Tech News of the Week, Cause It Happened

techa-nology, y'all

Welcome to this weeks Tech News of the Week, where all your library tech news gets shuffled when I can't think of more than a sentence to say about it.

Leapfrog, the educational "computer" company, has created its own version of the iPad called the LeapPad.  Personally I would have called it the "Lilly" (unless they already called their first computer that after Apple's own ancient invention, the "Lisa,") as a play on the whole "lilly pad" phenomenon that is sweeping the swamps.  Or just call it a speak-and-spell and go on with my life.  tennessean

Amazon is opening in Spain this week.  I just wanted y'all to know.  paidcontent.org

Michael Hart, the founder of Project Gutenberg, died this week.  The mark this man left on the world is vast, touching on the creation of the ebook to the digital preservation of materials.  Think about that the next time you bitch about... whatever you bitch about digitally.  NYTimes

IDW has brought graphic novels to the Apple iBook store.  Read such classics as... those movie-licensed comics the kids like these days.  Keep on kicking, digital ebooks picture thingies. comicbookresources

The Huffington Post has begin publishing ebooks.  The first ebook out on its bandwagon will be Arthur Delaney’s A People’s History of the Great Recession.  Prepare for the ride of your life.  paidcontent.org

Lordy, Lordy, eBooks are Forty

The 2011 World eBook Fair, which apparently exists, is celebrating 40 years of ebooks, claiming the 1971 copy of the Declaration of Independence by Project Gutenberg as the first ever ebook.  Amazon was also on hand to jump up and down like a puppy about to piddle and announce ebooks are outselling print books on their site..

First of all, I think it is a stretch to call the electronic version of the Declaration of Independence an eBook.  The narrative is weak, it is pandering to national sensibilities and quite honestly, the protagonist is kinda a douche.  It's a "classic" though, so whatever.

Second, they picked the DoI on Independence Day to make the first ebook?  Coincidence, I think not.  Like that movie where the aliens landed on ID4.  [PCWorldNewZealand]