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| DATE | 2006-12-17 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
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| SUBJECT | Subject: [NYLXS - HANGOUT] Google Books sidestep Adobe
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Google Launches Web Book Reader
By Nate Mook, BetaNews
November 22, 2006, 6:34 PM
Firing a shot over Adobe's bow, Google on Wednesday launched a Web-based
application for reading books digitized by the company's Book Search
project. Like Google Maps and Gmail, the interactive tool works directly
in a Web browser and supports zooming as well as a fullscreen mode.
Books that are available through the search can still be downloaded in
PDF format, but Google's online utility replaces the need for the bulky
Adobe Reader. Users can switch to a two-page view that appears like a
physical book, or read one page per screen like a standard Web page.
Scrolling through the book is instant using the mouse.
On the right side of the page, users can find a search and table of
contents that lets them jump through to different sections of a book, as
well as links to purchase the book from a number of online retailers.
Google has also linked the application up to Google Scholar so users can
locate works that reference the book.
"Just click on "About this book" to find more books related to the book
you're reading," says Google developer Nathan Naze. "If the book How to
Draw Comic Book Heroes and Villains interests you, you'll probably like
Comic Book Artist Collection, Vol. 1. We also revised our 'About this
book' page to provide better information for in-copyright books, from
which you can just see short snippets or a limited preview."
For now, the number of full books available for reading is still
limited, as Google is still in the process of digitizing a number of
major libraries including those of the Universities of Michigan and
California, Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, as well as the New York Public
Library. Google recently signed a deal to scan 3 million works from
Complutense University in Madrid.
Still, not everyone is impressed with the immense effort to catalog the
world's books. Last month, a second publisher group in France has joined
a lawsuit against Google in French court over its Google Book Search
service. The suit is similar to one brought forth by the US-based
Author's Guild and was filed October 24.
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By DeadFly
posted Nov 27, 2006 - 12:15 PM
I think the concept is great, but I don't think Google picked the most
sound way to start into this task. They should have first concentrated
on out of copyright books and RARE books. Or even publishing info
obtained through the freedom of information act. Basically stuff that is
hard for people to get... if a publisher is suing, then they're wanting
to sell their works and hence they're available and not all that
critical to digitize.
Score: 0
By esufkc
posted Nov 27, 2006 - 9:50 AM
Well done! To my opinion Google is actually the company on the market
that just constantly keeps the online life even better than ever before,
meanwile, Both the company and users do get lots of benefits from each
other, especially the end users are actually using these services for
free!
Score: 0
By wincement
posted Nov 25, 2006 - 1:51 PM
Works really well. A lot faster than Adobe's mammoth plugin. I like it.
The end.
Score: 0
By SteveJohnSteele
posted Nov 24, 2006 - 7:32 PM
... and here is the news from December 1st 2026 ...
... on the subject of the new Google Operating System - Google has again
been fined by the EU, for what the EU described as 'holding a strangle
hold' ...
shape of things to come ???
(shadows of Microsoft's trouble with EU over its Windows Operating
System)
Score: 0
By bugmenot
posted Nov 26, 2006 - 8:19 AM
lol. I think it is what all Google fans want. I mean, Google get their
profit from ads, mainly from the search engine. When someone come up
with better product, it will get replaced. Unlike OS, where there are
many components involve, it cannot be replace easily. And human nature
doesn't like change.
Of course, unless Google change their business model completely, like
charging for their software, I don't think it will go anywhere.
Score: 0
By JoannaP
posted Nov 24, 2006 - 3:18 PM
Very good on Google's part making this available. No need to go to the
library if you have to write a paper.
What scares me a bit that Goolge is starting to control most of the
search technologies. We all know what happenes when sombody has to much
power. I don't think you could call this "Firing a shot over Adobe's
bow". I'm sure Abobe is aware and watching. They might have to share the
pie with Google but this will also ensure we users see more inovation.
Thats very good.
--------------
Green Day Videos http://www.greenday-central.com
Score: 0
By Flexewebs
edited Nov 23, 2006 - 9:43 AM
To be quite honest here, Google has been a little slow to react to
certain developments in the online arena.
However, I do believe that in some respects they are playing on the
second mover advantage a lot in order to be able to do things faster,
better and in a more relevant manner.
This Google book reader is one of those developments I believe.
Thanks.
Jason
www.flexewebs.com
Score: 0
By DonGato
posted Nov 23, 2006 - 8:15 AM
Well, some people are so close minded that they don't see this is a
benefit for them. I can find a book they published and go buy it by this
tool instead of not knowing of it at all.
This is a tremendous advance for all us. Searching every published book
is a dream made real for me and millions of other people out there.
Google deserves the credit for taking the lead on this and bearing with
the stubbornness of the ones filling lawsuits to them. I hope none of
those finds merit.
Score: 0
By alexweber15
posted Nov 23, 2006 - 7:29 AM
in an age where you can download so many copyrighted books on torrent
sites for free its pretty dumb to rip on Google for offering a service
that can only help people. I guess you can always count on the French to
be a******s! =P
Score: 0
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