What we published, and links of note
Here are the things we published this week, as well as some great link material. You can also stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter and RSS.
Also, we have a weekly email newsletter that sums up all the new and cool things published to the site. If you like to stay up-to-date via email, then you should sign up here.
The best app for reading e-books on iOS »
The book industry was one the last to fully move its library to digital. Readers had their reservations as well. The e-book couldn’t reproduce the atmosphere of browsing a bookstore, the smell of freshly printed pages, or the act of showing off your new favorite book in public. E-books enabled readers to accomplish things that they simply couldn’t do with a print book, and for publishers, the cost difference of releasing a book digitally versus physically was much cheaper.
Now that e-books are well established as the new norm, there are a few ecosystems on iOS where you can browse, buy, and read books. We’ve looked at each one and determined that iBooks provided the best e-reading experience on iOS.
2016 Apps for the Holidays »
There’s no way around it: the holiday season is upon us.
Thankfully, there are a bunch of apps and services that can make the busiest time of the year run more smoothly. Here are some of our favorites.
Matt Gemmell’s iPad and iPhone setup »
Matt Gemmell is a Scottish novelist living in Edinburgh with one book published (CHANGER) and another in the works.
Want to share your setup? »
We’d love to hear from you. Just fill out this form with some basic information and we’ll be in touch.
How to create a distraction-free iPhone »
One of the best things I’ve done on my iPhone is to heavily limit the amount of notifications that I allow. Although some coworkers thought I was crazy, I have completely eliminated email notifications. I’ve also cut down on the number of apps that I allow to send alerts and refresh in the background. Here’s what I’ve done.
Six Colors: Recording a podcast locally on iOS without a Mac
Jason Snell, Six Colors, published an interesting article recently about recording a podcast using only one iOS device. Sure, there is a dongle or two involved, and it probably doesn’t make much sense to try this method unless you already have the required hardware, but it’s fascinating to see how much these pocket computers are capable of if you’re willing to experiment with options not previously designed for your end goal. As we move slowly and steadily into a more iOS independent world, this kind of thinking and experimenting is fun to watch and try whenever possible.
​Domainr: Instant Domain Search (Sponsor) »
You come up with a great idea, think up a clever name, search for the domain, and it’s already taken. Domainr helps ease that pain. Instantly searching every domain to see what’s available, Domainr also surfaces extra curated suggestions. Once you find the perfect name that’s available, register it where you always do.
Our thanks to Domainr for sponsoring the site this week!