Reading applications: an analysis
Abstract:
The development of a wide variety of electronic reading devices and applications has opened up a broad range of ways for users to interact with both contents and like-minded users via reading technology. In this chapter, we shall discuss the most important features to bear in mind when choosing a device and a number of specific devices with be examined in depth.
Introduction
We are witnessing technological and social changes that affect all areas of our lives, and the way we read is one of the areas most strongly affected. Recent technological advancements have not so much changed where we read, for reading on a screen is not in itself particularly novel, as they have exerted pressure in all directions, creating what some have called a digital revolution. For Furtado (2007), the digital revolution affects not only (re)production techniques of reading material but also reading devices and reading habits.
There is no need to debate whether it is best to read paper print books (where we have all learnt how to read and where we have traditionally done most of our reading) or whether electronic books are truly books or whether reading on a screen is actually reading at all (paperback reading was not considered the real thing when pocket books were first introduced). Digital reading today is an undeniable reality that all of us do for a wide variety of reasons, be they profesional (research, information searches, expert consultation, homework, on-line forums) or leisure (social networks, blogs, surfing the Internet, browsing on-line magazines). According to a recent Gartner1 digital text consumption survey, we spend nearly the same amount of time reading on computer screens as we do reading on the printed page.
Roger Chartier (2000) states that reading should be understood in terms of the historical context when it is embedded. Therefore, at the present time, reading must be understood in conjunction with the technology that fosters it and transforms it. Reading has gone from something that could be done without the need for special devices to something more akin to other things we do, such as listening to music or watching videos, which require a device to decode audio and video files. In the case of contemporary reading, the devices not only decode text files but allow users to do such traditional reading-related tasks as making annotations, underlining, and copying text. They also provide users with new task capabilities that put their local libraries and booksellers within easy clicking distance, that allow them to see what other users are reading and share with others our views on what we are reading, that enable them to change the font and letter size, and that permit them to read without having the book at all. The biggest difference between traditional ways of reading and digital reading resides in the fact that it is now the application itself which hosts much broader functionality and allows each reader to tailor reading materials to his or her individual preferences. Therefore, what we can do with each application and how easy it is to use each application will determine the suitability of one or another to each individual user.
Recent reading technologies also help users to understand what they are reading, as they facilitate social reading. Reading is traditionally envisaged as something we do privately and while alone, but reading has always been social, in the sense that readers have always discussed and shared information about what you are reading or planning, mostly orally. Novel technologies change the space where we do our discussing and sharing, they change who we share our opinions with, and they make it much easier to share with a wider circle of like-minded people. Perhaps the last of these three reasons is why reading applications which include social networking functions are becoming so very prevalent, for they allow users to establish contact with others and with the different agents involved (authors, librarians, booksellers), and they enable users to discover new reading materials. The technological advances in reading also harbour new possibilites for library outreach which might include story-writing activities based on characters from fictional works, encounters with authors and posting of book summaries and comments for newly acquired works.
Although all reading done on a computer screen is considered digital reading, each new device and application offers different user experiences. Currently, there is a wide range available, and in all likelihood this variety will increase. It is important, therefore, to learn about the unique features of each device or application before choosing the most suitable option. In the sections that follow, we will analyse these features and focus on some of the peculiarities of a few currently available devices.
Reading devices and applications: main features
Before making a final choice for a new digital reading device, it is vital to know what types of readers are commercially available, what types of content can be loaded onto them, the operating systems they run on, the way reading materials are encoded for each e-reader, how much interaction with these materials is allowed, how they are organised on the interface, and how they are stored. Each device has a different set of features that are combined in different ways. On the pages that follow, we will provide a feature-by-feature guide for choosing a device.
Types of digital reading devices
Though it might be interesting to study each device in depth below, there are analyses of the technical components and the technological developments of digital reading devices available elsewhere.2 It is true that the device type tends to determine what applications they can run, but in actual fact there are two fundamental types of device: reading-only devices called e-readers and other devices that include digital reading applications as one of the potential ways they can be used.
E-readers are also called dedicated devices, as they exist almost solely for the purpose of reading. Their screens tend to use electronic ink, though there are other less common types of screens such as TFT LCDs. Because e-readers come with a factory-installed program, the possibility of loading other programs is virtually limited to updates. Their interfaces are very rudimentary, with very constrained browsing capabilities through the device’s contents. On e-readers without touch screens, content browsing can in fact be quite complicated.
Other devices that can be used for reading include PDAs, Smartphones and Tablet PCs. With a particularly wide range of applications, some of which are also available for Smartphones, Tablet PCs are the most widely used. Smartphones are less widely used for reading, perhaps because their typical 3 to 5 inch screen size is considered a drawback. Nonetheless, they must not be dismissed as digital reading devices, for many of the same applications that run on Tablet PCs have been specially adapted for use on Smartphones. In fact, some of the top line Smartphones, namely the iPhone, have the same range of functionality and operativeness as Tablets.
Operating systems
As we have stated above, device type can determine what operating system a digital reading device will run on. A device’s operating system is what allows applications, i.e. software programs, to work, and it also determines what can be done with the texts loaded into the device.
For e-readers, the most widespread operating system is Linux, while on other digital reading devices the most widely used are Android, followed by Apple’s iOS, then the BlackBerry OS (which only operates on BlackBerry Smartphones), and Windows 7/8 (which is also used on some Smartphones and Tablet PCs). Some applications are available for more than one operating system.
Android OS is based on Linux. Created by Google and Open Handset Alliance and first available commercially in 2008, Android is an open-source software that welcomes and facilitates the development of new applications.
The iOSha operating system developed by Apple is only available for use on devices manufactured by Apple, though in 2008 Apple launched the Software Development Kit (SDK), which allowed outside software developers to design applications for Apple products. One of the main criticisms of Apple Smartphones and Tablet PCs is that application sales can only be transacted on the the iTunes platform, which restricts software development and user control over Apple applications.
Android and iOSha are the two most common operating systems running on digital reading devices, despite the fact that there are applications available for BlackBerry’s proprietary operating system, called RIM OS, and also for the Windows 7/8 OS.
Formats for encoding contents
The way in which the content is encoded is known as the format. These configuration modes can be recognised by their file extension names: epub, pdf, prc, azw, cbr, dvji, etc. In the format section it must be taken into account that there are open formats and also proprietary formats; this means that there are several suitable formats for the same content. Some of the most frequent formats are as follows:
AZW (Amazon Kindle): based on the Mobipocket format.3It has its own DRM format.4
Comic Book Archive File: these are a group of specific formats that are mainly used for comics. What this format really does is packaging and compressing images, which in the case of comics are the complete pages; each page is an independent file. This allows viewing in an orderly manner as from the name of the file. The extensions depend on the compressor used and may be .CBR (RAR), .CBZ (ZIP), .CB7 (7Z), .CBT (TAR), or .CBA (ACE).
DOC: the format of the company that Microsoft used in the Word word processor. Although this format was not designed for eBooks, some of the applications allow the reading of files in this format.
EPUB: this is a standard open format that has been developed by the IDPF (International Digital Publishing Forum). It is composed of an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) structure based on three open code standards, namely Open Publication Structure (OPS), Open Packaging Format (OPF), and Open Container Format (OCF).
Fiction Book (FB): an XML format for storing books in which each element of the book is described by tags. Its capacity of conversion to other formats should be stressed: TXT, DOC, RTF, HTML, etc. It allows the inclusion of images, and so as to reduce the size of the resultant file most eBook readers provide a support for the compressed version .fb2.zip. This format does not allow the incorporation of DRM technology for the administration of copyright.
HTML: the format of the World Wide Web itself. Although this format has not been specifically developed for eBooks, it can be considered to be an eBook format owing to the large number of books free from rights available in this format.5
LIT: a proprietary format that Microsoft created in the year 2000 although it is practically obsolete. The files have DRM protection.
PRC: Mobipocket is a book format based on the standard Open eBook using XHTML that may include JavaScript and frameworks. In unprotected eBooks there is no difference between Mobipockets that are for the Kindle and those that are not; the latter can be read on the Kindle.
PDF reader: this is a format that has been adapted from the original pdf and is based on XML; it does allow labelling and repagination. At present it is very little used as the original printing pdf completely absorbs it.
RTF: rich text format. As is the case with .doc, it is not a specific eBook format; it is more standard that the previous one. Many eBooks free from rights can also be found on the Internet in this format.
TXT: plain text is the most basic format that takes up the least space, as it does not define typographical styles. Its reading on any electronic device is guaranteed. This format was not designed specifically for eBooks.
In general most devices read practically all formats, except in the case of Kindle from Amazon which essentially maintains AZW and Mobi for commercial rather than technological reasons. Indeed it is practically the only current device that does not read ePub, considering the standard format in digital reading. In the case of older models it is, however, possible to use format converting programs such as Calibre6 to adapt the content to a format that the device can read.
The interaction and organisation of the content
One of the most important possibilities of reading devices is interaction with contents. This interaction can be achieved in two ways. The first is that carried out with the text itself and consists of the personalisation of the formal aspects of the content; the second has a more social projection and contemplates what is being carried out through social networks.7
Personalisation of formal aspects of the content
One of the great advantages of reading devices is that they allow the user to express his or her preferences when configuring the appearance of the text (see Table 2.1). In eBooks, therefore, the user can change the letter size and type and adjust the brightness of the screen.
Although there is a wide range of possibilities, it is not available in all content types or in all reading applications. While in eReaders the options are rather limited, in the case of Tablets and depending on the programs it is also possible to change the colour of the lettering, the space between the paragraphs, or even the background colour, offering as predefined formats the colour white, sepia, or night mode, which is a format that is particularly suitable in poor light as it gives the sharp contrast of a white text on a black background. In some cases the programs also allow the inclusion of an image in the background. When it is the user who marks his or her preferences as to the physical appearance of the text, it can be very useful if the system allows the storage of various forms of appearance. However, this will not be possible in all cases and it is simply a case of retaining the last configuration.
The format of the content should be taken into account as some formats do not allow adaptations. In general the pdf format adapts poorly to the specifications marked by the user; it is therefore advisable to use the epub format, although the latest readers now re-adapt pdf files as if they were an extendable format, as internally they convert them into extendable ones.
Some applications allow the saving of this user preference configuration to create different styles.
Contents search
Another of the important aspects of interaction that distinguishes reading on a digital support from analogue reading is the possibility of a word or even fragment search within the work. This function is completed with the possibility of searching for a word from the text in a dictionary, generally in the dictionary incorporated in the reader, or in the case of devices with an Internet connection in predefined systems (they are usually directly connected to Wikipedia) or on any other page (see Table 2.2). Some devices also allow the purchase of other monolingual or bilingual dictionaries and their direct integration in the device so as to access the word’s definition or translation depending on the dictionary chosen.
Browsing the contents
Once a book is opened in the various programs this is generally done at the last page consulted. Most programs allow page markers to be inserted so as to return to a previously marked page, to the index, or to search for a specific page or content (see Table 2.3). As for turning the page, while in read-only devices the change from one page to another produces a slight flickering, in some cases on the Tablets the passing of a sheet of paper is imitated (the ‘flip page’ effect) to reproduce the effect of reading a traditional book, although some applications allow the user to choose from the various options (folding, turning, sliding, etc.).
As they read, users will often wish to know how their reading is progressing. This is shown in different ways in different applications, sometimes with a simple progress bar or even an indication of the page reached, and the number of pages remaining before the end of the chapter or of the work. This progress bar can be concealed.
It should be taken into account that pagination systems are not consistent; while devices such as Amazon’s Kindle operate in percentages, other devices repaginate depending on letter size and style, and others retain the pagination of the work on paper with each page occupying two or three screens. This variation in pagination has its consequences regarding quotation and reference systems, as agreed standardised references are lost to make it difficult for other users to locate a quotation in the text.
Some specific applications facilitate access to reading for people with a disability such as those of the VoiceOver system8 which allows the audiodescription of the contents of the device, although not all programs will permit this.
Annotations
Another interesting aspect is the possibility of making annotations during the reading process; this function is very useful, in particular for scientific reading (see Table 2.4). The programs offer different possibilities; one of the most frequent is underlining and including a note on the text marked. The programs differ in the manner of making the marks; while some programs allow writing or marking with a pointer, in others this is done by means of the virtual keyboard. Some more advanced applications allow the selecting of the colour for marking or underlining and also the possibility of inserting geometrical shapes. With these marks and annotations an index can be generated, which in some cases can be sent to another device or by e-mail. The programs also provide a summary of the annotations to produce a document in which both the note and its location appear. These functions are very useful for work with scientific articles, reports, or work documents.
Likewise, some applications allow the public sharing of the annotations so as to establish a social reading system with other readers interested in the same highlighted paragraphs, and even to create a ranking of the paragraphs most often highlighted by users.
Inclusion of other non textual formats
One of the great advantages of digital books is that they allow the combination of various non textual formats. This allows varied applications; in educational books it is possible to include an explanatory video or an audio to complement the information and thus strengthen their didactic purpose. As for works of fiction, the inclusion of videos has given rise to a new hybrid genre known as a vook9 (video + book). It is neither an eBook nor a film but rather a combination of both.
Organising the collection
The various devices allow the organising of the collections by creating files to make it easier to locate the titles; it is also possible to search for a specific title. Some devices allow the indexing of the content of the files; the latter can be ordered by the various metadata and arranged by authors, titles, subject matter, the latest reading or date, etc. In Tablets the contents are displayed both in the form of a list and in a display case simulating that of the latest titles in libraries and bookshops; this allows easy location of the books by their covers (see Figure 2.1).
Outward interaction
As for outward interaction, applications including connections to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter so as to share what is being read and animate the texts are becoming more and more frequent. Some of these applications are very useful for carrying out revitalising activities such as the creation of reading clubs.
Connection and storage of the contents
As to the manner of supplying the reader there are various possibilities. The first of these is that of connecting the device to a computer; the reader becomes another peripheral with the possibility of copying contents, creating files, etc. In the case of iPads the data must be linked through the specific Apple iTunes program, although in general the programs allow the opening of the contents that have been sent directly by e-mail in the program chosen. Another of the most frequent options is that the application itself is linked to a bookshop where contents can be acquired free or otherwise. In some cases the programs are connected with virtual library catalogues such as the Project Gutenberg.10 Cloud hosting applications of the Dropbox11 or Sugarsync12 type are also very useful for transferring the contents to the reading programme.
In this regard Amazon has a very interesting option in the Sendtokindle software, which is installed in the computer and allows the sending of any contents to the device linked to the computer. Operation is simple; just click on the object with the right-hand mouse button and select the option Sendtokindle or the print option, as on installing the program it is possible to print with a printer called SendtoKindle. When the reading device is connected the contents are automatically downloaded in the Mobi format, which as has been mentioned is suitable for this kind of device.
In the connection section those applications allowing connection between different devices are particularly relevant; they can access not only the desired content but also the annotations or marking that has been made. This is achieved thanks to Whispersync technology.
It is not however necessary to have the book in the reading device or in a sector of the cloud (a space in Dropbox or Sugarsync); reading is possible without the need for downloading the contents, which is known as streaming reading. This type of technology allows storage of what is being viewed in a buffer, as, if the connection should be lost, the user can continue to enjoy the contents that have previously been stored. In this way applications such as 24 Symbols, known as the ‘Spotify of books’, offer the possibility of reading books on the Internet with non invasive advertising in the free option (Freemium) or without it in paid options (Premium). In this case access to the complete file with the content is not possible; this does not therefore favour illegal copying. What it does is count how many times each page is accessed. The content is therefore freely accessible but in a controlled manner within a registered community; this control allows the distribution of income among authors and publishers in accordance with the success of their contents (Alonso-Arévalo et al., 2011a).
Cloud storage can also be used to associate various devices such as a computer, a mobile phone, or various reading devices in such a way that a book can be read by various family members in different devices; reading can also be synchronised from different devices retaining the personal elements. The Kindle system is known as the Kindle Cloud Reader. Kindle creates an account and provides an e-mail address … .@ kindle.com to which any document can be sent in any format; the system converts it to mobi and this content is automatically downloaded when the device is switched on.
The content
One of the essential aspects of reading applications is the type of reading desired and one of its determinants is the type of content. It should be considered that while in some cases the application needs to be bound inseparably to the content itself, there are other applications that can be used for contents of the same type. In the former case they are generally very specific materials that need specific computer programming, for example some books are especially designed for interaction with the content by activating certain actions on touching the object (elements that move or reproduce a sound) or the sliding of objects across the screen when the device is moved. An example of this type of contents is the book Alice in Wonderland, an example of multidimensional narrative in which, based on the illustrations of the original work, a series of effects have been reproduced to enrich it, such as the protagonist sliding across the screen or the clock moving with the motion of the equipment itself … among other effects.13
Specialised applications also exist to allow access to different contents by adapting to their characteristics. There are therefore specific applications for books, comics, website contents … with a more or less extensive catalogue of actions that, however simple they may seem, are not found in all applications (see Table 2.5).
As to the contents, six groups can be established: books, scientific articles and work documents, the daily press, magazines, the syndication of contents, and comics. We indicate below the main characteristics of these contents together with some examples of applications, in the knowledge that it is impossible to mention each of them in detail.
Books
This type of work includes novels and some textbooks. Most commonly the reading of this type of contents is linear as this is how novels are generally read and it would seem that many more functions are not necessary as they may cause distraction. Despite this, the fact is that the reading programs most appreciated by users are those that allow the carrying out of a wide range of tasks, even though these are not normally made use of. It should be taken into account that the possibilities of e-readers for marking paragraphs or making annotations are fewer than those of Tablets.
Interactive books constitute a special category of contents. Although some of them require their own application, there are also applications that allow the viewing of these books. In this case the contents integrate both the text and image and sound. They allow greater interaction between the user and the content and have been specially designed for children and the world of education. For children there are applications such as that of TouchyBooks, which are books to entertain. As for educational content, in the most recent developments the texts are enriched with videos or animation to complement the textual information and facilitate interaction. It would seem that the development of contents for education at all informative levels is moving in this direction. This type of content requires special formats such as epub3. Likewise, Apple has launched a new format (.ibooks) for educational contents along the same lines as the new epub standard.
The number of applications for the reading of books is quite large. As examples we comment on some of them below.
Aldiko Book Reader
This is an application for reading eBooks for mobile phones with the Android operating system; it is available free and in a Premium version that you pay for. Its interface simulates a bookshop and to include books in it they are simply loaded in the telephone memory.
It allows the configuration of letter types, background colours, and screen brightness (including a night option) in a very simple manner; reading is quite convenient considering it is a mobile terminal.
As for reading formats, it is compatible with standard epub and pdf. The books can be downloaded directly from a database on the Internet with a large number of copies; they are available in several languages and are free from copyright.
Aldiko allows classification of the books in a very simple manner and direct access to the list of contents or index so the user can go straight to a chapter or mark a page.
Books must be loaded to the memory card; the specific file to which the user wishes to import must be indicated.
FBReader
This is an application for the reading of multi-platform eBooks, with a very simple browsing interface. It includes a progress bar that indicates the total number of pages and the page where you are.
It has a search engine for locating words and expressions throughout the eBook, and offers the possibility of rotating the pages 90, 180, or 270 degrees. Like other applications in this category, it allows the user to adapt the contents to his or her preferences as to letter type and background and letter colour.
With this application books can be read in the following formats: ePub, plucker (the most popular eBook format from Palm), a version without DRM from Mobipocket, Open E-Book (OEB), OpenReader, html, plain text, ztxt (Weasel Reader format), Palmdoc (AportisDoc), tcr (Psion Text), chm, rtf, djvu, odt, lrf, and iSilo. It also allows direct reading from .tar, zip, gzip, and bzip2 files. It cannot, however, read files in DOC, LIT, or pdf format. Moreover, it maintains the last book open and the last position read for all books open between executions.
Its main characteristics include allowing the automatic assembly of libraries and automatically generating content tables; it supports embedded images together with footnotes and hyperlinks; it generates a list of the last books opened; and as for the dividing of words it uses the Liang algorithm (the same algorithm as TeX); it includes patterns for many languages.
The weak point of this application is that it has no tools for marking or adding notes.
iBooks
This application is native to the iOS operating system and operates for the various Apple devices (iPhone and iPod). The formats it supports are pdf and epub.
The reading process is simple. Once the book has been selected from the collection, to turn the pages it suffices to tap the screen lightly. Like all reading programs it allows the changing of the letter size and type, browsing among the chapters, going to the index, and using markers to underline text or make annotations. Moreover, any term can be searched for in the dictionary it incorporates, in the Wikipedia, or elsewhere on the Internet. This system is also compatible with the VoiceOver14 system, owing to which the device itself can provide a reading of the text.
It allows viewing of the titles available in the collection as if they were present in a display case revealing their covers for quick identification. It also offers the possibility of creating files or collections to organise the books as a whole. Furthermore, it is associated with an iBookstore that gives access to a collection of some 300 000 books in various languages, whether in the public domain or paid for. The application is prepared for accessing both conventional books and new books improved with audio, video, or dynamic texts, which manage to create a different experience for both readers and creators. These contents are particularly interesting for the world of education.
The program allows the incorporation of contents from the iTunes library by e-mail and also from any other place of purchase. In the reading process the program shows a progress bar that indicates both the page where you are and the number of pages remaining to end the chapter.
The books are stored in the device itself, although as synchronisation by means of iCloud is permitted it is possible to access them from other devices of the Apple range (iPhone, iTouch). Page markers are even stored so that reading can continue on any device provided that it is linked to the same iTunes account.
Kindle
The Kindle application has been designed both for Amazon devices (Kindle) and for Apple devices (iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch). Its interface is simple and it is directly connected to the Amazon store, although in the case of the iPad access to the store is not direct but rather through the browser, as Amazon limits direct purchase for this type of device in order to favour its own products.
As far as the loading of contents is concerned, as well as doing this through the connection to the computer by means of USB and purchase through the direct connection to the Amazon store, it also allows the sending of pdf documents and other formats by e-mail. Moreover, Amazon offers a repository where all purchases are stored and which allows their downloading when this is considered appropriate.
The Whispersync application automatically synchronises the last page read, the markers, the notes, and the words underlined in all devices desired, in such a way that reading can be resumed at the same point where it was left off in another device.
The advantage of this device is that it allows its direct integration with the contents of the social network of the Amazon company devoted to the promotion of reading: Amazon Kindle Read, Review, Remember (https://kindle.amazon.com/).
Kobo
This application has been specially designed for social reading applications and is available both for the Apple operating system and for Android. Apart from the changes in appearance that can be carried out in the text, the potential of this tool is its capacity to share reading matter through social networks, which makes it very suitable for creating reading clubs in the cloud. Furthermore, it allows the follow-up of the user’s reading habits in statistical form.
Moon + Reader
Moon Reader is an Android application that allows the reading of txt, html, epub, fb2, chm, zip, and Open Publication Distribution System (OPDS) files. It is surprising that it is not possible to read in pdf unless a format conversion programme is used.
As well as the habitual options such as brightness adjustment and changing the letter type and size, changing the letter colour is also included. It allows text formatting to change its justification and increase or reduce line spacing, and even to establish a background image. As in other programs the background colour can be changed.
This application includes five different effects for changing pages that imitate the turning of pages of a book. The configurations can be saved as themes so they can be loaded and used when needed.
It is also possible to make annotations, add page markers, highlight text, and consult a dictionary. All our configurations can be uploaded to the cloud thanks to its being integrated with Dropbox.
This application is not linked to any store of its own, but access can be had to digital libraries such as Project Gutenberg and books can be downloaded free from there.
Readmill
This tool allows collaborative reading, which means that the user can recommend titles and share reading fragments through friends or Twitter followers. The designers of the platform share the idea that the digital format should not imitate books on paper; for this reason the interface imitating the turning of the pages is not included.
As well as being a reader, Readmill is also a web platform that is complemented by the application for iPad, which is where users indicate what they are reading, which paragraphs interest them most, etc. These paragraphs can be integrated on websites, blogs, or social networks. Through the platform it has a social network of its own where readers can follow each other, comment on the books, and make recommendations. The application provides statistics on user reading habits.
Stanza
This application is one of the most complete for the reading of books and is available both for Android and iOS. It allows reading in epub, e-reader (pdb), pdf, cbr/cbz, and djvu formats. It is highly flexible as to the configuration of each text as it is adjustable to suit user preferences with the options of line spacing, margins, typography, letter colours, etc. What you are reading can be shared immediately on Facebook or Twitter thanks to a direct access menu, which can naturally be personalised.
Scientific articles and work documents
A requirement for this type of content is that the user can make annotations on the text and underline phrases in different ways. Although comments can be included in the applications mentioned in the previous section, specific applications for this type of content include more options, as is the case with Ezpdf, Goodreader, and Pdf-notes.
As far as e-readers are concerned, the option of making annotations on the texts is more complex. This is mainly because in the case of non touch screens it is more complicated to underline a text or insert a note, although this is possible. There is no specific application for the purpose; it is the same as that allowing the visualisation of other types of content. Furthermore, tables and graphs are not always visualised correctly. Some touch models facilitate their interactivity with the text by using a pointer.
ezPDF
This application is available for the Android operating system and iOS in both its Tablet and Smartphone versions. As for synchronisation with other programs, this is possible with Google Drive and with DropBox (iOS). Files can also be downloaded directly from the Internet as well as by the habitual mechanisms (via usb for Android and via iTunes for iOS). A peculiarity not shared with other applications is that it allows linking between websites and files and also video incrustation (MPEG-4 H.264 format) and the insertion of comments in both graph form and by underlining.
Another of its novelties is that it allows the administration of pdf forms as it recognises pdf form fields (text, radio buttons, pull-down lists, etc.). These can be filled in and then sent by e-mail, although the way of resolving this is not very intuitive as it means that one file has to be generated only with the data and another with the form. It is also possible to lay out the pdf forms by adapting their size and the arrangement of elements on the screen so that they can be used on Smartphones.
It allows the automatic zoom shot adjustment of several columns in the articles and the elimination of the blank margin. It is capable of selecting text in pdf format, saving it on the clipboard, searching on the Internet, and sharing with other applications. Furthermore, it supports hyperlinks (going to the pdf page and URL links to the website) and can even open protected pdfs or go to a specific page by its page number. Another of the functions it includes is a change in reading direction.
In its version for Android it also includes the ‘flip page’ effect, in contrast to other programs such as Goodreader.
Goodreader
This application, designed by Good iWare, originates from Apple and has been designed to work with files in pdf, txt, doc, xls, ppt, and html formats; it also supports images, audio, and videos. The contents can be loaded from any website or by using e-mail; you simply need to indicate that the document is to be opened with this application.
Goodreader allows the creation and administration of files. The visualisation of the program is quite satisfactory and also quick. Furthermore, this program offers the possibility of compressing and decompressing .zip files.
It has a wide range of ‘desktop tools’ for annotating, underlining in several colours, marking, etc. and includes the possibility of creating a document with all the marks or of keeping them floating in the text.
PDF-Notes
This program has been developed for iOS and is a very complete application for working with documents. Its features include the speed with which the documents are loaded, but its true potential lies in the possibilities it offers of taking notes on the documents with a wide variety of brushes. In the mode of browsing through the document it allows both writing on the screen and using the virtual keyboard or moving the objects from the document.
Other reading applications are for storage in the cloud. As well as storing contents, both Dropbox and SugarSync can organise them, administer them, and redirect them to other reading applications. Furthermore, they also have a content viewer that allows reading without the need to download doc, rtf, pdf, and ppt files, together with text manipulation by underlining and marking with different colours, including notes that can subsequently be seen in a PC. This alternative is important above all because in cloud hosting you download the content from the device itself.
Newspapers
As for newspapers, many applications have been prepared independently for each publishing group, as is the case with those of The Guardian (UK), New York Times (USA), BBC News (UK), Le Figaro (France), The Sun (UK), Le Monde (France), El País (Spain), and El Mundo (Spain), to give specific examples. These applications that have been designed for the various operating systems allow the user to be informed in real time, and although the contents can also be accessed by a browser as they are basically the same, the applications are a specific development adapted to the various devices (Smartphones and Tablets).
As well as these specific developments for publications, there are also applications that allow the substituting of the applications of each publisher; they give access to a multitude of newspapers and magazines from different countries.
PressReader
PressReader15 affords access to over 2000 newspapers and magazines from 95 countries in over 50 languages.
The user can make his or her selection either by country or by the language of the newspaper. The cover features the selections made by the user, who can simply browse through the newspaper or listen to the audio with the reading of the various news items. It is also possible to personalise appearance and eliminate old newspapers so as to save storage space. The various headlines of the newspapers can also be obtained.
Magazines
As they generally include a large number of photographs, the reading of these publications by using an e-reader is not ideal as not all of the images may be visualised correctly. It should also be pointed out that the formatting of the text in two columns is not suitable for reading on this type of device owing to the difficulties this causes.
Newsstand
This specific Apple application allows the organisation of subscriptions to apps of newspapers and magazines. It also provides a site for subscriptions to newspapers and magazines that can be directly accessed from Quiosco. The purchases made by using this application are administered directly in the Quiosco file; when the following number appears it is automatically updated, including the cover.
Zinio
It operates both with the iOS operating system and with Android. This application is like a kiosk where magazines on all subjects can be viewed; these are from various countries such as Australia, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Access to the different magazines can be had by means of subscription, but separate issues can also be obtained. Furthermore, it offers the possibility of organising the library by categories and synchronising it with other mobile devices.
Syndication of contents
The syndication of web contents consists of the resending or reissuing of contents from an original source, which may be a website, a social network profile … or even a receiver, which is another website and a transmitter in its turn. It makes available to others the contents that have reached it through multiple channels. This means it is no longer necessary to check several blogs or pages to be informed, as the information reaches the user directly, changing the address in the communication. It is therefore not the user who goes out looking for the information but rather the information that comes to the user. In order to carry out syndication it is necessary to predefine a series of channels that are chosen by the user to remain informed. In association with the reading, those applications that bring together material in a single publication are of great interest; in them can be found information from various channels that syndicate contents as in a book or magazine. Applications of this type are Flipboard, FeedlerRSS, Mister Reader, and SkyGrid.
FeedlerRSS
This application is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch; it compiles contents from various websites. It allows us to read the updates of our favourite websites. It can be linked to Google Reader, which means that the various Really Simple Syndication (RSS) channels can be read. It also allows the comparing of articles on Facebook or by e-mail. The great advantage of this application is that it allows the organisation of syndicated contents.
This application is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, also for devices with Android. It compiles contents from various websites and presents them in the form of a magazine, in such a way that each user configures his or her own publication as contents are added. These contents may include the information that appears on the Facebook wall or timeline, information from the Twitter account, or from any other valid URL publishing content. Together with the textual information, it incorporates the videos that can be included in this type of publication. Instead of being read in conventional formats, this information is captured in the form of a digital magazine. From the publication itself it is possible to interact by, for instance, commenting on something from the Facebook channel or a tweet if the news comes from a friend on Twitter. News can also be sent by e-mail or the original news item can be viewed in the browser. It is also possible to vote or add ‘I like it’.
Mr. Reader
This is a reader for RSS contents that is available for iPad and that synchronises the various contents of the RSS channels with the Google Reader account. A display is obtained of each of the articles with the miniatures of the images, which allows the user to select at a glance the articles of interest to him or her.
The information can be taken from the pages open in the Safari, Atomic Web, or Mobile iCab websites, or from the Mercury website browsers.
By means of labelling, the contents can be categorised and therefore organised for easy future reference.
The disadvantage of this application is that if the number of channels exceeds 50 the synchronisation speed suffers, although given the novelty of this reader this feature is likely to be improved.
SkyGrid
SkyGrid offers a series of channels formed by information found on the Internet (from sources ranging from professional media to blogs and even Twitter) on various preselected themes. The application is a simple one and can be handled very quickly by using your fingers. The updating of the incoming links is continuous and very rapid.
Comic
This type of content is characterised by the number of illustrations and the text that is associated with them. If the contents are in pdf they are difficult to read as this format is not a liquid one; this means that it cannot be adapted. For this reason they require a format that not only allows the viewing of the whole page of the sketch, but also the reading of each of the speech balloons. It is therefore necessary for it to be easy to move among the various frameworks. Comics generally constitute a series of images (in general each page represents an image) that are compressed and packaged in a file that allows their viewing in order as from the name of the file. The extensions of these files are cbr and cbz.
As in the previous cases, when reading comics on only-read devices the colour reproduction loses quality, but formats exist to make reading compatible with this type of reader.
Comic Flow
This application is available for iOS and Android and accepts the formats cbr, cbz, and pdf. It is capable of administering a wide collection of comics and its interface is simple but effective. When the application is opened the comics appear arranged by name, but they can be classified by series, date, or category: new (to be read), with a marker (being read), or having been read. To read any comic you simply click on it.
Comic Zeal
This application is available for the iOS operating system and in this case is not free. It allows reading comics in cbr, cbz, pdf, zip, or rar format. It is possible to configure a smart page application to establish the width or height of the pages, zoom in, turn the pages one by one, jump to the desired page, read horizontally, etc.
Marvel
This application is available for iOS and Android, and has been developed by the United States publishing house of the same name. Subscribers enjoy direct access to its collection of comics, which include Spiderman, Captain America, and Iron Man.
It allows the creating of a backup copy of the comics that have been acquired even if these have been eliminated from the Tablet.
Conclusion
The great variety of devices and contents means that it is necessary to develop more and more complicated applications not only to allow access to contents in a multitude of formats but also to provide a series of functions to enrich reading, such as the synchronisation of the reading of multiple devices. On the other hand the characteristics of each content require their specific application. This means that it is necessary to be familiar with the market for these applications and to analyse what we really want, so as to choose the product that best suits our needs. It is, however, desirable for applications to allow access to multiple contents so that the user is not obliged to install a wide range of applications in his or her device, given the problem of the space they occupy and increasing costs in versions that are not free.
By way of synthesis, Table 2.6 shows the applications described in this chapter together with their operating systems and the type of content for which they are recommended.
1.http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1673714
2.For instance, see the chapter entitled ‘Los libros y los dispositivos de lectura electrónica’ [Books and Electronic Reading Devices] in Cordón-García, J. A., Gómez Díaz, R. and Alonso Arévalo, J., Gutenberg 2.0: la revolución de los libros electrónicos. Gijón: Trea, 2011, pp 107–57. This chapter contains a comprehensive analysis of the many components that could be evaluated when considering an electronic reading device.
3.The difference lies in the serial number designed by Amazon to support the Kindle eBook reader which uses an asterisk instead of a dollar sign.
4.DRM (Digital Rights Management) is a concept and at the same time a device with an encoding system that combines hardware and software (encrypting systems) with the aim of establishing the uses permitted by the holder of the rights on a digital work. It is used by the authors and publishers of works protected by copyright so as to avoid piracy and other illegal activities, or to establish a range of permitted and non permitted uses based on varying circumstances and conditions (Alonso Arévalo et al., 2011a).
5.In Project Gutenberg the books are available in this format.
6.This program is available at http://calibre-ebook.com/
7.The section of social reading applications is developed in Chapter 5.
8.To configure this option, go to ‘Settings’ in the device itself.
13.This work has won several prizes; it is available for iPad through the Apps Store both in a free test version and a complete payable version.
14.To configure this option, go to ‘Settings’ in the iPad itself.
15.This application is available for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows.