Publishers offer free/discounted ebooks of the print books you own with Bitlit

Cory Doctorow 10:00 pm Fri Jun 27, 2014

Bitlit works with publishers to get you free or discounted access to digital copies of books you own in print: you use the free app (Android/Ios) to take a picture of the book's copyright page with your name printed in ink, and the publisher unlocks a free or discounted ebook version. None of the Big Five publishers participate as yet, but indies like O'Reilly, Berrett-Koehler, Red Wheel Weiser, Other Press, Greystone, Coach House, Triumph, Angry Robot, Chicago Review, Dundurn, and PM Press (publishers of my book The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow) are all in.

(Image: Bookshelf, David Orban, CC-BY)

Wisdom Tree holds your books' place

Avid readers, forget bookmarks*. Here's a classy way to hold your place in the books you're reading. It's called the "Wisdom Tree" and it's also a lamp. This wood nightstand topper stacks up to five books separately. Pre-order now from Bookniture for an early August ship date ($69). *j/k, they're cool too! (Rusty's Electric Dreams)… READ THE REST
Alan Moore is back and he's "bursting with fiction"

Two years ago, comic legend Alan Moore announced his retirement from comic books. He's now signed a book deal with Bloomsbury for a five-volume epic fantasy series and a huge collection of short stories. While he's done with comics, he isn't done with being a storyteller. Moore says he is "bursting with fiction, bursting with… READ THE REST
Read an exclusive excerpt from "An Internet In Your Head: A New Paradigm For How The Brain Works "

A few months back, I shared a piece from neuroscientist (and longtime BB reader!) Dan Graham about research into the language we use to discuss and understand the human brain. For years, scientists have relied on computer metaphors as the go-to point-of-comparison for brain function. But in his new book An Internet in Your Head: A… READ THE REST
This brewer and grinder can prep K-Cup and ground coffee in 3 minutes

For many, the morning doesn't officially start until the first robust juices of the simple coffee bean touch their lips and activate their day. Considering not much else matters until that magic moment arrives, it makes sense coffee lovers should outfit themselves with a machine to make that first cup-of-the-day joy happen as fast as… READ THE REST
This pocket-sized printer syncs to your phone to print photos and more instantly

The pace of life is just faster than it used to be. Not so many years ago, if you needed to print an image or make a hard copy of a to-do list, you'd find a nearby printer, connect all your devices, and print it up. But these days … C'mon, who's gonna stop to… READ THE REST
This mini massage gun delivers percussive muscle therapy in a handheld, cordless unit

Unlike the impact of vibration therapy which applies regular, consistent contact to sore areas that the body ultimately acclimates to quickly, percussive therapy oscillates around toward the most targeted areas, applying pressure to tense muscle tissue. For athletes, that means a massage gun used post-workout can help remove lactic acid buildup from the muscle, which… READ THE REST