e-books?

[Erin]

Who has used e-books? How are they?

Is there such a thing as 'ibooks', that can be downloaded onto an ipod?

I'm planning some trips this summer and wouldn't mind an efficient way to take some books along. I don't have a portable pc. Maybe the book thing would make one of those gadgets worthwhile...perhaps a cheap one....? Any ideas?

[phlegm]

There are a bunch of free (public domain) text ebooks at www.gutenberg.org (http://www.gutenberg.org). Some of them are available as audio books in mp3 format. Also, you could use speech synthesis software (http://www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/festival/) to convert any text to an audio file of a "robot" voice reading to you. (The book better be interesting, cause the voice surely isn't! ;) )

Some libraries allow patrons to "check out" ebooks via Net Library (http://www.netlibrary.com) (after signing up at the physical library). Last I checked though, a constant Internet connection is required to read them.

I'm disappointed that ebooks aren't more widespread. Apparently, Sony is planning to release an ebook reader this year (http://engadget.com/2006/01/06/sony-reader-details-and-pics/), so maybe they'll start to catch on.

[RichVoice]

Is there such a thing as 'ibooks', that can be downloaded onto an ipod?
I don't have an ipod, but my wife has an .mp3 player, and I believe that the books found at http://librivox.org/ would be downloadable and playable on any portable device that can play .mp3s. They record and make available texts that are in the public domain. I've recorded several audiobooks for a local non-profit, and I'm going to be looking into narrating for librivox. I'd love to break into the lucrative commercial audiobook market, but it's even more competetive than the commercial voiceover market -- which is much more competetive than I imagined when I started down the voiceover path.

Rich

[cathwood]

I read ebooks on my iPaQ Pocket PC. I find them especially useful for taking on holiday and reading on the train and so on.

Cathy

[habbywall]

I read ebooks on my iPaQ Pocket PC. I find them especially useful for taking on holiday and reading on the train and so on.

Cathy

except if you read too much it burns out your eyes:eek:

[cathwood]

except if you read too much it burns out your eyes:eek:

I wish I was ever in a position to 'read too much' - with 3 kids, a hubby, a job and a Phd, not to mention a severe unicycle habit to be getting on with even on holiday I don't get enough time to read.

Cathy

[Erin]

Wow, thanks for those links! How cool is that, I am in the process of downloading my first audio book. Started with Alice in Wonderland as I always wanted to revisit that story! I can't wait to see how this method works out. I'm hoping that after the download I can get the file onto my ipod and then have a listen that way.
I also subscribed to the podcasts just to check them out.
Looking good, this is going to be fun, fun, fun!