The idea of "social reading" has been around for years, but there's a cluster of new companies trying to make it actually work. Two of these startups, Subtext and Findings, launched Oct. 25. Another, Readmill, built around sharing clips/excerpts, is currently being tested. Subtext, for example, lets publishers and readers annotate ebooks. One of its launch titles was the blockbuster A Game of Thrones, annotated by the author's editor and researcher. Co-founder Rachel Thomas says that in some ways she's just trying to mirror the discussions that readers are already having among themselves. But, she admits, there also are times when you just want to "drop into the book" without being distracted by social commentary. That's why her team has tried to build "fine-grained" controls to determine whose comments you see when. This isn't just about adding a few features to the reading experience. In a recent blog post for the Nieman Journalism Lab, Megan Garber argues that books' immersive, intimate qualities make them "pretty lousy as actual sharers of ideas." With technology, she says, that's beginning to change. Continue reading at 'AdWeek'
[ AdWeek | 2011-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
After attracting more than 50m monthly readers on tablets and smartphones, US startup smashes down its walled garden and hopes partners will see the potentialFlipboard came to prominence as a news-reading app for tablets and smartphones, attracting more than 50 million monthly active readers by... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The retail colossus is aiming to recruit fan fiction writers with their own ambitions to sell, but Wattpad is winning users who want to shareIt’s a cheerful orange giant stuffed with fan fiction and smileys which can garner a billion reads for an erotic One Direction story – scoring 25-year-old... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google has launched a new version of Google Play Books that it hopes will make for a better reading experience for nonfiction titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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While most online news outlets worry about their mobile-first strategy, Matter is trying to create a web-first reading experience. It doesn’t publish a print edition, present a bundled collection of news articles or host advertisements. It ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mobile devices are increasingly being used for social reading and recommendation sites, the... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has a bit of good news today for those that have opted for its least expensive e-reader. The company has just begun rolling out a new software update that brings with it a new reading font that's said to be "higher contrast and crisper" for an even more "paper-like reading experience."... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2012-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ebooks aren't just electronic versions of printed books. They present a different reading experience and, in certain cases, demand their own reviews. Continue reading at The Atlantic
[ The Atlantic | 2012-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The idea of "social reading" has been around for years, but there's a cluster of new companies trying to make it actually work. Two of these startups, Subtext and Findings, launched Oct. 25. Another, Readmill, built around sharing clips/excerpts, is currently being tested. Subtext, for example,... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2011-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new social reading app called Subtext today launches on the iPad with a selection of books laden with annotations from authors and researchers. Continue reading at AllThingsD
[ AllThingsD | 2011-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Thu, 13/10/2011 - 08:50 Jeremy Robson has secured world rights to a book that features the previously unpublished notebooks of Bram Stoker as one of Robson's launch titles for his new imprint at Biteback. Robson bought the rights directly from... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 01/04/2011 - 08:10 Transworld is to publish a limited edition scratch and sniff version of Dirty Tricks by Jo Carnegie. Managing director Larry Finlay said: "This is a new move for us and it's certainly been a challenge for our production... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 02/03/2011 - 08:44 HMV Group has "substantially" backed a social networking site called aNobii, which aims to help readers find buy and share books. The website, www.anobii.com, has existed since 2006 but was bought recently by internet... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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