I only just found out about this and figured it would be of interest to some.
Coming soon to Europe (surely a no-brainer to go to America before too long) 100 classic (and handily free from copyright) books available in their original versions all on a single DS cart. Includes works by William Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Jules Verne and Jane Austen.
I think the format has promise, but I'm not sure this particular collection attracts my eye. I already own a large collection of classics that probably include most on the list, sadly. Come out with something I don't have and we'll talk.
Is it just me who thinks they'd be better off releasing a decent text reading interface that you could download your preferred books to? Like wildhalcyon said, those classics might not really catch anyone's eye, whilst on the other hand, there are thousands of public domain works available in text format from places like Project Gutenberg.
Then again, as far as digital reading on a DS is concerned, yeah I think that would be more than a bit tiring on the eyes after a while.
I was wondering how stuff like this would affect the mobile reader market. Why spend $300 or whatever they're charging for those things when you could just use the handheld you probably already have?
If you have a modded PSP there are homebrew document reading programs already available, a huge library of public domain literature, and the ability to position the system vertically and read from a larger, much nicer screen.
So I think what I'm saying is it would be rad if something like that was released legit-style for the PSP. Sell it on PSN for $5 and let the user stash books in whatever format on their memory stick.
I was wondering how stuff like this would affect the mobile reader market. Why spend $300 or whatever they're charging for those things when you could just use the handheld you probably already have?
If you have a modded PSP there are homebrew document reading programs already available, a huge library of public domain literature, and the ability to position the system vertically and read from a larger, much nicer screen.
So I think what I'm saying is it would be rad if something like that was released legit-style for the PSP. Sell it on PSN for $5 and let the user stash books in whatever format on their memory stick.
To be honest, I do already have homebrew that can do this and much more (a full text editor) and any DS browser could probably use Project Gutenburg. Still, I will pay for the convenience of it simply working, and having all this at my fingertips rather than needing to browse around.
Also makes a neat gift for those without alternative DS reading solutions.
The cookbook is actually pretty sweet because it is more than a book; it's a cooking pokedex. You can track your progress and it has nutrition information IIRC, adjusts ingredients based on number of people etc.
Anyone and everyone. The DS install base is so huge that these non-game carts can do really well. Especially when produced to a high standard as I hear the cook book is. It has a magnet for sticking it to a handy surface in your kitchen, voice commands so you don't have to touch it with foody fingers. Good stuff.
This is pretty cool but personally I've always struggled to read from a computer screen for prolonged periods of time. That and I like the feel and smell of an actual book.
Rami on
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This is pretty cool but personally I've always struggled to read from a computer screen for prolonged periods of time. That and I like the feel and smell of an actual book.
I'm sidetracking a little bit here, but I bought an eeePC, and one of the coolest things about it is if you're running XP you can use Ctrl+Alt+Arrow to change the screen's orientation. The eee is small enough that you can switch the screen and then hold the system vertically, pseudo-simulating the act of holding an actual book.
This is awesome for reading digital books, but comes in handy even for reading long articles on webpages:
It's interesting that the DS is getting all of this non-gaming "lifestyle software" that you would normally only see on PDAs and the Mylo and things like that. Hopefully this is something that Nintendo will support when they are designing the sequel system to the DS. Stuff like the DSi's camera seems like they might be moving in that direction, which is cool.
I've been reading books on my DS for a while now and it's really good. Good for one handed reading where I can press a button with my holding hand to turn the page. I can also just set the DS somewhere and read while I'm doing something else with both hands, stopping only to press a button every once and a while. What would be awesome if you could set it up so pages turn using voice commands.
I don't read many classics though, just finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo on the DS though and for such a long book I hardly notice a difference on my eyes between the DS and a normal book, you can even increase the text size if need be. All round it's just way more conveinient for me to use the DS.
For the people who don't like reading using screens, I think it's just a case of not being use to it. Buy this game and that will soon change
Intriguing. I'm wondering whether the amount of text that fits onto the DS' screen would be tolerable for long reading sessions.
If that image is a representative screenshot, it really doesn't look acceptable to me. Flipping the page every three seconds doesn't seem conducive to the reading process, and there's at least one word being hyphenated at the wrong point to fit into the margins.
Someone tell me what is wrong with paper books? There is never a situation you will ever be in where not carrying 100 novels around is a convenience. I barely ever carry around more than 1.
I do think this is a great idea, based on value and convenience alone. 100 books for £15 is a steal, and it is a really good collection at that.
I don't know how I feel about using the DS to read, but I can't see it being a major hassle. Battery life is probably the only thing I can imagine being a problem. Still, good initiative. I'll try it out for that price :^:
Cherrn on
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Brainiac 8Don't call me Shirley...Registered Userregular
edited December 2008
I'll be buying this, even importing it if I have to. Many of these books I studied in a classic literature class I took years ago, and I absolutely love some of these stories/authors...especially anything involving the classic Sherlock Holmes stories.
Yeah...this sounds interesting to me, but again, the screen is the sticking point. I'll have to see how it feels to read on the ds screen. That's supposed to be the big selling point of the kindle, is its screen doesn't strain your eyes like most electronic screens.
What versions of the classics are these though? Who translated these like the Dumas? Are they abridged? I like the idea in concept, but is this information readily available before I buy?
Dammit, when I read the title I thought it was going to be an actual game. I was envisioning a Hamlet fighting game. Hamlet vs. Laertes Duel 1. Heaven or Hell, LET'S ROCK!
Or maybe a Frankenstein survival horror, or a Great Expectations kart racer. So much wasted potential.
Now this is tempting. Very tempting. Now if only they could get some Eastern Lit on there as well.
Tale of Genji and Journey to the West would be great to carry in my pocket.
Incenjucar on
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Mojo_JojoWe are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered Userregular
edited December 2008
There's an important reason as to why eink is a major area of research, if people were happy to squint at a backlight screen displaying a dozen lines of text then nobody would need to work on this. Yes, I am just voicing my own opinion, but I would never try to read a novel on a handheld screen, it would be torture.
Mojo_Jojo on
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Certainly worth the price. I can't believe no one thought of this before.
I will buy it for the Sherlock Holmes alone!
Oh man I am pumped by this idea. Screw the Kindle.
Then again, as far as digital reading on a DS is concerned, yeah I think that would be more than a bit tiring on the eyes after a while.
I was wondering how stuff like this would affect the mobile reader market. Why spend $300 or whatever they're charging for those things when you could just use the handheld you probably already have?
If you have a modded PSP there are homebrew document reading programs already available, a huge library of public domain literature, and the ability to position the system vertically and read from a larger, much nicer screen.
So I think what I'm saying is it would be rad if something like that was released legit-style for the PSP. Sell it on PSN for $5 and let the user stash books in whatever format on their memory stick.
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I have no idea who these people are marketing to.
To be honest, I do already have homebrew that can do this and much more (a full text editor) and any DS browser could probably use Project Gutenburg. Still, I will pay for the convenience of it simply working, and having all this at my fingertips rather than needing to browse around.
Also makes a neat gift for those without alternative DS reading solutions.
The cookbook is actually pretty sweet because it is more than a book; it's a cooking pokedex. You can track your progress and it has nutrition information IIRC, adjusts ingredients based on number of people etc.
All those people who bought Brain Age.
Anyone and everyone. The DS install base is so huge that these non-game carts can do really well. Especially when produced to a high standard as I hear the cook book is. It has a magnet for sticking it to a handy surface in your kitchen, voice commands so you don't have to touch it with foody fingers. Good stuff.
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People who love awesome things. Because both these ideas are awesome.
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They already have!
Oh shit!
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THough It is still a very good idea.
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Haven't you seen the commercial with Phoebe from Friends?
Still, I'm sure there's a potential audience that won't mind this, so it would be neat if this sells fairly well.
I'm sidetracking a little bit here, but I bought an eeePC, and one of the coolest things about it is if you're running XP you can use Ctrl+Alt+Arrow to change the screen's orientation. The eee is small enough that you can switch the screen and then hold the system vertically, pseudo-simulating the act of holding an actual book.
This is awesome for reading digital books, but comes in handy even for reading long articles on webpages:
It's interesting that the DS is getting all of this non-gaming "lifestyle software" that you would normally only see on PDAs and the Mylo and things like that. Hopefully this is something that Nintendo will support when they are designing the sequel system to the DS. Stuff like the DSi's camera seems like they might be moving in that direction, which is cool.
Steam / Bus Blog / Goozex Referral
I don't read many classics though, just finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo on the DS though and for such a long book I hardly notice a difference on my eyes between the DS and a normal book, you can even increase the text size if need be. All round it's just way more conveinient for me to use the DS.
For the people who don't like reading using screens, I think it's just a case of not being use to it. Buy this game and that will soon change
If that image is a representative screenshot, it really doesn't look acceptable to me. Flipping the page every three seconds doesn't seem conducive to the reading process, and there's at least one word being hyphenated at the wrong point to fit into the margins.
I don't know how I feel about using the DS to read, but I can't see it being a major hassle. Battery life is probably the only thing I can imagine being a problem. Still, good initiative. I'll try it out for that price :^:
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This looks painful. The price is right, but everything about that screen is not.
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I'd go crazy trying to read from that screen.
Or maybe a Frankenstein survival horror, or a Great Expectations kart racer. So much wasted potential.
I can attest to it being great for this:
Tale of Genji and Journey to the West would be great to carry in my pocket.
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