Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Have you Vook-ed yet?

What is a Vook? A Vook is a digital book type that combines video, links to the internet and text into one application that's available both on the Web and as a mobile application.

As of today they have 56 titles available and plan to release a total of 750 in 2010.

I decided to check it out. Now I don't have an e-reader nor am I a big fan a reading on the computer - between using it for my day job and at night for writing my book I look forward to opening a book so take my observations with that in mind.

Anne Rice's - The Master of Rampling Gate
A previously published short short that cost $4.99 to download that would have been better priced at 1.99. The clip videos included were interviews with Ms. Rice or other information such as the history of Gothic Literature. Within the story itself there are internet links - for example - clicking on the highlighted word 'gable' takes you to an on-line dictionary and clicking on the higlighted word 'London' took me to a site that described historical London. I found the links to be a time suck but that's me.
I could bookmark, change between 2 fonts, do read only, full screen.
You can also share on various social networks though I did not test these.

Jude Deveraux - Promises
This is for Vook only novella release for the price of $6.99. The story was wonderful as all Jude Deveraux stories are but I didn't think videos added much. There were no internet links which is okay by me.

To Vook or not to Vook? Not for now anyway. Now if I had an IPAD....
However...in true hypocritical fashion
Would I want Love By Design to be a Vook? Hell yeah!
I would need to hire Josh Holloway (plays Sawyer on Lost) and Victoria would be....well ME of course...only I'm not 5'2...oh well I guess that's what revisions are for

4 comments:

  1. That'd be a no vote from me on the Vook, at least for now. I'd find it too distracting what with all that linking and clicking around. It'd be like reading via Google research: one thing leads to another site to another site to another site. My attention span would crash and burn from sensory overload.
    But I desperately want an eReader. Just waiting for prices to come down a little more.

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  2. Great info. Liz! Thanks! I agree with Terri. I'd find all the links distracting. I am looking into e-readers though. Borders is coming out with one, and I'm a Borders Girl. Maybe over the summer.

    Two nights ago, at my daughter's band concert, the man in front of me had an Ipad. I pelted him with questions until he looked like he wanted to move his seat. He loves it, but doesn't use it for reading books. The screen was so big and colorful! But again, I think it has more bells and whistles than I need.

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  3. I agree, I will opt out of VOOK for now, but really need to invest in an ereader. Of course, with a big birthday around the corner I think I would rather get the IPad than jewelry!!! Thanks for the info, Liz.

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