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Google Play Books for iOS catches up to Android version with mapping info, user guide
Apple devices will finally get a Google Play Books update received by Android users back in September that packs a couple of useful new flourishes. The headliner is a geographical look-up feature that lets you see a description and Google Maps view of a location from a book just by tapping and holding on it in flowing text mode -- letting you supplement A Moveable Feast with details about Paris, for instance. Mountain View also added a user guide, support for fixed layout EPUB books plus Japanese vertical flowing text and the ever-popular "substantial improvements in performance and stability." Now that Maps is back in the Apple fold, hopefully similar location features will hit more of Google's iOS apps -- meanwhile, hit the source to grab today's update.
The Daily Roundup for 04.01.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
UK publisher building Minecraft cottage industry
Minecraft continues to prove its status as a genuine cultural phenomenon, with UK children's publisher Egmont announcing plans to publish four handbooks, two other books, and a magazine, all about that one game.Planned for release in Europe this September, the range includes books focused on individual activities and items withing Minecraft: The Beginner's Handbook, The Redstone Handbook, The Combat Handbook, and The Construction Handbook. Those things could probably all be part of one Minecraft handbook, but what do we know?The Minecraft Annual is more of a general book about enjoying Minecraft, "packed with step-by-step instructions for exciting builds and projects, tips from the experts, cool things to make, games to test your brain power and codes to unravel." The Poster Book is self-explanatory, and the All About Minecraft magazine should be as well.So, Minecraft is the new Pokémon?
Nook for iOS adds support for high-res iPad magazines, Nook Comics
Barnes & Noble may have saved most of the limelight today for in-app purchasing on Nook hardware, but it's not leaving other platforms by the wayside. Its Nook 3.4 update for iOS focuses heavily on visuals, with new support for both Nook Comics as well as "HD" magazines on Retina display-equipped iPads. Likewise, there's some spring cleaning afoot: the app offers better organization for periodicals, the option to expand book illustrations and newly animated page turns. Swing by the App Store if you've got enough of a toehold in Barnes & Noble's ecosystem to use its software.
TUAW Bookshelf: Mac Hacks
Mac Hacks ($19.99 e-book, $24.99 print, $27.49 combo) by Chris Seibold is packed with fun and useful OS X-themed tips for anyone looking for non-obvious ways to get more from their Mac. Like Seibold's earlier Big Book of Apple Hacks, Mac Hacks offers ways that technically savvy readers can better take charge of their system. This volume is current, and its tips are specifically compatible with OS X Mountain Lion. From nondestructively partitioning drives to building Mountain Lion installers on flash drives, Seibold has collected a lot of useful information into his book. When you buy a book like this, you're essentially purchasing a condensed collection of ideas. I encourage you to stop by the O'Reilly site and look at the Table of Contents for the book, which is packed with "Oh, I didn't know you could do that!" ideas. The book is a great gift for any Apple geek in your life. Just remember that the content tends to skew more "experienced" and less "noob."
Google reportedly halts print editions of Frommer's guidebooks
Were we really expecting a different outcome? Several months after Google bought Frommer's to bolster its location efforts, Skift hears that the iconic travel guide maker has completely stopped publication of print editions as its focus swings to the online realm. Authors say that many of their scheduled Frommer's books now won't be published; a few say their contracts were simply delayed, but the usual raft of guides that would show at this time of year just haven't materialized. We've reached out to Google to confirm what's going on, although the writing may have been on the wall when the bookstore disappeared from the Frommer's site in September. If true, many travelers will have to either switch to rival guides or use Google's digital parallels to learn what's interesting in a strange new land. [Image credit: Caitlin Regan, Flickr]
DevJuice: Sneaking a peek at Bill Van Hecke's upcoming book
If the name William Van Hecke doesn't ring a bell, he's the User Experience Lead for The Omni Group. He's the guy behind those beautiful interfaces, or as he puts it, "I try to make Omni Group software look presentable and behave politely." When my editor at Pearson said I could get a sneak peak at his Learning iOS Design manuscript, I jumped at the opportunity. I've heard Bill speak several times at conferences, and am a big fan of his practical design approach. Learning iOS Design is basically design porn for developers. It offers chapter after chapter of advice, tips and explanations. From a tour of system-supplied classes to the essence of visual and functional simplicity, this book provides an in-depth dive of app design and the user experience. My favorite of the chapters I was able to preview were Chapters 8 and 9, "The Graceful Interface" and "The Gracious Interface," which describe how apps accommodate user tasks in both beautiful and user-centered ways. Other chapters discussed the design tension between richness and plainness, goal-centered design (with a big section on removing features that distract from an app's focus), prototyping and developing cross platform. After my initial taste of this book, I can't wait to read it in its final form. You can preview the table of contents here and a pre-order page is already live. The book should ship in June.
Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson needn't testify in e-book case
Steve Jobs' biographer Walter Isaacson has been dropped from the upcoming Apple e-books price-fixing case, according to Paid Content. Class-action lawyers had originally subpoenaed Isaacson to submit his notes from interviews with Jobs regarding the iBookstore. However, Isaacson refused to do so, noting a New York law that allows a journalist to shield their sources. But new court documents filed last week reveal both parties have agreed to drop Isaacson -- and his notes -- from the case. The lawsuit alleges Apple -- and Jobs in particular -- colluded with publishers to inflate e-book prices. In September of last year Apple agreed to stop e-book price fixing in Europe. The e-book price fixing case in the US commences June 3.
Massively interviews Genese Davis, author of MMO novel The Holder's Dominion
We all love video games, right? I mean, you wouldn't be here if you didn't, would you? Of course not. But you know what else is pretty great? Books! But who said you needed to choose between the two? Thanks to up-and-coming writers like Genese Davis, you can have the best of both worlds. Genese is the author of The Holder's Dominion, a novel that follows protagonist Kaylie Ames as she and her friends delve into the mystery of the fictional MMO Edannair, where the enigmatic Holder, leader of an in-game organization known as Sarkmarr, has begun sending his disciples on dangerous real-world missions. It's up to Kaylie and company to figure out who this mysterious Holder really is and foil his (or her) nefarious schemes. And as it so happens, we had the opportunity to take an advance look at The Holder's Dominion and pick Genese's brain on the MMO industry, girls in gaming, and much more. To find out what she had to say (and believe us, you want to), head on past the cut and check out the full interview.
Apple highlights self-published iBooks with new Breakout Books section
In a move intended to make discovering independent authors easier on the iBookstore, Apple has launched a new sub-section of the US iTunes Store called Breakout Books. Previously rolled out in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK, the section is meant to promote titles from writers who've opted to go it alone in the world of iBooks, offering selections from various genres added as -- in Apple's words -- "they begin to take off." Currently, the section has indie offerings broken down into romance, sci-fi & fantasy and mysteries & thrillers. We're not exactly sure why Apple chose to spotlight romance novels above everything else, but we're guessing it has something to do with the fact that Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Or maybe romance novels are just that popular on iTunes? If that's the case, look for our new book, Someone TUAW Love, to hit the iBookstore soon!
Cut the barcode scanning cord with CLZ Barry for iPhone
Did you have a New Year's resolution to organize your book collection (again)? It's definitely on the list in our household, but it's a daunting job; we have thousands of books (literally and literarily) scattered across many shelves, basement boxes and a home office, plus another whole library at my wife's office in desperate need of some database love. A bit of luck, though: bibliophiles have a leg up on most other varieties of packrat, as almost all modern books have an ISBN, a number that purports to uniquely identify them. Capturing that ISBN may be a manual process for older titles, but for anything published in the last few decades there's almost certainly a UPC or EAN barcode on the cover with the ISBN encoded in it. Getting serious about cataloging might prompt you to consider a Bluetooth hardware barcode scanner like the US$149 Intelliscanner mini, which can be used with its own bundled media database or with powerful software tools like Readerware, Book Collector or Bookpedia. One well-known Mac app lets you scan UPC barcodes with your Mac's iSight camera alone. But you've already got a powerful camera attached to your touch and voice-activated pocket computer. Why not scan barcodes with your iPhone, and use them to populate your desktop catalog app? That's where the special talents of CLZ Barry ($7.99 for iPhone, also for Android) come into play. CLZ Barry, made by the same folks behind the Collectorz.com Book Collector and other media database apps, is a barcode scanning app with a twist. The core functionality for scanning codes in Barry is built atop the RedLaser SDK, so it scans quickly and accurately. You can keep a running list of codes locally in Barry, and share them out via email, text message or iTunes download. The magic is in the fourth sharing mode for scans: Barry cleverly pairs with a buddy application running on your Mac or PC. If both the iPhone and the computer are on the same WiFi network, your scans from Buddy instantly appear in the active text field of the foreground app, just as if you had typed the ISBN on the keyboard. Assuming your catalog app has a quick entry or multiple entry mode (all the ones listed above do), you can blithely scan away as you climb the ladders/dig in the boxes/roam the stacks, and have all the cataloging done by the time you get back to your desk. (Bruji's $3.99 Pocketpedia can do a similar trick, but only with the company's own desktop apps.) This sounds a bit Rube Goldberg, but in practice it works extremely well. The iPhone's camera is plenty accurate for scanning, and the Barry app supports older hardware down to the iPhone 3GS and the fourth-gen iPod touch. You get clear audible and visual feedback on a successful scan, so you don't have to glance at your computer to see if the code made it over. I've tested Barry with both Bookpedia and Delicious Library, and it works great; a trifle slower than a dedicated USB handheld scanner, but more than adequate for the task. Now, you could manage your entire book collection on your iPhone, but the biggest source of book catalog information won't necessarily be available. Back in 2009, Amazon began enforcing a restrictive clause in its API agreement that forbade licensees from using "Product Advertising Content" -- book images and descriptions -- on any mobile device app. This immediately put an end to popular iPhone apps like the iOS version of Delicious Library and Bruji's original Pocketpedia. Pocketpedia 2 actually made it back to the store for about two months before Amazon sank it again; it was more than two years before Pocketpedia 3 arrived (with a new model for Amazon search that skirts the earlier issues), and it's coming up on its first anniversary this April.
Amazon quietly introduces Kindle rentals for US readers, bases prices on duration (updated)
Think you can finish a 168-page novel in a month? It might pay to opt for Amazon's new Kindle rental feature, now available on an incredibly limited number of titles. A few options published by Princeton University Press appear to represent the site's introductory offering. The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking isn't exactly a bestseller -- we weren't able to locate any eligible books from that list -- but it's a popular enough title, with a current rank of 1,432 (if the rental option takes off, that position's likely to change). You can buy it outright for $9.99, or you can instead opt for a 30-day rental. Prices there start at $5.50, increasing by pennies each day until you reach the buy price (in this case, that'll happen at the end of June). This new rental option certainly seems appealing, unless you're the type who slowly makes your way through a text over the course of a year. The feature appears to be open to any US-based Kindle owners, though you'll need to do quite a bit of digging before you locate any titles with the rental option affixed. In fact, if you wouldn't mind, do us a favor and share your findings in the comments section after the break -- we have quite a few bookworms on staff who wouldn't mind saving a buck or two. Update: It's likely that the book rentals currently available have been internally categorized as textbooks, which is prompting such an offer to appear. We've reached out to Amazon and are awaiting confirmation.
Yep, there's now a 'seal of approval' for the scientific accuracy of novels
Ever think that the mystery and sci-fi genres could use an extra shot of reality? Well, if the Washington Academy of Sciences has anything to say about the matter, you'll never again need to wonder if a novel is littered with misinterpretations and inaccuracies. The group -- which dates back to 1898, when it was co-founded by Alexander Graham Bell -- has introduced a seal of approval to inform readers whether a novel conforms to generally accepted scientific fact. Any willing novelist may submit their work to the organization, which then sends it through the peer review gauntlet. The certification program has been in place since June, but has flown under the radar before now. Since its inception, four novels have been certified by the WAS, and an additional book is said to be under review. Maybe once the word gets out, authors will know where to turn when they're looking to get the facts straight.
Sorry folks, book publishers don't know Apple's plans
I've been working on a book for the next version of iPhoto for a while now. I have some friends who have been working on a book for the next version of iWork since last August, too. Matter of fact, my iPhoto book has a publishing date of March 31, 2013. These books are being written for Pearson, the largest publisher in the world. I also have a book in the works about iOS 7 with another publisher. That is scheduled to be published on October 7, 2013. I know, it's going to be an exciting year for Apple software releases, right? Maybe a lot of you hope I'll leak what the big new features of the next version of iPhoto will include or how my friends are enjoying playing around with the beta of the soon-to-be new version of iWork '13 and iOS 7? I could probably sell those secrets for thousands of dollars (or maybe millions if I can get Samsung interested!) The only problem is that I, nor my friends, nor my publishers have any proof that these products are actually real. We've never seen a beta. We've never been told by Apple that these are going to be released. I'm writing this article because time and time again I see it reported that some tech site has found evidence of a book about an unreleased Apple hardware or software product has been prematurely listed on Amazon. The tech site takes this as proof and pretty soon other tech sites are reporting on this "evidence." The book has a release date and ISBN after all. It must be real. No. I can tell you with absolutely certainty that these prematurely leaked books are never signs of any upcoming Apple products. "But then how can you be writing a book on the next version of iPhoto," you might ask? The answer is, while I am writing a book on the next version of iPhoto (right now the the publisher and I are calling it iPhoto X), I'm actually writing a book on the current iPhoto '11. Then, when Apple actually unveils the next version of iPhoto, I'll spend 2-3 weeks learning all the new features, update the manuscript, and hopefully have it on store shelves within 4-5 weeks of the new version being released. This is what publishers of all consumer technology books do. Publishing is a very competitive world. Consumer tech books particularly, besides having a lot of competition, have a relatively short shelf life. A book on the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 is only sellable until the next iPhone and the next iOS. So it's to the publisher's advantage to get a book out on a piece of software or hardware as close to the actual release date of that product as possible. Since Apple never releases betas of their desktop apps, authors like me begin writing the books on the (hopefully) upcoming software so we can have the book as completed as possible when the new version does actually come out. Writing a tech book takes a lot of work from a lot of people -- not just the author. After I finish the first draft of a manuscript, my primary editor needs to look it over and suggest corrections and/or changes if necessary. Then the developmental editor has a go at it. Then the technical editor takes a look and does the same. After that I take another look, make any changes, and then it's back to my primary editor, developmental editor, and the technical editor again. If everyone is happy then the manuscript goes to the copy editor and finally back to me. That doesn't even include the art director who needs to set and proof the images in a book (and with a tech book you have a lot of images). If a publisher would wait to commission a tech book on a product until the day it was actually announced, that book wouldn't hit shelves for probably 5 to 6 months. That's a lot of lost sales. So it's very practical for publishers to do it the way they do: commission and write the book before any announcement, make sure that book is as good as it can be, and then update it when the new product actually comes out. This way benefits readers and stockholders alike as the readers are sure to get a completed, technically accurate, knowledgable book since the publisher and author can spend more time writing the new bits instead of rushing to get the whole book out quickly. The stockholders in the publisher are sure to get a steady stream of sellable books while the subject is still relevant. Of course, both I and my publisher are hedging our bets. A new iWork '12 didn't come out in 2012, so my friends writing that book have a great manuscript on iWork '09. But they can't do anything with it until they can update it with iWork's new features when the new version actually ships. That means the authors won't be making any royalties for a long while on a work that has been virtually completed. Another danger is that you write a book on the next version of a product based on its current iteration, but then the next version of the product turns out to be radically different. Then most of your work would have been for nothing, and you need to start all over. However, since this rarely happens (although it did from iMovie HD to iMovie '08) it's usually in the publisher's interest to bet a product won't be radically different because the extra five months of sales that you would need to sacrifice to wait for certainty would cost you a lot. Now about those Amazon leaks. In order to get a publishing contract finalized between an author and a publisher, among other things, you need a title, a release date, and an ISBN. Publishers usually plan their book release schedules a year in advance so they have a reasonable idea where their sales are going to come from. Once your contract is finalized, your as-yet-to-be-written book is then entered into the publisher's database. Occasionally these databases will be sent to Amazon or other distributors where the books will be listed. I'm sure by March you'll see my upcoming book on iOS 7 show up on some international Amazon site. It'll probably have an October publishing date. Again, this means nothing. My now titled iPhoto X book (last year it was titled iPhoto '12 -- and then that never actually shipped. Bummer.) will probably show up too. It'll even have a cover. I've seen it. Of course this cover is just a placeholder showing the current iPhoto so the art team can get as much of the book finished now as possible. But these dates especially are flexible and aren't there based on any input from Apple or knowledge about its plans. They're there for contractual and scheduling purposes only and can (and will, frequently) change. So don't get too excited from now on when you see books for unannounced Apple products "leaked" on Amazon. Sure, I guess it is possible (anything is, right?) that Apple decided to break with protocol and give some lucky author and publisher an advanced copy of some software so they could write a book on it. But you need to ask yourself, why would they do this? What's in it for Apple? Apple doesn't get a cut of books sales about their products (unless it's on the iBookstore -- but even cuts of fiction books go to Apple then). And as Apple's help info always goes live online when a new product ships, they don't need the help of third-parties educating customers the day a product goes live. So sorry to squelch the hopes of those of you who always get excited about these book leaks, but at the very least I hope this clarification will save some tech journalists unneeded keystrokes typing up a story that wasn't.
Google Play brings Books and Movies to Russia, keeps reaching more audiences
A little over a month after announcing the imminent arrival of more Google Play content to a few areas around the globe, the Mountain View-based company has let it be known that a couple of its media services are now also available in Russia. While today's announcement only includes the ability to rent / buy movies and books (purchases only) from the Play store, something tells us Russian users invested in Google's extensive ecosystem will still be happy to hear they, too, can get a piece of the pie. Additionally, and not surprisingly, the search giant is quick to point out that there's a ton of Russian-language video and reading content, including films such as Shadow Boxing and bestseller books from authors like Tatyana Tolstaya.
Amazon and Google shower content love on Brazil
Through the magic of pure coincidence (or not), Amazon and Google have spontaneously started offering e-books in the land of Brazil. In addition, Amazon has also introduced its Kindle e-reader to the region (available over "the next few weeks") for the equivalent of $145. The Next Web notes that Amazon's move comes after it successfully gained control of the desired domain name from a local company, and also after it poached Apple's Brazilian director to head its own operations there. Meanwhile, Mountain View's Brazilian incursion lacks political shenanigans, but adds movie rentals and purchases. If you're in the area, head to the source links to bookmark something unputdownable. [Thanks, Felipe]
Google Play store now accepting pre-orders for books, bibliophiles rejoice
Google's been kicking around the idea of pre-orders in its Play Store for a while, and now we know exactly how that'll pan out. You can now indulge in some pre-launch book ordering on the website as well as on Android devices -- the goodies are listed under the "New and Coming Soon" section. Take the plunge, and the dough will disappear from your account the moment the title's out, landing instantly in your online library and apps. Weirdly, however, if there's a change to the pricing or the release date, the order is cancelled, forcing you to virtually flash the plastic once more. Mountain View's been right on top of the game when it comes to releasing updates, enhancements and bug fixes around its ecosystem, mostly anyway -- and the latest addition might just tickle book shoppers more than some other ways we know of.
New iPad mini commercials debut
Apple has released two new TV ads for the iPad mini. Following on the success of the popular "Piano" commercial, "Photos" and "Books" (seen below) both capture the idea that the iPad mini can do everything that its bigger sibling can do, just in a smaller form factor. "Photos" features the voices of Bobby Darin and Johnny Mercer in a 1960 recording of "Two of a Kind," as related photos are displayed on an iPad and iPad mini. "Books" pairs up books on the two screens -- The Sun Also Rises alongside The Valley of the Moon, East of Eden next to How the West Was Won and Moby Dick facing off with Gone Fishing. The ads are sure to be in heavy rotation leading up to the holiday gift-buying season.
DevJuice: Ray Wenderlich releases new iOS 6 learning book
Ray Wenderlich is a really nice guy and a good instructor. His site RayWenderlich.com offers a huge number of tutorials suitable for new and experienced iOS developers, written by his in-house team of experts. (Update: Ray just wrote me and asked me to emphasize that, so I bolded it.) Now, he's releasing a self-published e-book called iOS 6 by Tutorials. A 1500-plus-page PDF, this book compiles all those tutorials into a single reference. At $54, it's not exactly cheap, but if you already love the tutorials on his site, this reference is worth the price compared to the work you'd have to put in to figuring it all out yourself. The full source code is included.
DC Comics makes deal for Kindle, iBookstore, and Nook
I've written a few times here about Comixology and its strong hold on comics on the iPad, and DC Comics has now signed a deal to put its funny books on three big digital platforms, including Apple's iBookstore. iBooks already had some DC graphic novels available, but this deal is set up to bring DC's monthly releases to customers there as well. DC says that digital sales per title top out at about 40 percent, but overall are up 197 percent year over year, showing that there's a huge amount of potential in selling digital comic books over devices like the iPad. This news is bad for Comixology. While that company still has a great app, a huge userbase and licenses for all kinds of awesome content, you have to think that the iBooks audience is bigger, and Apple's licensing department can eventually get whatever it wants. If comics become a big deal on the iBookstore, that seems like it can only hurt Comixology's sales. Comixology is a company that's being run very well, and I have no doubt that they're already thinking about how to compete with iBooks. But for now, this is just good news for comic book fans; you'll have one more way to grab your monthly issues on the iPad.
