Amazon's been attuned to the needs of its vision-impaired customers for years, first rolling out text-to-speech technology on its original Kindle e-reader years ago. Today the company revealed plans to add to that feature set in its Kindle Fire and Fire HD (7-inch) tablets with Voice Guide and Explore by Touch technology. Voice Guide's an improvement upon regular text-to-speech tech that reads aloud any action performed by users -- things like announcing app names and book titles when they're selected. Explore by Touch lets folks swipe their fingers across their Fire's display and identifies each onscreen item as their phalanges pass over them. Once aware of what app or piece of content's being touched, a simple tap opens the item. Ready for the new assisted navigation experience right now? Well, all you anxious Fire owners will have to wait, the update doesn't land until early next year.Filed under: Tablets, Software, AmazonCommentsSource: Amazon Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2012-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Profile has announced a new book from Michael Haag exploring the background of Dan Brown’s... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's annual competition comes with some changes this year as the company plans to self-publish the winner and adds new genres for the contest. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize shortlist includes books from Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, Turkey and India; Orhan Pamuk competes with four other finalists. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The majority of independent booksellers have reported a good Christmas for the supply and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Faber has launched a series of digital-only poetry ebooks being described as "a new way to... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The majority of independent booksellers saw a Christmas sales rise in 2012, with fall-out from... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has revealed that 15% of its bestselling Kindle books in the UK last year were written by... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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French bookshops and cultural product chains are following the UK example in protesting against... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For long-time ebook buyers indoctrinated in Amazon's convenient ecosystem, trying to make the switch to a competitor can lead to frustration and disappointment. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Between December 3 and December 14, Amazon ran its “12 Days, 12 Books” promotion, which saw limited supplies of 12 books reduced to bargain prices over 12 days. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Newspaper publishing vendors and professionals convene in Frankfurt for education, networking, and business opportunities Publishers, journalists, production vendors, and techies from every corner of the digital market met in Frankfurt, Germany, ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Newspapers’ books coverage is even less profitable than newspapers overall, and many book review sections are shrinking or disappearing completely. In an attempt to subsidize such coverage, the Guardian has partnered with the Amazon-owned d ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon closed a deal in Brazil with Bookstore chain Livraria da Vila to sell Kindles through the remainder of 2012 until January 2013. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Ethical Consumer magazine and campaign group has launched a campaign to persuade customers to... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon.co.uk will begin its Boxing Day sales on Christmas Day this year, responding to the fact... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chinese authorities have started investigating Amazon’s methods of selling ebooks in the... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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European Union regulators ended an antitrust probe into ebook prices after Apple and other publishers offered to abandon the possibility of pricing agreements that would have hindered Amazon selling ebooks more cheaply than their rivals. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-12-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The European Union has accepted an offer from Apple and four major publishers to reduce pricing restrictions on content offered at Amazon and other book-sellers. After being caught out by the EU, we heard that the offer was likely to be adopted last month, and the commission has now confirmed... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon only offers the lowest price on its top 20 print bestsellers, with lower-ranked titles... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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At this point, expecting Amazon to actually divulge genuine numbers surrounding its Kindle business would be akin to expecting that so-called "fiscal cliff" to just vanish overnight. That said, the company's playing a little less coy than usual in a new press release that announces A/B testing... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2012-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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