Consumer Electronics Daily News

New Transmedia Hub Offers Storytellers the Ability to Mix Written Word with Video Game Mechanics and Social Media

What do you get when you mix narrative and social video game mechanics with  a streaming service? The future of storytelling! Transmedia Story Stream is a revolutionary new platform that allows storytellers to create story worlds that can include written word, video, audio, casual games, and live events. Within Transmedia Story Stream, fans can immerse themselves in their favorite story world and earn points, rewards, digital badges, and collectibles that can be shared with friends. Mixing the power of video games and social media into a narrative allows for a transformed reading experience.  

The Transmedia Story Stream platform is being built on the Pubsoft HTML5 publishing ecosystem, which allows storytellers to implement a direct sales system for their digital products. Having a direct sales system for digital products means creators can now own their audiences, which brings down the long-term cost of marketing and allows a storyteller inventive opportunities to directly engage their fans.

"As a transmedia producer and author, I got tired of chasing my audience across multiple websites (Amazon, Apple, GooglePlay, YouTube, etc.)," notes Karen Snyder, Lead Visionary and UI Designer for the Transmedia Story Stream. "And the marketing dollars! Each site wants me to spend money to promote them, yet I cannot directly touch my audience to reward or engage fans. And what of the convergence of media? Each site seeks to split my story into separate silos even though consumers are mixing entertainment habits as never before. As I encountered these problems, I resolved to find a solution. What about a connected book? One that was alive with people and offered ways to immediately reward a fan for engaging with the story? With Pubsoft's assistance, Transmedia Story Stream is the solution to solving distributor gaps and empowering other storytellers to extend their stories to meet the demands of today's audience."

"We're excited to be a part of this project because we see the potential for growth. How many of us have played online social and casual games like Words With Friends or Candy Crush for hours without realizing it? What if games such as those were incorporated into some of our favorite story lines, like Twilight, and Harry Potter? What if participating in different activities provided different additional parts of the story that could only be unlocked by experiencing it in a different way? We don't want to diminish the traditional narrative form so much as we want authors to have the ability to add to it," said Heather Wied, Marketing Director for Pubsoft.

Initially the platform will be open to the romance genre author. The romance audience, women aged 35-54 years, are the dominant casual video game players. This audience of social game players ties in perfectly with romance ebook readers. Transmedia Story Stream will provide a way for authors to merge the current entertainment habits of romance readers into one enhanced story experience. Eventually, the platform will be open to other fiction genres.

The platform is now seeking storytellers who want to join in the future of storytelling. Authors can register accounts to begin alpha testing to refine product development. (http://www.kazapme.com/join-the-future.html).  The Transmedia Story Stream team will also be launching a Kickstarter campaign in early 2014.

Scribd Launches First Global, Multi-Platform Digital Book Subscription Service

Scribd, the world's largest global, multi-platform digital library of books and other written works, today launched a book subscription service available for a flat-rate plan of $8.99 per month. Scribd's cloud-based book subscription service allows people to read books on the iPhone, iPad, Android devices and Web browsers. Scribd's subscription service has been growing 60 percent each month since launching it in early 2013. Scribd has amassed more than 80 million active users and a global library of more than 40 million books and documents, in 100 countries and 80 languages worldwide. HarperCollins Publishers has signed as the first major publishing partner, making the majority of the HarperCollins US and HarperCollins Christian backlist catalog for Scribd's digital book subscription service. In addition, the full HarperCollins catalog can be purchased in the Scribd retail store. Scribd features titles from best selling authors including: Paulo Coelho, Neil Gaiman, Marian Keys, and Elmore Leonard from HarperCollins, as well as best selling authors from other publishers including: E-Reads, Kensington, Red Wheel/Weiser, Rosetta Books, Sourcebooks, and Workman.
"Since starting Scribd six years ago, we have gained a lot of experience building a library of books and written works, growing a global community, and gathering data on what readers and publishers want," said Trip Adler, CEO and co-founder of Scribd. "Those insights have helped us build a product that we believe delivers on a new and better reading experience by giving our customers instant access to a vast collection of books to read, across a wide array of the top digital devices, all for one low monthly price. We are thrilled to be working with HarperCollins on such an innovative and pioneering partnership."
"With 80 million active users, the Scribd platform is reaching a vast global audience of readers. HarperCollins is excited to reach an innovative partnership with Scribd that monetizes its audience through traditional retail and a subscription offer for our backlist titles," said Brian Murray, President and CEO, HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide. "HarperCollins authors will benefit from extended reach, increased discovery, and improved royalty streams."
"I'm excited to see HarperCollins experimenting with new business models. It demonstrates that they are not afraid to embrace new ways of expanding the reach of their authors," said Paulo Coelho, author of "The Alchemist."
Scribd's extensive collection of user generated content also offers subscribers additional reading options that enhance and add a social element to the books they're reading or have read. For example, after reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith, readers can access papers analyzing the different characters in the book, a doctorate paper on tenement houses in Brooklyn, and even a study guide for the book. Scribd will also let people easily see what books and documents their friends have read, privacy settings permitting.

Sony Launches Xperia Tablet Z: Kitchen Edition

Sony has introduced the Xperia Tablet Z: Kitchen Edition in the United States starting at $649.

The Xperia Tablet Z is a 10.1" tablet, and has been recognized as the Best Power Performer Android™ tablet by Good Housekeeping's September 2013 issue. Now the Xperia Tablet Z: Kitchen Edition is the perfect kitchen companion. The white 32 GB Xperia Tablet Z included in the Kitchen Edition features both hardware and software to make cooking in the kitchen simpler and more convenient. The Xperia Tablet Z can withstand the toughest kitchen environment with its durable glass, carbon-fiber reinforced back panel and water-resistant design. Spills and sticky fingerprints can be rinsed away easily by running the tablet or even submerging the tablet under fresh water for up to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes with all ports and covers firmly closed.  And the vivid HD display, powered by Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2, delivers enhanced color reproduction for a brilliant HD TV-like viewing experience.

The new Xperia Tablet Z: Kitchen Edition includes $115 worth of accessories, content and recipes. Cooking is simplified by the iGrill® from iDevices, an app-enabled Bluetooth® meat thermometer that allows cooks to monitor food from up to 200 feet away. The iGrill will alert the chef when the food is ready via the Xperia Tablet Z. A lightweight, foldable stand is also included and is perfect for the kitchen.

Cooking enthusiasts can find daily meals, organize shopping lists and discover time-saving cooking tips and tricks with pre-loaded premium food and cooking apps, including:

BigOven®: Take 250,000+ recipes (including your own and recipes from friends), your grocery list and menus anywhere on your tablet.

Evernote® Food: Evernote Food helps you remember the food you love. From discovering great recipes and restaurants to capturing your memorable food experiences, Evernote Food is the one app you need to remember your life in food.

Juicing Recipes: Offers information on juicing, including recipes, and everything you need to start or sustain a healthy juicing diet.

Food Planner Pro: Food Planner allows you to keep an integrated meal plan, inventory database, grocery list and recipe collection that can sync between multiple devices. Quickly plan meals, import recipes, track inventory, create grocery lists and share it all in real time with other members of your family.

iGrill® Pro: Connects the wireless cooking thermometer to the tablet.

Out of Milk Shopping List: Shopping List, Pantry List and To-Do List in a small, intuitive and easy-to-use app.

Or, foodies can browse through 260 preloaded classic recipes from around the world, one for each weekday of the year, and a how-to video series provided by Saveur, a magazine for people who experience the world food first.

WHERE:  Xperia Tablet Z: Kitchen Edition is available now starting at a suggested retail price of $649 at Sony stores and online at store.sony.com/kitchentablet.

PRNewswire

M-Edge Announces Thin and Sleek Universal Keyboard Case for Tablets

M-Edge today unveiled the Stealth Pro Universal Keyboard Folio, a thin universal keyboard case that works with most 7 and 10 inch tablets, such as the iPad, iPad mini, Google Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and Kindle Fire HD 7 and 8.9. The Stealth Pro Universal Keyboard Folio will be available on September 6 at T-mobile, US Cellular, and medgestore.com; it is coming soon to other retailers such as Walmart.

The Stealth Pro Universal Keyboard has a sturdy and slim profile with a detachable magnetic Bluetooth keyboard that slides to any position the user desires. A multitude of stand modes are possible with M-Edge's patent-pending GripTrack technology-- with this solution, an unlimited number of viewing and typing positions are possible. As with other M-Edge products, the Stealth Pro Universal Keyboard has a silicone mount that expands and contracts to adapt to a variety of device sizes. The Keyboard Folio is constructed with a soft-touch leather and a magnetic close for a sleek look and comfortable feel.

Sign up to be notified about this product at medgestore.com or follow M-Edge on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

PRNewswire

Matrix Protection Plan Prepares for Launch of Lifetime Electronics Plan, Opens Marketing Office in South Carolina

Matrix Protection announced today that it has opened a national marketing office in South Carolina in preparation for the scheduled launch of its revolutionary Lifetime Electronics Plan. This plan offers one warranty that covers all consumer electronics products of a single user, at a price point under $20 a month.

The Matrix Protection Lifetime Electronics Plan will stand in place of those costly, store-bought extended service and repair warranties. Instead of paying large premiums for each electronic device, all of a user's eligible electronic devices (new and refurbished) are now covered with a monthly fee.

"The Matrix Electronics Protection Plan covers all of your new and refurbished electronics. Our feature packed plan offers consumers a fantastic value at only a fraction of the cost of traditional extended warranties. With no expiration date on the protection plan, consumers can rest assured with the knowledge that their electronics are guaranteed to function as intended for years after the manufacturer's warranty has expired," said Jay Tuerk, Co-Founder of Matrix Protection.

Every Matrix Electronics Service Plan is fully insured, and value depreciation will not factor into the protection of an electronic device. If a protected product is beyond repair and a replacement product is not available, Matrix Protection will cover the cost of the original purchase price.

Look for other Matrix Protection Warranty Plans in the marketplace around September 2013 including Home Warranty, Furniture Warranty and Auto Warranty Coverages. All are backed by an "A" Rated Insurance Carrier.

To learn more about the Lifetime Electronics Plan go to: http://www.matrixprotectionwarranty.com.  

PRNewswire

Hoopla Digital Gives Library Card-Holders Online and Mobile Access to Free Movies, TV Shows, Music and Audiobooks

Launching a new era of digital access to public libraries, hoopla digital (www.hoopladigital.com) today announced public availability of its new service, providing library-card holders with online and mobile access to videos, music, and audiobooks.

Public libraries across North America can now partner with hoopla digital to provide their patrons with thousands of titles-- from major Hollywood studios to record companies and publishers-- available to borrow for instant streaming or temporary downloading to their smartphones, tablets and computers.

"With hoopla digital, it is our mission to help public libraries meet the needs of the mobile generation. We've worked for years to create a best-in-breed service that is fun, fast and reliable. Librarians and patrons who participated in our beta gave the service rave reviews.  With our public launch, we look forward to serving public libraries and their patrons across North America," said Jeff Jankowski, Founder and Owner of hoopla digital.

hoopla digital's simple sign-up and attractive, easy-to-use interface quickly gets library patrons to their listening and viewing experience. Since on-demand content can all be enjoyed by multiple patrons simultaneously on hoopla digital, there is no waiting to borrow popular movies, TV shows, albums or audiobooks.  And hoopla digital's automatic return feature eliminates late fees.

"Patrons in Seattle love the hoopla experience because it's easy and fast, giving users the ability to access content wherever they like," said Kirk Blankenship, Electronic Resources Librarian for The Seattle Public Library, which participated in the beta. "Our customers are excited to learn about hoopla digital – some even download the app right in the library to try it out – it's fantastic!"

As it emerges from beta, hoopla digital is used by more than ten library systems including: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Edmonton Public Library, Hamilton Public Library, Harford County Public Library, Los Angeles Public Library, Orange County Library System, Salt Lake County Library Services, The Seattle Public Library, and Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and is expected to grow to one hundred libraries by the end of 2013.

"Streaming content is a big part of our customers' lives, and we want to make sure we are staying relevant to those needs," saidRobin Nesbitt, Technical Services Director of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. "With hoopla digital, we're able to expand our collection to many of our customers who are using our digital offerings exclusively. Our staff and customers are also happy with the app's seamless experience and ease of use."

To begin using hoopla digital, library-card holders can download the free hoopla digital mobile app on their Android or IOS device or visit hoopladigital.com. The service is only available to patrons of participating public libraries.

PRNewswire

First of its Kind XO Tablet Helps Kids Learn and Explore Their Dreams

The new family-friendly XO Tablet debuts July 16 on Walmart.com and will be in Walmart stores on August 1, and will provide kids with a fun and exciting new way to build, learn, and dream at their own pace via a powerful Android tablet packed with free educational games, apps, videos, e-books and more. The flexible tablet also grows with the family offering up to three separate user accounts plus full-fledged Android tablet functionality with parental-controlled access to conventional Android apps and the Google Play store.

The only multilingual (English/Spanish) and Google-Certified tablet for kids on the market, the XO Tablet and on-board XO Learning System were designed and developed by One Laptop per Child (OLPC) to harness the power of a touchscreen device to create new ways for children to learn. The tablet's child-friendly interface, cover and packaging were developed by legendary designer Yves Behar and his team at the Fuse Project. Priced affordably at just $149.99 MSRP, the XO Tablet from Vivitar features a 7-inch 1024 x 600 dpi hi-resolution screen and a 1.64GHz dual-core processor running the latest Android Jelly Bean OS with nearly 8 hours of battery life to deliver a high-performance user experience at an exceptional value. The tablet will also be available in Canada and Europe in the French and Italian languages later this year.

XO Learning System content has been curated and selected for age-appropriateness and learning value by OLPC in collaboration with Common Sense Media, a leading non-profit organization dedicated to helping parents and teachers make informed decisions about media.  Additional OLPC partners include Oxford University Press, Discovery Kids Puterbugs, TED, Story Emporium, MyCityWay, Pipo Ceibal, Little Pim, WeWantToKnow-DragonBox, JokerWare, Zeptolab, Brain POP, Kids Yoga Journey, Bankeroo, Sesame Street and others.

Dreams Dashboard and On-Board Apps Provide World-Class Educational Curriculum

The XO's unique Dreams interface lets kids explore more than 100 free pre-loaded apps, games, books and other content—over a $200 value—based on subject areas, interests and skill level. Children can choose their own learning adventure depending on what they want to be today, or when they grow up. Options like "I want to be an..." XO Artist, Engineer, Chef, Mathematician, Musician, Teacher, Traveler and more give kids a wide array of activities to choose from with content created by world-class partners.

XO Journal, Parental Controls Provide Insight and Security

The XO Tablet is designed to help parents become actively involved in their child's tablet use and learning progress. With support for up to three user accounts, parents can set specific permissions for each user to control access to apps, the Internet, games and Google Play. These password-protected privileges can be adjusted anytime as the child matures to offer wider access and more capabilities.

With the innovative XO Journal tool, parents can gain unique insight into how each child is using the device, how much time they spend on each app, and where their interests and strengths lie. Parents can even view each child's learning progress and how their performance compares to other children of their age.

Each XO Tablet features both a front- and rear-facing camera and comes with a protective bumper case and charger. The The XO Tablet is available now on Walmart.com and is coming soon to other other U.S. Retailers, including Walmart stores. For more information, visit www.xotablet.com

PRNewswire

Digital Content Consumers Demand Second-Hand Marketplaces

There is a growing demand from consumers globally to gift, share and resell digital content and video games according to research findings unveiled today by WorldPay, a global leader in payment processing, risk and alternative payments.

According to The Download on Digital Report, a survey of more than 11,400 consumers that have purchased digital content and video games in the last 12 months in seven major global economies, two out of three (65 percent) consumers would be interested in selling some of the digital and video game products they have purchased, with 57 percent interested in purchasing second-hand content.

Consumers in China had the biggest appetite for selling on content, with 82 percent of respondents keen to resell, followed by South Korea (78 percent) and India (66 percent). Consumers in South Korea had the biggest appetite for purchasing second hand content (70 percent), followed by US citizens (60 percent) and consumers in India (57 percent). Almost half (49 percent) of UK consumers were interested in being able to resell their digital purchases, and 55 percent were keen to buy second-hand digital products.

Digital Downloads-- a self-fulfilling prophecy

While the demand for the sale and purchase of second-hand digital content is a sign of a maturing consumer base, the research also found that the downloading of digital content is rapidly becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy-- 69 percent of consumers who had purchased gaming content and 64 percent of consumers who had purchased digital content had done so due to the closure of physical shops, many of which have closed as a result of the growing digital purchase market.

Karl MacGregor, VP Digital, WorldPay commented: "As the digital content and video game industries evolve following massive growth and the closure of physical stores, we are seeing a growing demand from consumers to sell on or exchange content they have purchased. This issue is not going away. Despite the legalities currently surrounding ownership of content, the industry needs to do more to educate consumers on what they can legally do with the content they've purchased, and identify ways they can meet these demands."

Key findings of The Download on Digital Report included:

• Purchase painpoints - Three-quarters of respondents (75 percent) were left frustrated when they were unable to buy content using their favorite payment method. 31 percent were frustrated by pop-ups and redirections; 27 percent needing to remember passwords and usernames; 26 percent were aggrivated by payment pages timing out
• Types of content - Globally, the e-book was the number one form of digital content bought and downloaded over the last 12 months (39 percent) and game apps was the most popular video game (32 percent)
• Device preferences - The PC still dominates as the number one device for storing and accessing all forms of digital media (61 percent for digital content and 58 percent for video games)

Monetization strategies

Globally one-off payments are preferred over subscriptions for purchasing most forms of digital and video game content, except for magazines (43 percent) where a subscription is more common. 

MacGregor concludes: "Converting consumers into paying customers has always been an inherent challenge for digital merchants because of the proliferation of 'free' content. Consumers need to be presented with a call to action to pay for content with a clear upgrade path in place to distinguish between free and paid-for content. Subscriptions currently lag behind one-off payments largely due to the commitment involved but they are growing in popularity. Merchants need to consider offering the appropriate payment model depending on content as consumer preferences differ depending on the digital purchase."

PRNewswire

Barnes & Noble Backs Off Nook Tablets

Barnes & Noble has reported a heavy quarterly loss in its Nook division that more than offset bookstore profit, spurring the retailer to stop producing tablets and focus on co-branding with third-party manufacturers. The company will continue making black-and-white e-readers, which make up most of its e-book sales.

Barnes & Noble still makes money from its retail stores, partly by diversifying into toys, games and other products, but it has said it expects to shrink its store count over the next decade by a third.

Read the complete story at The Wall Street Journal.

Simplifying The Way Magazines Are Purchased: Zinio Launches Z-Pass

 Zinio, the world's largest digital newsstand and leading magazine app for iOS, Android and web, announced today the launch of Z-Pass, giving consumers three of their favorite magazines all in one place for just $5 per month. The first month is free and there are no commitments to term or magazine choice. Nearly 25 percent of Zinio customers read three or more titles across multiple devices making Z-Pass an even simpler way for readers to manage and access their favorite magazines.

The monthly cost of a Z-Pass is the lowest available in the market for a multiple-magazine subscription model. Z-Pass takes advantage of Zinio's "one digital library" where readers have all of their magazines in one place accessible from any digital device, including Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows 8 smartphones, tablets, laptops and home computers.

Creating a Z-Pass is simple and flexible. Customers choose three magazines from over 300 of the most popular titles among Zinio's 5,500+ digital library, including 

• Car and Driver, 
• Surfer, 
• Maxim, 
• Cosmopolitan and 
• Food Network Magazine 

for $5 per month. Additional magazines can be added to a Z-Pass for just $1.50 per title. Premium titles, including Star and The Economist can be added for an additional fee. Z-Pass customers can change their magazine line-up on demand, swapping their Z-Pass titles up to three times per month.

"It's never been a better time to be a magazine lover," says Michelle Bottomley, President of Zinio. "Access to the world's best magazines for one low monthly price allows anyone with a mobile device to always have their favorite reads with them at the touch of a finger. Zinio is passionate about connecting the world's best content with avid readers and Z-Pass removes the price per magazine barrier."

Z-Pass is available in the US and with international access available July 2013. Z-Pass can be purchased on www.zinio.com at time of launch and will be rolled out to other devices this summer. Zinio will continue offering annual subscriptions, single issues and back issues.