iBookstore w iTunes - kliknij, by powiększyć

Kilkanaście dni temu iBookstore oficjalnie wystartował w 26 nowych krajach, w tym również w Polsce. Księgarnia dostępna jest przez iTunes Store (pasek górny » Books), a także z aplikacji iBooks (przycisk Store).

Od razu uprzedzam, że jest słabo. Polskich książek jest kilkadziesiąt i wcale nie jest łatwo je znaleźć. Apple, otwierając e-księgarnie w kolejnych krajach ewidentnie nie ma ochoty starać się o książki w obcych językach – na przykład w językach krajów, w których iBookstore wystartował.

Jak znaleźć polskie książki

Większość tytułów polskich wydana została przez wydawnictwo O-press. Są to książki dla dzieci i poradniki.

Wyszukiwania według języka niestety nie ma – to wielki minus. Wpisanie w oknie wyszukiwania słowa Polish nic nie daje. Pojawiają się tytuły angielskie, w których tytuł lub opis zawiera to słowo. Oczywiście można wyszukiwać według tytułu lub autora, ale bestsellerów nie ma co szukać, przynajmniej nie teraz.

Żeby sprawdzić listę polskich książek znajdź – zarówno w iTunes jak i w iBooks – baner Bestsellers by Language (jak na obrazku poniżej) i kliknij w niego.

O nie, nie spodziewaj się, że od razu zobaczysz polskie tytuły. Najpierw będzie lista książek po angielsku, potem jeszcze portugalski, grecki, turecki, słowacki i wreszcie jest -język polski. Jest to lista tytułów płatnych. Tytuły darmowe są jeszcze gorzej dostępne. Zacznij od banera Free Books.

Alternatywną metodą jest przeszukanie polskiego iBookstore w Google. W oknie Google web search wklej poniższy tekst:

site:itunes.apple.com/pl/book/ "Language: Polish"

Żadna z tych metod nie jest idealna. Myślę, że Apple zdaje sobie sprawę, że książek w językach obcych nie jest dużo i promuje tytuły anglojęzyczne. Zresztą przeszukiwanie iTunes Store zawsze było związane z przechodzeniem przez niezliczoną liczbę różnego rodzaju list typu New&Noteworthy, a wyszukiwarka kulała.

* * *

Premiera iBooks/iBookstore w czasie, gdy wchodził iPad była dla mnie dużym rozczarowaniem. Użytkownicy z Polski korzystający z aplikacji iBooks mieli dostęp jedynie do darmowych publikacji z iBookstore US. Wśród nich było kilkanaście książek po polsku – klasyka z domeny publicznej wciągnięta do iBookstore z Project Gutenberg. Dla porównania – polskich książek w domenie publicznej, dostępnych w formacie ePub jest około 3 tysięcy.

Czy sytuacja zmieni się na lepsze? Nie sądzę, żeby nastąpiło to szybko. Po pierwsze dlatego, że wydawcy i autorzy z Polski nie mają łatwego życia. Żeby opublikować książkę w iBookstore trzeba mieć Maca i amerykański numer identyfikacji podatkowej. Apple chce sprzedawać urządzenia, a kanały dostępu do treści, takie jak iBookstore, mają uzasadniać wydatek.

Podejrzewam, że Apple, w przeciwieństwie do polskich dystrybutorów e-książek, nie będzie usilnie starał się o nowe publikacje. Raczej inicjatywa będzie należeć do wydawców i autorów, ale nie mają łatwego życia, więc koło się zamyka.

Co więcj, od czasu premiery iPada (i braku polskiego iBookstore) polscy wydawcy publikowali przez App Store. W applowskim sklepie z aplikacjami można znaleźć więcej książek po polsku niż w applowskim sklepie z e-książkami.

A najlepiej będzie pobrać polską aplikację e-książkową – Virtualo, Woblink lub Bezkartek. Tutaj przeczytasz o polskich książkach dostępnych w iOS, jeśli przestaniesz liczyć wyłącznie na iBooks/iBookstore.

Related posts

• 23.03.2011 -- Polskie książki na iPada
• 22.07.2010 -- iBooks 1.1.1 – słownik i treści multimedialne
• 23.06.2010 -- Jak dodać polskie książki do iBooks?
• 29.11.2010 -- iPad jako e-czytnik – lista przydatnych artykułów
• 02.09.2010 -- Jak pisać i mówić o e-książkach

"Polskie książki w iBookstore" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

Kindle for iOS has just been updated to version 2.8 (iTunes link), which complies with Apple’s new in-app purchase rules.

Kindle Store button was removed from home page – it was obvious. I’ve also checked endings of free samples to see what Amazon did with their Buy Now link, which in older versions was switching to book’s Kindle Store page in Safari. Buy Now button is still there (as well as See details for this book in the Kindle Store). However, both links show an alert: “We’re sorry. This operation is not currently supported.”

Apple and Amazon are playing games, which are more and more annoying. Status for today: Apple won’t earn money, Amazon won’t lose money. The only losing part is the reader.

Below you’ll find tips on how to make the most of Kindle on your device – especially after making our lives harder by removing any option to buy a book from within the app. A good thing to do is to change attitude: Kindle on iPad or iPhone is not only about using a Kindle application.

1. Browse Kindle Store in Safari

After 2.8 update it will be reasonable more than ever to browse and buy books right away from Safari browser (without bothering to open Kindle app). Never tried it? Don’t worry. Amazon mobile site looks really well on iPhone/iPod Touch. On the iPad a regular site is displayed, works well, I haven’t noticed any flaws.

2. Add Kindle Store to your Home Screen

Add Kindle Store to your Home Screen

It’s good to add Kindle Store either to a list of bookmarks in Safari or to a Home Screen. On the iPad just go to Amazon site and select Kindle Store from a drop list.

If you’re on the iPhone/iPod Touch, go in Safari directly to this address http://amzn.to/fW2ffk. It’s Kindle Store’s site optimized for small screens – not the same as regular one. You can add it as a bookmark to Home Screen (see picture on the right) and a nice icon will show up.

Find more information about it here.

3. Browse free Kindle books in Safari

In fact, you can use the browser to add books from other sources than Kindle Store. What’s very important, you can add them directly to Kindle for iOS. This is possible since 2.5 update.

What you have to look for is books in mobi format, without DRM. To add a book to Kindle app, tap on a link to a book file, ending with .mobi.

Best sites with free Kindle books, optimized for mobile reading, are: Feedbooks, Project Gutenberg, Smashwords and ManyBooks.

Read more about this topic here.

4. Add books to your Kindle for iOS – not only via iTunes

iTunes is a default way to add content to applications, but happily it’s not the only one. As I’ve written above, you can add books from Safari.

There are two more options available: via e-mail (just send a file to yourself and open it with a native Mail app) and via cloud storage apps like Dropbox.

Find out more about the topic here.

5. Discover books on Twitter and add them instantly to Kindle app

It’s my favorite topic. If you spend a lot of time on Twitter, using Twitter iOS applications, why don’t you try to find Kindle books there? It’s actually pretty easy. Just look for a keyword Kindle or a tag #kindle and you’ll find out a lot of tweets with amzn.to links.

Or if one of Twitter friends is recommending a Kindle book, just tap on a link and you’ll be redirected to mobile Safari (either within Twitter app or outside it) and you’ll decide whether to download a free sample or buy a book.

For more information read this post.

6. Use Kindle application as a free dictionary

Finally, Kindle for iOS can also work as a great dictionary application, so there is no need to buy another one. This is possible thanks to the The New Oxford American Dictionary installed.

You’ll find more information about it here.

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I hope you enjoyed the tips. Please share in the comments what’s missing. If you want to keep up with what’s going on with Kindle on iOS devices, get free updates of Ebook Friendly Tips (via RSS or e-mail) where I focus on sharing simple Kindle tips.

Related posts

• 02.02.2011 -- Use Mobile Twitter to Discover and Instantly Buy Kindle E-books
• 22.01.2011 -- How You Can Sell E-books to Mobile Twitter Users
• 20.01.2011 -- Now Users Can Download Your Book Directly From a Tweet to Kindle for iOS
• 30.07.2010 -- Kindle for iOS: Use It As a Free Dictionary App
• 03.06.2011 -- How to Effectively Publish and Promote Books to iPad and iPhone Users

"6 Tips and Tricks to Use Kindle for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

Phoster offers 72 free design templates to choose from

Phoster is a fantastic application for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, perfect to create posters, cards, invitations and, yes, ebook covers.

I’ve used the word “create” instead of “design” because it better describes what you’ll be doing.

You don’t need to design a layout, it’s already done by the developers of the application, folks from Bucket Labs – Phoster comes equipped with as much as 72 layout templates. All of them are top-level design. Thanks to that the application can be a very powerful tool to create professionally looking ebook covers.

Below I’ll show you how easy it is to create a cover. The general advise is to keep things simple and not to change the layouts too much. They are perfect as they are and there is no need to improve them.

4 steps of creating a cover with Phoster

I’ll create a cover for a book about mobile natives (I hope one day I’ll write this book).

1. Choose a template

I’m sure you’ll find a template which is closest to your needs. Layouts differ in selection of fonts, position of text boxes and a general style. For each of the template, in a next step you can add a picture. You can also leave a background as it is or just change its color – this would make a nice non-fiction book cover.

When you’ll be selecting a template just keep in mind that you can’t add any more text boxes. So, pick up the template, which is closest to what you want and has enough number of text fields positioned where you want them to be.

For my book I’ve chosen the template below. I like simple design and I want to use a picture which will work best with the title aligned to right. I also need only three text boxes – two for the title and one for the author.

After choosing a template, tap on a Next button at the bottom right.

2. Insert a photo or choose a color of the background

Use an icon of a camera to add a picture, either directly taken or from a photo library. You can make basic color adjustments within the application (brightness, contrast and saturation) by tapping on a slider icon.

Remember, you can always use one of the photo applications, which can give a stylish look to your picture. I’m sure you have one of them: Instagram, PictureShow, Camera+ or Hipstamatic.

Second option is not to add a picture, but only change a background’s color. To do that, tap again on a slider icon – you’ll see at the top a set of predefined colors to pick up from.

I’ll be using for my cover a photo previously edited in PictureShow (by the way, you can see a #1picstory made with it). As you see it’s dark enough to use against white letters and there is a lot of space in the upper right corner. That’s where I’ll place the title.

3. Type the text

To change text tap on a “T” icon. An edit box will appear, where you can replace the existing text with your own title. Use Previous and Next buttons to switch between text boxes. Alternatively you can open the edit box if you quickly tap on the text.

You can change the color, the size and the font style of the text. There is a plenty of typefaces to choose from, but I recommend to keep the predefined style. Any major change may break the original design idea of the template.

If you want to move a text box, tap and hold it until you see a shadow.

I moved the title a bit to the right and higher. As you see, I didn’t change anything else.

4. Choose the effect

After you’re finished with texts and pictures, tap Next to move to the last step – applying the effect.

This is the most enjoyable part of the work. There are 19 style available. You can select one of the vintage styles, including paper and dust textures, or you can decide to use color stripes or patterns (see picture below).

I’ve selected a simple pattern and the cover looks like this. What do you think?

Although Phoster is positioned as a tool to create posters, cards, invitations, I think it’s an awesome way to create professionally looking ebook covers. It’s one of those mobile applications which redefine our approach to creation. You can focus solely on finding a concept and big picture, leaving the craft to the application itself.

Phoster costs $1.99 (iTunes link). Consider it as a money spent for a professional cover artist, who gives you 72 proposals of the layout.

Remember to include credits to Phoster in your ebook. Write down a link to both the application at iTunes and the developer’s webpage: http://www.bucketlabs.net.

Read also about another great tool, Wordle. You can use it to create great-looking covers based on a word cloud from your book.

Related posts

• 03.06.2011 -- How to Effectively Publish and Promote Books to iPad and iPhone Users
• 22.01.2011 -- How You Can Sell E-books to Mobile Twitter Users
• 25.07.2011 -- 6 Tips and Tricks to Use Kindle for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
• 02.02.2011 -- Use Mobile Twitter to Discover and Instantly Buy Kindle E-books
• 23.01.2011 -- What Are Enhanced E-books and How to Find Them?

"How to Create Ebook Covers with Phoster Application" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

The most prominent part of Blurb is that it prompts you to think of a story as a sequence. You can upload up to eight elements at once and this is immediately making you think of the order, the structure, the plot.

Now, a fantastic thing is that those eight frames to fill don’t have to be of the same kind. You can add not only images, but also audio and video. You can place them in one story. This is revolutionary.

So far we had single-form stories. We read books, watched films and listened to radio. We also have multimedia stories, like enhanced e-books. In all of them, a prevailing form is known upfront.

Blurb is different and I realized that only because of looking at such a simple task – eight frames waiting to be filled with the story. Those frames are equal and sequenced.

A piece of music after a picture of a beautiful girl is a different piece of story than a picture of a beautiful girl and a picture of a piano.

When you sit down with iMovie, you are going to make a video. When you take Blurb Mobile, the imagination works differently. There is absolutely no need to think of eight images or eight videos or eight audio tracks. Once you drop the usual thinking, you allow yourself a to bring a completely new, fresh, unexpected dynamics to a story.

Related posts

• 30.06.2011 -- Storytelling Applications for Your Smartphone
• 25.06.2011 -- Add Books to Kindle for iOS via Mobile Safari
• 09.06.2011 -- Note-taking and Writing Apps for iPhone and iPad
• 05.06.2011 -- Simplenote – the Best Note-taking App for iPad and iPhone
• 21.01.2011 -- iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch – jak dodać własne pliki do aplikacji e-książkowych

"Blurb Mobile Sets the Standard for Future Digital Storytelling" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

Blurb for iPhone

Here’s a handy list of storytelling applications for iOS, Android and other mobile platforms.

Note-taking and writing apps were covered already, but storytelling is not only about creating stories, but also sharing them. What’s even more important, technology allows to tell stories instantly – you can think of them, create and share on one device and in one go.

The greatest thing about such instant stories is that they are catching the mood and emotions you would find extremely difficult to restore afterwards.

Every time you reach for your smartphone, think of it as a way to tell engaging stories and think of you as a storyteller. Here are a couple of applications with which you can reveal the creative part of you.

If you’re using a storytelling app not listed below, please share it in the comments.

Opuss

Added on December 13th, 2011 | Applications: iPhone

Opuss hit the AppStore a couple of days ago and it’s definitely worth trying. The most proper description is the Instagram for words – and that’s why I love it so much. I’ve been sharing nanofiction on Twitter for years but Opuss is very likely to be my major landing place. It’s simply the cool and fun way to share stories!

Users can publish their texts in several categories – poem, quote, story, review among others. You can add a location, so that users can find stories told nearby. Sharing, following, likes – it’s all there. Plus your shared story links to a beautifully looking web page. What you wrote looks fantastic – so better write fantastic texts.

If any additional reference to Instagram could to be added, I’d add that Opuss is better designed than Instagram.

Broadcastr

Applications: iPhone, Android

Broadcastr is a social media platform for location-based audio stories, created by Electric Literature. You can use an app on your iPhone or Android to record a story, add category, tags and finally pin it to a map. The story can be located anywhere in the world, not only at the place you record it. All you have to do is to drag the pin to a desired location.

Your stories can be afterwards accessed from mobile applications as well as from a webpage, where you can see a stunning visualization of all the stories recorded so far.

The most fantastic thing about matching stories with locations is that it’s places our most intense memories are associated with.

Audioboo

Applications: iPhone, Android

Audioboo started in early 2009 and proved to be a great tool to deliver audio recordings, called “boos”. Many of the recorded ones are actually mini audio stories.

A free account allows to create boos up to 5 minutes long. You can also add photo and geolocation info.

Boos can be easily embedded in blogs, and it’s a very clever idea to support your writing. PJ Kaiser is sharing her #FridayFlash stories together with their Audioboo tracks. Check one of them, Coffee and Cotton Candy.

Blurb Mobile

Applications: iPhone (Android app in development)

This is undoubtedly the most powerful storytelling application available. Opposite to other applications, you can use video and audio and pictures in your stories! You can add pictures in bulk, crop, resize, and rotate them. There is a possibility to add a text caption under every image.

The application is very well designed and gives a lot of fun when creating a story. You can choose a theme for your story and attach a tag and location, among other features.

A free version allows to add up to 8 images and one 10 sec video clip per story. Check the comparison between a free and paid version ($1.99).

Blurb Mobile is the only multimedia storytelling tool for mobile phones. What makes it revolutionary is the ability to use different forms (image, audio, video) within one story sequence.

Users of mobile devices constantly improve with processing different media types. For me, a multimedia story is clearly the future of mobile storytelling.

TypeDrawing

Applications: iPhone

My favorite storytelling tool. I’m using it for one picture stories since the beginning of last year. The application is unbeatable when it comes to play with typography.

You can type words in a freestyle way. In fact it’s more like painting. You can zoom in to focus on details or zoom out when selecting a huge font size. There is a large selection of font types. You can pick up the color from a background picture and use transparency or shadow.

The application allows to save pdf or png file to iTunes. Paid version costs $1.99.

PictureShow

Applications: iPhone

One of the most versatile photo applications for iOS, with lots of cool features to choose from, including preset filters, effects (scratches, light leaks, frames, HDR)) as well as color edit and crop/rotate tool.

What makes it useful for storytelling is an option to add text. There are 14 fonts types and many predefined colors to choose from.Thanks to that you can create a story from the moment of making a picture to the moment of sharing it to social networks – all in one application.

Both TypeDrawing and PictureShow with their possibility to add text can be an exciting way to bring new meaning and context to stories put together in Blurb Mobile.

Halftone

Applications: iPhone

This fun application will turn your photos in a piece of a cool, vintage comic. You can choose one of 9 predefined layouts (with or without caption and border). There are 21 paper styles, 21 stamps with customizable colors and 6 balloon types to choose from.

I’ve tested the app and the outcome is outstanding. All what you’ll have to focus is find and write a good story around a picture.

Wanderlust

Applications: all system with a mobile browser – go to address http://wanderluststories.com/

I love the idea of Wanderlust Stories. In order to read a story you have to check in via Foursquare to a right kind of place. So, if the story starts in a bar, you have to be in a bar to be able to read it.

Think of telling stories from a point of view of a guide, who takes readers to different places – literally. This opens a stack of new possibilities, as the reader can physically experience what you are writing about (a music in a restaurant, a dialog of the two women at the next table, etc.).

You can add images, audio and video to a story. If you want to start writing, send a tweet to @wanderlustapp.

Twitter

Applications: your preferred Twitter application

Twitter? Yes, Twitter, the application you’re using on your smartphone a couple of times a day. Twitter with its 140 character limit appeared to be highly motivating for users to write stories.

There are lots of folks who create awesome Twitter stories. Top storytellers on Twitter are @arjunbasu and @VeryShortStory. Check also an anthology of Twitter fiction with over 150 stories from 37 authors.

Think of Twitter as a place where you’re already telling stories – about yourself. What you can do is to switch to a third person narration and add a tag to a tweet. The most popular one to spot stories on Twitter is #vss, what stands for very short story.

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Obviously this list could be longer. A great selection of tools is available at the Langwitches Blog. It’s just a matter of your sensitivity and creativity which app you’ll pick up and how you want to use it. The more unexpected effect, the better.

One of the greatest miracles of internet and digital technologies is that they allow absolutely everyone to tell stories. All what you need is a will to do it and an app which will make it happen.

Why don’t you start now?

Related posts

• 09.07.2011 -- Blurb Mobile Sets the Standard for Future Digital Storytelling
• 15.07.2011 -- How to Read Adobe DRM Books on Your Android Device
• 09.06.2011 -- Note-taking and Writing Apps for iPhone and iPad
• 02.02.2011 -- Use Mobile Twitter to Discover and Instantly Buy Kindle E-books
• 22.01.2011 -- How You Can Sell E-books to Mobile Twitter Users

"Storytelling Applications for Your Smartphone" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

Anyone who used Kindle for iOS application knows that a Kindle Store button at the top right of the home screen pushes to quick Kindle and open mobile Safari.

Why don’t you use Safari in a first place? Here are a couple of tips how to optimize the experience.

Open Kindle Store

Don’t be afraid to open Kindle Store in mobile Safari, even on an iPhone or iPod Touch. The mobile version of a site is one of the best available on the web. Use search bar or categories to find books. You also have a quick access to Kindle bestsellers and personalized recommendations. A nice option is a separate tab with Kindle books with audio and video enabled. They can’t be read on a Kindle e-reader, but it’s possible on iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

Adding a book to your account is similar to regular browser. You just have to decide which device you want the book to send to.

Add books from other sources

Most users don’t use this option, but it’s actually very convenient: you can browse the internet on your Safari, find Kindle books and add them directly to Kindle for iOS.

What you have to look for is books in mobi format, without DRM. To add a book to Kindle you have to tab on a link to a book file, ending with .mobi. Check pictures 1 and 2 for details.

Best sites with free Kindle books, optimized for mobile reading, are:

Feedbooks
Project Gutenberg
Smashwords
ManyBooks

Picture 1

Picture 2

Originally published at Ebook Friendly

Related posts

• 03.06.2011 -- How to Effectively Publish and Promote Books to iPad and iPhone Users
• 04.09.2010 -- Use Instapaper to Create a Book With a Collection of Your Favourite Online Reading
• 25.07.2011 -- 6 Tips and Tricks to Use Kindle for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
• 09.06.2011 -- Note-taking and Writing Apps for iPhone and iPad
• 05.06.2011 -- Simplenote – the Best Note-taking App for iPad and iPhone

"Add Books to Kindle for iOS via Mobile Safari" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

iA Writer for iPad

Sometimes it’s hard to find ideas for a new blog post, short story or a poem. That’s why it’s so important to catch them at the moment they come to mind.

Mobile devices are a great way to capture ideas, no doubt about it. You’ve got a mobile phone always with you. It’s much quicker to start writing ideas on a tablet than a computer.

Most smartphone or tablet users will probably agree that those devices are not meant to write and publish a complete piece of work. You can write draft posts, scratch new ideas, or list topics to be included in a presentation. You can and should develop them on a computer if you want to work with text effectively.

That’s why syncing is one of the most important features of any note-taking or writing application. It gives the opportunity to access your work from any device and to make your writing as productive as possible.

Notes

Available for: iPhone, iPad | Syncing: Gmail | Price: free | Default app

The default iOS note-taking application. Users usually neglect it as it’s very basic. Many still don’t know that the app can sync files via Gmail account. All updated notes are stored in a Gmail account, under a Notes tab. More details in this post.

If you write notes from time to time and need a simplest possible way to do it, you won’t need probably anything more advanced than Notes.

Evernote

Available for: iPhone, iPad | Syncing: Evernote | Price: free | App Store link

The most powerful and advanced note-taking, idea-grabbing solution for iOS. You can add not only text, but also audio and photo notes. Access them via web browser and Mac or PC applications.

To start using the app you have to sign up to Evernote. A free account allows for 60MB of data transfer per month. Offline note-taking is not enabled, but you can send notes to your account via e-mail, to a special address created for your Evernote account.

With Evernote, you are either a powerful user or don’t use it at all. Premium account costs $5 a month or $45 a year. A comparison of features is available on this page.

Simplenote

Available for: iPhone, iPad | Syncing: Simplenote | Price: free | App Store link

Evernote made easy. The app is very simple to use, yet has all the features you would need. You can access and edit your notes from a web browser as well as many third-party apps and add-ons, listed here. You can publish a note and it will be available at a unique simp.ly url address. You can also share the note with others by tagging it with their e-mail addresses.

A free account is ad-supported. The ads are not intrusive, but if you want to remove them, you have to spend $19.99 a year or $1.99 a month for an upgrade to Premium account – which also enables Dropbox sync and writing notes by e-mail.

Awesome Note (+Todo)

Available for: iPhone, iPad | Syncing: Google Docs, Evernote | Price: iPhone – free or $3.99, iPad – $4.99 | App Store links: iPhone, iPad

Note taking application and to-do manager in one. Out of all applications featured in this post this one has the best design and richest personalization options. You can change not only a font but also a theme to match the type of note.

I’ve used the app for some time as I’m very keen to be connected with Google Docs ecosystem – and Awesome Note can sync with it. It’s not perfect, though, as you can only do it manually. It’s good to remember to sync before you open and after you finish your note to make sure you don’t lose anything.

To use Awesome Note on both iPad and iPhone you have to buy two separate versions.

Moleskine

Available for: iPhone, iPad | Syncing: no | Price: free | App Store link

The official application of the legendary Moleskine notebooks. It’ll surprise you with a modern UI concept and design. You can draw sketches as well as add pictures and labels from a large selection of Moleskine icons. You can also geotag your notes.

There is no sync functionality, so the only way to use notes on another device is to send them as an e-mail to yourself.

Elements

Available for: iPhone, iPad | Syncing: Dropbox | Price: $4.99 | App Store link

This is how I think a writing application for mobile devices should look like. Once you open a note you can focus on writing. The design invites to write longer forms, but you can always use scratchpad to write a quick idea.

You can check word, line and character counts for every note, send a note by mail or print it. The notes are synced back to your Dropbox account as .txt files.

iA Writer

Available for: iPad | Syncing: Dropbox | Price: $0.99 | App Store link

The application makes writing on the iPad serious. It helps you focus on writing by providing features no other app has. You can use FocusMode to concentrate on one sentence at a time.

The keyboard is tailored for writing needs – word and arrow keys as well as most used punctuation marks are available without switching. Word count and reading time is shown at the top bar. You can manually sync notes with a Dropbox account.

The overall design, typography and care for details make this app a great choice for professional writers.

Pages

Available for: iPhone, iPad | Syncing: iTunes File Sharing | Price: $9.99 | App Store link

The ultimate text processor for iPad. It includes Apple-designed document templates, several formatting options and advanced layout tools. You can style text, set intents and margins and insert tabs with ease.

You can import and work with Pages ’09, Word and text files. Share your work as Pages ’09, Word and pdf.

Pages includes most of the features of the desktop word processor. The only question is, whether you really need them on an iPad or iPhone.

* * *

If you are looking for ways to write and edit Google Docs on your iOS device(s), there are applications like Go Docs ($4.99) or gDocuments ($0.99). Use them with care as you can lose formatting of your original document when you open it in the app and start editing. This happened to me a couple of times. When I really need to change something in one of Google document, I’m using either Safari browser or Safari-powered G-Whizz.

My favourite app is Simplenote. You can’t write for a long time on an iPhone. iPad is not for writing a content but for curating a content. What I really needed was a simple, fast, reliable app which syncs notes across all devices seamlessly. Simplenote matches those needs perfectly.

Related posts

• 05.06.2011 -- Simplenote – the Best Note-taking App for iPad and iPhone
• 03.06.2011 -- How to Effectively Publish and Promote Books to iPad and iPhone Users
• 17.10.2010 -- How to Read Adobe DRM Books on Your iPad or iPhone
• 17.10.2010 -- 3 Ways to Add Books to Your iPad or iPhone
• 25.07.2011 -- 6 Tips and Tricks to Use Kindle for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

"Note-taking and Writing Apps for iPhone and iPad" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

Simplenote for iPad and iPhone

Simplenote is a note-taking application for iPad and iPhone. I’ve used many apps before and will review the most important ones in a post coming in a couple of days (so stay tuned and get free updates). Out of many apps tested, Simplenote is a best match.

My needs are pretty basic and it’s so surprising only one application can meet them:
1. it should be simple,
2. it should be fast,
3. it should sync.

When it comes to writing down ideas, which crowd to you usually in the most unexpected situations, what really matters is how fast you can make it. Any extra tap, any additional second spent on syncing and you may miss the best idea of your life.

Simplenote makes the job of grabbing ideas on the go almost perfect. Synchronization of notes, extremely fast and stable, is truly outstanding. It just happens. You don’t have to think about it. You don’t have to experience syncing to get things synced. I skipped Evernote because of frequent syncing issues.

Why syncing is so important? Because neither iPhone nor iPad are ultimate writing machines. That’s why it’s good to have all notes stored and accessed from a computer. This is done via Simplenote’s webpage, which is again, very simple and intuitive. Syncing is working both ways, so you have maximum comfort and flexibility. You don’t have to think which device to pick to write a note – you can write on any device.

Additional well-thought functionality is sharing. You can share notes in two ways (see picture 1). First, you can publish a note as a webpage. It will get a unique url address which you can share with anyone. Another way is to add an e-mail address of a recipient to note’s tags. In both ways users will be allowed to read and edit the note.

Free version of the application displays ads, both on iOS devices and in a web browser. Read more about the features or get Simplenote from the AppStore. If you want to remove ads, create notes by e-mail and get a Dropbox syncing, be prepared to spend $1.99 a month ($19.99 a year) for a Premium account. A comparison between free and paid account is available here.

Picture 1: Share a note - (1) publish it - (2) add e-mail address as a tag

Related posts

• 09.06.2011 -- Note-taking and Writing Apps for iPhone and iPad
• 25.06.2011 -- Add Books to Kindle for iOS via Mobile Safari
• 03.06.2011 -- How to Effectively Publish and Promote Books to iPad and iPhone Users
• 04.02.2011 -- Apple vs Amazon in-app purchase issue: what’s it all about?
• 17.10.2010 -- How to Read Adobe DRM Books on Your iPad or iPhone

"Simplenote – the Best Note-taking App for iPad and iPhone" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

1. iOS is a very versatile system, allowing the author to distribute books via different sets of tools and channels.
2. iOS users are more willing to buy the content – due to convenience (in-app, one-click purchases) and the nature of iOS ecosystem – a huge offer of apps, many of them for free or sold in a freemium model.

That’s why many authors want to find and define the best way to enter the iWorld. However, it’s not that easy as in Kindle Store. There are many factors which have to be taken into consideration.

To make the analysis as clear as possible I’ll split it into two stages: distribution and promotion.

Distribution

If you have a Kindle e-reader, you can buy e-books from Kindle Store. If you have a Nook, you can buy e-books from Barnes&Noble. E-readers are dedicated not only to reading, but also to e-bookstores. The device is the access point.

Tablets and smartphones are multi-purpose devices (MPVs) and this is what makes a difference. The access point to books is not a device itself, but the application. Many apps. There are so many of them, that the user at a certain point will want to limit their number to most important and useful ones. This applies also to books.

There are three main channels through which books in the iWorld are sold:

1. AppStore
2. iBookstore/iBooks
3. E-reading applications from other bookstores

AppStore

Apple’s store with applications is in my opinion a true phenomenon. Currently there are over 350,000 apps offered. At the time of the iPad/iBooks launch there were 120,000 book apps in AppStore – twice as much as books in the iBookstore.

AppStore is a strong alternative to typical bookstore. You buy an app from the application store, not a book from the bookstore. This can be a promise for many users to find something unexpected, fresh and as attractive as other apps. By “attractive” I mean: enhanced with audio and video, interactive, animated, using all the possibilities iOS interface is offering.

AppStore is also the golden example of how generous iOS users can be. Buying an app is not a big deal for us (yes, I’m also a heavy application buyer). A dollar or two, you can spend it to test the app, even if you’ll never ever use it again.

Besides e-reading applications, which are the access point and reading interface of e-bookstores (like Kindle for iOS, Kobo, Nook, Google eBooks), books are sold here as standalone applications. To produce such a book you have to either be a web developer or hire one. The cost of producing a simple book app is usually a few hundred dollars.

However, simple book apps are not attractive at all – if they are compared in the same category with enhanced ones.

You also have to keep in mind that the price of such a book should be comparable to other apps – which in most cases is 5 dollars at most.

iBookstore

Many iOS users associate books with iBooks and iBookstore. They usually start reading books using iBooks – until they discover better alternatives.
Practically, the only advantage of using iBooks is convenience. You can buy books from iBookstore within the app. This is the competitive edge Apple has over its competitors like Amazon or B&N. To buy books from the apps of those e-bookstores, you have to switch to Safari browser. Amazon’s famous 1-click purchase doesn’t work on the iPad or iPhone.

There is also one more thing we have to keep in mind. Apple has changed AppStore rules. Now if the e-bookstore wants to sell book from outside the app, it will have to enable such option inside the app. Result: Apple will take a cut from every book purchased, because users will choose the in-app way, which is more convenient. What can this cause is uncertainty about the presence of other e-reading apps in AppStore. If they are not adjusted to new rules, they’ll be removed.

Other e-reading applications

Most popular applications from other e-bookstores and content providers are Kindle for iOS, Kobo, Nook, Stanza, Google eBooks. Many iOS device owners are registered users of those e-bookstores, so sooner or later they will download the proper app and play with it.

And this is where the complex nature of iOS ecosystem lies: readers are spreading among many apps e-bookstores, options and functionalities. Many users keep a couple of e-reading application on their devices, but with a time they will select one of them as a primary tool to buy and read e-books.

* * *

Which channel is most effective?

There are two scenarios, depending of the kind of the book you want to publish:
1. Enhanced book » AppStore
2. Simple book » multi channel

If you plan to create an enhanced, interactive book, full of pictures and animation (f.e. children’s book or a graphic novel), the best path to follow is the AppStore. Developers who make outstanding e-book applications for kids are Bold Creative (creators of “The Heart and the Bottle” children’s book, shown below), Game Collage and Loud Crow Interactive. Check them out, they set up the standards, what translates into users’ expectations.

For a useful advice on how to publish your own book app, visit The Bookwright, a great blog by Tom Evans.

If you want to have a cheaper option for enriched book, you can prepare and ePub file with embedded pictures and place it in iBookstore or Kindle Store. Both iBooks and Kindle for iOS are capable of showing not only pictures but also of playing video and audio.

What you have to take into consideration, however, is that your book will be distributed as a book not as an app, and that means you’ll have to spend more time and effort to tell users about it – your amplified book will be available not where they expect it to be.

Second option: your book is text based and what you just want to achieve is to make sure it’s available for readers using iOS devices. Going only to iBookstore in my opinion is not worth the effort. It’s a small e-bookstore, ten times smaller than Kindle Store and it’s not growing as fast as other bookstores. It’s not intended to other platforms, but to be a default choice for iOS users. It’s also not easy to use Apple’s self-pub service, but if you’re determined, you can always try an easier option – Lulu.com.

It’s also not productive to publish a book in each and every e-bookstore separately (like via KDP for Kindle or PubIt! for B&N).

Is there a better, more efficient alternative? Sure. Use one of the self-publishing services offering multi-channel distribution. The most important thing is that you publish your book once and it’s being distributed to many e-bookstores, so that it’s available to iOS users no matter which application they use.

The services to recommend are:
Smashwords – the most popular self-publishing site, with distribution to Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Sony eBookstore and, yes, iBookstore.
Fast Pencil – the distribution list includes Kindle, Barnes&Noble and Sony eBookstore. However, this is a paid plan, you have to be prepared to pay $149.99.
Narcissus – the new, Italy-based self-pub service. The English localization is coming soon with the option to distribute your book to Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Copia and Blio.

Distribution Channel Manager at Smashwords

Promotion

If you choose the AppStore way, you have to follow the rules specific for this ecosystem. It’s a whole new world and it’s good to get a concise advice from professionals. Just watch this short video and you’ll have a clue of what you’ll have to be prepared for:

Second scenario. If your book is reaching iWorld via e-bookstores, all what you have to do is to address the owners of iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch devices in your promotional activities.

As I’m the author of geek fiction stories, I very much focus on finding ways to reach and convince the users of iOS devices to buy my books. What I’m mostly interested in is to find creative ways of promotion, which don’t involve money.

Here is a list of tools and ideas:

Target iOS users in social media

One of my book covers designed like a mobile app

You can go one step further – and tell tweeple they can buy your book directly from a link shared on Twitter. This is possible when users have Kindle application and you have a book in Kindle Store.

Share tips for iOS users

Selling books for iPad and iPhone is a complex task. So is reading and finding them. There are many apps, none of them ideal. Readers need help, and they search the web for answers. If you write a post on how to add books to iBooks without connecting to iTunes or how to read Adobe DRM-ed books on the iPad, you don’t have to find your readers – they will find you.

Show your book in iOS interface

This could be done on many levels. The easiest way is to mention the devices and applications on your blog post. You can also show a screenshot of your book made on the iPad or iPhone. Use it in a blog post together with the book’s cover.
Cover. There’s also a huge potential here. Try to paste it into the picture of the iPhone or iPad, so it perfectly fits the device’s screen.

I went even further than that and designed the book covers looking like mobile interface very similar to iOS. That way the book becomes an inseparable part of the iPad and iPhone world.

* * *

I hope you found this post useful. Please feel free to share your comments and knowledge and come back for more tips on self-publishing and mobile reading.

Recommended reading

• How to publish your book on the iPad – The Creative Penn
• How to publish your book on Kindle and iPad – BubbleCow
• How to self-publish books for iPad – Inc.
• How do I get a book on the iPad’s iBooks bookstore and app – 3ones
• AppStore lessons – 6 ways to better promote your application – Ars Technica
• How did you get on the front page of the AppStore? – Bold Creative Project Blog

Related posts

• 22.01.2011 -- How You Can Sell E-books to Mobile Twitter Users
• 25.07.2011 -- 6 Tips and Tricks to Use Kindle for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
• 02.02.2011 -- Use Mobile Twitter to Discover and Instantly Buy Kindle E-books
• 20.01.2011 -- Now Users Can Download Your Book Directly From a Tweet to Kindle for iOS
• 20.07.2011 -- How to Create Ebook Covers with Phoster Application

"How to Effectively Publish and Promote Books to iPad and iPhone Users" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.

Picture 1

Writers use many note-taking applications on their iOS devices. Some of them are very advanced, like Evernote, but frankly, how often do you tag notes, mark them as favourite or print?

If you want to have a quick way to write something down (quick = minimal number of taps) and you want your notes to be synced between iPhone, iPad and a computer, the simplest possible way is a default Notes application. There is no reason to spend extra money on an advanced note-taking app, if you only want your notes to be accessed from a computer.

Syncing is handled via Gmail. If you added your Gmail account in the Settings » Mail, Contacts, Calendars make sure notes are synced [picture 1].

If not, turn them on. Since that time all your notes will not only be synced between iOS devices, but also a special tab, called Notes, will be automatically created in your Gmail account.

What you have to remember is that it’s good to wait a couple of seconds before closing the app to give it a chance to send the new content to server [picture 2], but this is applying to all apps with sync functionality.

Related posts

• 25.07.2011 -- 6 Tips and Tricks to Use Kindle for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
• 20.07.2011 -- How to Create Ebook Covers with Phoster Application
• 25.06.2011 -- Add Books to Kindle for iOS via Mobile Safari
• 09.06.2011 -- Note-taking and Writing Apps for iPhone and iPad
• 05.06.2011 -- Simplenote – the Best Note-taking App for iPad and iPhone

"The Simplest Way to Sync Notes Between iPhone and iPad You Probably Don’t Know About" is a post from Password Incorrect Blog.