Google Makes Nice with News Publishers
Google seems to be playing nice with news operations. But are they really? And are the news organizations as open to change as they should be?
Operation eBook Drop — Indie Authors Helping Soldiers
Operation eBook Drop has delivered hundreds of books to soldiers in less than a week. It says a lot about indie authors and the power of digital distribution.
E-books: Tasting Blood in the Water
Sony, Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, AT&T, Verizon — a veritable who’s who of consumer electronics and communications has entered the e-reader fray. Do they smell blood in the water? Is it yours?
A Textbook Case of Missed Opportunities
Textbook publishers engage in a massive shoveling of content onto the iPhone. Will students dig it?
Deep Links and Commercial Use of Content
A Trojan horse argument about links misses the point — copyright and contracts reach farther.
Retrofitting Scholarly Communications
As scholarly communication moves from its frankly printer-centric reality of today, publishers will be faced with many more rounds of improvement to their digital information. Is ePub an answer?
Text as Interface — The Usability of Words
More than ever, text is a part of the user experience. Do we appreciate the art involved? Has the medium changed the message?
Pubget: Time-saver or Content Aggregator?
The Pubget search engine delivers search results along with PDFs. Should we view this new service as a time-saver for readers or as a threat to publishers?
Two Stories from the Management Trap
Two owners, two magazines — but one magazine wishes it could flee, while another is part of a larger digital strategy. It shines a light on what can happen when the owner is the problem.
The Trouble with Fribbles
Right and left are fundamental relative directions and biological preferences. Do they shape more than just our preferences for handedness?
Facebook Acquires FriendFeed, Hitler Throws a Fit
The social media world was thrown for a loop when Facebook announced its acquisition of FriendFeed. Even historical villains were upset, as captured in a smart parody video.
The “Article of the Future” — Just Lipstick Again?
Elsevier’s “Article of the Future” prototypes appear, and only spotlight the underlying conceptual problems for a traditional, article-centric publisher.
Amazon or Apple: Choose Your Invader
A writer for “Fast Company” accidentally reveals that there may be no respite for publishers as pure digital invaders come to plunder them.
The Freelance Fireworks Hall of Fame
The founders of the Freelance Fireworks Hall of Fame wish us all a Happy Fourth of July.
iPhone-casting: A New Door Opens?
A new iPhone application lets you podcast from wherever you are. The results may open a new door on audio expression for many of us.