Ebook Apps and the smartphone

Ebook apps are all over the smartphone platform.  There are over 20,000 apps and ebook apps are starting to show up.  Here is the breakdown on a variety of platforms:

• 37  for i Phone
• 22 for Android
• 14 for Palm
• 13 for Windows Mobile
• 10 Generic feature phone
• 10 for Blackberry

Here is a sample of one..

Sony says that ebooks will take over paper

The growing ebook market will probably take over traditional paper books.  They thought it might take 10 years but now they are estimating 5 years.   Sony may be a little optimistic because they sell ebooks for their ebook reader.   Here is a sample of their ebook.

IPhone apps have a variety of free audiobooks

The library is not the only place to get free audiobooks. You can check out them out from the Apple iStore platform for your ipod and iphone. Check out NewFiction.com app store on the mobile phone platform.  The site that you should look for is NewFiction

Check this out..

Then, bringing his finger to his pursed lips, as if to quiet their unease, Lydia makes deep and intense eye contact with each soldier.  An otherworldly silence enfolds the clearing, birds cease to cackle in the trees, the aspect of the sunlight filtered through layers of leaves changes subtly.  He speaks in a calming voice, “Hermanos, I’m very glad you’ve come” .

Summer is the season for listening to audio books

Get free audio books and be entertained on the beach or on vacation. You can get some fun titles for free on a variety of genres. Its a great way to get close your eyes and just listen.  You can sample some at NewFiction.com

Here is a great example:

The most downloaded audiobook.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo topped the fiction audiobook list. There were many free downloads for this audiobook. Check out the other free titles.  You can get pretty much any audiobook you want from the traditional bestseller lists.  Here’s an example:

Zamora unshoulders his field pack and drops it at his feet.  A cloud of dust rises, and the pig scampers away.  “Did you hear me, old man”, he says, “we need food”.  His platoon likewise unburdens themselves and squats on haunches, rifle butts on the ground and muzzles pointed skyward.  Eyes hungry as well.  The few village children who had been playing in the heat of the late morning have disappeared silently.  But that does not surprise Zamora and his men, children find little comfort in their presence no matter where they go.  Lydia, like a Welcome Wagon gladhander, is alone to greet his guests.

National Audio Book Month starts in June.

While driving to work try listening to a free audio book.  You really can’t read a book when you’re driving – so try an audio book. If you take a bus or train, you can listen on your smartphone or ipod.  Here’s a small sample.

Zamora’s ragged band, maybe a dozen in number, file out of the jungle into the clearing.  Their uniforms mismatched, harlequin.  But to a man, they are caked in sweat and dust from their march.  Lank or tangled black hair, depending on the soldier, pours out of oily fatigue caps or camo bush hats, one brim pinned up Aussie style.

Ipad can read any page aloud – has authors on alert.

Apple has announced that the computers will be able to read aloud “the contents of any page.” That means that with its VoiceOver technology, the iPad can read – albeit in one of Apple’s computerized voices – all e-books, according to new details released about the device Friday. That is bound to upset many who worry it could eat into sales of audio books.

Apple iPad Available For Pre-Order From March 12, On Sale From April 3

Apple just announced that its tablet device, the iPad, will be available in the U.S. on April 3. See announcement below.

When Apple unveiled the device a few months ago, we were told it would be available by March. Rumors began to swirl recently that shipment of the devices was delayed until April. According to the release, the Wi-Fi models of the iPad will be available starting April 3, with the Wi-Fi and 3G models rolled out by late April. S

Pricing has remained the same, with the basic Wi-Fi enabled model starting at $499. Pricing is as follows: $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB.   Tech Crunch