Odds are good that if you have an iPhone, and you’re reading this, then you’re no stranger to technological gadgetry. You’ve likely researched the few decent E-book readers that exist out there, only to discover that they are all extremely expensive, and they are, let’s face it, kind of painful on the eye in comparison to Apple’s established aesthetics.
You spent a lot of money on your iPhone, right? You should make it all it can be. Did you know it can be an E-reader, too? Yep, it can. Join me, book lovers. Enter the web-app world of TextOnPhone.
There are about 20,000 open license books on their site, some of which you will be surprised to see, for free, the second you open it up in Safari and start browsing. Want to read some Murakami? How about Phillip K. Dick? Kafka? They’re all there. The best way to find what you need is the search bar on the top, though if you’re open to suggestions, there are recommendations and daily reads among the easy-to-use interface on the bottom.
Had your heart set on something specific, but can’t find it there? No problem. In what is, in my opinion, the best feature of TextOnPhone, you can upload your own text to your Readlist, which you establish by creating a free account to login with. That collection of .rtf Updike books you have collecting dust on your hard drive at home? Upload ‘em. Read them on the go.
Better yet, read them in the air. TextOnPhone has caching capabilities that will download extra pages so you can read while you’re in Airplane mode. And let’s say you nod off somewhere over the Atlantic while trying to read "The Odyssey", TextOnPhone will remember your last page and bookmark it for you.
Are you concerned that the screen is too small? Turn it sideways. It gives you a more book-like feel. Then just tap the screen in the middle of the page to turn the page. Change your settings to adjust backgrounds and fonts to your own personal preference. It really couldn’t be simpler.
Come, Readers. Join me and 50,000 other regular users that TextOnPhone has amassed since its launch last Summer. It plays nicely with iPhone and iPod Touch, and a Facebook app is being developed as well. Check it out!
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:07 am
I am a book publisher that have more that 60 copyright titles, that are licensed by relevant authors. There are 16 titles available in the Apps store and in Kindle (Yalom on Psychotherapy, Helguera on Art, Samuelson on Economics, Nigel Holmes on Graphic Design, and fiction books like Seasick, Seeds of Silence, etc.) I am convinced that the iPhone is creating a new generation of book readers, that is why I see sales of these books increase each week. As copyright material, I pay royalties to the authors.
Text on Phone is great for classics or public domain books but could be bad for copyright material.
It could be great to let readers sample books before they buy them. Electronic publishing have the advantage of making books affordable.
I am enthusiastic about this new platform.