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20 Apr 2011 23:48

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Tech: Soon, your Kindle will replace your library card

Amazon is rolling out some great new features to Kindle users, including book lending and access to 11,000 public libraries. No word on when they’ll be out, though. source

26 Dec 2010 10:38

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U.S.: New York prison inmates use audiobooks to reach their kids

José Rosado, a convict currently serving on Rikers Island, took part in a program called “Daddy and Me,” where he records himself reading books to his kids. Neat. source

23 Sep 2010 21:31

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Tech: Guy behind Instapaper ditches Tumblr to focus on his OTHER hit service

One of the guys who made Tumblr also made Instapaper, which we use to pre-curate our articles. Once a side project, now it’s a full-time gig that’s already profitable. source

14 Apr 2010 20:04

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Culture: Five books the nanny state didn’t want you to read in 2009

  • one The popular “ttyl” book series, which was the most-challenged book series of 2009.
  • two “And Tango Makes Three,” where two sinner male penguins raise an egg unnaturally.
  • three A perennial favorite, the edgy ’90s teen novel “The Perks
    of Being a Wallflower.”
  • four Harper Lee’s classic “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which was nicked on charges of racism.
  • five Some book you’ve never heard of about vampires. What’s it called? Oh, “Twilight.” source

24 Mar 2010 10:42

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U.S.: No Child Left Behind doesn’t mean their reading scores get ahead

  • fourth After a modest increase in 2007, reading scores for fourth graders stalled in 2009 on a national level; some local schools did better, others did worse.
  • eighth While reading scores increased
    for eighth graders in 2009, there’s been no change in score since the “No Child Left Behind” law was enacted in 2002. source

15 Mar 2010 11:18

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Biz: Online news readers fairly loyal, not willing to give you money

  • 35% of news readers have a favorite news site
  • 57% of readers use between two and five sites
  • 7% are willing to pay to read the news online source

01 Mar 2010 10:10

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Biz: News-reading habits: Online already tops newspapers, nearing TV

  • Ah, studies! The things we love! The Pew Internet and American Life project just released a really interesting study about readership habits, with the key point being that online news is a huge chunk of readership nowadays. Here are a few key numbers and points, because we know that you guys like it when we do that for you:

The overall key number from this study:

  • 59%like getting news on AND off the Web

We like mixing mediums:

  • 92% get their news from multiple media platforms daily (as many as six)
  • 2% get their news solely online – we call these people early adopters

Who reads what, where?:

  • 78% like to get news from a local TV station
  • 61% like getting their news on the Internet
  • 50% still like reading news in a local newspaper

Online usage habits:

  • variety Most people don’t have favorites. 65 percent don’t have a preferred site for their information.
  • national Local news isn’t read so much online – weather and national news are much more popular.
  • social Talkers are a big driver of news – three-quarters of people get news via e-mail or social media.

Lessons to take:

  • » Newspapers need to focus on local: Many newspapers already do so. It’s their bread and butter, and the journalism they offer is still valuable. Readers agree, which is why they still prefer newspapers and TV for local news.
  • » Can’t stop the Web: Online news is already ingrained into the public consciousness, and much of it is grabbed through social media. And it’s decentralized reading too. No point trying to plug it up at this point. In fact, it’s grabbing a massive hold on mobile phones, too.
  • » People like talking about news: 72 percent of news-readers say that journalism is a social experience – they read because they like talking about it. Online, this means that social media needs to be a huge part of news-distribution efforts. source
 

12 Dec 2009 15:55

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Culture: William Shatner vs. Sarah Palin: Who wins the funny?

  • This may be the funniest that Sarah Palin has ever been. You know, besides the political speeches that weren’t meant to be.

21 Nov 2009 14:26

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Tech: Will you be able to find a Barnes & Noble Nook for the holidays?

  • NO so put that in your pipe and smoke it, reading fans source

14 Nov 2009 09:17

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Biz, Tech: Google Books has a new, less-infringing, publisher agreement

  • Cost of the deal $125
    million
    source
  • Cost of the deal $125
    million
  • Big changes made Author rights
    Orphan books
    Pricing structure
     
    source
  • Cost of the deal $125
    million
  • Big changes made Author rights
    Orphan books
    Pricing structure
     
  • Countries in the deal U.S.
    Canada
    U.K.
    Australia
    source