App Development

New Audio Book Rental Technology Introduced for Literacy Day
September 8, 2005

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 8, 2005--Jiggerbug, an online audio book rental service, today announced a new way to deliver their collection of best-selling audio book titles to subscribers - digitally. Similar to the Netflix model, current Jiggerbug subscribers enjoy quick and simple mail service delivery of their favorite book titles on either CD-ROM or cassette tape. With the new Instant Download service, Jiggerbug now allows subscribers to have the option to instantly download their favorite titles in an easy-to-use, take-it-with-you digital format. The Instant Download digital delivery is ideal for commuters, frequent gym goers or anyone who wants to create more time in

To Infinity and Beyond
August 1, 2005

Publishers, distributors and e-retailers expect the advent and growth of smart phones and multifunctional personal digital assistants (PDAs) to stimulate the growth of the young e-book market. Yet, no matter how young or how small the market is, publishers have made a commitment to e-books and are anticipating the market will take off. The size of the e-book market in terms of revenue is based on the number of available titles, publishers' revenues or the revenues generated by e-retailers. For example, the New York-based International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), formerly the Open eBook Forum, reported in its "eBook Statistics" for the fourth quarter

Cambridge University Joins Questia Media's Online Library
April 1, 2005

Researchers and academics who use the Internet for research now have more resources from which to choose. Cambridge University Press has entered an agreement with online academic library Questia Media Inc. to add 1,000 of its titles to Questia's online collection. The agreement expands the library's collection to 50,000 academic textbooks. Troy Williams, president and chief executive officer of Questia Media, notes that while a large amount of public domain material (material published before 1923) exists online , making copyrighted material available to researchers is "a pressing need that Questia is addressing." Fee-based access ensures that publishers are compensated for the material and that

OeBF Plans Digital e-Books in the Classroom Seminar
February 28, 2005

New York, N.Y. (February 28, 2005) -- Will digital textbooks replace print? Do Books offer improvements in learning? These questions and presentations on the advantages of using digital media to deliver educational content will be center stage at the Books in Education Conference, Thursday, April 14th, 2005 at the McGraw-Hill Auditorium in midtown Manhattan. The Open book Forum (of) is sponsoring this one-day event to present the latest developments in digital reading technologies, case studies on Books in the classroom, new business models for online curriculum, and legislative initiatives for digital textbooks. Presenters include educators, and representatives from textbook publishers, software companies, and online

E-book Workshop Examines What's in Store
December 1, 2004

A workshop examining the potential of e-books was recently held in Bangalore, India, to identify the issues and complexities involved in e-book projects, and determine the role of e-books in education, research and libraries. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) hosted the invitation-only workshop, which brought together publishers, distributors and users from Asia and Europe. Over 70 participants examined how the projected $400 billion industry will affect authors, publishers, distributors and consumers, and the challenges e-books face—short-lived technologies, and incompatible and non-interoperable formats and standards. "The e-book industry and marketplace is a nebulous one with each of [its] players

E-books Set Record Q1 Sales
August 1, 2004

E-book sales have reached record levels, and revenues are way up, according to a report by the Open eBook Forum (OeBF), an international organization that monitors trades and standards for the e-publishing industry. Unit sales grew 46 percent to 421,955, while revenues were up 28 percent to $3.23 million, compared to the same quarter in 2003, according to OeBF. Twenty-four of the leading e-book publishers and retailers submit data to the OeBF, which uses the data to compile its report. The eBook Statistics Report is a quarterly report released by Open eBook Forum. "This quarter, e-books have hit a high mark for sales," says

The Cyberschool Challenge
February 1, 2004

With few electronic textbooks to choose from, cyberschools are forging ahead with efforts to develop their own courseware. Traditional textbook publishers stand to lose. New book markets are emerging on the Internet that don't require readers 18 and older. Among them: education. The explosion of 'cyberschools' (also known as 'e-schools') is revolutionizing how educational materials are manufactured and distributed. Cyberschools have been growing in size and scope since they first appeared in the late 1990s. The Distance Learning Resource Network, a non-profit agency dedicated to improving education, pegs the number of students in online classrooms between 40,000 and 50,000 for the 2002-03

E-books' Impact on ROI
January 10, 2004

After several reboots, e-book publishing is seeing signs of growth. Recent sales figures compiled by the Open eBook Forum (OeBF) have given publishers an indication of what the future holds. And that future might be now. For the first quarter of 2004, e-books posted double-digit growth (28 percent), and though revenue is projected to be a modest $13 million for the year, sales are rising, and the OeBF, an international trade and standards organization for the electronic publishing industry, began tracking sales of trade titles via a monthly bestseller list in March. Given all the optimism, publishers have taken a harder look at their

Hands Across the Water
May 1, 2003

Integrated Book Technologies Inc. (IBT Global), a leading U.S. digital book manufacturer, is partnering with Biddles Ltd., one of Great Britain's top book manufacturers. The companies hope pairing their organizations will provide multinational marketing advantages. The cost of manufacturing and shipping short-run books overseas is around $2.50 per unit, decimating a title's earning potential. And the costs of managing unsold overseas copies make expenses even more onerous, says Mark Tracten, director of American operations for Crown House Publishing Ltd., in the U.K. Tracten was IBT Global's first customer, when he owned and operated publishing company Brunner/Mazel Inc., in the U.K., a decade ago. Tracten

E-Books Check Out
May 1, 2003

Public libraries are embracing e-books, thanks to technological advances that solve rights management issues, and soothe publisher fears. In March, the Cleveland Public Library, in Ohio, became the first public library to offer an e-book system. About 1,000 books, ranging from new releases like Michael Crichton's Prey to classic literature, are available as e-books. They can be checked out exactly like non-electronic titles. The service is available inside a library branch, or over the Internet. It lets readers download publications onto personal computers and digital assistants. New digital rights management (DRM) software is managing the downloads. After two weeks, the downloaded e-books expire, and