Geek turns old-school typewriter into a printer (Slash Gear)
A geek named Chris Gregg wanted to convert an old-school typewriter to a printer that could be controlled by his computer. To start the project he laid hands on a Smith Corona electric typewriter from the 60s to use for the project. His original goal was to use the computer to drive the key switches without actually having to touch the keys of the typewriter.
TeleRead Take: I love stories about creative repurposing of gadgets.
***
The Great Amazon Hysteria… Part 31 (David Gaughran)
So, change. Lots of it. And change can be scary – even if you seem to be benefitting from the changes that are happening. I get that. However, at this point, we should all know enough to treat media reports on Amazon (and publishing in general) with the requisite amount of skepticism. As in 100% skepticism.
TeleRead Take: You’d think we’d be immune to media hysteria by now. Apparently not. Soon after he published this article, someone tweeted at him that he was completely wrong. The new payment scheme was definitely going to apply to purchased books. Which made me wonder, how would that even work? The record keeping alone would be a nightmare.
***
Disneyland and Walt Disney World Officially Ban Selfie Sticks (Gizmodo)
If you’re thinking of visiting Disneyland or Walt Disney World this summer you better keep your selfie stick at home. That’s right, the Happiest Place[s] on Earth have officially banned everyone’s favorite techno-panic of 2015.
TeleRead Take: Confession time. I don’t like selfie sticks, and I’m glad I won’t have to deal with them the next time I visit Disney.
***
Stop Pre-ordering Video Games (Kotaku)
More than anything else—the advertising, the budgets, the DLC—it’s the culture surrounding pre-orders that is most responsible for the trail of broken and unfinished games that clutter the sales charts, and for the anger and angst that follow in its wake.
TeleRead Take: I’m not a big gamer and mostly play ancient games from GOG when I do play. But reading this made me wonder how much of it, if any of it would apply to books, especially incredibly hyped books from big publishers. I used to pre-order ebooks because sometimes there’d be a one-day price drop during the pre-order period, and I’d get to take advantage of it through no effort on my part. With the new pricing contracts, I’m wondering if it’s worth it anymore on trad pub books. Happy to still help out my fellow indies (have two on pre-order right now).
***
Kindle Daily Deals: 5 Marty Singer mysteries (and others)
The false story that Amazon is going to start paying all authors per page is still spreading too. Hit the Irish papers this morning. *eats fist all the way up the elbow*
@David, ugh. Will they never learn? Keep fighting the good fight against FUD!
Here’s a link to Amazon’s pay per page policy.
https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A156OS90J7RDN&tag
I’m not surprised about the confusion over Amazon’s per-page reads. The first stories that came out were written and headlined by idiots why understood nothing about what they were writing about. As Mark Twain pointed out long ago, stupidity is an all too common problem in journalism. They talked about Amazon with every appearance, as I pointed out at the time, of not being able to discern what Amazon scheme was involved.
What’s the real nightmare about Amazon’s pay-by-page rental scheme is the Big Brother aspect. The scheme gives Amazon detailed data not just about checkouts and an initial start to reading, but about how much is read and at what rate.
All that needs to be done is to put Amazon in league with a government that wants to use the IRS and other regulatory agencies. to target political opponents covertly. Don’t like Obamacare and read critical books on the topic? All of a sudden you’re facing a long IRS audit. That’s the essence of Chicago politics. It’s also censorship covertly directed at readers rather than publishers and authors.
“gives Amazon detailed data not just about checkouts and an initial start to reading, but about how much is read and at what rate”
Amazon has had that type of info for years and years. To freak out about it now is FUD.
@Michael Perry: That’s not happening, and all your frequent anti-Obama fearmongering isn’t going to make it so. The IRS was supposed to be checking up on 501c(4) non-profits for political activities, and while it did target tea party groups more than other types of groups, it was also looking into non-conservative groups, and even the House Republicans finally admitted there was no illegal activity by the IRS, nor did the delays in granting 501c(4) status migrate into audits of individuals associated with the groups.