Category: links

iPad Book Mock-ups

Ryanlinks books, iPad, the future No Comments

One of my favorite books of last year was Neil Stephensen’s The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer. Long story short, the story hinges on this nearly magically computerized nano-whazzit book thing. The book dynamically changes as the protagonist grows older, tailoring its message to help her develop into a fine leader of mice…or something. Look, I can’t do it justice…just read it.

I read that book first on my Kindle, then finished it on my iPhone after the Kindle died an unfortunate death. At the time, I felt that I was a little nearer to that world of an actual smart book.

Looking at this recent video from Penguin books, it looks like the iPad will take us a bit further down the road.

Additional videos get a little more high-level, talking about how best to deliver content rich books. Use the ePub format that iBooks and most of the book world (excluding Amazon) uses or create “Apps”. ePub can support linking to external sources, pictures, and some other simple features, but lacks the ability to bring this really slick stuff to devices. Enter Applications-as-books. Up shoot, you can make it much smarter, more dynamic, and richer. Downside, this is a bit more complicated then converting a text file to be read by a machine. Also, they would need to go through the Apple App Store, which is pretty incredible but can chafe some developers.

Who knows where this will go. I don’t. But I think it will be pretty cool.

via gizmodo

Top of the Head – Mid February

RyanIdeas, links update 2 Comments

People often stop me, asking “Ryan, what are you into right now?” Here are some things from the last week or so.

Reading System of World by Neal Stephensen. Crickets, this is good. Of course, one should read the other books in the series first.
Reading Philippians
Learning about the Speed of Gravity. Which I had never considered until this week when I was in the shower. Been fun, starting from Newton and going through to present day drama.
Less is More, continuing the process of getting rid of stuff. This week ditched my beloved giant recliner (given to my Cousin). Next on the chopping block 20 pounds of books, another chair and clothes that were totally fly 10 years ago.
Added another old family video, Trampo-o-fun
Updated the Church Podcast
Valentines Day. Kate got me candy (Specifically, Violet Crumble) and I got her something from our favorite art gallery, Blue Bottle here in Capitol Hill.
Seriously considering doing the Tough Guy Challenge. Basically a race, but you have to run through a fiery field, cross a freezing pond, etc. No sweat, I may be slow but I am pretty much indestructible.
Sidenote: Have you seen Boston.com’s Big Picture? Great Photographics Journalism
Facebook is dead to me. Again.