Special Japan Earthquake 'Aftershocks' book temporarily free again

2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake, by The quakebook community, edited by Our Man in Abiko, 24 customer reviews, 5 stars

  Although the file was available via Amazon for $0.00 for one morning, on May 20, via the one-click box, it was already no longer free later that day and was listed as $9.99.  So, this lasted barely half a day last time.  They may have had an unanticipated number of downloads that day.

From the Product Description: "In just over a week, a group of unpaid professional and citizen journalists who met on Twitter created a book to raise money for Japanese Red Cross earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.  In addition to essays, artwork and photographs submitted by people around the world, including people who endured the disaster and journalists who covered it... contains...work created specifically for the book by authors William Gibson, Barry Eisler and Jake Adelstein."

“The primary goal,” says the book's editor, a British resident of Japan, “is to record the moment, and in doing so raise money for the Japanese Red Cross Society to help the thousands of homeless, hungry and cold survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. The biggest frustration for many of us was being unable to help these victims..."

Amazon has highlighted this book for weeks.  Now that it's free again for however long, there's no revenue during this time that they'd normally just forward to the Japanese Red Cross Society, the ebook's product page points out that a donation can still be made to American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund.  The many customer reviews are worth a read if you're wondering whether to download the book.


LONG, with UK
Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($164)   DX Graphite

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Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

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-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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Free Kindle Books, 5/28 (quite a few of them)

A PLETHORA OF TEMPORARILY FREE KINDLE BOOKS.  Today's reported releases include more-esoteric books from academic and local-history collections which will stay free and also some cult-oriented books.  I'm not including those in this blog entry as those will be found in the links-box below, usually within a day.

Although I've gathered Kindle- and other e-reader news, I decided to do this first, as I have time for only one blog entry today and this is probably more of interest to most.

  As usual, these don't include previews, samplers, teaser chapters, or individual short stories.  With an occasional exception, those blogged here are usually informational books or more popular or unusual items suddenly free for a short time and which can be lost in all the long listings pointed to in the links-box below.
  Those links in the bottom box do include the short stories and fantasy/romance fiction popular today as well as faith-based books of several religions.


CK-12 Earth Science, by CK-12 Foundation, 2 customer reviews, 5 stars
Publisher: CK-12 Foundation

From the Product Description: "CK-12 Earth Science covers the study of Earth - its minerals and energy resources, processes inside and on its surface, its past, water, weather and climate, the environment and human actions, and astronomy."

Here are CK-12's many other books, which are all $0.00 at the moment.  I have no idea for how long.  They include Algebra, Biology, Chemistry, etc.


Acupressure Guide For Relieving Hangovers, by MobileReference, 6 customer reviews, 2.5 stars
Publisher: MobileReference

From the Product Description: "...Product Features: Practical and fully illustrated.  Step-by-step guide to treatment of every condition.  Every step explains point location, direction of force, and duration of massage.  No previous experience necessary."


Probably always free:
Boob Tube, by Mark Coker, Lesleyann Coker, 22 customer reviews, 3.5 stars
Publisher: Smashwords Press; 2 edition (May 6, 2008
At Smashwords: 9 cutomer reviews, 5 stars

From the Product Description: "Go behind the scenes of the daytime television soap opera industry with Boob Tube.  Written by Lesleyann Coker (a former reporter for Soap Opera Weekly) and her husband Mark, the two interviewed dozens of soap opera industry insiders for their stories and then fictionalized everything here.

From Smashwords site: "Mark Coker founded Smashwords in 2008 to change the way books are published, marketed and sold.

Mark is co-author along with his wife, Lesleyann, of Boob Tube, a novel that explores the behind-the-scenes world of daytime television soap operas.  It was Mark's experience trying to get Boob Tube published that inspired him to start Smashwords.  He believes Smashwords holds the promise to make publishing more enriching for authors, readers and publishers.

In the three years since its launch, Smashwords has grown to become the leading ebook distributor serving indie authors, small presses and literary agents.  Over 20,000 authors from around the world have published more than 50,000 books at Smashwords."


Apparently always free now:
FREE 25 Language Phrasebook, from Mobile Reference (Mobi Travel), 36 customer reviews, 3 stars
Publisher: Mobile Reference (November 20, 2006)

Many complain this is far too basic, and one mentioned a more expensive
one at $7.99 which was much better.  I looked it up and they have an "Advanced" version for $3.99.


Other free e-books
How I Wrote My First Book: the story behind the story, by Anne K. Edwards, 6 customer reviews, 4 stars
Publisher: Twilight Times Books; First edition (February 15, 2011)

From the Product Description: "Product Description
Twenty authors tell amazing stories about the efforts that went into writing their first book."


Young People, Ethics, and the New Digital Media: A Synthesis from the Good Play Project , by Carrie James (Author), 2 customer reviews, 3 stars
Publisher: The MIT Press (October 30, 2009)

From the Product Description: "Social networking, blogging, vlogging, gaming, instant messaging, downloading music and other content, uploading and sharing their own creative work: these activities made possible by the new digital media are rich with opportunities and risks for young people. This report, part of the GoodPlay Project, undertaken by researchers at Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero, investigates the ethical fault lines of such digital pursuits..."


Origins (Spinward Fringe), by Randolph Lalonde, 79 customer reviews, 4.5 stars.

[Science fiction book with many happy readers]
From the Product Description: "Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins is a collected trilogy that chronicles the early adventures of an ambitious crew. Their leader, Jonas Valent, has the least to lose and everything to gain as he tells the tale of his first tour as Captain of a ship tasked with making allies and discovering new technologies for the good of his people. This simple mission becomes more complicated as the crew ventures further into the settled fringes of the galaxy.

This trilogy spawned the best selling Spinward Fringe eBook series. This is where it all began, when one man was challenged to aspire for more than an idle life."


The Night Walk Men, by Jason McIntyre

[Short Story by a popular writer]
From the Product Description: "Three-year old Gabriela plays with her twin brother on a train platform. Blind sax man, Braille the Rail, meets with an old, old friend. The earth rumbles beneath them all: the promise of an approaching locomotive. Now, two mysterious strangers, both of them acting in the interest of an otherworldly sense of duty, will decide their fate over a cup of tea."

His novel (not free), On the Gathering Front receives a lot of enthusiasm.


Straw Hats and Bicycles (Asian) , by Brian Lawrenson, 1 customer reviews, 2 stars
Publisher: Marco Polo Press; eBook Edition edition (July 1, 2010)

Brian Lawrenson does short personal travel reports of the type you'd write to your friends or post to a forum after your travels.  I've downloaded one from China when it was free and it was like reading a long, fairly detailed forum post from Fodor's forums about people's trips, which for me can be fun to read in that way, but they're generally free.  He has some worthwhile photos though, and for free and in single booklet format, these are worth a download if you've an interest in the locale and what it's like to travel there.  In my own view they should never be more than $.99 but Lawrenson prices them pretty high when they're not on promo pricing.

From the Product Description: "This is the story of a couples [sic] visit deep into the culture of Vietnam and Cambodia.  The highlights of the story include a visit to the Hill tribes at Sapa, the Sunday market at Bac Ha, sailing Halong Bay, exploring the culture and architecture of Hanoi, historic Hue, shopping mecca Hoi An, a trip on the Re-unification Express, the Open Bus, got lost in Phan Thiet and discovering the South including Ha Chi Ming and the Mekong Delta.  During these independent journeys they met the people, experienced the culture and sampled the wonderful Vietnamese regional cuisine.

Then in Cambodia they explored the wonderful temples of Ankor Wat, were dumb struck by the “lost in the jungle” experience of Ta Prohm, look [sic] the express boat across the Tonle Sap Lake down to Phnom Penh, the once exciting capital of Cambodia..."


Also check the below at any time:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics - USA: by: NEW: Last 30+ days  May 2011    Publication Date   Late-listed    Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular What is 3G? and "WiFi"? Highly-rated e-books under $1

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, for now):   99c Notepad,   99c CalendarPro,   99c Converter

Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($164)   DX Graphite

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Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Free Kindle book, 5/27/11

Kali: The Food Goddess, A Compilation of Delightful Recipes and Memories of Food , by Kali Amanda Browne, 1 customer review, 5 stars (not a verified purchase). $0.00 today.

The one review is written by the owner of the website for which the author posts essays and food recipes.  The website owner writes: "Wonderful multicultural offerings (should I say "fusion"?) that blend all that's best about Caribbean/American/Spanish/Chinese/Middle Eastern cuisines. She's a global culinary force to be reckoned with, one of those rare cooks who combine art and practicality in their creations.  Do yourself a favor and give this cookbook a try, if only for the wonderful story about the Chinese influence in Puerto Rico and the recipe for stuffed peppers.  Trust me.  You won't be disappointed!"

Product description: "An edited compilation of recipes and essays originally published between 2006 - 2010. Includes 24 indexed recipes and cuisines include Puerto Rican, Spanish and Chinese, along with adaptations of some classics."

(Two other books by an author released for $0 today were reviewed as filled with writing errors to an unusual degree, so I'm not including those.)


Check the below at any time:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics - USA: by: NEW: Last 30+ days  May 2011    Publication Date   Late-listed    Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular Highly-rated e-books under $1

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, for now):   99c Notepad,   99c CalendarPro,   99c Converter

Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($164)   DX Graphite

---

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Free Books, Bob Dylan book, Calculator app! Lady Gaga Album 1-day 99c

MISCELLANEOUS FREE BOOKS AND DEALS
Lady Gaga album for $0.99 again - only today, 5/26
The new Lady Gaga [Album] for $0.99 again - "This Time We're Ready," Amazon said in their press release.

  They added, "...we saw extraordinary response to Monday's promotion - far above what we expected - she definitely melted some servers," said Craig Pape, director of Music for Amazon. "So we're doing it again, and this time we're ready. We're pleased to offer 'Born This Way' - the whole album - for $0.99, today only."

"Along with this purchase, customers get 20 GB of free Amazon Cloud Drive storage so they can store and play their music anywhere."


New CALCULATOR App by 7 Dragons - creators of Notepad
7 Dragons created the very popular Notepad, my favorite Kindle app, which I use daily, and Converter, which is very useful.

 Now they've released their Calculator for the Kindle. $0.99

  It's a very flexible calculator, useful for computing sales discounts, double-checking an invoice, or computing a restaurant tip.  If your Kindle is usually with you, outside, the calculator will be available too.

From the Product Description (emphases mine): "In addition to basic math operations, Calculator also includes Square Roots, percentages and exponents, and the trigonometric functions Sine, Cosine, and Tangent.  You have standard calculator Memory Functions, and you also get Calculator History; in which the last 10 items and last 10 calculation results are saved for later reference. [Very nice!]

Calculator offers keyboard shortcuts to help you work quickly, and a last function undo and digit by digit undo functions to help you correct errors.  Help pages explain each feature, and a Shortcuts List page clearly lists all shortcuts."


Revolution in the Air - The Songs of Bob Dylan, 1957–1973, by Clinton Heyland. (ePub format...see below.)
Publisher: Chicago Review Press (April, 2009)
  Normally $23.95. the e-book is $0.00 through June 6.

 Those w/o an ePub reader can read this on either a Windows or Mac computer/laptop via Adobe Digital Editions.
  Paul Biba at Teleread brought this to our attention.  He writes, about Copia's special free offering (emphases mine):

' For any Dylan fan this looks like a "must have".  From the press release:
  As rock and roll legend Bob Dylan celebrates turning 70 today, Copia, the groundbreaking social eReading platform and web site, is honoring the event with a gift to fans of the American Icon.  Starting Tuesday, May 24 and continuing through June 6, Dylan fans will be able to visit the website and download Revolution in the Air, noted Dylan biographer Clinton Heylin's comprehensive, 446-page, song-by-song guide to Dylan's work from 1957–1973.  "We wanted to do something fun for readers and fans that would pay tribute to one of America's greatest songwriters and... '

For the younger among us who haven't heard what is considered one of the best rock albums of all time (Highway 61 Revisited, Dylan's voice will be an acquired taste but it's the lyrics and drive behind it (and the band) that make it.   An example: Ballad of a Thin Man on the album (which is maybe more popular than Like a Rolling Stone).
  .  Words & Music, in various versions of the piece
  .  Audio of the song, streamed here in quite compressed sound.  The downloaded audio, either song or album, will have far better sound.  There are annoying animated ads on the page.
  .  What the lyrics may mean - Lyrics only plus a good analysis of the piece, in the Comments area.  Wait a few seconds and the large top ad will be bypassed as you go straight to the Comment although you might have to click a pop-up if you don't use a pop-up blocker.


Free Kindle Book picks today
Canadian Meds, by John Moynihan, 4 customer reviews, 4 stars
Publisher: Xlibris; 1 edition (October 15, 2009)
  "Canadian Meds is a work of fiction that highlights the world of selling prescription meds over the Internet."

Famous men of science, by Sarah Knowles Bolton
  It's #1 Bestseller in Amazon sub-genres History of Science and Sciences

Gunboat Number 14, by Jens Kuhn
Publisher: lulu.com; 2 edition (October 11, 2009)
  "It's 1808 and Sweden is at war with Russia...

Still Life With Murder (Nell Sweeney Mysteries (formerly Gilded Age Mysteries)), by P.B. Ryan, 29 customer reviews, 4.5 stars
  From Product Description: "Nominated for the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award, Still Life With Murder is Book #1 of P.B. Ryan’s acclaimed historical mystery series featuring Boston governess Nell Sweeney and opium-smoking former battle surgeon Will Hewitt. Long thought to have died during the Civil War, Will is arrested for murder, and it's up to Nell to prove his innocence. Originally published by Berkley Prime Crime."

Treasure Lost, by R.G. Cordiner, 6 customer reviews, 4.5 stars
  Customer reviews say it's fun for young and old.

A truly unusual e-book:
Development of Nominal Inflection in First Language Acquisition: A Cross-Linguistic Perspective, Editors: Ursula Stephany, Maria D. Voeikova, Ursula Stephany, Maria D. Voeikova, Hardcover $123, Paperback $19.95
  "Language documentation is a rapidly emerging new field in linguistics which is concerned with the methods, tools and theoretical underpinnings for compiling a representative and lasting multipurpose record of a natural language."
  I don't think there'll be a run on this one.  :-)


Check the below at any time:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics - USA: by: NEW: Last 30+ days  May 2011    Publication Date   Late-listed    Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular Highly-rated e-books under $1

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, for now):   99c Notepad,   99c CalendarPro,   99c Converter

Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($164)   DX Graphite

---

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Free Kindle books today + under-$1 ebooks sorted by avg customer rating

UNUSUAL (TEMPORARILY) FREE BOOKS OFFERING TODAY - 5/25/11

Self-Reliance, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, 4 customer reviews, 5 stars
Publisher: The Domino Project; Unabridged edition (May 25, 2011)

From Amazon.com Review:
A Q&A with Ralph Waldo Emerson
"For nearly 200 years, Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance has been the preeminent book on independence, non-conformity, and trusting oneself. At The Domino Project, we believe that Emerson's words are just as relevant today as they were in 1841..."

From Product Description: "Redefining the classic essay, this modern edition of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s most famous work, Self-Reliance, includes self-reflections from both historical and contemporary luminaries. With quotes from the likes of Henry Ford and Helen Keller to modern-day thought leaders like Jesse Dylan, Steve Pressfield, and Milton Glaser, we're reminded of the relevance of Emerson’s powerful words today. Emerson’s words are timeless"


Fair Price, by Laura Lond, 2 customer reviews, 5 stars


2 very short stories that have received good reviews about the writing.


Another free book today:
Sleep, by Infinite Ideas
No customer reviews.
This is the first in a series of very short books or booklets with "techniques to help deal with all types of persistent sleep problems"

CAVEAT:The author modestly says the ideas are 'brilliant' and straightforward, and the little books in the series are about $1 each, which is one way of doing one book's worth of content under several titles, with prices that total about $6.
  Essentially, you can try one for no cost, if interested in this.


If looking for highly-rated e-books under $1, here's a listing of those with highly-rated Kindle books first.


Check the below at any time:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics - USA: by: NEW: Last 30+ days  May 2011    Publication Date   Late-listed    Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, for now):   99c Notepad,   99c CalendarPro,   99c Converter

Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($164)   DX Graphite

---

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Okay Folks, Amazon now has the Kindle3 3G model w/special offers $164. UPDATED

KINDLE-3 3G (Cellular network access included along with WiFi) now available as Special Offers Kindle also, at $164 for web access from almost anywhere.

The image at the top goes to the new product page, and here's the Wall Street Journal article on the Kindle-3 3G SO (3G w/Special Offers).

This comes with Special Offers and Ads as described in the recent articles for the KSO-WiFi-Only.  Special Offers feature is the carrot for the currently low-key ads said to subsidize lower-cost Kindles and which are not seen while reading.

The initial offers for the earlier WiFi Only version that was ready first have included (they expire quickly, so these below are gone but a few may repeat.):

  . $10 for $20 Amazon.com Gift Card
  . $6 for 6 Audible Books (normally $68)
  . $1 for an album in the Amazon MP3 Store
      (choice of over 1 million albums)
  . $10 for $30 of products in the Amazon Denim Shop or Amazon Swim Shop
  . Free $100 Amazon.com Gift Card when you get an
      Amazon Rewards Visa Card (normally $30)
  . Buy one of 30 Kindle bestsellers with your Visa card
      to get a $10 Amazon.com credit
  . 50% off Roku Streaming Player (normally $99)

  Those interested in this might also want to read about the AdMash tool for voting on screensleeper ads for this model.  As before, the only ads that show up are on the 'screensavers' when you're not reading and one line on the bottom of the Home screen as shown in the image above.

Take a look at the new product page for much more info, and I'll update this blog entry a bit later.

UPDATES - Am including all new details from their updated press release.
I was intrigued that the battery life is now stated as "up to two months" -- I guess they decided to rate this at 1/2 hr per day too, which is probably way under what most avid Kindle readers use per day.

Jay Marine, Director, Amazon Kindle, pointed out that $164 is "the lowest price for any 3G e-reader."  And here's more, quoting the press release:

' Special offers that will be available in the coming weeks include (emphases mine):

$10 for a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card - customers loved this offer, so we're making it available again in time for Father's Day
Save up to $500 off Amazon's already low prices on HDTVs with a unique 20% discount on 200 HDTVs from brands including Sony, Panasonic, LG, and VIZIO
$1 for a Kindle book, choose from thousands of books including Water for Elephants and the Hunger Games trilogy
Spend $10 on Kindle books and get a free $10 Amazon.com Gift Card

Kindle 3G with Special Offers includes all the same features that helped make the third-generation Kindle the #1 bestselling product in the history of Amazon.com:
  [Not new, but included so you can compare these features with other e-readers]

Free 3G wireless , no annual contracts, no monthly fees
Global 3G coverage means books in under 60 seconds in over 100 countries and territories
Paper-like Pearl electronic ink display, no glare even in bright sunlight
Lightweight 8.7 ounce body for hours of comfortable reading with one hand
Up to two months of battery life with wireless off eliminates battery anxiety
Kindle Store with over 950,000 books - largest selection of the most popular books
Seamless integration with free "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" Kindle apps for Android, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry and Windows Phone

Kindle 3G with Special Offers is available for immediate shipment to customers in the U.S. at www.amazon.com/kindle3G. '

Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($164)   DX Graphite

---

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

What? CNet's Carnoy says small touchscreen Kindle likely in Fall. ? NEW Nook & Kindle 3G.. UPDATE2

At the Barnes and Noble "Simple Touch Nook" announcement today, reporters were not allowed to touch anything but the frame, if that, and definitely not the touchscreen yet, though it will be shipping in 10 days.  The Nook has no 'buttons' (except the power button) that would comprise a physical keyboard (they count the ~30 Kindle keys as buttons) but will have touchscreen access, and it'll be nice if reporters CAN touch and review it before the shipping date.

  The new Nook is promising -- smaller and lighter than the Kindle 3, WiFi-Only, but with no 3G cellphone model alternative anymore, and promises a longer battery life at 1/2-hr day reading plus a shorter black-flash time (though PC Magazine's Dan Costa could not tell and thinks it was because this may have been a pre-production model).

That's the new Nook in the picture at the top-left, by CNet.  I liked the look of the earlier form factor better, but this new model is said to be easier to hold.  But does it really look particularly pocketable as has been described?

Update
  Also, as a NookColor owner, I'll mention that interested parties might want to google 'customer service nook barnes' (without the quote marks) if interested in that aspect or click this link for the general Google search results on Nook customer service.
  And, here's the same search for 'customer service kindle.'
  I was reminded of this when reading a Comment to the CNet live-blogging page.

Update2
  Amazon's response to this, apparently, was the release of the Kindle 3G/WiFi "Kindle with Special Offers" for $25 more than the Nook price.

  The Kindle's 3G "with Special Offers" model can be used internationally, and the ads are on screensleepers that come up when you're not reading and when the Kindle has gone into sleep mode, which doesn't use battery power because it's a static image.  There's also a line at the bottom of the Home screen for a small ad.

  In return the Kindle Owner of ad-supported Kindles gets a slightly lower price and special offers similar to GroupOn and LivingSocial deals on Amazon products.

  The 3G Kindle also has slow but reliable free 3G web browsing and look-ups at no additional cost in over 60 countries and the ability to download books from almost wherever you may be, in over 100 countries.
  The the slow but reliable free web browser is useful when you need to look up something, and there are no data charges for checking the web and your email.

  If you have data plans on your smartphone, you won't need the web-data feature except that internationally, the smartphone data costs can be very high but the slower access is free with the Kindle.

 I use my 3G Kindle to get step-by-step directions almost anywhere I am, as I'm somewhat direction-challenged.  Since I don't need a monthly smart-phone data plan, I save money with the Kindle's 3G cellphone network access.

  The latest e-Ink Nook will no longer be offered with a 3G cellphone-network access feature.  They're discontinuing that older $199 Nook without replacing it.

  Also, no Nook books are buyable even by U.S. residents when they're not in the U.S. The B&N books are purchasable only if you're currently in the U.S. or Canada.

  The new Nook lists NO web browser anymore either, not even to use with the WiFi connection [updated: there is a hidden one that is not correctly functioning even with google.com searches].
  The old Nook did have a decent one, but B&N removed the web browser feature.  They also removed the music player.
 That's one way of simplifying the new e-Ink Nook.

  There is No Landscape Mode for Nook books, except for children's books.  This can be sort of huge if you need to read PDF guides, manuals, or documents with illustrations in PDF format on a 6" screen.  PDFs with anything but single-column layout are often unreadable on small screens.

  Though the new Nook has a touch screen, you can't increase or decrease the size of text or an image using the finger squeeze or expand movement.

  With the Kindle, any photograph in a book can be zoomed (via a click in the center of the image) to fill the screen, to quite good effect if the image is a high-resolution one as it is with this Beatles Kindle-book.

  With the new Nook, you can't zoom a photograph in a regular book at all.  The lack of image zoom and of landscape mode for Non-children's books is true for NookColor too, much to my disappointment, since I enjoy my NookColor otherwise.

  The new Nook has no WORD support.  Amazon supports WORD documents in that you can send them to your Kindle (via WiFi) via its servers and the document will be converted to Kindle format for you.  This is a very useful feature.  I often highlight passages from webpages and combine them into a Word doc and then send them to my Kindle via Amazon servers.

  In other words, the use of a touch screen was apparently quite costly, since so many features in the first Nook are not made available with the newer Nook.  For reading books, I actually don't like always having to clean fingerprints off the screen to be able to use the touchscreen reliably.

  That much-discussed battery advantage: The Nook Simple Touch is said to have the same amount of battery life as the Kindle when wireless is 'On' but B&N claims "up to two months" if you use the e-reader 1/2 hour a day.

  As of Tuesday, Amazon revised their Kindle battery specs to say "up to two months" probably because it never occurred to them earlier to claim battery use based on so little use of the reader in a week.  Apparently Amazon feels comfortable doing that now, as that basis is used for the new Nook.

  Re that touchscreen:  I use the Nookcolor for reading color magazines and picking it up to do portable color web at home.  With no 3G on it, I don't take it outside.  I have tried for half a year to type email replies on it, but the touchscreen is so oversensitive (no matter how often I clean it with microfibre cloth) that I make typos half the time and then when I press on something to Send a message, the calibration is such that it erases the email.

  So I'm not as keen as others on the Nook virtual keyboard, and I'm not alone, as many have reported at the NookColor TechSupport forums that the keyboard has a mind of its own.


SMALLER-KINDLE Possibility
  CNet live-blogged the announcement, and the following certainly caught my eye.

' From a live blog of the B&N announcement of the simplified Nook with touch screen and no keyboard

7:48 a.m. PT (David Carnoy): I just asked about whether B&N would do a Nook with Special Offers. Lynch said, "No ads on Nooks."
  [Blogging in his own voice]

7:50 a.m. PT (David Carnoy): Everyone should be aware that Amazon will [likely] do this same device within the next few months. Just an FYI. There will be a smaller Kindle this fall IMHO (with a touch screen).

7:51 a.m. PT (David Carnoy): OK, that's it folks. Going to try to shoot a video now. Thanks for participating.

7:52 a.m. PT (John Falcone): David's hands-on impressions (and video!) of the new Nook will be live on CNET soon... stay tuned. '

Well, that is the first time I've heard THAT rumor.

And we'll definitely stay tuned :-)


Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's)   K3 Special ($114)   K3-3G Special ($164)   DX Graphite

---

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers. Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
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ZDNet's Jason Perlow goes Kindle

March 2010
ZDNet's Jason Perlow, over a year ago (March 23, 2010), announced the burial of the Kindle during 2010, the article headed by a large image of a tombstone for the 'Amazon Kindle 2007-2010,' and said that April 3, 2010 (the Advent of the iPad) would "mark the beginning of the end for Amazon's great hardware experiment -- the Kindle."

And, Perlow felt last year that if the Kindle and Nook apps for iPad would continue to be viable, "...then by all means, put a fork in the dedicated e-book readers, they’re done."

August 2010
In August 2010, the Kindle 3 was released, and that changed things quite a bit.  As others had predicted, the iPad and e-Ink readers were complementary, too different in their features to be compared, with any idea that one would 'kill' the market for the other).

May 2011
But give Perlow credit.  Today he wrote a column titled, "Why I finally joined the Amazon Kindle bandwagon"

It's a somewhat tortured piece, explaining that he just thought it was too high-priced, too closed a system (though he'd mentioned the existing Kindle and Nook apps ready for the Ipad) and then adds today that he's "still a firm believer" that:

' "dedicated e-readers will one day go the way of the dodo bird — extinct.  And I’m sure the future of the Kindle brand itself is almost certainly going to be in the form of a tablet computer running on the Android platform."

Translation: "I was right but my timeline was off."

Why do I say that?  He and his wife have bought two Kindle 3's for their vacation :-)

 Why?  Because Kindles are not LCD tablets! :-) They have an iPad but a dedicated e-Ink reader will meet their other needs.

  He adds that he was right in predicting that e-reader prices would drop.  That was a common prediction;  we're talking Electronics!

  The reason they've bought Kindles?  The same reason that so many have chosen it (or the Nook, Sony, Kobo) while also buying tablets.  It's far easier to read in bright daylight.  And I guess that catchy pool ad got to him (I'm just teasing here.)  What Perlow doesn't mention is that the Kindles are far lighter, easier to carry in a purse or pocket, and easier to hold for long periods of time, when you just want to read books.

  I'm puzzled because he states that he firmly believes the Kindle will eventually be a tablet and to explain this belief, he links us to all the recent news stories about the Android tablets. WELL, they're just like iPads in basic features and readability, and yet he's buying two Kindles. :-)

In time, all our current gadgets/toys will be discarded for 'better' ones.  That's a very safe bet.  (I'm hoping for a vivid-color e-paper type screen that's as fast as an LCD one or a somehow-light dual screen solution someday.)

In the meantime, congratulations are in order.  He didn't have to write a column saying he bought them, since he could have just been doing research.  Hoping they do enjoy them.


Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's),   K3 Special, $114   DX Graphite

---

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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PC Mag says Amazon tablets will be ready by the holidays

PC Magazine's Tim Bajarin adds details to the Amazon tablet rumors

Bajarin expands on and verifies (to the extent he can without naming his sources) details in the Amazon Tablet Family story from May 16.

Bajarin writes (emphases mine):

' My sources in Taipei say that the actual product is set to debut in time for the holidays and that the device will use a display similar to the one in the Nook and the Galaxy Tab.

  They also tell me that the original RFQ wanted a screen that could switch between an easy-to-read black and white E Ink-like display and a color LCD, but that this type of screen, which is already in the works by at least two vendors, will not be ready for the market until at least 2012 or early 2013.

  So Amazon was forced to use a 10-inch screen that was available now, which is LCD-based.  It will also reportedly have a 7-inch model.  And I am hearing it will sport a new version of Nvidia's Tegra quad-core chip and will be using Android as its OS. '

  It's a long article.  On the 2nd page is this, re pricing:

' Owning these services and tying them to a solid tablet would be a brilliant move by Amazon, and this is why it's a no brainer for Amazon to add tablet hardware to its already successful Kindle ebook reader line of products.

  And if my sources are correct, it could price the 7-inch version around $349 and the 10-inch model around $449, which would be one of the more aggressive tablets on the market. '

There's much more at the article.


Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's),   K3 Special, $114   DX Graphite

---

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Free Kindle Books - a few promos, 5/24/11

MOSTLY TEMPORARILY FREE BOOK OFFERINGS May 24
As usual, these don't include previews, teaser chapters, or individual short stories.  With an occasional exception, these are usually informational books or more popular ones suddenly free for a short time and which can be lost in all the long listings pointed to in the links-box below.  Those links at the bottom do include many short stories and fantasy/romance fiction popular today.   I've noticed a trend to offer much shorter e-books lately, maybe to match the 99c 'List Price' that works best for new authors.

The Dogs of Rome, by Conor Fitzgerald, 16 customer reviews, 4 stars
Publisher: BLOOMSBURY USA/WALKER (March, 2010)

From Publishers Weekly: "Fitzgerald's impressively plotted debut, the first in a projected contemporary crime series, introduces police chief commissioner Alec Blume, an American expatriate who's been living in Rome for the last 22 years. Since losing both his parents—art historians who were shot and killed during a bank robbery on Via Cristoforo Colombo...the flawed but endearing Blume uses his unique perspective to negotiate his way through a labyrinthine minefield that includes crooked cops, unscrupulous politicians, and an ancient city whose very history is steeped in the corruption associated with organized crime. Those who like gritty crime thrillers with a European flair will be well rewarded. "

From Booklist: "The appearance of a new police series set in Italy is guaranteed to whet the thirst of international crime-fiction fans, especially when a few sips evoke that heady Italian brew that comes from the smooth blending of a corrupt bureaucracy and a flawed, world-weary hero. Fitzgerald mixes the ingredients skillfully, adding a few flavors of his own ... The plot unwinds with some genuine surprises, though not of the simplistic whodunit variety, but the focus here is on character: Blume, of course, but also his colleagues, who are casually comfortable with corruption, as well as the wife, the mistress, and the killer. This promising debut is reminiscent of early Michael Dibdin, and that is more than enough to put Fitzgerald’s series on your radar. --Bill Ott"


The Lens & The Looker: Book #1 of the Verona Trilogy, by Lory S. Kaufman (Author), Lou Aronica (Editor), 7 customer reviews, 4 stars
Publisher: The Fiction Studio (March 1, 2011)

"The first Verona science fiction story is a terrific thought provoking tale.... The Lens and the Looker is a super opening act." --Midwest Book Review

This is Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Magic under Children's eBooks.



Links-Box: Check these at any time to see the latest, which change hourly.

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics - USA: by: NEW: Last 30+ days  May 2011    Publication Date   Late-listed    Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular TIP: Battery-use advice from Amazon

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, for now):   99c Notepad,   99c CalendarPro,   99c Converter

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Temporarily free books for Kindle, 5/23. More Amazon publishing news

TEMPORARILY FREE BOOK OFFERINGS - Mostly business-oriented or motivational today, two with semi-scientific focus

Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today, by David P. Clark, 50 customer reviews, 3-1/2 stars
Publisher: FT Press

From the Publishers Weekly: "...Beginning with Attila's attack of Rome, which was likely stopped by dysentery, and continuing through modern diseases such as AIDS and the Ebola virus, Clark investigates a large number of illnesses and uncovers the ways in which they have impacted historical events...With wit and humor, the author turns death, an ever-heavy topic, into an engrossing exploration of the course of mankind."

That review also mentions a "lack of references."  Some customer reviews say it's inaccurate and shallow and has a decided political viewpoint.


Investor's Library: Fundamental Analysis, Technical Analysis, and Income Investing (Collection), by Harry Domash, Michael N. Kahn, Marvin Appel, Marvin N. Appel, 0 customer reviews

From the Product Description: "...Don’t pay someone to pick stocks! Do it better yourself...!  Next, Michael Kahn completely demystifies technical analysis and shows you exactly how to apply it--easily, painlessly, profitably. Then, Marvin Appel helps you use bonds and income-producing equity strategies to meet your income needs without unacceptable risk."

  Exclamation points and overpromising the features of a book would have me avoiding the product, but it's free, so risk is minimal.


The Truth About Negotiations, by Leigh L. Thompson, 8 customer reviews, 4 stars
Publisher: FT Press

About the Author: "...a Distinguished Professor of Dispute Resolution & Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  She directs the Leading High Impact Teams executive program, the Kellogg Team and Group Research Center, and co-directs the Negotiation Strategies for Managers program."

“The 53 Truths provide incredible insight into the art and science of negotiating. This is a must read for sales professionals but is equally beneficial to all who wish to be better negotiators.”
- CHRIS WEBER, Vice President, West Region Enterprise, Microsoft Corporation

“A superbly presented summary of practical tools and techniques for negotiating in all types of situations, and creating win-win solutions that result in enduring business relationships.  Provides substantiated evidence of what works successfully–and pitfalls to avoid–in the game of negotiation.”
- RUSSELL D’SOUZA, International Credit Manager, Hallmark Cards, Inc.


Your Brain and Business: The Neuroscience of Great Leader, by Srinivasan S. Pillay, 14 customer reviews, 4 stars
Publisher: FT Press

From the Product Description: "...Harvard psychiatrist Srinivasan S. Pillay reveals how the latest research in neuroscience can help you lead, communicate, and collaborate more effectively…"

Certainly a different approach for a motivational work...


AMAZON KINDLE NEWS
Amazon is apparently going into publishing in a big way, which has been upsetting to the traditional book industry.

e-reads reports that "According to an Amazon source, Laurence Kirshbaum, former CEO of the Time-Warner Book Group and more recently a literary agent, 'has accepted the role of Publisher for Amazon’s New York publishing office, effective July 5th.
  "Kirshbaum will assemble an editorial team that will develop and manage new Amazon imprints “with a focus on acquiring the highest quality books in literary and commercial fiction, YA, business and general non-fiction,” said the source."

An earlier e-reads column pointed out that "Amazon has announced the launch of a romance line, Montlake Romance. It will lead off with a novel by Rita-winner Connie Brockway, which will be published in all formats including print.

More genre lines are on the way, starting with fantasy and science fiction. We know because Amazon just hired former Del Rey editor Chris Schluep."


For other types of currently-available free e-books, check the below at any time:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics - USA: by: NEW: Last 30+ days  May 2011    Publication Date   Late-listed    Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, for now):   99c Notepad,   99c CalendarPro,   99c Converter

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Amazon's Trade-In Program now includes Electronics, for gift-card credit

PC Magazine has a good description of Amazon's addition of Electronics 4 days ago to its Trade-in Program, which now allows its members to ship no-longer-wanted gadgets to Amazon in exchange for a gift card -- BUT, they don't want e-readers. :-)  Tablets are on the list though.

The actual exchanges are handled by a third-party merchant.  You can visit Amazon's overall trade-in program page to see how their program is handled.  Also, the list of products eligible for trading is on this page.   Amazon told PC Magazine that "... customers can click the feedback link in the Amazon Trade-in Store and let us know a specific product they would like to trade in."

And here's a page specifically for information on the new Electronics trade-in program.

  Amazon has a regularly updated list of products that qualify for trade-in and customers must make sure their used product exactly matches the product that Amazon is advertising can be traded-in for credit in gift-card form.

  Also, you must be sure that the item is postmarked no more than 7 days after submitting the product-info online.

  Users are asked to assess the quality of the item:  "Like New," "Good" and "Acceptable" - but 'the final decision is up to the merchant that Amazon selects.'

NO E-readers are included in product listings for trade-ins.  Tablets are though. :-) PC Magazine adds:

' Customers are free, to trade in a first-generation Apple 64 GB Wi-Fi/3G iPad (up to $417.25), Samsung Wi-Fi Galaxy Tab (up to $165.25) or HTC EVO 4G Android Phone (up to $209).  Amazon sells that version of the iPad through Pavilion Electronics for $647.99, the Tab for $349.99, and the EVO 4G via AmazonWireless.com for $119.99 (with an early termination fee of $200).

  The trade-in process allows users to print out a shipping label and ship it to Amazon for free, using a single box. The electronic gift card will be added to the user's account within two business days, Amazon said. '

At press time, PC Magazine adds,

' the "Hot GPS Trade-in of the Day" was a Garmin nuvi 370 3.5-inch Bluetooth portable GPS navigator, worth $160 in trade-in value.'

The trade-in program also includes video games, DVDs, and textbooks. '

Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's),   K3 Special, $114   DX Graphite

---

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers. Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Free Kindle Book out Today - history and recipes. News for Star Wars fans

A NEW TEMPORARILY-FREE, INFORMATIONAL BOOK TODAY
that could be lost in the larger listings you can see in the links-box below.

Their Last Suppers: Legends of History and Their Final Meals, by Andrew Caldwell, 14 customer reviews, 4-1/2 stars
Andrews McMeel Publishing LLC (May 4, 2010)

From the Product Description: "...Part historical narrative and part grilling guide and cookbook, Andrew Caldwell's Their Last Suppers: Legends of History and Their Final Meals guides history buffs and gourmands alike through gastronomically inspired biographical accounts of more than 20 legendary personalities...

Unearthing recipes as far back as 323 B.C., Caldwell, the History Chef, provides insight into 2,000 years of culinary lore."

(A review said there are no footnotes though.)

NEWS: Star Wars
In case Star Wars fans missed it: "Random House, Lucas releasing 'Star Wars' e-books"

They're releasing the entire backlist as e-books.  "Thirty titles are currently available in the e-book format, but beginning June 28, all 106 will be available for download."

Apparently these are still very popular and none of the print versions have gone out of print in the last 30 years or so.

"All Star Wars e-books will come with bonus content including additional excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books, an updated Star Wars novels timeline and an introduction to the six major Star Wars eras: The Old Republic, Rise of the Empire, Rebellion, The New Republic, New Jedi Order and Legacy."


As ever, check the below whenever you can:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics - USA: by: NEW: Last 30+ days  May 2011    Publication Date   Late-listed    Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular TIP: Battery-use advice from Amazon

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, for now):   99c Notepad,   99c CalendarPro,   99c Converter

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

More ePub support for Kindle on the horizon? What kind?

TALK OF EPUB SUPPORT BY AMAZON - WHAT'S KNOWN SO FAR?

There has actually been a form of ePub support for awhile in that Amazon announced on its Kindle Publishing Forum on September 22, 2010 that the Kindle Previewer 1.5 (for materials being submitted for publication for Amazon e-book listings) includes "Support for opening ePub files."

There was much discussion in September about this Amazon support of ePub, in submissions, at the Reddit forums under the topic, "Kindle Previewer 1.5 - Supports ePub files!!! (Suggesting kindle will support ePub?)."

  The first posting there opines: "Well, it compiles the epub file with kindlegen and then opens the generated mobi file.  But previewer is supposed to be just that - a previewer - not a compiler, so it could mean that kindles will finally support epub directly."

  In addition to the above, others have mentioned the ePub source bloating recent Kindle mobi book files.  In February, an article by "huw" is titled Kindlegen Bloat: Strip it or Leave it?  (The bracketed words are my additions.)

' If you’ve worked with many ePubs and converted them with [Kindle-file generator] Kindlegen while paying attention to file sizes, you might well have noticed that the [resulting] Kindle files are much larger than the original ePubs — typically around twice as large.
  It turns out that Kindlegen stashes a copy of the original ePub sources inside its output file, which explains the doubling of size.

 Unfortunately, this can lead to super-sized Kindle files, particularly in heavily-illustrated works, since images get duplicated along with everything else.

... Are they planning to use the stashed information in future versions of their Kindle hardware and software, to enable future Kindles to get closer to the layout of the original ePub?  Will future generations of Kindle support ePub directly, and try to find ePub files inside Kindle files?...'

Knowing the above has been true for awhile, here (below) is what made a lot of news on Thursday because of a posting by Goodereader, reported by Teleread.com with interesting reader-comments and by The-Digital-Reader, especially Comments by fjtorres, who tries to explain what is "not" an "open standard" as applied by the various e-readers using ePub and also what the various flavors of DRM (digital-rights management) used on e-books actually entail.

  "Open" vs "Closed"
  At the current time, the Nook can read Sony ePub but not vice versa.
  Apple has its own ePub DRM, which means no other e-reader can read iBook e-books,

  Ironically, Amazon is deemed "closed" by many vs "open ePub," but any Kindle book is readable on a MYRIAD of devices without anyone even needing a Kindle.
  Apple iBook e-books can be read only on Apple devices.

  Apple uses its own, very-proprietary, DRM locks on ePub books.  The Nooks use a credit card type password that, for over a year, prevents them from being read on other ePub ereaders; however, Adobe and B&N have been working on this for a while and may be close to a working solution.

  The Goodereader site is an interesting one to read but seems to have a bit of a checkered history. The-Digital-Reader's Nate Hoffelder carries some very strongly-worded caveats there about "services" offered which Goodereader has since said was the work of a rogue staffer, now gone, as are links to sibling sites.

ePub version 3 to be ready in 2011
  Whatever the meaning of what Goodereader posted yesterday, ePub version-3 IS coming to the world this year and due to be a big update.

  It would delight many to see its more-effective layout features used in some way by Amazon later this year. They did buy, over two years ago, Lexcyle, the maker of Stanza, the native format for which is ePub.

Goodereader's Wording
The wording by Goodereader about ePub Amazon support is somewhat ambiguous.
  Here are excerpts [emphases included are mine] from Goodereader's much-discussed posting of 5/19 with the title, "Amazon to Allow ePub eBooks on the Kindle e-Reader"

' It seems many publishers have been told by the company [Amazon] that in the near-future, they should be submitting their books to Amazon in EPUB format and not exclusively MOBI.  

 They also went on to let us know that Amazon was indeed planning something BIG and that soon the Kindle ereader will have the full capability to read ePub books.  This news has been confirmed by at least 4 publishing companies we have spoken with during the last few days. '

  Note that they don't say DRM'd ePub books by or from other online-bookstores.  However, it's been a long wish that Amazon might at least allow NON-DRM'd ePub books on Kindles so that we don't need to convert them to AmazonMobi format via Calibre.  And best would be the ability to read ePub files as well, probably with Amazon's own DRM.

  Then they add "confirmation" of their announcement by saying,

' Four publishers in the last week have confirmed that Amazon has indeed told them they now have an option to submit eBooks to be listed in the Amazon store in ePub format. '

  The problem with that sentence is we know they've had an option to submit ebooks (for Amazon listings) in ePub format since at least September 2010 and so this didn't actually need publisher confirmation.  Amazon announced this on their own publishing forum.

  So, does Goodereader actually mean "submit eBooks in ePub format to be listed in the Amazon store" when they write "...to submit eBooks to be listed in the Amazon store in ePub format"?  ALL eBook submissions ARE exactly "to be listed in the Amazon store."

  The reason for the ambiguity felt is that in a browse of Goodereader's articles, it's clear that the English used in most of its articles just is not pristine when it comes to grammar.  So it's hard to know what to make of the announcement as worded.

  Again, I think Amazon WILL allow at least non-DRM'd ePub reading eventually, and with Version 3 of ePub to be making waves this year, it makes sense that they will look at making use of the new features of ePub 3 as well -- either by accepting ePub use while using Amazon's OWN DRM (not Adobe's) or via a combination of ePub and Mobi features in an updated version of MOBI that recognizes the new features of ePub with better conversion to MOBI.

  Or they could have an ePub source within the Mobi file as they do now, with the ePub recognized and read as an option while retaining the mobi-format for compatibility with earlier Kindle readers.

Additional Considerations
  There are certain things to be considered in light of how Overdrive has described its option to enable Public Library borrowing by Kindle owners later this year, via giving all borrowers an Option to choose either ePub OR Amazon format, depending on the "destination" device.

  Also, there is the fact that Amazon has announced they'll be tracking and sync'g the usual last-page read (which uses location numbers) as well as annotations on the borrowed library books and keeping that information for later use by the same borrower when re-borrowing or buying a book.

  My own thinking, in Comments made to other blogs
  I'll include two long Comments I made to Teleread and to Liz Castro's site to give some background, as I understand it, on all this.  They're similar but maybe said more clearly in one than the other, so am including both.  I also recommend reading others' Comments that I've linked to above, so that the interested here get a more rounded sense of all this from different perspectives.

    To Teleread.com

' Wording is interesting:

——- “…It seems many publishers have been told by the company that in the
near-future they should be =submitting= their books to Amazon in EPUB format and
=not exclusively MOBI-=.

Also, Kindle Director Jay Marine told Len Edgerly that Amazon won't be using Adobe’s DRM.  No additional software will need to be downloaded or used, he emphasized (it’s normally needed with Adobe’s DRM) and that wireless delivery will be within 60 seconds.

Amazon will track last-page-read and location numbers and sync the borrowed books between devices and also keep a record of annotations (by location numbers) in case the person wants to re-borrow a library title or buy the book from Amazon.

Overdrive has written that only one title will need to be bought by a library but that the user will be able to select between ePub and Amazon-format, depending on destination device.

Amazon did buy Stanza, so ePub capability has always been somewhere in the background. I would imagine that if they present or distribute an e-book in ePub format, it’ll be with Amazon’s DRM.

I agree that they would plan to have the Kindle read non-DRM’d (by others) ePub… '

    To Liz Castro's site

' Overdrive also said that libraries buy ONE title and the borrower will be able to select between ePub or Amazon format, or what they called the destination device.

The libraries don't buy a specifically formatted file but a title that can be delivered in either format whenever this happens. An Overdrive manager said this. See http://bit.ly/kwklibr2 for the quote.

That's all we know from Overdrive at the moment.  We also are told by Amazon that it will track last-page read (presumably using location #'s as they do now) and sync the borrowed books between various devices and save the annotations which can be seen again by that user if they choose to re-borrow or buy the book later.

Amazon has said they won't be using Adobe DRM and that they waited until it was 'right' and done in a 'seamless' way, downloadable within 60 seconds after completing library borrowing process and requiring no additional software or download.
http://bit.ly/kwktc0511.

Amazon will be sync'g with a copy of the ebook on their server.  How they do this will be the question.

Seems to me they worked out a way to provide library books with their own DRM.

Ebooks [in ePub] can be submitted by publishers.  That was the gist today.  I haven't read yet a quote that said other-DRM'd epub books would be readable on the Kindle.

I think it's about time they allowed Kindle owners to read non-DRM'd ePub books at the least.  They did buy Stanza.

I'd love it if they could at least provide the layout features of ePub in some coming combo format maybe. '

There you have it -- more than you'd ever want to be confused by! ... but the issue currently is a puzzlement and I'm just providing background, for what it's worth.


Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's),   K3 Special, $114   DX Graphite

---

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers. Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

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Free Kindle books, a few, mostly-temporary - 5/20/11

UNUSUAL, MOSTLY TEMPORARILY FREE, and under $1 BOOK OFFERINGS HIGHLIGHTED
These don't include previews, teaser chapters, or individual short stories.  With an occasional exception, these are usually informational books that may be lost in all the larger listings you can see in the links-box below.

2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake, by The quakebook community, edited by Our Man in Abiko, 24 customer reviews, 5 stars

  UPDATE As of 2:55 PM PST, I received an alert by firedawn in the Comments area: Although the file was available via Amazon for $0.00 this morning, via the one-click box, it's already no longer free and is now listed as $9.99. End of Update.  So, this lasted barely half a day.  They may have had an unanticipated number of downloads.

From the Product Description: "In just over a week, a group of unpaid professional and citizen journalists who met on Twitter created a book to raise money for Japanese Red Cross earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.  In addition to essays, artwork and photographs submitted by people around the world, including people who endured the disaster and journalists who covered it... contains...work created specifically for the book by authors William Gibson, Barry Eisler and Jake Adelstein."

“The primary goal,” says the book's editor, a British resident of Japan, “is to record the moment, and in doing so raise money for the Japanese Red Cross Society to help the thousands of homeless, hungry and cold survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. The biggest frustration for many of us was being unable to help these victims..."

Amazon has highlighted this book for weeks.  Now that it's free for apparently a few days and therefore there's no revenue during this time that they'd normally just forward to the Japanese Red Cross Society, the ebook's product page points out that a donation can still be made to American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund.  The many customer reviews are worth a read if you're wondering whether to download the book.
[ Again, Amazon's $0.00 price lasted only 1/2 day]

A couple of other new free books that caught my eye
1. How To Publish An Ebook On A Budget - An Author's Guide to the Free Yet Professional Way to Get Your Writing Up For Sale on Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble NOOK, Smashwords and more, by Stephanie Zia, 3 customer reviews, 5 stars

From the Product description: "Written in a straightforward, chatty, easy-to-understand style by a journalist and author of print published fiction and non-fiction.

Includes a step-by-step guide to making ebook covers and thumbnails suitable for the digital stores using free links and the free software that's already in your computer.

With integrated links throughout to help you on your way and for further study."

2. Ashes, by Scott Nicholson, 17 customer reviews, 4 stars

From the Product Description: DRM-free and 99 cents for a limited time [but $0.00 temporarily as of 5/19], professionally formatted by Dellaster Design.  A collection of 12 supernatural stories by bestselling author Scott Nicholson, including "Scarecrow Boy," "Dog Person" and "Sewing Circle."
  Said to be more like melancholy ghost stories.
 

As before, check the below whenever you can:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics - USA: by: NEW: Last 30+ days  May 2011    Publication Date   Late-listed    Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular TIP: Battery-use advice from Amazon

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, for now):   99c Notepad,   99c CalendarPro,   99c Converter

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Kindle News: Amazon selling more Kindle Books than Print books since April 1. Unusual free book for today. AdMash. UPDATE

AMAZON ALREADY SELLING MORE KINDLE BOOKS THAN PRINT BOOKS

First, today's very-interesting new temporarily-free book: Know the Past, Find the Future: The New York Public Library at 100, by various authors.

Penguin Classics released the Kindle edition of the 100th birthday celebration yesterday.  This is another large e-book in file size - 13 MB, so it takes storage space on the Kindle equivalent to approximately 13 average-sized novels and will take a bit longer to download.  It's also "Optimized for larger screens" which means the photos will be in high resolution to look good on a 10" screen also.

UPDATE
As usual, you can zoom a photo to full-screen (most are large but they're actually clearer if you zoom the vertical or Portrait-mode one) by putting your cursor into the center of a photo and clicking there.
HOWEVER, with *SOME* horizontal or Landscape-mode pictures that are about half-page, the Kindle STOPS at "zooming..." and appears to be hung.  It isn't.  It just doesn't know what to do. Press Back button and it returns to normal.

TO GET any small but stubborn half-page Landscape-mode photos zoomed to fill the screen in Landscape mode, you press the Aa text/font key and choose a Landscape orientation first (for some reason).  THEN the photo fills the screen in Landscape mode and is clearer.  To get the text back into Portrait-orientation or vertical mode, press Aa key again and choose the normal vertical mode.  You won't want to do this for most half-page photos, as they're not scenic shots :-)  Those with DX's have automated screen rotation. [End of Update]

  Here's the text from the Product Description:

' From Laurie Anderson to Vampire Weekend, Roy Blount, Jr., to Renée Fleming, Stephen Colbert to Bill T. Jones - more than 100 luminaries reflect on the treasures of America's favorite public library.

  Marking the centennial of The New York Public Library's Beaux-Arts landmark at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, now called the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Know the Past, Find the Future harnesses the thoughts of an eclectic assortment of notable people as they ponder an even more eclectic assortment of objects.

  From among the Library's vast collections, these writers, artists, philosophers, scientists, musicians, athletes, architects, choreographers, and journalists - as well as some of the curators who have preserved these riches - each select an item and describe its unique significance.

  The result, in words and photographs, is a glimpse of what a great library can be.   Published by Penguin Classics for The New York Public Library '

I hopped on that one.

Kindle books outsold print books at Amazon earlier than anticipated by anyone.
Amazon issued a press release today, saying that sooner than even they had anticipated, Amazon is now selling more Kindle books than print books.

' Since April 1, for every 100 print books Amazon.com has sold, it has sold 105 Kindle books.

  This includes sales of hardcover and paperback books by Amazon where there is no Kindle edition.  Free Kindle books are excluded...

  Amazon sold more than 3x as many Kindle books so far in 2011 as it did during the same period in 2010.

  Less than one year after introducing the UK Kindle Store, Amazon.co.uk is now selling more Kindle books than hardcover books, even as hardcover sales continue to grow. Since April 1, Amazon.co.uk customers are purchasing Kindle books over hardcover books at a rate of more than 2 to 1. '

Also, they point out that the new $114 Kindle with Special Offers and ads is currently the bestselling member of the Kindle family in the U.S.  Sold at 3200+ Walmarts where the only other Kindle choice is the $189 3G Kindle, that's not surprising.  And the Special Offers have been attractive enough to some Kindlers who are requesting they be an optional software update for older Kindles (ads would be part of that too).  I'm not one requesting this.

AdMash - a Kindle app (Kindle apps are currently U.S. only)
  Some Kindle owners, including some prominent Kindle bloggers, are writing that they enjoy the new AdMash game-style app which any Kindle 3 owner in the U.S. can 'play' when accessing a WiFi network -- it doesn't work over 3G cellular access, as it would be too costly for Amazon.  I'm not one of those playing, as I prefer my reading space ad-free and Amazon offers non-ad versions of Kindles for those not keen on ads (even those placed so as not to interfere with book reading).  However, most have seemed keen on the Special Offers portion and Amazon's Jay Marine has said they may consider offering the combo as an optional update at a later date as many have requested on Kindle forums).

' Here's how it works.  AdMash will show you two different screensavers and then ask you to vote for the one you like best.  Scrutinize them or go with your gut, it's up to you.  Once you've made your choice, it's on to the next round.  The ones that get the most votes can become Kindle Sponsored Screensavers.  It's up to you and the rest of the community to pick your favorites.

Download AdMash and start voting now.  Play as often as you like and we'll keep adding new screensavers for you to vote on. '

It's an advertiser' dream.  The audience not only winds up viewing more than one ad for an ad campaign but participates in a relatively intense way vs being annoyed by one ad and ignoring it.

  In the examples I saw yesterday, showing what these are like, there were definitely ads I preferred over others and since they will be showing up as screensleepers on the Kindle-SO, owners of that new lower-cost ad-supported Kindle will be the most interested in either choosing one that they'll need to see when the Kindle goes to sleep or making a thumbs-down on the other.
  But those with a Kindle 3 (in the U.S.), whether the Kindle-SO or the WiFi only model, or the one with 3G Cellular network access, will have the option to use the app.


Kindle 3's   (UK: Kindle 3's),   K3 Special, $114   DX Graphite

---

Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers. Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!