Are we approaching the release of HR ebooks?

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With the release of high-resolution devices from all the major manufacturers, I have been musing on the possible development of high-resolution ebooks developed specifically for this market. These devices demand not only larger images but also a rethink of how image-heavy content must be delivered: just as we now see movies delivered in both HD (Blu-Ray) for one market and in standard DVD format for those without an HD system, I expect that we will start seeing HR ebook files developed for the high-resolution device market and differentiated from standard Read More …

Should indie authors embrace Kindle Format 8? Not yet.

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UPDATE DECEMEBER 2013: Kindle Format 8, when properly coded into your CSS, is now more stable across the Kindle platform for those devices able to read it. However, authors using Word and exporting to HTML, then uploading to Amazon for automatic conversion, cannot take advantage of this stability. Why? Because Word unfortunately does not create the kind of CSS required for proper KF8. For example, the drop cap in Word is created using a form of table code that does not translate well across Kindle devices. To create a proper Read More …

Will Amazon lose indie authors to Apple?

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Following on my recent post about Apple’s EULA, I thought it might be interesting to look at this latest corporate manoeuvre in light of its origins in the Apple–Amazon fight for dominance that has been going on for some time now, and what these new developments might mean down the road for indie authors. Amazon own and use a proprietary format for their ebooks, the azw file. The azw file is a variation of the mobi file, or prc file, first developed by Mobipocket Creator, who licensed their code to Read More …

Kindle Format 8 – what does it mean for indie authors?

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Amazon have announced introduction of Kindle Format 8, the first step in a progression toward interactive and rich media ebooks. The new format is built on HTML5 and CSS3, rendering previously impossible or not recommended formatting now possible; this includes embedded fonts, drop caps, tables, highlighting, colored text, text-wrap, bulleted lists, and so on. It will also allow for scalable raster graphics and more complex interactions such as pop-up text windows, paving the way for an improved experience with children’s books, graphic novels, and comic books. This move brings Amazon Read More …