FAD or future? Booktrack adds music, sound effects for the E-book; Peter Thiel invests

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.

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Razer Tiamat headset uses 10 drivers to 7.1 sound

Devin Coldewey is a Seattle-based writer and photographer. He wrote for the TechCrunch network since 2007. Some posts, it would like you to read: the perils of externalization of knowledge | Generation I | Surveillant society | Select two | Frame war | User manifesto | Our great sin his personal site — coldewey. cc. ? Read More

Very few there head true surround sound. Most of them traditional stereo headphones with virtual surround sound — a process that adds depth and focus, but am in two columns. Tritton Psyko headphones as actually being in the room, said several drivers to simulate, five channels of the speaker and subwoofer. They have had mixed success, but perhaps Razer will have more luck. Their forthcoming Tiamat headset is not less than 10 separate drivers (5 in each earpiece) to produce what they say is 7.1 audio experience of the first world.

I believe it when I hear it, though: megalodon sounded Great with the right materials, but not "high quality" normal stereo. Hope Tiamat handles this better.

New headset is front, rear, side, and the central channel in each speaker along with a subwoofer. You can configure each channel separately on a beautiful goal. There is a pull-out microphone, of course.

Tiamat 7.1 has a little sister, Tiamat 2.2, virtual surround sound headsets with similar design. Looks like an updated version of Chimaera.

They should be shipping later this year; 7.1 costs $ 180 and 2.2 will cost $ 100. More information can be found on the microsite Tiamat.

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Japanese company develops sound absorption blinds (video)

Dr. Serkan Toto is currently working as the first and only Asian-based writer for the TechCrunch network, mainly covers with Japan technology and Web companies for TechCrunch, CrunchGear and MobileCrunch. Serkan also works full-time as an independent Internet and mobile industry consultant with a focus on the Japanese market. He is Saint lingual, holds an MBA and a doctorate in economics. Serkan ... ? Read More

If you are sensitive to noise and looking for discreet way to solve this problem in your apartment or office building, for example, the so-called Feltone [JP] could do the trick for you. Based on the Japan Tokyo blinds, Jalousie, which is Feltone can absorb sound and push down the power of noise up to 60%.

Feltone, which as the name suggests is made of felt, looks like a normal blind and can be used on windows or walls – just like normal blinds without any special modifications. Tokyo blinds said that installation takes about two hours with their decision, worth up to 90% less than the acoustic panels, for example.

The company explains:

This sound absorbing the blind works because the sound is very good, if there is a layer of air back 50-200 mm thick, between blind slats and the wall when the blind is attached in the normal way. We used this phenomenon in order to achieve the effect as absorbs sound group, by adding the sound absorption of felt.

Feltone (which is only available in Japan at this time), not cheap: 2mx2m blind is worth $ 1500. In 2009, Tokyo has put blind blinds for the owners of the home theater company (conference rooms, server rooms, etc.), families with children, etc.

This video was shot in Tokyo provides Diginfonews deeper, (English):

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