Ars Test Drives the "Netflix For Books" 108
Ars Technica reviewer Casey Johnston gives a mildly positive review to the Oyster book-rental app (and associated site), which intentionally tries to be for books what Netflix has become for movies: a low-price, subscription-based, data-sifting source of first resort. For $10 a month, users can read any of the books in Oyster's catalog (in the range of 100,000, and growing), and their reading habits are used to suggest new books of interest (with some bum steers, it seems, at present). It's iOS-only for now, with an Android version expected soon. I've only grudgingly moved more and more of my reading to tablets, but now am glad I have; still, I don't like the idea of having my books disappear if I don't pay a continuing subscription.
Re:Looks familiar (Score:5, Interesting)
The added value that you're paying for comes from the recommendation system. I haven't tried it, since I don't have any iOS devices, but if it works well it could be worthwhile.
If you don't want to pay, there are still libraries, not to mention plenty of sites with free ebooks.
Re:Looks familiar (Score:3, Interesting)
The law certainly favors public libraries, in that they don't need to negotiate anything with any content provider.
Could a public library scan a book, and loan it out online for virtual access using a reader application, as long as they restrict access to one patron at a time?
Re:Looks familiar (Score:5, Interesting)
If we're talking about a lending library, then they take away your books after 3 weeks, even IF you continue to be a member.
Our public library has something very similar running already: there are a number of ebooks and audiobooks available for 7 or 21-day loans, for free. It was kind of neat this summer when I was on vacation in another country, and still able to check out a book from the library. :)