Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Discuss the latest news and rumors in the magic world.
User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 12th, 2010, 5:20 am

Tim Ellis wrote:It's FINALLY finished and available at

http://www.australianmagician.com



Seth Godin said to give each page on your website ONE JOB. Only ONE THING you want the surfer to do.

I have just spent about 3 minutes on the URL you link to there, and I cannot see your lecture notes ebook.

Might I politely suggest you do a landing page for the notes and link to that? Or at least make it obvious? Or maybe provide a direct link for those that wish to purchase the notes?

User avatar
Tim Ellis
Posts: 939
Joined: July 11th, 2008, 4:08 pm
Location: Victoria
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Tim Ellis » January 12th, 2010, 6:26 am

My mistake

part of the URL was missing

www.australianmagician.com/store

User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 14th, 2010, 6:32 am

Well I'm clearly still an idiot...

I can see the latest ebooks added: deckstress, ultimate blades, credit card fax.

I can see the featured product: 24 years of living next door to Ellis. (currently not available, so odd to have it FEATURED)

I can see the Popular Products: a list of 10 things, none of which are your lecture notes.

But I cannot see anywhere, still, to buy your notes.

I can't be arsed with it anymore Tim.

I think those online marketing chaps call this a lost sale.

FYI, if you spend 5 pages trying to get Genii interested in your notes, I would spend a tiny part of that time creating a landing page for the ebook and send people to that.

User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 14th, 2010, 6:33 am

Here's a wireframe for you to give to your designer for next time.
Last edited by mrgoat on January 27th, 2010, 2:09 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: Image Removed for Size

User avatar
Tim Ellis
Posts: 939
Joined: July 11th, 2008, 4:08 pm
Location: Victoria
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Tim Ellis » January 14th, 2010, 6:53 am

Thank you Mr Goat.

Your advice has been noted.

Anyone else having trouble, you can either click on the section

PRODUCTS BY CATEGORY
Ebooks

Use the search box

or this direct URL

http://www.australianmagician.com/store ... oductId=18

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 27th, 2010, 1:21 pm

And here's the latest reader device ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/bl ... e-coverage
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 27th, 2010, 1:24 pm

I am furiously abusing myself.

Ian Kendall
Posts: 2631
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Ian Kendall » January 27th, 2010, 1:35 pm

Hang on while I furiously try to scrub that mental image from my mind...

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 27th, 2010, 1:39 pm

The Apple iPad has been announced. Lots of activity on the web about it right now.

9.7 inch color screen.
1.5 pounds.
1/2 inch thick.
10 hour battery life.
Runs all iPhone apps and doubles the pixel size so they fit the screen better.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 27th, 2010, 1:46 pm

Nice big screen. Could probably play a video as method so it looks like you put a ball on the screen, cover with a cup and then the ball vanishes. Maybe even a deck vanish. Likely workable for visible wildcard type changes where you use a Mexican type action to unload a double into two cards to display in the hands after the change ;) Much more visible for that stuff than a phone. I'm thinking we just found our virtual closeup pad and feke manager :).

Looking foward to seeing some clever videos to use with this tool
Last edited by Jonathan Townsend on January 27th, 2010, 1:59 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: looks like a fun new toy. here's hoping

User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 27th, 2010, 1:57 pm

ooh the book app is REALLY nice

User avatar
Joe Pecore
Posts: 1914
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Paul Harris
Location: Northern Virginia

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Joe Pecore » January 27th, 2010, 2:10 pm

Just saw this about Ebooks for iPad and iPhone:

- New app: iBooks.
- Five of the biggest publishers in the world are part of this. Harper Collins, Penguin, and more.
- Its opening up this afternoon for the iPhone.
- You can change the fonts, tap to change the page, or just flip the page with your finger.
Share your knowledge on the MagicPedia wiki.

User avatar
Magic Newswire
Posts: 2500
Joined: March 29th, 2008, 12:32 pm
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Magic Newswire » January 27th, 2010, 2:10 pm

Looks awesome. Anxious to hear price. Hear rumors of subsidy, but who knows.
Unlimited 3G data for $29.99. 250 MB for $14.99

User avatar
Magic Newswire
Posts: 2500
Joined: March 29th, 2008, 12:32 pm
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Magic Newswire » January 27th, 2010, 2:18 pm

There we go... starting at $499 - $829 and shipping in 60 days

Image

Nice keyboard dock

Image

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 27th, 2010, 2:38 pm

Someone posted an essay on the Huffington Post which has the title that the iPad is more important than the President's State of the Union speech tonight.

Food for thought.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
Joe Pecore
Posts: 1914
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Paul Harris
Location: Northern Virginia

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Joe Pecore » January 27th, 2010, 2:39 pm

Wikipedia being updated with all the specs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_iPad
Share your knowledge on the MagicPedia wiki.

Pete McCabe
Posts: 2332
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Simi Valley, CA

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Pete McCabe » January 27th, 2010, 2:42 pm

Sadly, unless I missed something, the display is a backlit LCD, which means that it is not suitable for long-term reading. I don't know when I've been this disappointed by one single spec. The device is sensational and the price is unbelievable. But I am in the market for an ebook reader and I don't see how I can buy this one.
But how could I buy an e-ink device that costs more and does so much less? Damn.

User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 27th, 2010, 2:45 pm

Pete McCabe wrote:Sadly, unless I missed something, the display is a backlit LCD


LED

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 27th, 2010, 2:55 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:Someone posted an essay on the Huffington Post which has the title that the iPad is more important than the President's State of the Union speech tonight.

Food for thought.


Got a link for that one?

Now if he was gonna be using some of that $1.5T to buy us iPads and encourage literacy...

Pete McCabe
Posts: 2332
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Simi Valley, CA

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Pete McCabe » January 27th, 2010, 3:32 pm

I'm pretty sure it is an LCD with an LED backlight. This is the same thing Samsung (I think) was selling as an "LED TV."

In either case it would not matter: the key factor in eyestrain is whether the display creates its own light (like LCD or LED) or merely reflects ambient light (like e-ink or the reflective mode in the new Pixel Qi screen).

User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 27th, 2010, 5:14 pm

Pete McCabe wrote:I'm pretty sure it is an LCD with an LED backlight. This is the same thing Samsung (I think) was selling as an "LED TV."

In either case it would not matter: the key factor in eyestrain is whether the display creates its own light (like LCD or LED) or merely reflects ambient light (like e-ink or the reflective mode in the new Pixel Qi screen).


I guess we won't know until we try and read a book on one for 4 hours.

User avatar
Tim Ellis
Posts: 939
Joined: July 11th, 2008, 4:08 pm
Location: Victoria
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Tim Ellis » January 27th, 2010, 8:15 pm

Wow. Our lecture notes will look great on this! ;)

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 27th, 2010, 9:59 pm

Everything will look great on one ... assuming people buy it.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Pete McCabe
Posts: 2332
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Simi Valley, CA

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Pete McCabe » January 27th, 2010, 10:07 pm

mrgoat wrote:I guess we won't know until we try and read a book on one for 4 hours.


The screen is exactly the same as the one on my son's new iMac. I've tried reading on it for a while. My eyes hurt long before I got anywhere near 4 hours.

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 27th, 2010, 11:42 pm

I have a new MacBook pro laptop with a 13 inch glossy screen. I read on it for hours and hours with no problem at all.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
Steve Bryant
Posts: 1947
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Ballantine
Location: Bloomington IN
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Steve Bryant » January 27th, 2010, 11:52 pm

It's an exciting product. Too bad we have to wait 90 days for the 3G version.

User avatar
John M. Dale
Posts: 299
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby John M. Dale » January 28th, 2010, 1:35 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:I have a new MacBook pro laptop with a 13 inch glossy screen. I read on it for hours and hours with no problem at all.


I'm with you, Richard, I spend hours on both a Mac & an iPhone nearly everyday & never noticed any "eyestrain." BTW, what are the symptoms of eyestrain?

JMD

User avatar
CraigMitchell
Posts: 1791
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Magic
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby CraigMitchell » January 28th, 2010, 2:25 am

I did enjoy that Steve Jobs referred to it as "the best web experience you've ever had"

How will he possibly explain to the millions of people who rush out to buy the device that their favourite websites are inoperable because the iPad doesn't support Flash. Even the NY Times website he demoed was missing content as it was Flash.

Horrible omission on the part of Apple - and going to cause great upset amongst customers who just won't understand why their iPad doesn't 'work properly'

There is also no SD slot to upload photos from your camera ... photo viewing / sharing was another key feature for your average mom & pop user. An embedded web cam would have also made it ideal for Skype in the family room / lounge environment.

Hopefully Apple get it right in version 2.0

User avatar
Tim Ellis
Posts: 939
Joined: July 11th, 2008, 4:08 pm
Location: Victoria
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Tim Ellis » January 28th, 2010, 2:44 am

I like my iPhone.

I like my laptop.

The iPad replaces neither... :(


But their promotions are exceptionally enthusiastic - almost to a Scientology level of devotion!

User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 28th, 2010, 5:08 am

Tim Ellis wrote:I like my iPhone.

I like my laptop.

The iPad replaces neither... :(


Exactly.

That's the clever bit.

They would be idiots if they launched something that cannibalised their existing product line.

It replaces your kindle. And then some.

hugmagic
Posts: 288
Joined: January 20th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: OHIO
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby hugmagic » January 28th, 2010, 7:33 am

I will use none of the forementioned as my primary means to read. I can't sit in bed on the toilet or in the tub with any of these.

Richard
Richard Hughes
www.hughesmagic.com

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 28th, 2010, 9:16 am

Tim Ellis wrote:...exceptionally enthusiastic - almost to a Scientology level of devotion!


Yeah that "best internet browsing experience" speech could have gone well with some exhuberant couch bouncing.

Jim Maloney
Posts: 708
Joined: July 23rd, 2001, 12:00 pm
Location: Central New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Jim Maloney » January 28th, 2010, 9:52 am

hugmagic wrote:I can't sit in bed on the toilet or in the tub with any of these.


A couple of points:

1. I hope you're missing some commas there.
2. Why can't you do any of those? The only thing on that list that might give you trouble is in the tub, and the common suggestion is to put it in a ziplock bag. There are also cases that you can put them in and submerge them underwater without any problem. In that sense, it's an improvement over physical books.

-Jim
Books and Magazines for sale -- more than 200 items (Last updated January 10th, 2014. Link goes to public Google Doc.)

naquada
Posts: 260
Joined: March 4th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Reading, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby naquada » January 28th, 2010, 10:15 am

also iBooks is only available in the USA.. not the uk or other countries as yet...

Theres no real info on how you can easily get pdf's onto the device for reading in iBooks (assuming its available in your country!) or epub's not brought through apple..

its a huge leap forward.. and i'm just aching for something I can use to read PDF's/epubs/ebooks like a book reader (I currently have the sony touch)

I could really drool using the iPad to browse and read the conjuring arts research center on safari on it.. (given the pages there are pdf's in essence!)

for the magic pdf's and ebooks.. it would be nice to have them in iBooks..

we'll have to see whats sorted for the UK, and the data deals.. and if its worth waiting for 2nd gen (I had an iphone from gen 1 upwards...)
Member of The Magic Circle
www.magicconventionguide.com

User avatar
mrgoat
Posts: 4242
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brighton, UK
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby mrgoat » January 28th, 2010, 10:43 am

naquada wrote:also iBooks is only available in the USA.. not the uk or other countries as yet...


Same with iTMS and App Store when they launched.

naquada wrote:Theres no real info on how you can easily get pdf's onto the device


They showed reading a PDF from the email client in the demo yesterday.

David Alexander
Posts: 1549
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Aurora IL

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby David Alexander » January 28th, 2010, 11:38 am

Gary Trudeau in Doonesbury had a thought on this today:

http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 28th, 2010, 11:46 am

"Render this in Helvetica" ... might work.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 28th, 2010, 12:01 pm

It's always been a total farce that there's no version of Flash that works with any cellphone. I didn't realize that the iPad won't handle Flash, either, however I think this is something they'll fix pretty quickly.

I think a lot of folks are going to hang back and wait for the second or third iteration of the device before taking the plunge.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Jim Maloney
Posts: 708
Joined: July 23rd, 2001, 12:00 pm
Location: Central New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Jim Maloney » January 28th, 2010, 12:28 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:I didn't realize that the iPad won't handle Flash, either, however I think this is something they'll fix pretty quickly.


It would have been easy to handle before the launch, but they didn't. What makes you think they'll be anxious to correct it now?

-Jim
Books and Magazines for sale -- more than 200 items (Last updated January 10th, 2014. Link goes to public Google Doc.)

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Ebooks - the pros & cons...

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 28th, 2010, 12:30 pm

What's the biggie about Adobe Flash?
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time


Return to “Buzz”