Gadget Review - Boyue Likebook Ares


An eReader with a pen.

I'll be upfront, I mostly got this eReader because it's the only one on the market with a USB-C connection. OK! OK! That's not the main reason. It has pretty good support from the manufacturer and a vibrant community around it. Masses of memory, warm lighting, and oodles of space. And, I think, pretty hackable. […]

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Converting the Voynich Manuscript into an eBook


A mysterious old book

Three years ago I promised to convert the Voynich Manuscript into an ebook. The recent news that it may have been deciphered spurred me to finish my project. So, here it is, the world famous mystery that is the Voynich Manuscript now in convenient eBook format. PDF - suitable for Kindle, nook, Kobo, Android, iOS […]

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A Stock Exchange For Digital Media


The Internet is "the world's most efficient copying machine" -- Cory Doctorow. This is a long and rambling blog post which asks two questions: Given that we can only read one book at a time - can we set up a "Kindle Stock Exchange" for our unused media? If so, what effect would this have […]

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If The Kindle is Sold at Break-Even, Why Doesn't Amazon Sell ePub?


ePub logo.

Amazon claims that it makes no money from the sale of Kindle eReader hardware. Looking at the prices of eink devices at wholesalers, this looks broadly accurate. They do seem to be selling at around wholesale cost - customers also get Amazon's fabulous support, free software updates, and high quality manufacturing. Yet there is a […]

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Advertising On The Kindle


It looks like the next big thing in Kindle-land is - depressingly - advertising subsidisation. the world's first ad-supported Kindle, going on sale within Target and Best Buy locations for $114. That represents a gentle $25 savings compared to the price of today's cheapest Kindle, but those 2500 pennies don't come free -- you'll be […]

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Review: Verso Arc Light for Kindle - from LightWedge


As you may have guessed from previous posts, I love my Kindle. I often read late into the night, which either means keeping a light on and annoying my wife - or using a book light. Normally, I'd be happy just annoying her - but I can't resist the allure of buying new technology! I […]

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Kindle Wallpaper: Books are weapons in the war of ideas


A book towering above some flames.

I was reading this article on Armed Services Editions of books distributed during World War 2, when I came across this extraordinary propaganda poster. Original image is from The Boston Public Library on Flickr under CC BY NC. What strikes me is how detailed the poster is. The power of the quote. The sheer neutrality […]

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Holiday Reading


Thanks for all the suggestions on which eBooks I should read on holiday. I didn't get through as many as I would have liked (crappy flights and too many pre-lunch cocktails!) - but here's what I did read and what I thought of them. Anathem Neal Stephenson's Anathem By rights, I should have loved this […]

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Which eBooks Should I Read On Holiday?


A woman sat on the beach reading a book.

I'm an utter bookworm - on holiday, I like nothing better than to lie by the pool reading a good book. I generally average a book a day. Last year, I took a mixture of eBooks and physical books away with me. This year, I'm only taking eBooks. That's where I need your help, gentle […]

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Voynich Manuscript for Kindle and other eBook Readers


For years I've been mildly obsessed with the Voynich Manuscript. An ancient book, written in a language no one can decipher, showing plants which don't exist, and measuring astronomical configurations which make no sense. The book is an enigma. Many think it to be an elaborate hoax - others have more.... esoteric explanations. Regardless of […]

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