WebJunction - Mobile Devices

The Gadget Ecosystem

2011-11-08T23:05:12Z

A freeze-frame view in November 2011 of the fast changing gadget landscape

We all know how fast the technology landscape is shifting. A recent Pew Internet study found that 81% of gadget experts agree that the “hot gadgets and apps that will capture the imagination of users in 2020 will often ‘come out of the blue’ and will not have been anticipated by today’s savviest innovators.” Although we can’t predict what’s on the 10-year horizon, we can at least look at what is here and now in the gadget domain.

Gadgets in the Library?

Before diving into the specific devices, let’s take the aerial view of the landscape to understand where and how libraries fit in to the ecosystem.

Libraries and learning communities
Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, helps us look at the big picture of the “gadget ecosystem” and its impact on the role of libraries. He shows how gadgets and social networks create connections, which enable learning to happen anywhere on any device at any time. He then explores five threads of how librarians can be even more valuable to their learning communities in this hyper-connected environment. Video, slides or PDF of his presentation at Internet Librarian 2011.

The Kindles Are Coming: Ereaders and tablets are springing up in schools—and librarians are leading the way
Ereaders and tablets are pumping new life into reading and learning: “…ereaders are bundling the three P’s of librarianship—participation, portability, and personalization—into one magical package.”

20 Coolest iPad Ideas for Your Library
Whether using the iPad or a competitor’s tablet, librarians are resourceful in putting a cool new tool to work in the library. Ideas include using the tablet for roaming reference, mobile workstations and remote help for patrons.

Integrating-iPads-and-Tablet-Computers-into-Library-Services
ALA Publishing shares the slides from this October 2011 webinar. After listing the specs for the 5 best-rated tablets (with a handy comparison chart on slide 35), the presentation explores the implementation of various library tablet programs. If you’re a history buff, check out slides 6-13 for a brief, colorful history of the tablet.

The Devices

When you pick up one gadget, you find that it is so entangled with other gadgets, functions, apps and add-ons that it’s hard to know where to start or how to organize the information. To add to the chaos, there is a lot of churn in the gadget market as new devices enter, existing devices upgrade, and others drop out.

Tablets & Superphones from Computers in Libraries 2011
Jason Griffey provides a brief cybertour of the device landscape in this slide deck from Computers in Libraries 2011.

Gadget Checklist 2010: For library staff, users and our future
Although this presentation from Michael Porter, “the gadget guy,” is a year old, the basic orientation to the types, brands, features and functionality is still helpful. Follow Libraryman's Gadget Bookmarks to keep current.

[Editor’s note: there is no intended endorsement of any particular product.]

Smartphones

iPhone
- iPhone for Dummies Cheat Sheet: covers the basics for operating your iPhone.
- iPhone Comparison Chart: shows the evolution and compares features from the original iPhone to the 4S.
Android
- Droid X for Dummies: covers the basics for operating a Droid X phone.
- Google Phone Gallery: this site allows you to select and compare Android phones from the dizzying array of options.
- 10 Coolest Android Ice Cream Sandwich Features: (Android 4.0): Google keeps upgrading its operating systems for Android phones…and giving them dessert names.
Blackberry
- Blackberry for Dummies
Windows 7
- Windows 7 Phone for Dummies

Tablets

The iPad is a clear frontrunner in terms of market penetration and media coverage, but as more people catch on to the versatility and user-friendliness of tablets, the competition will heat up.

iPad
- iPad for Dummies Cheat Sheet: covers the basics for operating your iPad.
- iPad for Seniors for Dummies Cheat Sheet: focuses on getting seniors (or any novice) up to speed on the various settings.
- Getting Started with the iPad2: step-by-step introduction to the new iPad.
Motorola Xoom
- Motorola Xoom for Dummies Cheat Sheet: covers the basics for operating your Motorola Xoom.
Blackberry PlayBook
- BlackBerry PlayBook Browsing Tips: from the Blackberry Blog
Kindle Fire
- This new tablet from Amazon will be released November 15th at a blazing low price of $199 guaranteed to heat up the tablet market.
- Why Amazon's Kindle Fire is like a razor: it’s hot on the surface but there’s more to the story.
- Kindle Fire's shortcomings: Little storage, no Bluetooth?: review from CNET

eReaders

People are not just reading ebooks on dedicated ereader devices; they’re using tablets and even the small screen of the smartphones. So this section is more accurately about accessing ebooks on mobile devices.

2011 Best eBook Reader Comparisons and Reviews: sort out the field of dedicated ereaders with this guide to reviews, feature comparisons, and rankings of 11 devices.
Device-specific guides:
- Quick Guides for Downloading: illustrated guides in PDF format on a variety of ereader devices, from Pierce County Library System (WA)
- eReader Videos: how-to videos for 11 specific devices: Android Phones, Android Tablets, Blackberry, Computers, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Kindle, Nook, Nookcolor, Sony Reader, Windows Phones, from King County Library System (WA)
Using Accounts for E-Reader Devices: provides a basic guide to the accounts you need to get to those ebooks.
Free Resources for Your E-Reader: there are many sources of free ebooks (Note: Kindle is now allowing library lending.)
eBooks Troubleshooting: this guide covers some basic issues that arise between patrons and their ebook downloads, with the caveat that this may not apply to every situation.
Literacy and E-Reader Jargon: a useful jargon decoder (epub, DRM, what?)

“There’s an App for that”

APP is an abbreviation for application, now commonly used to refer to a computer program designed to function on a mobile device. There are thousands of apps for a variety of devices, both free and for-fee.

iPad Apps in the Library: a purview of iPad apps to extend your library services
7 Things You Should Know About iPad Apps for Learning: one of the Educause “7 things” series
Smartphones Tip Sheet: a quick overview on how to customize a smartphone with apps; covers iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Palm and Windows. From the University of Texas Health Sciences Library’s Emerging Technology Brown Bag Series.
Office productivity apps
- Best Word Processors for the iPhone, iPad
- Android Word Processor: a blog with reviews of word processors for Android
- 36 Productivity Apps for iPad, Android and BlackBerry Tablet PCs: a tasty selection of tablet apps for file sharing, conferencing , document creation and more.
Android apps for forgetful people: create to-do lists, set reminders and have it all in hand on your smartphone
Best IM apps: as the article says, “Does anyone use their smartphones as phones anymore?”
QR Codes
- Guide to QR Codes: quick overview of what they are and how to use them.
- QR Codes LibGuide: links to tutorials, QR code generators, and ideas for using them.
- Are QR Codes a Real Security Risk For Smartphone Owners? A cautionary note
Google Translate Conversation Mode: Jason Griffey points us to this "sci-fi future is here” function of the Siri (iPhone) and Translate (Android) apps.
Fun with apps
- iPhone and iPad apps for fun and leisure
- Games, Gadgets and Gimmicks: Fun with the Android

Overview

2011-07-21T15:19:43Z

eBooks Troubleshooting

2011-01-17T17:23:44Z

Instructions and solutions that support has provided for issues that Iowa patrons have had with ebooks.

eBooks Troubleshooting

Note: These are instructions/solutions that support has provided for specific issues that patrons have had; they may not apply specifically to your patron's issue and are offered only for your information

Instructions for WILBOR eBooks, in editable (Word) format
Instructions for downloading Project Gutenberg titles from WILBOR (pdf format)

***********
Adobe Digital Editions Check Out Transferring eBooks to Devices Returning eBooks early

Adobe Digital Editions

When I try to transfer a downloaded title to my nook, I don't see the nook in the Bookshelves in Adobe Digital Editions.

Check out

I checked out an audiobook, and now there's a pdf in "My Items Out." It says that it's due in 7 days, instead of 14.

Transferring eBooks to Devices

	I've transferred the book to my ereader, but I can't find it on the device.
	I've downloaded a book to Adobe Digital Editions on my Mac, and have connect my Sony Reader but ADE doesn't "see" the Sony, so I can transfer the title to it.
	How do I transfer to an iPod Touch or iPad?
	When I download ebooks to my Sony PRS-600, some of them work fine, but one of them gives me a "protected page" error.

Returning eBooks early

	How do I return eBooks early?
	Can I return ebooks early if I've downloaded them to my iPad/iPod Touch?
	When I tried to return an ebook early, I got an error message: Early Return Error" (error 710)
	I returned eBooks early in ADE, but my WILBOR account says they are still checked out.

Adobe Digital Editions

When I try to transfer a downloaded title to my nook, I don't see the nook in the Bookshelves in Adobe Digital Editions (ADE).

You'll need to use the same user id (email address) for both the Nook and your Adobe ADE login. If you have a computer with authorized with the wrong user id. you will need to un-authorize the computer and reauthorize it - making sure the user id is the same on Nook as on Adobe. (Thanks, Holly Y!)

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/626420 about authorizing a Nook
http://forums.adobe.com/message/3069529 un-authorizing a computer

(Apparently, some of the new Nooks also have an "Adobe.editions" something folder that may need to be removed if ADE won't recognize the Nook.)

To de-authorize on a Mac: Ctrl-Shift-D (Thanks, Bobby!)

Check Out

I checked out an audiobook, and now there's a pdf in "My Items Out." It says that it's due in 7 days, instead of 14.

When you check out an "Enhanced" audiobook from WILBOR (there are very few of them), the pdf text part of the package is actually checked out as a separate item, so if your patrons happens upon an Enhanced audio title and checks it out, it will actually count as 2 checkouts, and the text part of the package will show in "My Items Out" as a separate item, a pdf. The pdf will be checked out for just 1 week (as it is "tied" to the audiobook) and won't show up in your library's stats for pdf checkouts.

Transferring eBooks to Devices

I've transferred the book to my eReader, but I can't find it on the device.

Different eReaders handle books transferred from Adobe Digital Editions in different ways. Here are hints for where to look for your downloaded title:

Nook: In "My Library," look in "My Documents"
Nookcolor: Library--My Files--Digital Editions

I've downloaded a book to Adobe Digital Editions on my Mac, and have connect my Sony Reader but ADE doesn't "see" the Sony, so I can transfer the title to it.

On a Mac, the Sony Reader does not show as a bookshelf in Adobe Digital Editions. To transfer a file from Overdrive to your device, you will need to use the Sony Reader program.
Instructions for 2 methods

How do I transfer to an iPod Touch or iPad?

1. In the App store, find and download the (free) Overdrive Media Console app to the iPod/iPad.
2. Click on the "settings" menu at the bottom of the app window, and enter the Adobe ID (If they don't have an Adobe ID, follow their steps to get an ID.)
3. Back in the app: click on "Get Books" at the top of the window,, then "Add Website" in the main part of the window. It will open a window in Safari. In the search box, search for: wilbor
4. Click on the arrow to the right of your library's name. On the results page, click on "Available formats" under "WILBOR", and it will take you to the WILBOR website.
5. Log in on WILBOR. Check out an eBook, click on the download button--and it will download into the app.
6. Confirm that you want to download. (Or, at least I got that on my 3G connection--that may be a function of the 3G, in case it would exceed my data limit on my AT&T account)

The format is for iPod, so iPad users may wish to click on the "2X" button on the lower right to double the size of the window. Resolution won't be optimized for the iPad, but the iPad version is expected soon.

After the initial search for WILBOR and first download, the WILBOR website will appear in the app in the "library" view, and you can just click on that link to go to the WILBOR site and browse for books.

When I download ebooks to my Sony PRS-600, some of them work fine, but one of them gives me a "protected page" error.

This appears to be due to conflicting formats, if the patron has downloaded and transferred both pdf and ePUB formatted books onto the Sony.
See "conflicting formats" on this page: http://www.mcgill.ca/library/library-about/lts/ereaders/

Returning eBooks early

How do I return eBooks early?

Early returns are done in Adobe Digital Editions

·       In Adobe Digital Editions, go to the Library view.
·       Click on the small arrow next to the title you wish to return. (It will be to the left of the title in the list view, or in the upper left corner when you hover over the book cover in the thumbnail view.)
·       In the menu that opens up select: “Return Borrowed Item”
·       Item will be returned, and you will be able to check out another title.

Can I return eBooks early if I've downloaded them to my iPad/iPod Touch?

The titles that are downloaded directly to
your iPod can not be early returned unless you use Adobe Digital
Editions as well.

When I tried to return an ebook early, I got an error message: Early Return Error" (error 710)

There is a limit to the number of ebooks that can be returned early within a short period of time. The lock out time depends on how early and how many titles have been returned early in that short period of time. Patrons will have to wait a day or so for the lock out to end. They should still be able to check out Audiobooks.

I returned eBooks early in ADE, but my WILBOR account says they are still checked out.
If eBooks were returned in ADE while the eReader was not connected, you will need to return them on the device. Open ADE, connect the device, and click on the device's icon in ADE bookshelves. Click on the small arrow next to the title you wish to return. (It will be to the left of the title in the list view, or in the upper left corner when you hover over the book cover in the thumbnail view.)

WILBOR Blue Ribbon Downloads for Iowa
Managed by Central Iowa Library Service Area, Northwest Iowa Library Services, Southeastern Library Services, and Southwest Iowa Library Service Area

Using Accounts for E-Reader Devices

2010-11-16T22:18:11Z

What accounts you will need to set up in order to use an e-reader, and how to set up without a credit card.

Your library will need to have several accounts set up before you will be able to use your e-readers, download e-books, access OverDrive and use gift cards:

1. Set up an Adobe Digital Editions account

2. Set up accounts at the following websites based on the e-readers in your selected bundle. These accounts can be associated with a limited number of devices.

Each one of these accounts has a purpose for your device.

Adobe Digital Editions is used to download DRM encrypted e-books from digital libraries or certain bookstores. Basically this means that a publisher or library will put a lock on an e-book, and Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) will check your user account and make sure that the owner of the account and device are authentic. ADE is mandatory if your library plans on using OverDrive Digital Library e-books. Fortunately, an ADE account is free, and you can register one account to six computers and six devices.

iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Sony Reader Store, Amazon and Borders stores are tied to the devices listed next to them. Many devices (the iPad, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo and Libre) can read books from most other stores. The Kindle is a notable exception. If any of these devices will be in your bundle, please create an account. You will need it to order e-books for the device.

Gift Cards are included with the E-Reader Summit & Technology Showcase bundles, with each gift card appropriate for at least one reader in the bundles. In order to use a gift card to buy e-books from e-bookstores, your library will need to set up an account with that e-bookstore. Once the account is set up, you can download books from the e-bookstore and load them onto compatible devices.

Compatibility with other E-Bookstores is where things get slightly confusing. It is possible to order books from several stores for certain devices, but each device and each store have different policies. Some stores have different DRM locks from others. Please review the chart below to check the compatibility of your devices with other stores.

For a good example, this article sums up some of the difficulties of e-readers and e-bookstores.

If a device can access a bookstore but requires an app or Adobe Digital Editions, it is noted below.

	Amazon	iBooks	Barnes & Noble	Sony Reader Store	Borders
Kindle	Yes	No	No	No	No
iPad Wi-Fi	Yes, App	Yes, App	Yes, App	No	Yes, App
Nook Wi-Fi	No	No	Yes	Yes, ADE	Yes, ADE
Sony Reader Pocket	No	No	No	Yes	Yes, ADE
Libre	No	No	No	Yes, ADE	Yes
Kobo eReader	No	No	No	Yes, ADE	Yes

And finally, some companies such as Barnes & Noble, own additional e-book stores outside of the normal storefront. For example, B&N owns Fictionwise and eReader. Please check your devices to see which additional stores they can use.

Setting Up Accounts Without a Credit Card

Amazon.com

Amazon does not require a credit card. In order to download e-books without a credit card, you will need to change your default 1-click payment method at Amazon.com. Follow the steps below:

Visit “Your account,” then scroll to Account Settings and click on 1-Click Settings.
Click the “Enter a new address” button.
Enter your information, then click “Continue.”

You may be prompted to enter debit or credit card information, but this is not required. If you would like to purchase books without a credit card, you may still apply a gift card to your account at Amazon.com (requires being registered and logged in)

iTunes

iTunes does not require a credit card to download apps. Please follow the instructions below to set up your library’s iTunes account without a credit card.

If you do not have an iTunes account, please go to http://www.apple.com/itunes
You will need to download iTunes on to the computer you plan to use by clicking “Download iTunes.” This download and installation may take some time, so have something else to do while you wait.
Once you the download has finished installing, open iTunes.
In the iTunes program, click on the navigation tab near the top of the main page to visit the App Store
Once the App Store has finished loading, scroll down until you see a listing of Free Apps on the right side in a navigation panel
Click on a free app of your choice. It does not matter which app you select.
After clicking on the app, a new window will load in the same frame. You should see information about the free app.
Click the “Free App” button
A new window will pop up asking you to sign into an account to download the app. Select “Create New Account”
iTunes will welcome you to the store. Select “Continue.”
Read the iTunes Store Policy & Conditions and Apple’s Privacy Policy. Select the checkbox for “I have read and agree to the iTunes Terms and Conditions and Apple’s Privacy Policy
Fill in all of the fields. You may uncheck the boxes about receiving additional e-mails if you choose.
When finished, select “Continue”
When prompted to provide a payment method, select the last option (“None”).
Provide all other information, including gift card codes and your address. Gift cards may also be applied later.
When finished, select “Continue.”
You will receive e-mail confirmation a few minutes after submission. Your confirmation e-mail will include a link. Click the e-mailed link to continue the account creation process.
A window should open in your internet browser.
ITunes should open and load a new page, confirming your account creation
You may now log into your iTunes account and load gift cards on it at any time without needing a credit card.

Detailed instructions on setting up your iTunes account with a gift card instead of a credit card can also be found here.

Sony Reader Store

Sony Reader Store does not require a credit card on file to set up your account or to download e-books. Once you set up your account, you may freely download any free e-book. You may also redeem your Sony Reader Store gift card later at any time. E-book downloads from the Sony Reader Store are done from the Sony Reader Library software.

Borders

Borders does not require a credit card on file to download e-books. You may download free e-books on their site for many e-books. As you can see in the screenshot below, some e-books allow you to download the file directly from the site (by clicking “download pdf” or “download epub”), while others do not. Purchasing e-books from Borders – you may also apply gift cards to your Borders account when you are “checking out.” You will still need to enter all of your information when ordering. If you plan on purchasing e-books with your gift cards, you may do so as long as the gift card covers the full amount of the e-book. If the gift card only partially pays for the e-book, a credit card is needed to cover the remaining balance.

Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble requires a credit card to download any e-books from their e-bookstore, whether or not the book costs money. Even with a gift card tied to your Barnes & Noble account, you will need a credit card on file to purchase any e-book from B&N, regardless of cost. However, you may set up your nook account without a credit card and sideload e-books on your nook that are not from the Barnes & Noble store.

Other E-Book Sources

Here are some places where you can find e-books for your nook without a credit card:

Free e-books from Sony (requires Sony Reader Library software)
Free e-books from Borders
Free sci-fi e-books from Baen Free Library
Free public domain books from Project Gutenberg
The nook can also download library books from OverDrive Digital Libraries
Free e-books are also aggregated and listed at e-reader forums like MobileRead

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Original version published on BlogJunction-Arizona.

A Day With The Pocketbook 360

2010-11-16T18:19:52Z

Detailed description and specifications of this small e-reader that was developed in Russia.

The PocketBook 360 is a popular device within e-reader community circles. It is also an international device, having been developed in Russia.

Hardware

The PocketBook 360 is one of the smallest readers with a 5” diagonal E Ink screen, The built-in accelerometer detects orientation changes quickly, and the buttons readjust to match the direction of the screen. This device only supports ebooks and not audiobooks, so there are no speakers and no headphone jack. The pocketbook comes with a USB charger, and does not come with an AC adapter, so the PocketBook 360 can only be charged at a PC. Here are some other specs:

Mini USB port for charging
Micro SD/SDHC card slot
64 MB RAM
466 MB User-accessible memory
Weighs 5.3 ounces
Mac compatibility – Snow Leopard OS or higher.

Software

It supports many file formats that are used inside and outside of the United States. Supported file types are FB2, FB2.zip, TXT, PDF, RTF, HTML, PRC, CHM, DJVU, DOC, EPUB and TCR. and unlike some DRM-locked US e-readers, the PocketBook is popular outside of the US. It also has a fairly large world-wide community of developers who make open source software for PocketBook devices, including games, dictionaries, and tools such as subway maps. There is also a photo album built into the device. It supports JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF images.

Appearance

The PocketBook 360 comes with a hard plastic case that can lock onto the front of the reader to protect the screen, or onto the back of the reader while it is in use. If it matters, there is a choice between a black or ivory device. The plastic cover took a few minutes to get used to, but ended up being a very solid and professional looking piece of cover. Although small and light, the hard cover and sturdy construction make the PocketBook 360 seem like one it would survive being stuffed in a purse or a back pocket next to car keys.

User Guide

Unlike most e-readers, the PocketBook 360 does come with a printed manual, as well as a manual loaded onto the device. The user guide has some translation errors but is still fairly easy to use, with clear visual guides and simple instructions. There is also a link to the user guide on the official website.

Ease-of-use

The D-Pad is fairly flush with the ‘OK’ button, so the user may want to read a manual. Once the user knows where the buttons are, navigation is intuitive and thankfully remains consistent. For example, tapping the ‘left’ button on the D-Pad in menus will bring the user back to the previous page. Selecting the ‘OK’ button in a book, photo or game will pull up a fairly robust context-sensitive menu. Tapping the power button locks the keys, while holding it a few seconds turns off the device. The accelerometer is surprisingly fast, and more importantly adjusts the buttons to fit with new screen orientation. Once the user understands the general workings, it’s fairly easy to work without a manual.

Other notes – Like most e-readers, the PocketBook 360 cannot change the metadata of a book once it is loaded on the device. Changing the metadata needs to be done on the computer before transferring it.

Customization

The user can re-map buttons to customize the interface. If the user wants to change the page turn buttons, he can do so. There is a surprisingly high number of possible button maps, such as different mappings for tapping or holding buttons. You can also change all of the default button mappings.

Reading books

There is a fairly long load time to begin book, marked with an hourglass on the screen. Once the book is loaded, changing options and turning pages is fairly fast. The device orients the books automatically with the accelerometer.

Reading EPUB format e-books

Reading EPUB files, generally considered the international standard e-book format, is fairly enjoyable. One EPUB we tested was a originally a PDF converted to EPUB format, complete with rich images and links. The converted EPUB read well, with rich images still showing and now a resizable text. Some of the links that were converted in the table of contents did not work. Native EPUB documents had no issues at all. EPUB clearly is an easy-to-use format for reading e-books on the PocketBook 360.

Reading PDF format e-books

Reading PDFs on the PocketBook 360 started out as a nightmare, and ended up improving (but only marginally.) We first tested a page from Boise Weekly. The device tries to squeeze an entire newspaper page onto the 5” screen, which is pretty typical of e-readers. However, the PocketBook 360 does not allow the user to resize any text. Instead, the user must zoom in on areas; this is fairly difficult to navigate, especially with slow refresh and images split across multiple screens. The accelerometer can help the user with scrolling around zoomed areas.

Strangely, some of the rich images are blacked, resembling something like censored mail in a third world country. There is a quick workaround for this issue. Instead of tapping the “OK” button to open a PDF, hold the ‘OK’ button while highlighting a PDF until a context-sensitive menu pops up. Choose the command that says ‘Open With,’ and then select ‘AdobeViewer.’ Using AdobeViewer eliminated all of the blacked out images.

However, there was still the issue of text not displaying properly. There is a workaround for text in the ‘zoom’ setting. While the PDF is open, use the ‘OK’ button to bring up a context-sensitive menu. Then select “zoom.” The user should toggle on PDF reflow by selecting “Reflow: 150%”. PDF reflow did not work with all PDFs, such as newspapers and some scholarly journals. While the PocketBook 360 did end up being able to read a PDF ebook with these changes, it still was extremely difficult to read anything complex or with images. If the user plans on reading many journals, magazines or newspapers, you may want to avoid this device.

Transferring DRMed Books

DRM-encrypted books were tested by using OverDrive’s Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) PDFs and EPUBs with DRM. The OverDrive downloads need to be opened with Adobe Digital Editions, which may not happen automatically. Once the devices are loaded into ADE, they can be dragged and dropped into the device. OverDrive DRM e-books are automatically sorted on the PocketBook 360 into a folder called “Digital Editions,” and not by author. The DRMed PDF downloaded from OverDrive did not work until PDF reflow was turned on. Once PDF reflow was toggled on, the book was readable; font was adjustable and images showed up beautifully. The DRMed EPUB worked fine and had no issues, and could display images and adjust font without any tweaking. If you plan on reading OverDrive ebooks, I would recommend going for EPUB books first, and then opting for PDF as a last resort.

One last thing to note: Metadata cannot be changed in DRMed PDFs or EPUBs, and can only be viewed as shown below.

Transferring DRM-free books – DRM-free books can be transferred by dragging the e-book file into the device folder, which will appear in your PC as a removable disk.

Applications

Applications have been created specifically for the PocketBooks as open source software. However, most of these formats are compressed as .zip, .rar, or .bz2 files and will require some tech savviness that may not be allowed in a public library setting. For example, the default dictionary is an English-Russian translator. PocketBook’s website lists dictionaries, but most of these are compressed. Dragging and dropping the files to the device will not work unless the files are decompressed and then converted with the PocketBook reader’s dictionary converter. There is also a PocketBook 360 developer community which creates open source applications. There is little to no instruction in either of these websites, and most of the instructions are based off community developer forums.

Unless the user is tech savvy, changing applications and having an English-only dictionary could be a bit of a problem.

News Feed

There is a separate downloadable program, called PocketNews, which syncs RSS feeds to the PocketBook 360 when the PocketBook is plugged into a PC. This was not tested.

BookLand.net

BookLand.net is the advertised international PocketBook 360 e-book store. It is sorted first by language and then by subject, but browsing is a librarian’s nightmare. There are hundreds upon hundreds of subjects listed with virtually no order, yet ironically “fiction” is not listed. When the subject is narrowed down, the user may then browse by author which remains extremely complicated. However, if the user can handle using BookLand to browse or search, most of the books are free EPUBs, formatted specifically for the PocketBook 360. If you can deal with navigating the bookstore, there are a lot of books available.

One last thing to note: The PocketBook 360 is compatible with e-books purchased from other stores, as long as the e-books are not locked by a proprietary file format or proprietary DRM (such as Amazon’s Kindle books).

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Originally published in BlogJunction-Arizona

Are E-Readers Accessible?

2010-11-16T18:17:15Z

Some of the features and applications used by e-readers to assist the visually impaired

The iPad’s Built-in Accessibility

Apple’s products, such as the iPod, iPhone and iPad include accessibility features for the visually impaired. Shortcuts to accessibility features, a zoom function and closed captioning are included with the iPad. The iPad also allows the user to choose mono audio, which will focus the iPad’s speakers on either the right or left side of the device. VoiceOver software is included on the iPad. This program recognizes gestures made on the touchscreen and describes items as well as actions to the user. The user also has the ability to switch from black print on a white screen to the high-contrast white print on black.

In addition to built-in software, the backlit LCD screen provides an edge against E Ink e-readers when it comes to users who are visually impaired.

Accessories & Apps

Solona offers covers for the iPad, iPod and iPhone which make the screen slightly tactile for such activities as using the touchscreen keyboard.

The American Foundation for the Blind lists some useful iPad apps, including DaisyWorm, and audio book reader by the Association for the Blind of Western Australia, Inc. There is also an app which utilizes the iPhone’s camera called Digit-Eyes. This app reads item labels out loud to the user.

The Kindle’s Text-to-Speech

Text-to-Speech, or TTS, was an early feature of the Kindle 2. This software “reads” the text of an e-book out loud with a computerized voice.

TTS Controversy

Due to controversy over competition with audiobooks from publishers and the Author’s Guild, this feature was temporarily removed. Further controversy ensued because the Kindle was not accessible to the visually impaired.

On July 28th, 2010 the Library of Congress recommended that TTS may be considered legal under certain circumstances. Essentially, all users are allowed to legally circumvent DRM to enable TTS when there is no other audiobook option.

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Originally published on BlogJunction-Arizona.

iPad Apps in the Library

2010-11-16T18:13:27Z

Tips on free and for-free applications that can be downloaded to iPads to extend your services for patrons.

To Free or Not To Free

While there are many free apps available for download, there are also many valuable apps for purchase. “Free” or “lite” versions tend to be previews of full apps, available for purchase. Free and lite apps also tend to have ads prominently displayed or commercials. However, if you are not sure about whether you are ready to pay money for an app, downloading the free preview may help you with your decision. Be sure to check user reviews to see how well the app performs. Many reviews of free apps also reveal how many ads or commercials users will deal with, and getting rid of these ads may make it worth purchasing the full version of the app.

Book Aggregators

Stanza – Stanza is a free app available for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. It allows the user to visit e-book aggregators and public domain sites like Project Gutenberg, or to download free books from well-known publishers like Harlequin. Stanza also allows the user to browse bookstores to purchase e-books to the device.

E-Book Stores
Many bookstores have iPad apps. These apps are free to download initially, although purchasing books will require an account with the store and a credit card. Most e-book stores have the same features, but their collections will vary and gift cards may only be used with certain stores.

Here are some of the most popular e-book store apps:

Barnes & Noble eReader
Amazon Mobile – Using this app is similar to visiting Amazon. You will have access to books, but also news and other purchases like CDs.
Kindle – Amazon’s bookstore app focuses on selling Amazon’s large collection of e-books.
Borders – Borders’s e-book store app focuses on selling Borders’s collection of e-books.
eBooks by Kobo – Kobo’s e-book store shares e-books with Borders, giving it a fairly large collection.

Children’s Books

Children’s books translate well to the iPad, giving children the opportunity to touch objects in pictures and have the names of the objects read out loud. Some apps can also highlight words or animate actions as they happen. There are many free apps for children’s books, including illustrated public domain materials. There are also apps for purchase, such as the highly interactive The Cat in the Hat – Dr. Seuss app.

For children of an age where word, color and image recognition are linked to hands-on interaction, children’s books may be perfect.

Publishers

Large- and small-scale publishers often have apps where they post news, podcasts, interviews, and list new and notable books. Most publishers also sell their e-books through their apps.

Penguin US – Penguin’s mobile app delivers news and information about Penguin titles.
Penguin 75 – Penguin’s other app commemorates the publisher’s 75^th year with quotes, anecdotes, essays, awards, and other news.

Enhanced Editions is a series of apps featuring single books of some large publishers in the US and UK, as well as some fairly famous authors (including Stephen King, Philip Pullman and Barack Obama to name a few.) These books are considered “enhanced” because they include additional features, such as an audiobook synchronized to text and audio and video interviews. Most of these books can be downloaded individually as a free preview or purchased as a full book through the iTunes store.

HarperCollins’s book apps may include a free version (a preview) and the full version, or complete e-book. A full e-book or guide, such as the full version of the SAS Survival Guide, will need to be purchased.

Harlequin has worked on digitizing e-books for years, releasing free romance novels to the iPhone before the iPad ever

came out. These books can be read through a different free app, Stanza, which links to Harlequin’s free novels.

Harlequin has also released several free e-books for individual downloads from the iTunes app store. Harlequin also has several romance graphic novel apps, both as free and for purchase.

Last, Hachette Book Group’s Twilight: The Graphic Novel can be previewed for free or purchased for the iPad, both as apps.

General and Hobby-Related apps

One of the great features of the iPad is that although it can be used for books, it can also do other things. Because of the large library of apps available, the iPad can provide general information with a visual hands-on approach. Here are some examples of free apps which may appeal to the general public:

Google Earth allows the user to work with a virtual globe, finding locations across the world with the touch of a finger.
Epicurious has recipes and pictures for the food enthusiast. You can look up recipes based on ingredients laying around at your house to find something quick and easy-to-make without running to the grocery store, search by type, or create a shopping list.
Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD allows you to play the piano on your iPad by using the touch screen as a virtual keyboard.
eQuake Map shows earthquake activity across the world.
White & Yellow Pages is a free app that works just like print White Pages and Yellow Pages, allowing the user to look up people and businesses.
ESPN ScoreCenter displays the latest news and up-to-date scores, even as games are being played live.

There are many other apps with a general appeal too, although most of these apps require purchasing because of the technology used. Many hiking and camping enthusiasts, for example, may want to

purchase maps that use GPS coordinates to find trails and campsites, while spots enthusiasts may want to subscribe to ESPN podcasts.

News apps

Many news companies and magazines have free sample apps, as well as higher quality subscription apps. Some of the newspapers and magazines available to the iPad through apps are:

The Wall Street Journal
NPR News
NPR Music
The New York Times
BBC
TIME Magazine
Reuters
USA Today
Glamour Magazine
WIRED
Publishers Weekly

Many of these apps take advantage of the iPad’s technology to create an experience completely different from reading the print material. WIRED Magazine, for example, shows off new technology by letting the iPad user interact with images, audio and video embedded into the articles. This image of a pocket knife, for example, unfolds when touched to display all of its tools.

Know Your Community

What are your patrons interested in? A high-end app full of hiking trails and maps may be useful for some communities, while a children’s librarian may prefer hands-on children’s books. A little research and some hands-on previewing will show which apps work for you.

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Originally published on BlogJunction-Arizona .

Literacy and E-Reader Jargon

2010-11-16T18:06:46Z

List and definition of the various buzzwords and acronyms associated with e-readers

When any new technology arises, new terms are vital to explain these changes as easily as possible. ‘Library 2.0’ is a perfect example, and e-readers are bringing even more buzzwords and acronyms to the frontlines. Not only are new words created, but some major distinctions are appearing between words like the difference between a ‘virtual library’ and a ‘digital library,’ where they are not interchangeable.

Librarians and readers may need to work on their e-reader literacy. Below is a list of some of the biggest recent e-reader buzzwords. Please feel free to pitch in your own.

Accelerometer – An accelerometer measures acceleration of vibration and can be used in rockets, aircraft, and e-readers (among other things). In terms of e-readers, an accelerometer is the internal hardware that detects to which direction your e-reader is facing and adjusts the screen accordingly. Essentially, accelerometers provide an ‘auto-flip’ feature. If an e-reader does not have a built-in accelerometer, the reader must manually switch the device’s orientation between portrait and landscape.

Digital Library – A digital library is a collection of digital documents. Some digital libraries, such as OverDrive, NetLibrary and Ingram Digital, can loan books to e-readers through public libraries. Other digital libraries, such as Project Gutenberg and LibriVox, specialize in public domain materials.

DRM – DRM, or Digital Rights Management, refers to technology used by hardware manufacturers which controls access to files. In terms of e-readers, DRM is used by companies like OverDrive to put expiration dates on digital library checkouts. Some e-readers are made to handle DRM, while others cannot. Notable e-readers which cannot handle DRM are the Kindle and the iPad, which means that neither of these devices can check out e-books from OverDrive. DRM is generally considered to be a controversial topic. Publishers, readers and manufacturer’s all have a stake in different sides of the DRM argument.

E Ink – E Ink is a technology created by the E Ink Corporation. E Ink moves black and white pigments up or down to show text on a screen, similar to an Etch-a-Sketch. It is clear and high resolution, and because it does not use a backlight it is considered to be easier to read for extended periods of time. It is possible to have an E Ink touchscreen. Disadvantages are that E Ink does not display in color, there is a slight delay between page turns when the pigments reconfigure, and E Ink screens require additional lighting at night.

EPUB – EPUB is an international standard file format for e-books recommended by the International Digital Publishing Forum. EPUB and PDF are the two most widely used e-book file types.

LCD – LCD, or Liquid Crystal Display, is a screen technology used in tablets and e-readers. LCD screens are backlit and can display full color, and brightness can be adjusted. Although LCD screens do not replicate the appearance of paper like E Ink, they load pages faster and do not require additional lighting at night. Most importantly, visually impaired readers may feel that LCD screens are more accessible.

Sideloading – Sideloading is the term used to describe transferring files from one device to another. For more information, see this blog post about sideloading and e-readers.

UI – UI, or User Interface, is what the reader interacts with. This may be the icons on the touchscreen or buttons on the device. Understandably, a good UI makes for a much better reading experience than an unresponsive, confusing or cluttered UI.

Virtual Library – Although the terms ‘digital library’ and ‘virtual library’ are usually used interchangeably to refer to digital documents, a virtual library is actually different. A virtual library may contain digital documents, but is also an extension to a traditional brick-and-mortar library, and may provide traditional library services like reference (such as Ask-a-librarian), research help, or the ability to place holds.

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Originally published on BlogJunction-Arizona

Personal Multimedia Devices for Capturing and Consuming

2010-10-15T17:46:21Z

This chapter outlines popular devices for capturing and consuming video, audio, and other media types.

The attached PDF is a chapter from the April 2010 issue of Library Technology Reports: "Gadgets and Gizmos: Personal Electronics and the Library," edited by Jason Griffey.

To browse issue's contents or to purchase a copy, please visit the ALA Store.

Special Offer for WebJunction members: Use the coupon code GLTR2010 when purchasing this issue and you will receive a 15% discount.