval standards are any different for the iPad.

Whatever happens with Apple and the App Store, Amazon was smart to build the app to be used on other tablet devices, too. If you're going to run a proprietary eBook store, you might as well run it on as many platforms as possible.

[via Engadget]


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Download SquadAmazon previews the Kindle eReader for iPad and tablets originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonapp storeAppStoreebooksereaderipadkindletabletsMon, 22 Mar 2010 15:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Monocle is a JavaScript e-book reader]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/11/monocle-is-a-javascript-e-book-reader/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/11/monocle-is-a-javascript-e-book-reader/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/11/monocle-is-a-javascript-e-book-reader/#commentsFiled under: ,

Monocle
So e-books are all the rage these days. It's the wave of the future! Apart from dedicated devices such as the Nook or Kindle, there are various cross-platform software implementations, such as the Kindle App for Windows and iPhone, etc.

One of the most interesting attempts is the Ibis reader, which is actually an HTML5-driven website, which is almost as cross-platform as you can get.

I say almost as cross-platform as you can get because it does have a couple of drawbacks: HTML5 is not widespread yet, and Ibis itself is not open-source. It's more of a platform than a tool -- you read Ibis books on the Ibis site itself.

This is why I find Monocle interesting. It is far less visually impressive than Ibis, but it's based on Javascript -- a well-established technology, already available just about anywhere. It's also open-source, and you can use it to embed an e-book on any webpage. It's designed to work with the ePub book format (same as everyone else), but it claims to be able to process other formats as well.

I think the major issue with providing e-books is the content rather than the medium, so it remains to be seen who will be using Monocle. Still, choice is a good thing!
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Download SquadMonocle is a JavaScript e-book reader originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonebooksepubibisjavascriptThu, 11 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ibis Reader now available for iPhone, Android, and desktop browsers]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/03/ibis-reader-now-available-for-iphone-android-and-desktop-brows/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/03/ibis-reader-now-available-for-iphone-android-and-desktop-brows/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/03/ibis-reader-now-available-for-iphone-android-and-desktop-brows/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ibis ReaderBack in November Jay told us about an ebook reader called Ibis Reader that would get around Apple's app store by being built as a web app rather than a native iPhone app. Well, Ibis Reader is now available, and the implementation is beautiful.

As expected, Ibis Reader is not a native iPhone (or Android) application, but rather is a mobile-optimized web application that makes use of HTML5 offline data stores to make your book available even when you don't have an internet connection. I don't have a Droid or Nexus One to test on, but on the iPhone you can add a shortcut to Ibis Reader to your home screen, and when you do that it launches in a chrome-less standalone version of Mobile Safari that feels very much like a native application.

Reading with Ibis Reader on the iPhone is exactly as you'd expect from an ebook reader; page turns are snappy and the visual presentation is moderately configurable, though thankfully the app is well designed, and needs very little tweaking.

The site still appears to be going through some growing pains, as one of the features I was most interested in (syncing your place among various reading locations) does not currently seem to be working. I also found the desktop browser-based reader to be completely underwhelming; clearly the focus is on reading on a mobile device.

Ibis Reader's library of ebooks leaves a lot to be desired, too. The list of titles that are available is very small. However, all the titles that are available are also available to be downloaded in the popular EPUB format, and you can add ebooks that you already own to the service.

All in all Ibis Reader looks like it will be a strong offering in the ebook reading space on mobile devices.

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Download SquadIbis Reader now available for iPhone, Android, and desktop browsers originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroidebookebook readerEbookReaderebooksepubibis readerIbisReaderinterneWed, 03 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon introduces Kindle eBook app for BlackBerry]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/18/amazon-introduces-kindle-ebook-app-for-blackberry/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/18/amazon-introduces-kindle-ebook-app-for-blackberry/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/18/amazon-introduces-kindle-ebook-app-for-blackberry/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kindle BlackBerryAmazon is taking another step at showing that Kindle is a platform rather than simply a piece of hardware for reading eBooks. The company has already released Kindle eBook software for the iPhone and Windows PCs. And today Amazon launched a beta version of a BlackBerry Kindle application.

In other words, you don't need an Amazon Kindle in order to find, purchase, download, or read eBooks from the Amazon Kindle store. You can use a PC or two popular smartphone platforms. There's no news regarding Android, Symbian, Palm WebOS or Windows Mobile versions of the Kindle app yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're on the way.

The BlackBerry Kindle app includes all the functions you would expect. In addition to using a BlackBerry to read books, you can also browse the Amazon Kindle store from your phone and make purchases. You can create bookmarks and view annotation created on other Kindle eBook readers.

BlackBerry users will also be able to access their library of books already purchased from the Kindle store.

Kindle for BlackBerry Beta is available as a free download from Amazon. Or you can grab it by visiting amazon.com/kindlebb on your BlackBerry device.

Of course, most BlackBerry smartphones have ridiculously tiny displays and I can't imagine anyone would want to read eBooks on them. But the Storm might actually have enough screen real estate to make reading an eBook somewhat pleasant.
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Download SquadAmazon introduces Kindle eBook app for BlackBerry originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon kindleAmazonKindleblackberryebook readerEbookReaderebookskindle for blackberryKindleForBlackberryThu, 18 Feb 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon restores Macmillan books, becomes eBook middleman for publishers]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/06/amazon-restores-macmillan-books-becomes-ebook-middleman-for-pub/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/06/amazon-restores-macmillan-books-becomes-ebook-middleman-for-pub/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/06/amazon-restores-macmillan-books-becomes-ebook-middleman-for-pub/#commentsFiled under: ,

Just days after Amazon.com decided to stop selling all books by Macmillan and its imprints, the online book giant has relented and added buy buttons back to Macmillan titles. The publisher vs. retailer dispute arose when Macmillan wanted to raise prices on its eBooks to $15, which is well over what Amazon currently charges (and, arguably, more than consumers will pay). You can get the details of the original dispute in an earlier post by Download Squad's Brad Linder.

For now, the details of the resolution aren't being made public, but Amazon has said it will allow major publishers to switch to an "agency" model for eBook sales. That means publishers like Macmillan and HarperCollins can sell you their eBooks directly, at whatever prices they wish, and Amazon will act as the middleman and take a 30% commission. The New York Times speculates that Amazon also asked the publishers not to make exclusive deals with other eBook vendors, like Apple's upcoming eBook store.
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Download SquadAmazon restores Macmillan books, becomes eBook middleman for publishers originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbooksebookskindlemacmillanpublishersSat, 06 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How much are you willing to pay for eBooks? (Macmillan wants $15)]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/31/how-much-are-you-willing-to-pay-for-ebooks-macmillan-wants-15/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/31/how-much-are-you-willing-to-pay-for-ebooks-macmillan-wants-15/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/31/how-much-are-you-willing-to-pay-for-ebooks-macmillan-wants-15/#commentsFiled under:

The Gathering Storm
For the last few days Amazon and Macmillan have been waging a tiny little war over the future of eBook pricing. You may have missed it, because unlike most wars, the stakes in this battle aren't all that visible. Digital book sales still make up a relatively small portion of the digital media world and pale in comparison to the growing markets for digital music and movie downloads. But as eBook readers including the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and the upcoming iPad make it easier and easier to find, purchase, and read eBooks, sales are likely to pick up.

You'd think that would be a good thing for book publishers. But here's the thing: Amazon, one of the driving forces behind physical and digital book sales, has been refusing to charge more than $9.99 per eBook for new release titles. That price is significantly lower than the price of most new hardcover books. And that makes sense. There's no printing, binding, paper, or distribution cost involved. Sure, someone still needs to pay for the writing, editing, marketing, and other costs. But it's hard to make a case that it costs just as much to produce and distribute another copy of a digital book as it does a physical one.

But Macmillan, which is one of the 6 largest publishers in the US, is rather unhappy with the $9.99 pricing. The company wants to be able to charge as much as $14.99 for eBooks sold through Amazon. In protest, Amazon pulled all of Macmillan's titles from its store this weekend. And when I say all, I mean it. Not just the eBooks, but the paper copies as well.

Of course, that hurts the customers at least as much as it hurts the publisher. Nobody wants to login to an online bookstore and find that 1/6th of the titles from major publishers are suddenly gone -- especially since most readers probably have no idea who publishes the books from their favorite authors. They just know that suddenly the selection has become much more limited.

Today, Amazon admitted that it can't keep up this fight. Because Macmillan has a "monopoly over their own titles," if Amazon wants to be able to sell those titles, the company will have to allow the publisher to set its pricing. But Amazon management makes it clear that it strongly disagrees with Macmillan's proposed pricing.

Continue reading How much are you willing to pay for eBooks? (Macmillan wants $15)

Download SquadHow much are you willing to pay for eBooks? (Macmillan wants $15) originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazondigital booksDigitalBooksebooksmacmillanSun, 31 Jan 2010 22:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple introduces iBooks: iTunes for eBooks]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/27/apple-introduces-ibooks-itunes-for-ebooks/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/27/apple-introduces-ibooks-itunes-for-ebooks/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/27/apple-introduces-ibooks-itunes-for-ebooks/#commentsFiled under:

iBooks
You may have heard that Apple introduced a new tablet computer called the iPad today. Our friends at Engadget are covering the heck out of the announcement. But one aspect I wanted to touch on was the launch of a new application designed specifically for the iPad, called iBooks.

Basically iBooks is like iTunes for eBooks. Apple has reached deals with 5 major book publishers and starting today there should be a ton of books available for download including New York Times bestellers.

We don't have details on the price yet. And I'm a bit skeptical that Apple's 1.5 pound, 10 inch tablet with a full color display is going to provide the same kind of reading experience as a thin, light, and high-contrast grayscale eBook reader such as a 10 ounce Amazon Kindle. But it should be interesting to see how Apple's new eBook marketplace affects the digital book space. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other eBook distributors are about to get some serious competition. And that should be a good thing for innovation both in the software and hardware for digital book readers.

As cool as Ray Kurzweil's Blio looks, you have to wonder if it has a snowball's chance against iBooks.

Download SquadApple introduces iBooks: iTunes for eBooks originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleebooksibookibooksipaditunesmacWed, 27 Jan 2010 14:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Is eBook piracy the next big thing?]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/26/is-ebook-piracy-the-next-big-thing/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/26/is-ebook-piracy-the-next-big-thing/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/26/is-ebook-piracy-the-next-big-thing/#commentsFiled under:

Treasure Island
Don't get me wrong, I know that people have been posting digital copies of copyrighted books online for decades. While recent technological advancements have made digital distribution of music and movie files easier than ever before, eBooks are tiny, tiny files. It didn't take very long to download a book over a 56k connection.

But it's not internet bandwidth or digital distribution channels that's led people to cast a relatively blind eye toward pirated eBooks. It's the fact that overall the audience for eBooks is still relatively low. But with the growing popularity of dedicated eBook readers such as the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Sony eBook Readers, and possibly the upcoming Apple Tablet, it's getting easier and easier to read digital books. And that could lead to a surge in eBook piracy.

There's another major difference between pirated eBooks and pirated music or movie files. While anyone with a reasonably modern computer can rip a CD or DVD in a relatively short period of time, it takes a long time to scan a physical book and convert the images to text. In a recent interview, an anonymous pirate that has admitted to uploading dozens of books says he's spent "from 5 to 40 hours" proofreading scans. The scanning process alone takes about an hour for each hundred scans, which means a couple of hours per book.

Of course, there's a faster way to pirate an eBook: crack the copy protection applied to eBooks sold by retailers such as Amazon. Up until recently, eBook sellers were few and far between, and digital book titles were even more rare. But as that changes, we'll likely see more of a battle between the folks trying to make eBooks copy-proof and hackers determined to demonstrate that there's no such thing. And that could mean a proliferation of new release titles making the rounds on Usenet and BitTorrent trackers.

What do you think? Are pirated eBooks about to go high-profile the way that pirated music and movies have over the past few years? Do you care? And if publishers pump out legal eBooks at a decent price, would you be willing to pay for eBooks rather than downloading them illegally?

Incidentally, if you're at all interested in this topic, you should really check out that entire interview with the eBook pirate. It's a fascinating read.

[via Waxy]

Download SquadIs eBook piracy the next big thing? originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bootlegdigital mediaDigitalMediadrmebookspiracypiratesTue, 26 Jan 2010 18:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon launches Kindle developer platform, apps coming soon]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/21/amazon-launches-kindle-developer-platform-apps-coming-soon/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/21/amazon-launches-kindle-developer-platform-apps-coming-soon/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/21/amazon-launches-kindle-developer-platform-apps-coming-soon/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kindle platformAmazon has just launched a new program that addresses my number one reason for not buying a Kindle or most other dedicated eBook readers: Why would anyone spend $250 or more on a device that only reads eBooks? After all, you don't need any money at all to read a book. Just pop on over to the closest library and you'll find thousands of books that you can read without paying a dime.

Anyway, Amazon is launching a Kindle Development Kit, which opens the door to third party applications for the device. In other words, it's about to become a lot more than just an eBook reader. You know, as much as a device with a grayscale e-Ink display that takes a moment to refresh can be more than an eBook reader. It's never going to be a video player, for example.

But the Kindle does have 3G wireless and ridiculously long battery life. And that can come in handy for some applications. For example, Amazon says Handmark is building a Zagat guide for restaurant reviews and ratings, and Sonic Boom is building word and puzzle games. EA Mobile is also developing games for the Kindle.

Of course, the other way Amazon could convince me to spend $250 or more to buy a Kindle would be to offer a $250 credit toward eBook purchases. But somehow I think opening the platform to games and other third party apps to make the platform more useful is about as far as the company is willing to go to tempt me. Because after all, Amazon will be making money off of these apps much the way it does with eBooks.

Developers will be able to give away content for free, charge a one time purchase fee, or charge a monthly subscription. Amazon will take a 30% cut of the revenue.

Download SquadAmazon launches Kindle developer platform, apps coming soon originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazon kindleAmazonKindledeveloper kitDeveloperKitebook readersEbookReadersebookskindlenewsThu, 21 Jan 2010 09:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Kindle for PC: Now delivering books to your desktop]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/amazon-kindle-for-pc-now-delivering-books-to-your-desktop/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/amazon-kindle-for-pc-now-delivering-books-to-your-desktop/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/amazon-kindle-for-pc-now-delivering-books-to-your-desktop/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Kindle for PC
As expected, Amazon has launched a version of its Kindle eBook reader for Windows. The software is available for Windows XP, Vista, and 7, with a Mac version "coming soon."

As an eBook reader, Kindle for the PC is pretty no-frills. It lets you adjust fonts, read books, and create bookmarks. And that's about it. But the software can also synchronize with other devices. So if you have Amazon's physical Kindle eBook reader or the iPhone version and you've created annotations on it, you'll be able to access them on the PC client. No, I have no idea why you can't create annotations on the PC version.

In order to download books, you'll need to connect to the Amazon Kindle store via a web browser. When you select a title, it will be downloaded to your PC and available for viewing in the Kindle software.

The Windows 7 version of the software also includes multitouch capabilities that allow you to zoom in and out by pinching your fingers if your PC has a touchscreen. A future version is expected to add support for page turning with a swipe of your finger.

The biggest problem with Kindle for PC? It's geographically restricted and won't work in most countries outside of the US. I haven't seen any official statement on this, but a colleague in Canada tells me that the software won't work in his country.

[via Engadget]

Download SquadAmazon Kindle for PC: Now delivering books to your desktop originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon-kindleebook-readerebooksfreewarekindlekindle-for-pcTue, 10 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon adds over 18,000 free public domain titles to Kindle Store]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/12/amazon-adds-over-18-000-free-public-domain-titles-to-kindle-stor/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/12/amazon-adds-over-18-000-free-public-domain-titles-to-kindle-stor/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/12/amazon-adds-over-18-000-free-public-domain-titles-to-kindle-stor/#commentsFiled under: ,

War & Peace
Amazon has been adding public domain titles to the Kindle eBook store at a frantic pace over the past few days. As of this afternoon, there were over 18,000 titles in the eBook store available as free downloads. Most are public domain works, which means they are no longer protected by copyright.

Of course, Amazon's in the business of selling books, not giving them away. But by giving away these books, Amazon may be able to convince potential customers to buy the Kindle eBook reader... and once they own it, odds are they'll spend a few bucks now and then on newer titles in the Kindle store.

It would have been nice if Amazon had thought of this tactic before launching the Kindle. But the rapid growth of the public domain library in the Kindle store is more likely a response to the fact that Sony eBook readers can access Google's massive collection of scanned public domain works.

So while Amazon's 18,000 public domain downloads are a good start, Google has over half a million titles, which means Amazon still has some catching up to do.

[via The Kindle Nation and C.K. Sample]

Download SquadAmazon adds over 18,000 free public domain titles to Kindle Store originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon-kindleebookspublic-domainMon, 12 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Book Downloader]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/02/google-book-downloader/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/02/google-book-downloader/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/02/google-book-downloader/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google Books Downloader
Google Book Downloader is a free utility that lets out download any book that's available in "full view" from Google Books. Of course, most of these books also feature download links right on the web page, but Google Books Downloader lets you queue up multiple jobs and convert all of the downloaded books to PDF files.

The application is available for Windows and requires Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. You can either install Google Book Downloader or download a portable version which you can simply unzip and run from your hard drive or a removable disk.

In order to queue up a book for download, just open the "add book" dialog in the file menu and copy an paste the book code, link, or ISBN number, click search, and then select the book that shows up. To begin downloading, right click a title and hit "start." and to export a file as a PDF, right-click and hit "export."

You can find more instructions in the tutorial.

[via Life Rocks 2.0]

Download SquadGoogle Book Downloader originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebooksgoogle-book-downloadergoogle-booksWed, 02 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony eBook Library now available for Mac, Windows]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/27/sony-ebook-library-now-available-for-mac-windows/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/27/sony-ebook-library-now-available-for-mac-windows/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/27/sony-ebook-library-now-available-for-mac-windows/#commentsFiled under: ,


There's been a lot of buzz this week about Sony's new eBook readers which will go head to head with the Amazon Kindle. But it's not all about hardware. Sony also released version 3.0 of its eBook Library desktop software this week. It's available for Mac (for the first time) as well as Windows, and it lets you purchase, download, organize, and read eBooks whether you have a Sony digital eBook reader or not.

While reading eBooks on a computer screen isn't necessarily the most pleasant experience, if you slap the eBook library software on a netbook or Tablet PC, it would make a passable eBook reader. And while the Sony library is choc full of books you can buy, there are also a fair number of titles that you can download for free, including Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, a book I haven't read in years, but which I'm looking forward to giving another try.

The Sony eBook Library software can also titles in EPUB format, which means that you can read any of the million public domain titles Google recently made available in that format.

[via Mashable]

Download SquadSony eBook Library now available for Mac, Windows originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebooksepubsonysony-ebook-librarysony-ebook-readerThu, 27 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon ironically deletes "1984" from Kindle devices]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/18/amazon-ironically-deletes-1984-from-kindle-devices/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/18/amazon-ironically-deletes-1984-from-kindle-devices/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/18/amazon-ironically-deletes-1984-from-kindle-devices/#commentsFiled under:

KindleIt's been 25 years since 1984 came and went. But if you ever needed proof that we're living in a world where Big Brother is watching, all you need to do is look at Amazon's recent actions regarding the book, 1984. Basically, the company was offering a digital version of the title in its online Kindle store, but at the book publisher's request, Amazon pulled the title. And not just from the store, but from the Kindle eBook readers of customers who had purchased copies.

Sure, Amazon did offer full refunds to those customers. But imagine walking into a book store, buying a volume, taking it home, and then going to read it the next day only to find someone has broken into your home and removed it. That's kind of what Amazon did here, although we probably shouldn't be surprised, because the company never made any claims that it's eBooks weren't wrapped up with DRM (digital rights management) software that gives Amazon more control over the titles than you have.

Now, it sounds like Amazon's actions aren't quite as nefarious as first reported. The book wasn't pulled simply because the publisher decided not to offer it anymore, but because the party that was selling the eBook through the Kindle store actually didn't have the rights to the book. It was a pirated copy that shouldn't have been there in the first place. But that's kind of Amazon's problem, not the eBook readers, no?

Amazon has issued a statement saying that the next time a title is removed from its store in this fashion, the company will take care to remove it only from the digital store shelf, and not from actual Kindle devices. But this incident can't be leaving current and prospective Kindle owners with a warm and fuzzy feeling, can it?

Update: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has posted an apology that is one of the most heartening I've seen from a corporate CEO in a long time.

Download SquadAmazon ironically deletes "1984" from Kindle devices originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1984big-brotherdrmebooksgeorge-orwellkindleSat, 18 Jul 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon plans to expand Kindle to new formats and devices]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/20/amazon-plans-to-expand-kindle-to-new-formats-and-devices/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/20/amazon-plans-to-expand-kindle-to-new-formats-and-devices/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/20/amazon-plans-to-expand-kindle-to-new-formats-and-devices/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When Amazon created an iPhone app based on its popular e-reader device, the Kindle, it became clear that $10 books were as big or bigger than $400 readers in Amazon's business model. By allowing reading on other devices, Amazon has been able to make sales to customers who would never have bought a Kindle, and that's worked so well on the iPhone that other devices and book formats are now on the agenda.

According to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the company looks at the ebook business and the gadget business as separate. Expanding to new devices isn't going to keep gadget-hungry consumers from buying a Kindle if they were planning to do it anyway, and plenty of customers who would never buy a Kindle might still buy a few books for their own devices. As for file formats, the Kindle already reads PDFs, but Bezos said other formats could be supported in the future. This may be one of the results we're seeing from Amazon's acquistion of Stanza, which supported formats that the Kindle doesn't yet.

Updated: At first, I thought that recent release of the Kindle Source Code might have something to do with developing for other platforms, but it was actually only done to comply with the Gnu Public License. Because the Kindle was built on some open-source GPL-licensed components, Amazon had to release the parts of the code that were modifications of those components. It unfortunately has nothing to do with enabling developers on other platforms to build apps that work with Kindle books.

Download SquadAmazon plans to expand Kindle to new formats and devices originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbooksebookshardwarekindlenewsopensourcereaderSat, 20 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Simon & Schuster brings 5,000 eBooks to Scribd]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/12/simon-and-schuster-brings-5-000-ebooks-to-scribd/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/12/simon-and-schuster-brings-5-000-ebooks-to-scribd/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/12/simon-and-schuster-brings-5-000-ebooks-to-scribd/#commentsFiled under: ,

Scribd Simon & Schuster
Scribd has been providing a quick and easy way to share documents over the web for a while. Now the company is hoping to move into the eBook arena with the Scribd Store, which lets you purchase, read, download or print premium content.

This week publisher Simon & Schuster announced plans to bring 5,000 titles from its eBook library to the Scribd Store. User will also be able to browse through listings for 7,000 other books that aren't available for download.

Scribd lets publishers keep 80% of the revenue from eBook sales, which is significantly higher than the revenue share Amazon gives publishers who make their titles available in the Kindle store.

The Simon & Schuster deal isn't exclusive. The publisher's titles are available in a number of other digital bookstores as well. But the announcement should give the Scribd store a bit of a publicity bump, as well as a solid base of quality content from authors that people may have actually heard of.

Download SquadSimon & Schuster brings 5,000 eBooks to Scribd originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebooksscribdscribd-storesimon-schusterFri, 12 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google to sell eBooks by year's end]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/01/google-to-sell-ebooks-by-years-end/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/01/google-to-sell-ebooks-by-years-end/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/01/google-to-sell-ebooks-by-years-end/#commentsFiled under: ,

Google Book Search
Google is reportedly planning to begin selling eBooks by the end of 2009. What's interesting is that Google won't be selling books in an old fashioned, downloadable format like PDF. Instead, the New York Times reports that readers would purchase books that could be read online.

You'd have offline access through "cached versions" in your browser. In other words, it looks like you'll be able to read eBooks in a browser and save them using Google Gears, which all sounds a lot more awkward and inconvenient than simply downloading a book that you can read on your smartphone, PDA, computer, or eBook reader. Google is trying to make this sound like a good thing, since you'll be able to access the site from any device with a web browser and internet access, but I'd rather have offline access and the ability to save my books to a hard drive or backup media.

Google also wants to differentiate itself from Amazon, which sets its own prices, by allowing publishers to set prices for digital editions of their books.

[via paidContent]

Download SquadGoogle to sell eBooks by year's end originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebooksgoogle-booksMon, 01 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Eucalyptus eBook reader recovers from silly app store rejection]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/25/eucalyptus-ebook-reader-recovers-from-silly-app-store-rejection/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/25/eucalyptus-ebook-reader-recovers-from-silly-app-store-rejection/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/25/eucalyptus-ebook-reader-recovers-from-silly-app-store-rejection/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Eucalyptus, a gorgeous eBook reader for the iPhone, was initially rejected from Apple's application store for the most absurd of reasons. See, Eucalyptus' extensive library of great literature comes from Project Gutenberg, an open source book project, and one of the books in Gutenberg's library is The Kama Sutra. Apple apparently objected to this during the review process, despite the fact that other approved readers like Stanza and Amazon's Kindle can also access the book. So can Apple's Safari browser, because Project Gutenberg's books are all available through its website.

Fortunately, this mistake didn't stop Eucalyptus from eventually making it into the app store, where it's now available for $9.99. Buying the app gets you an extremely slick UI, great page-turning animations, and an organization scheme for books that works a lot like iTunes does for music. I actually totally buy into the Eucalyptus marketing pitch, which is that, for the price of one book, you can have 20,000 books in a great-looking reader.

Download SquadEucalyptus eBook reader recovers from silly app store rejection originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 25 May 2009 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app-storeApplebooksebooksereadereucalyptusproject-gutenbergrejectionMon, 25 May 2009 19:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Get the best deals on eBooks with ebookprice.info]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/03/24/get-the-best-deals-on-ebooks-with-ebookprice-info/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/03/24/get-the-best-deals-on-ebooks-with-ebookprice-info/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/03/24/get-the-best-deals-on-ebooks-with-ebookprice-info/#commentsFiled under:

ebookprice.info
When you walk into a bricks and mortar book store, you can either pay the price the company is asking for the books, or decide that you can get a better deal and walk away. On the internet, you can just shop around from the comfort of your desk chair until you find the best price and click buy. But there's an even faster way.

Ebookprice.info is a web site that finds prices for a handful of popular eBook stories including Amazon, eBooks.com, and Powell's. I'll be honest. The web site is ugly. But it's functional. In a quick scan, I've found several titles that are going for $7.99 in one store and over $16 in another.

[via jkOnTheRun]

Download SquadGet the best deals on eBooks with ebookprice.info originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booksebookprice.infoebooksTue, 24 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST