Robin Wauters is currently staff writer for TechCrunch and lead editor of Virtualization.com. In addition to its activities, professional blogging, he is an entrepreneur, the organizer of the event, from time to time the Council consultant and an angel investor, but most importantly champion full launch. Wauters lives and works in Belgium, a tiny country in Europe. He can often be found from his home or ... ? Read More
A new startup called Booktrack launched this morning (in fact, the NYT started it yesterday), in an attempt to create a whole new genre of e-books.
Booktrack creates synchronized soundtracks for e-books that aim to "dramatically increase the reader's imagination and participation".
Running technology pairs of notes and sound effects with the text automatically tempo one reading speed. Booktracks can be downloaded for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch and Android applications are on the way. Check Booktrack Bookshelf for books that are available.
The company has teamed up with Sony/ATV music publishing, Park Road Post and full fathom five, and its technology is already fully integrated into the new novel "the power of six", Pittacus Lore (James Frey), published by HarperCollins Children's books.
Booktrack and publishers will share revenue with the participating authors, composers and musicians, the company said in a press release.
Booktrack is based on former PayPal and early investors Facebook (and longtime Board member) Peter Thiel as authors who will cooperate with the company. Other initial investors and advisers Booktrack include Marc d ' Arcy, Director of the global creative solutions on Facebook and Derek Handley, CEO and co-founder of mobile marketing and media company Hyperfactory.
The latter will also serve as Chairman of Booktrack.
Paul Cameron, Booktrack founder and CEO, in a press release compares e books in their present form, with "cinema with not a soundtrack", but I'm not sure I agree with this statement – reading is quite otherwise use the content. I'm not sure the soundtrack makes e-book can be nothing but detract from the experience of reading, actually.
Of course I only briefly tested technology with one Booktrack e books, so I'm not fully made up my mind yet about its potential to disrupt the e book genre.
Wired's Charlie sorrel, for one, thinks the idea stinks. He does a good job, but it isn't (and shouldn't) stop companies from trying, obviously.
In the coming weeks and months Booktrack said he will publish specially curated collection of short stories from some of the best authors around the world, starting in September with "South" of Salman Rushdie. Booktrack release editions of the classics, such as the adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the tale of Peter Rabbit, Peter Pan, the three Musketeers, pride and prejudice, Jane Eyre, Romeo and Juliet and more.
I look forward to reading Paul Carr's thoughts on this one.
No comments:
Post a Comment