Tag: Library »

There are plenty of reasons for someone to show another person some photos. The trick is to find a way to do it that isn’t incredibly boring. The folks at ImageAMMO, LLC are aware of this issue and have come up with their own app to combat the problem: the aptly named ImageAmmo.

ImageAMMO allows users to display and peruse their image library using a number of 3D interfaces. These shapes range from spirals to cubes, and they can manually sift through everything or start a slideshow as they see fit. The app automatically incorporates the iOS device’s library so there’s practically no setup involved. It also supports external displays, so users with a VGA adapter (or AppleTV and AirPlay) and monitor can create presentations that are much more interesting than the norm.

The developer has also adapted the software for music libraries. IA Jukebox gives users the option to shuffle through their music libraries in much the same fashion as the photo app. Album covers reconfigure themselves on the screen to create interesting shapes, and calling up a particular song is as simple as tapping the screen a couple of times. I’d think hooking it up to a TV would make selecting background music for a party much more entertaining.

Both ImageAMMO and IA Jukebox are available in the App Store right now for $3.99 and $2.99 respectively. Just think of the presentation possibilities.

The greatest thing of all about the Barnes and Noble Nook (at least in comparison to the Kindle) is that it allows its users to access digital files from their local library. As nice as it is to be able to tap into a mega bookstore with millions of books floating around, having access to a treasure trove of free books is infinitely better. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but without the satisfaction of being able to hold a newly owned, cut fresh from a tree, novel in my hand, I really have no incentive to buy books at all. Digital books to me are disposable, so why not just get them for free?

Well, there are a bunch of issues preventing Average Joe iPhone user from picking up his desired book from the library in a digital format. For starters, libraries are just getting into digital borrowing, which means that even the largest public libraries have limited copies to lend. Even worse is that the vast majority of digital books aren't in ePub format, and ePub is the only format the iOS can handle. Also of distress is the fact that libraries put a limit on how many digital books they have available at any given time, which means that even though digital books are just a series of 0's and 1's, they come in limited quantity. If Joe Neighbor and everyone in his extended family wants to read the latest Dan Brown book, you'd be better off driving yourself to the library to get a physical copy.

But fear not faithful appers, libraries are diligently trying to catch up with the times. AllThingsD reports that the Washington D.C. public library system is adding troves of ePub formatted books weekly, and it is certain that other library systems will file suit. Most importantly though is that there is now an app dedicated on helping you navigate through the treacherous library waters. The app is not perfect, and will not magically put you in front of the Dan Brown digital line, but it will show you all the available books (and audio books) in your area and how many people are in front of you.

With a dash of patience and an ounce of understanding, you will soon enough be immersed in the magically free waters of the digital public library. Get your cards ready!

[Source: AllThingsD]

When you are a writer, a common piece of advice is to read as many books as you can to improve your writing.  Though I don't have the luxury of the free time to read these days, there was a time in my life when I used to churn through them by the shelf full.  Now at the time, if you has asked me what I had read 3 days ago most likely I wouldn't have been able to tell you, just because of the sheer volume of what my brain was absorbing.  Well, it was either that or my chronic case of A.D.D.

I could have seriously used something like OCUBE's new app, FriendItem.  The core concept behind the software is to keep track of all of the books you are currently, are planning to, or have read, in order to help keep your head straight.  Once again, we have another reason why technology is such a godsend to those of us with the attention span of a sack of hammers.  The developers are boasting some seriously helpful functionality, including:

• Recognizing the barcode of a book with camera installed in iPhone


• Google Books Mashup (Utilized as a basic data of books)


• Book status (books that you already read, books that you are reading, books that you want to read) and book management function


• Management of reading date and monthly reading statistics


• Review and evaluation function


• Underlining management function including photograph


• Function of purchasing books in online bookstore, such as Amazon.com

Something like this would be an absolute dream from an academic that reads through an uncountable number of different publications at any given time.  There are even ways to attach screen shots of important passages that you could refer back to at a moment's notice.  That sure beats my old "sticky note in the margin" solution.

But what would the benefit of having all of your back library of literature logged, without the ability to share that with the world?  FreindItem even allows you to transfer any or all of the items in your library via Facebook, Twitter, Email, or even BUMP.  Talk about having all of your bases covered.  You should really take this app out for a test drive and see if it appeals to your inner bookworm.  When the cost of entry is absolutely nothing, you can then afford to add a couple of new paperbacks to your library.

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