eBooks

Introducing the Gear Diary Book Club!

Around here, we love books. And we love discussing books. So we thought it would be fun to set up a virtual book club! If you’re interested, read on for more details, and don’t worry-we’re thinking this is a once a month or so deal, so you’ll have plenty of time to read the book before the discussion starts.


Barnes and Noble Kills Their International NOOK Store

If you live outside the United States, and you have NOOK books, now would be an excellent time to download them safely to a hard drive and find out how to strip the DRM. Apparently Barnes and Noble‘s expansion into international markets was driven by Microsoft, and since the two companies have disentangled they are pulling the plug.


Get to Know the Dead, Reckoning: Conversations with the Grateful Dead

What do you do when you have numerous interviews with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead and have only published a small number of them? If you are musician and journalist Alan Paul, you pull the interviews together and publish them as an Amazon Kindle Single. The result? The eBook-only Reckoning: Conversations with the Grateful Dead by Alan Paul.


Amazon’s New Kindle for Kids Bundle Is Great for Everyone!

Amazon really wants to capture the family media market. They’ve already pushed the Kindle Fire as a great kid-friendly tablet, and now they’re selling a similar bundle using the entry-level Kindle. When you look at the whole package though, it’s great for more than just kids-anyone interested in a Kindle should look at the Kindle for Kids bundle!


Rest in Peace, Terry Pratchett

Back when I worked in retail, I didn’t have a lot of downtime. When I did have a rare day off or afternoon free, I spent it reading, and I devoured a big chunk of Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld” series during a particularly stressful time. Terry Pratchett passed away today; it’s a sad day for literature and fantasy in particular. 


How Up to Date Is “Goodnight iPad”?

My son loves (LOVES) the book “Goodnight iPad“. I’ve read it so many times I have it memorized, so I usually “read” it to him once it is lights-out. Half the time he’s asleep before I finish. Last night I realized some of the book’s technology references are already outdated, and it’s only four years old!



Last Minute Gifts for the Scientologist in Your Life!

Did you forget to buy a gift for that Scientologist relative who shunned you as a suppressive person? Show them you care with this amazing list from Drew Magary at Deadspin, who helpfully (and bravely) read the entire Scientology Christmas Catalog so the rest of us didn’t have to.   Scientology is a scary concept, and not just for the $5,000 e-meters or L. Ron Hubbard’s singing. And after you read what Deadspin has covered, head to Amazon and buy or download a copy of “Going Clear“. It is the single most horrifying non-horror book I’ve ever read.   Via: The Scientology Christmas…


Why I Cancelled My Kindle Unlimited Subscription

A few weeks ago, I was reminiscing about my favorite science fiction book from my childhood. It was an anthology of short stories, and some intense Googling determined it was out of print. My search led me to the local library, and after poking around for just a few minutes, I canceled my Kindle Unlimited subscription.


Amazon Boosts eBooks with New Kindles, While B&N Pulls NOOK Downloads

This has been a roller coaster week for eBook fans. If you’re an Amazon Kindle fan, it’s been a positive coaster; there are new Kindles galore! On the other hand, if you’re a Barnes and Noble NOOK fan, you just lost the ability to download NOOK books directly to your computer. Disappointed? Happy? Unsure? Read on for more details!


Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited Isn’t Quite Unlimited

“Kindle Unlimited” has a nice ring to it. That’s probably why Amazon uses that name and not, say, “Kindle 10-at-a-time”, which is the more accurate assessment of the service. If you plan to load up before a vacation, bear in mind, you’re capped at 10 books before you have to “return” one!


The Golden Notebook Nails Why Paper beats eBook

We are on vacation in Woodstock, NY, and the local bookstore had a very entertaining comic in the window. If the picture isn’t clear, it shows a 90lb weakling getting stronger from reading the complete works of Plato in hardcover, then smacking for using an ebook reader on the beach. Certainly one advantage to hardcover!  


Amazon Announces Kindle Unlimited

Amazon has officially announced Kindle Unlimited, a $9.99 all-you-can-read monthly ebook subscription. This was leaked earlier in the week, but now we have more details on this ebook and audiobook service!


Amazon Kindle Unlimited: $9.99, and Coming Soon

Amazon is reportedly testing a new offering named Kindle Unlimited according to a series of images posted on their site which have since been removed. For $9.99 per month, Kindle users could have access to over 600,000 Kindle eBook titles and thousands of audiobooks. It’s not yet known exactly which publishers would be included or which audio titles will appear.


Target and Librify Partner Up for a New Twist on Subscription Ebooks

Target has sold books and eBook readers in their stores for years, and now they are sticking a very tentative toe into the world of selling digital books. No, you won’t be heading to Target.com for your next eBook (yet), but they are partnering with new website Librify, which is a social network/eBook subscription service coming this summer.


Gone Girl Movie Trailer Hits, and It’s Deliciously Dark

Did you read Gillian Flynn’s 2012 book, Gone Girl? Full of dark twists and a satisfyingly unexpected ending, I liked it so much that I devoured Ms. Flynn’s two other (unrelated) novels. Amy Dunne disappears on her 5th wedding anniversary; did she leave voluntarily? Did her husband David kill her? Or is something even more twisted going on? GONE GIRL — directed by David Fincher and based upon the global bestseller by Gillian Flynn — unearths the secrets at the heart of a modern marriage. On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) reports that his…


FarFaria Children’s Book App Now Available on Android

FarFaria is a children’s book app that has been called “Netflix for Kids.”  It has a ton of awesome features, most of which you can read about in my previous post. Today is an exciting day for FarFaria, as they’ve just announced that FarFaria is now available on the Android platform.  You can download it from Google Play today!  


Kobo Shows There’s Plenty of Life in the eBook Market

If you’ve heard of or use Kobo Books regularly, there’s a good shot you are not alone. Kobo has come a long way in a few short years, from starting as Shortcovers in 2009 to being purchased by Rakuten in 2012. Now they have some truly brag-worthy news-according to The Digital Reader, revenues are up 44%!



Oyster Books Subscription eBook Service: Great Idea, Awful Execution

One of the hardest things about quitting my job in a bookstore was giving up on easy access to and an employee discount on books … lots and lots of books. I love to read, and I’ve deeply embraced eBooks. So I was very excited to try Oyster Books, the so-called “Netflix of eBooks”, with a similar all-you-can-read flat rate concept.


Out of Print Clothing Keeps Book Covers Relevant with Style

It’s no secret that I love books. If someone you know has a soft spot for true book geekery, and you’re looking for something special for them, check out Out of Print clothing, where book covers and book themes are the inspiration for t-shirts, tote bags, iPhone cases and more! Even better, every purchase made means a book donated to Books for Africa, so your love of “1984” can bring you intellectual joy AND change the world a little bit. There’s a decent assortment of titles so far, all classics, so be sure to check them out!