Not logged in. · Lost password · Register
Forum: technical discussion › hardware RSS
ipod touch as ebook reader?
Page: ‹ previous  1  2  3  next ›
Avatar
madra (Administrator) 2009-09-28, 20:17 #16
User title: chairman of the bored
since Feb 2006 · 4914 posts · Location: the intarweb
Group memberships: benevolent dictator, co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
In reply to post ID 15172
Quote by i5m on 2009-09-05, 12:46:
...lots of apps are cheap or free - the most expensive app I've boought was £3 so not even breaking the bank for me...

this way of turning your iphone/ipod into a mini sketchbook looks interesting. 

i've got the 'fullsize' version of autodesk sketchbook pro on my MBP and quite like it.  OK i know this demo video is a bit of a cheat and just shows someone touching up artwork [i presume] created elsewhere - but for £1,79 you cannae go wrong!



... can you?  :hmm:
[Image: http://www.appletalker.com/grafix/madrasig.png]
madra at work | madra at play
Avatar
i5m 2009-09-28, 22:10 #17
since Feb 2006 · 2103 posts · Location: Super Up North, UK
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
That looks cool. If I had any artisitic skills I'd get that, but I think it would be wasted on stick figures.
i5m.co.uk
Avatar
madra (Administrator) 2009-09-28, 22:18 #18
User title: chairman of the bored
since Feb 2006 · 4914 posts · Location: the intarweb
Group memberships: benevolent dictator, co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
if i ever get myself an ipod touch, i'll  be buying it.  i'm an inveterate doodler!  :grin:
[Image: http://www.appletalker.com/grafix/madrasig.png]
madra at work | madra at play
Avatar
euphras 2009-09-28, 23:02 #19
since Feb 2006 · 1615 posts · Location: Gießen, Germany
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
How does one actually draw - with the fingers on that tiny display?!?  :confused:
[Image: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v419/euphras/sig.gif]

Quadra 950, Centris 610, Powermac 6100, iBook dual USB, Powerbook Titanium DVI
Avatar
i5m 2009-09-29, 20:20 #20
since Feb 2006 · 2103 posts · Location: Super Up North, UK
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
There's a free "express" version as well. Had a quick blast, seems very responsive. Shame I can't draw.

Quote by Euphras:
How does one actually draw - with the fingers on that tiny display?!? 
Yep, but with this app you can zoom in so you can create fine detail even with fat fingers.
i5m.co.uk
Avatar
Gamoe 2009-10-20, 02:31 #21
User title: Mac user since 1994
since Feb 2006 · 2349 posts · Location: Mars Colony I
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
In reply to post #19
Quote by euphras on 2009-09-28, 23:02:
How does one actually draw - with the fingers on that tiny display?!?  :confused:

In spite of Jobs' bias and the now popular consensus, I still think the iPhone/iPod Touch would benefit from a stylus. It could be optional, but it should be officially supported. Fingers are not good tools for even slightly refined work. Painters do not paint with fingers, writers do not write with fingers, people do not even eat meals with fingers save for fast food.
PowerMac 6100 (1994) - Unibody MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz
Avatar
i5m 2009-11-13, 21:46 #22
since Feb 2006 · 2103 posts · Location: Super Up North, UK
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
In reply to post ID 13944
Quote by i5m on 2009-05-24, 09:18:
I've read loads of bad experiences with the app store approval process. Apple are being a bunch of twats.

Apple seem to be going to some lengths to tarnish their image as much as possible: 4 month approval for bug fix. Apple act like big bunch of tossers.
i5m.co.uk
Avatar
madra (Administrator) 2009-11-13, 23:19 #23
User title: chairman of the bored
since Feb 2006 · 4914 posts · Location: the intarweb
Group memberships: benevolent dictator, co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
Quote by i5m:
Apple seem to be going to some lengths to tarnish their image as much as possible: 4 month approval for bug fix. Apple act like big bunch of tossers.

meanwhile 378 apps which make fart noises when you tap your ipod screen were approved within seconds of submission.
[Image: http://www.appletalker.com/grafix/madrasig.png]
madra at work | madra at play
Avatar
Gamoe 2010-01-07, 05:00 #24
User title: Mac user since 1994
since Feb 2006 · 2349 posts · Location: Mars Colony I
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
I don't like the closed nature of the App Store. I say again, if the Mac or the Apple II had started out this way, it wouldn't have survived. Apple needs to open up the App Store or allow alternative App stores and distribution models. The platform belongs to the users, not Apple.
PowerMac 6100 (1994) - Unibody MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz
Avatar
madra (Administrator) 2010-01-07, 09:23 #25
User title: chairman of the bored
since Feb 2006 · 4914 posts · Location: the intarweb
Group memberships: benevolent dictator, co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
i'm still in two minds as to whether to jailbreak my ipod touch - just on principle
[Image: http://www.appletalker.com/grafix/madrasig.png]
madra at work | madra at play
Avatar
i5m 2010-01-07, 11:30 #26
since Feb 2006 · 2103 posts · Location: Super Up North, UK
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
In reply to post #24
I wonder if Apple reach a certain success level whether the EU will reach in and force them to open up, like they did with Microsoft and IE, etc?
i5m.co.uk
Avatar
Gamoe 2010-01-07, 21:14 #27
User title: Mac user since 1994
since Feb 2006 · 2349 posts · Location: Mars Colony I
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
Quote by i5m:
I wonder if Apple reach a certain success level whether the EU will reach in and force them to open up, like they did with Microsoft and IE, etc?

I'm not particularly in favor of more legislation, simply on principle. But if citizens need to be protected from someone via legislation it would be government and mega-corporations. I would favor some type of reasonable legislation which mandated or greatly encouraged open market-places (for apps, for example) standards and interoperability, because I think the type of lock-in measures corporations often employ actually hurts the marketplace and certainly consumer choice.
PowerMac 6100 (1994) - Unibody MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz
Avatar
i5m 2010-01-11, 17:24 #28
since Feb 2006 · 2103 posts · Location: Super Up North, UK
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Kindle thread Gamoe started ages ago, but I've just bought my first book on the iPhone Kindle app. I don't know why, but for some reason this feels more momentous than when I first purchased music from iTunes.

The Kindle app/store is quite good as it allows you to download a free sample of each book to try out. Much like listening to previews of songs in the iTunes store. But, I thought I'd buy an actual book to give it a proper whirl. Plus I fancied something new to read. I don't read enough nowadays (Well, Peppa Pig and The Saddle Club, every evening, but they don't count). 

Like others here, I've used Stanza a bit, to read some free books: Blood, Sweat and Tea and the sequel - and as free, Creative Commons ebooks go, the formatting was crappy, but I guess that's what I get for being a cheapskate. (I notice there is a Kindle version available now).

When it came to buying a book, I did look at Stanza first, but, for the book I got, Kindle was cheaper ($9.61 vs $13.88) than Fictionwise. Both are DRM-ed. For Fictionwise books you have to use your credit card details to unlock the book, but you can use software other than Stanza to read them. The Amazon ones are tied to your Amazon account. So there's no unlocking and a more streamlined experience, but you have to use the Amazon Kindle app (or hardware) to read them.

The Kindle app itself is much more basic than Stanza (I assume this is why Amazon bought Lexcycle? And will eventually use their technology for Kindle books). There is not as much adjustment available: Can't change font, can't make the font small enough, either, in my opinion, limited colour scheme options, can't change layout of books (in Stanza you can change paragraph spacing, margins, line spacing, etc). However, although it is more basic, it does work well and setting font size to smallest and colour scheme to sepia gives me a decent enough reading experience.

You also don't search for books within the Kindle app itself (you do in Stanza, only going to Safari when you buy a book from a certain store). In Kindle you click on "Get Books" which takes you to the Kindle store in Safari. I suspect this, along with the basic functionality of the app, was just enough to get this out into the market place, and will all change when they integrate the Stanza technology. Bizarrely, the Kindle store doesn't seem to include wishlist functionality. Which seems an odd omission since Amazon popularised the whole wishlist thing.
 

As to the quality of the book itself, I'm a bit disappointed with typographical errors: Missing spaces; spaces where there shouldn't be; spelling mistakes; hyphernations for line breaks, but now in the middle of the line. There aren't loads, not enough to ruin the book, and no where near as bad as the free ebooks I read,  but more than I'd expect from a printed version. I've read a few reviews on the Kindle store, on various books, that mention poor copy-editing or lack of proof reading. My conspiracy theory is that it isn't because of the author, copy-editor, etc, but rather I'm wondering if some books have been OCR'd or produced from early electronic copies (i.e. not the final print version). doing a bit of Googling mentions the use of automatic conversion programmes.

Apple wouldn't stand for this level of quality. Which makes the iTablet thing quite interesting... if they plan on outdoing Amazon
i5m.co.uk
Avatar
i5m 2010-01-29, 18:36 #29
since Feb 2006 · 2103 posts · Location: Super Up North, UK
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
In reply to post ID 13944
Quote by i5m on 2009-05-24, 09:18:
I've read loads of bad experiences with the app store approval process. Apple are being a bunch of twats.

Well, Apple seemed to have turned a corner awhile back; I've noticed bug fix approvals for apps I use going through a lot quicker. So perhaps now we can look back and laugh:
Linky
i5m.co.uk
Avatar
Speckledstone 2010-01-29, 19:53 #30
since Feb 2006 · 954 posts · Location: Chicago
Group memberships: co-owner, happy snapper, hardcore appletalker, scrapbook monkey
Show profile · Link to this post
Quote by i5m:
Linky

That was pretty good. :grin: :laugh:
[Image: http://speckledstone.home.comcast.net/avatar_sig/space_holder.png]
Close Smaller – Larger + Reply to this post:
Verification code: VeriCode Please note the verification code from the picture into the text field next to it.
smileys: :smile: :wink: :grin: :tongue: :laugh: :hmm: :doh: :-( :cool: :rolleyes: :loon: :confused: :brick: :mad: :squint: :censor: :cry: :eek: :stick: :zzz: :thumbsup: :thumbsdown: :vomit: :blush: :cheers: :crossed: :boogler: :clown: :scrap: :irked: :ohyeah: :devil: :skull: :simon:
Special characters:
Page: ‹ previous  1  2  3  next ›

Go to forum
all content © appletalker 2006 - 2010. powered by UNB 1.6.4 - site design by madra.net [with valued contribution from appletalker users].
Page created in 383,6 ms (239,7 ms) · 136 database queries in 111,2 ms
Current time: 2010-09-03, 10:23:48 (UTC +01:00)