Daily Bits

iPad

Engage in Real-Time Discussions on Your E-Book’s Pages

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One of the most exciting things about reading your favorite books is the discussion that ensues when you get together with other people who are likeminded. The sucky thing is the situation wherein you find yourself totally into a book, and you can’t find people to discuss the book with. Of course, there are always forums and other venues online, but sometimes one can’t just be bothered to log in to those sites anymore.

Now what if you had a platform where you can engage in real-time discussions with other people via your e-book reader? Assuming that you read your books in electronic format these days, this option should be a welcome one, as you will not have to exert a major effort to share your thoughts and opinions on what you are currently reading.

Copia is a platform which turns “e-books into we-books.” How so? People who use the platform can interact with other users straight from the pages of the book that they are reading. Think writing down thoughts as notes and then having other people see them and comment on them; and vice versa.

I haven’t used it myself, but based on what I have read, you can also create your own library, rate books, and write your own reviews.

The only thing is that it is only currently available for the desktop and the iPad. If it does take off, though, I think that versions for the Kindle and the Nook might just come out in the future. One thing is for sure – this concept adds the element of sharing to reading, and that can only make things more enjoyable.

Expert Gives Facebook Only 5 More Years

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Facebook is on a roll, isn’t it? In the past month or so, we have been hearing about all sorts of new features from THE social network platform. Some of the more recent ones include the Friendship Pages and Groups. And, just the other day, we heard about their “Gmail Killer.” So one would think that Facebook is here to stay – at least for a very very long time, right?

Not according to Dr. Jeffrey Cole, a digital consumer expert. If you’re doubting his prediction, bear in mind that this is the guy who said that MySpace would suffer the same fate (decline) four years ago. While MySpace is still around – I just logged in earlier to listen to some indie music – no one can deny that it is but a shadow of what it used to be. Oh, and check out Dr. Cole’s other credentials: Director of the Centre for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California and a director of the World Internet Project.

So Dr. Cole said that in five years, Facebook is going to be what MySpace is today. However, he states one major difference: there will not be a single social networking platform anymore. Instead, we are going to have many smaller communities.

His predictions are not limited to social networking platforms. He also mentioned that the iPad will be the last man standing in the realm of tablets – mainly thanks to the Apple brand – and that it will change the face of traditional print.

If his track record is anything to go by, we might just see his words becoming reality sooner than we think. Let me ask you though, do you think Facebook will be “gone” in 5 years?

iPad Users: Are You Spreading the Flu Virus?

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Touch-screen technology is something to marvel at, and indeed, judging by the more than warm welcome given by consumers to the iPad and other touch-screen devices.  What you may not be aware of, however, is that the iPad – and other similar gadgets – may be one of the worst things you can handle during flu season.

You don’t need half a brain to see the connection – touch-screen equal fingers (which are likely rife with germs).  Add to that the idea that people let other individuals use their touch-screen devices, and it is very easy to see how all sorts of bacteria and viruses can be spread.  It’s much like touching a door handle at a public place.

The Journal of Applied Microbiology recently released the findings of a study which took a look at glass surfaces – such as the screen of the iPad – and how they transmit pathogens to the human skin (read: your fingers).  Unsurprisingly, the risks are quite high.  What I found a bit surprising is the fact that the risk of transmitting pathogens, including the flu virus, is much higher in touch-screen devices than other everyday things we touch (this includes elevator buttons and the toilet handle in the men’s room!).

With the flu virus spreading around like crazy, it’s but sensible to make sure that your iPad, iPhone, and whatever other touch-screen device you have is sterilized, don’t you think? Here’s one way by which you can do this.

If anything, your friends and family members will thank you for making sure your device is clean. Personally, if I owned an iPad, I just would sterilize it every time someone else touched it. Better yet, I’d avoid having someone else touch it!

Graphic Novels Specifically Designed for the iPad

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Hardcore graphic novel lovers just might be shaking their heads. I know a number of people who will not even consider reading their graphic novels in digital format, and I totally respect that. However, there are also people who get quite excited about the idea of graphic novels being available in digital format.

With the prevalence of e-book readers (e-book reader wars, remember?), it is not a surprise that graphic novels are soon going to be staple content. This is actually not a new idea since there are graphic novels that have been converted to digital format. Two groups are looking to change that now.

Cognito Comics and Tall Chair, two start ups based in San Francisco are working on creating comics specially designed for the iPad. The New York Times recently covered this development, and shared how David Burwen (Executive Producer of Cognito) showed his graphic novel Operation Ajax. This is based on the nonfiction book All the Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror by Stephen Kinzer.

Their verdict?

“Animated transitions give the comic a cinematic feel, and also give the artist more control over how the page unfolds. The format provides an opportunity to make supplementary material such as photos and documents available within the relevant comics panel.

It’s different from anything I’ve seen in digital comics. Technologies like ComiXology’s “guided view” create a smooth experience by moving the reader from panel to panel, but you’re still reading your basic, old-fashioned comics page.”

I believe that this will introduce a new age in graphic novels. Pretty soon, I think we will be seeing more titles available for download.

PalmPad to iPad: “Say hello to my little friend!”

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Despite lacking numerous apps, an army of developers and Apple’s cult like following, HP’s PalmPad will probably be able to hold its own against the iPad tsunami that is sweeping the planet.

While Steve Jobs greatest creation allows you to interact with the iPad by using all ten digits, PalmPad may one up the iPad–literally–by introducing a simple tool that will appeal to corporate execs, artists and journalists around the world.

iPad and iBooks Will Eventually Kill the Kindle

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You don’t need to get your hands-on the iPad to realize that it has the potential to kill the Kindle unless Amazon does something drastic to make its  boring gray, e-ink display into something colorful. The iPad supports full color display and the iBooks app for the iPad will transform your  e-ebook reading experience into something colorful albeit a fun one.

I mean, just take a look at the sample screenshots of an e-book being rendered on the iPad using the iBooks apps. Rich, colorful graphics that accompanies e-books, be it children’s books, fiction, sci-fi or business-related, it will surely be more pleasant and appealing to read e-books on the iPad than it is on the Kindle.  And don’t even get me started on the issue of readability and eye strain due to prolong use. You can always shut off your iPad and rest your eyes a bit if you think that your eyes are already strained. So, it’s not really a negative point of the iPad that it’s display was said to be not mean for prolong reading pleasures.

And for the iBookstore, I’m pretty sure electronic publishers will dive into the iPad wave pretty soon if they haven’t started doing so, yet.  You don’t even have to worry if not too many publishers will not support the iPad.  The Project Guttenberg with its thousands of public domain books will provide you with your e-book fix.

What Apple needs to do to complete its e-book market domination and successfully steal the thunder from Amazon is to make the iBookstore available outside the U.S. Especially as soon as Apple starts marketing the iPad to the international markets.