Google robbing from the poor and giving to the rich

It has been awhile since my last blog, I have been off work for a couple of weeks due to a slipped disc...yet again. I feel like an old man sometimes, once again heading for physio for what seems like the millionth time. Enough of my complaining I hear you say! A lot has happened since I have been away; we are close to signing a major contract in the digital education sector and one we are all excited about. There are a few book fairs coming up with efforts being directed towards that and in particular the first one the London Book Fair taking place in Mid April. Currently we are developing some promotional material in time.

The digital publishing world is heating up more and more everyday and with the iPad around the corner it isn’t going to get any cooler. Along with Apples iPad which is set to change how we read books, Google is set to change the accessibility of books. As I am typing this there is a project team known as Google Books Library Project copying and storing millions of out-of-copyright books to a digital library. What does this mean for us, the reader? Well, it would mean millions of books available all at the click of a mouse. This sounds great but what about the publishers and authors who have worked hard on their material only for it to be offered up free online. They will not see one cent of the income while Google makes money of advertising. Sounds like a rich man’s Robin Hood to me...stealing money from the poor to feed the rich!

However, this availability will depend on the outcome of a lawsuit by the Authors Guild and its ‘merry men’ accusing Google of “massive copyright infringement”. It will be interesting to see the outcome as I believe it will set a precedent for future digital mass copyright infringements. One thing is for sure, it may sound like a good idea to have all this material available, but who is going to write the books if our Authors don’t get rewarded for their efforts?

iPhone app developer to transmedia producer

This entry is from Friday...unfortunately the net was down. Wow...has this week gone fast or what? Time has seemed to fly-by. I have had a pretty productive week making a few contacts with possible clients in both Australia and in the US. On Wednesday was the start of the O’Reilly Tool’s of Change for Publishing Conference 2010 in New York. This was a great conference with a lot of new information and ideas being put forth. One particular speaker ‘Jeff Gomez’ spoke about transmedia being the new business paradigm. Transmedia is the coming together of a number of different mediums to create one format.

It got me thinking...isn’t that what we do here at Kiwa Media, using a number of different mediums through touch-to-spell, touch-to-hear and swipe-to-read. He spoke of it as if it was this technology that was revolutionary...and I’m sitting watching it thinking to myself...we have that technology here! It is nice to know that what we are doing at Kiwa Media is world class and I can’t wait for the whole world to know. Anyways enough on that!

Kennedy Faimanifo, known a ‘Ken’ to the team here at Kiwa is having his last day; he has been our go to man with the graphics and is off to greener pastures! I would just like to wish him all the best for his future and his company Kenworx Studios. He is holding a fundraising event on the 19th March at Massey Universities Ferguson Bar. It would be great for you to come along and support him in his future endeavours. You can check out his work at http://www.kenworxstudios.blogspot.com/.

It’s a short blog this week as it’s a Friday...yes lame excuse but an excuse nonetheless.

My Quote of the Day:
“To be or not to be? That is the Question”

Let's NOT e-liminate progress

Some people just hate progress. I have heard it so many times from my dad “Back in my day...” those four words make me automatically tune out. Yes dad back in your day things were different, but you know “You are not in Kansas anymore, you are on Pandora”. Things change its called evolution. What has brought on this rant...an article written by a student at Indiana Daily Student wanting to ‘e-liminate digital books’, how ridiculous don’t you think? What the hell is this person thinking?

Firstly, they argue that there will be no such thing as a physical book? Wrong...there will always be a place for a physical book, it’s just that the demand for them will decrease...but that doesn’t mean it will be replaced. As for your ‘sliding beauty and the beast library’ I am sure Greenpeace would be happy that some trees are saved.

You say society is lazy...aren’t you the one sitting on your arse typing on a computer...looks like you have joined the ‘lazy’ club too. Why not carry one simple device that can carry a whole bookshelf in your palm, it gives people the option to access a wide range of books without needing to be at a library. I am no magician but if you can show me how to fit a hundred books into my backpack please do....oh wait...that’s right they call them e-readers.Digital readers do encourage people to read. It gives accessibility to those would have never had the opportunity or access. You say price and weight is not the reason some people refuse to read? It is not the only reason, but part of it, lower prices and a 10oz object in your hand compared to a physical hardback book certainly encourages reading.

I suggest you get off your laptop...resort to that pad and pen. Stop taking the car or bus and start walking. In fact, stop doing anything that could result in progression and go live in a cave. No doubt you will contact me via e-mail...how ironic.

Testing times for publishers

With the announcement of Apple’s iPad and the introduction of Apple into the ebook market through iBookstore it has opened up further competition for the digital book business. As soon as that announcement was made Macmillian where content on trying to take back control by demanding they charge more for book titles or wait six months for new titles.

Amazon has been undercutting e-books selling them at $9.99 losing out at $5 a book. The reasoning behind this is future control of the digital book market. It is a good ploy by Amazon, trying to get users onto their Kindle platform, but this can only last for so long. Surely, Amazon would have seen this coming from Apple. If they had any sense they would have seen this and started planning ahead. Adopting the Agency strategy where publishers set the pricing and online bookstores receive a certain percentage of the cut.

This is an interesting transition for the book industry as once readers go digital they won’t go back. At the same time book publishers have to find a balance between pricing in the traditional format and adapting to the digital world. With Amazon, Apple and Google all vying for a piece of the e-book market it looks set to be a fierce battle. Amazon for now is out in front, with Apple looking set to pounce. The darkhorse could be Google, with their large user base. I’m picking Apple to take it out, like Usain Bolt a slow starter but once moving unstoppable.

Kiwi company takes interactive storybooks into the digital arena - Sunrise - Video - 3 News

Kiwi company takes interactive storybooks into the digital arena - Sunrise - Video - 3 News

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The Death of Steve Job’s

Steve Jobs the profound computer revolutionist who co-founded Apple Inc, one of the leading manufacturers in consumer electronics and computer software. Job’s has been a major influence in Apple’s continual drive for success into design and understanding the role aesthetics play in user appeal. The new buzz the iPad has challenged the boundaries of technology, confronting the new and the old. But what would happen if Job was to die? You know...just to put it out there. What would become of Apple?

To outsiders Job’s is the front man of Apple, the one who leads his troops into battle. Remember Braveheart, William Wallace standing their ready for battle. Job’s in a similar since is leading his troops albeit substituting the sword for an iPad, and time after time winning the battle of consumer electronics.

Without a leader troops are lost for direction, motivation that inspiration, and without Job’s I fear that Apple would lose a lot of direction and drive forward. I recently had this argument with a friend who told me that Job’s is just a small cog in a big team of designers, developers and engineers. Yes, there are other components to the team, but what Job’s brings is the oil to drive the cogs smoothly together. You cannot underestimate the value of a good leader, don’t underestimate Job’s. Period.

R.I.P Steve Jobs = R.I.P Apple

Children get out your iPad's

Wow! What a busy couple of weeks it has been. The web went into a non-stop frenzy since Steve Job’s announced his latest creation the iPad on the 27th Jan. For the team at Kiwa Media, we were very excited about the announcement. QBooks on a large screen had some of the team oozing with excitement at the prospect.

I for one can’t wait, it’s just exciting to be a part of something that is going to change the way children read. It wasn’t that long ago we were banging the dust from the chalkboard, now we are cleaning the screen of our iPads?

Recently I came across an article by Warren Buckleitner from the New York Times about the iPad and how they have created the ultimate device for children. I have to agree with Warren, kids love interactivity, touching, swiping, turning, flicking all made possible with the iPad. No longer is there a controller separate from the screen, Apple have brought these two elements together giving users complete control.

It’s affordable (well...said to be around $500US) and is going to open up the door for a number of advancements, with one of them being education. Already in Texas, universities were giving away iPhones’ as a way to keep students engaged. I can see this happening with younger children through the iPad; it’s bigger, almost like a laptop but not quite there.

However it’s perfect for children and one that I believe in the years to come is going to revolutionise the way our children learn. Those against the idea should try it before they knock it, as those before them would have knocked their idea. Be open to new ideas, it’s amazing what we can achieve...just look at Apple.