ToddHDow Studios

Tag: amazon

  • eBooks – an intro

    ereadersI recently published my first book, The God Solution To The Atheist Delusion, as an ebook on Amazon.com (and .ca) and on KoboBooks.com. This means that it is available to read on various electronic devices, but it is not available as a printed book.

    Some people have asked me how they can read my book if they don’t have an eReader. That is a great question.

    The short answer: Do you have a cell phone, tablet or computer? If yes, get the Amazon Kindle Reader for your device (it’s a free download) and read it on your device.

    For the longer answer, which provides plenty of additional details, please read on.

    First, why did I decide to do this? Here are three (of many) reasons:

    1. I like digital – I can’t remember the last time I bought a physical book. I love my Kindle Paperwhite for many reasons, most notably the ability to carry my entire book collection on a small device; and
    2. The ease of publishing – I can easily manage my book publishing workflow from start to finish without investing a lot of money in physical goods – digital publishing has been amazing at lowering the barrier to entry for authors!
    3. The ease of distribution – I can easily distribute my book to multiple book sellers, including Amazon.com (and any country that Amazon operates in) and Kobo Books. Each seller offers an interactive portal that makes it easy to sell to.

    And second, what do people need to do to read my book electronically?

    I have published my book on two major platforms: Amazon and Kobo. To read my book, you can either use a dedicated eReader or you can use your own electronic device (iPhone, iPad, iPad, Android device, etc.) with the Amazon Kindle or the Kobo app installed.

    Dedicated eReader options include:

    Amazon:

    Kobo:

    If you don’t have a reader, you’re in luck: both Amazon and Kobo have free ereader apps that you can install on your mobile phone, tablet or computer:

    Amazon:

    Kobo:

    So take your pick – if you don’t have a dedicated eReader, you can either get a dedicated eReader or you can download an eReader app onto your existing device, which will then allow you to purchase and read books on that platform.

    If you have never bought an ebook, which platform should you choose?

    Personally, I have an affinity for Amazon. I described my reasons for liking the Amazon environment in a blog post that is now 3 years old! The reasons I presented then still hold today. In fact, my first Kindle Keyboard eReader stopped working a couple of months ago. I immediately went out and replaced it with a new Kindle Paperwhite.

    That said, neither Amazon nor Kobo is a bad choice. That’s why I publish to both platforms – there are plenty of readers on both platforms and I want to be able to reach them all.

    I hope this post helps explain the choices available to you and that you are able to use one of these platforms to read my book. If you have questions, feel free to post them in the comments section below.

    And, feel free to let me know which reader you use in the comments below as well. I’m curious to know which devices my readers use.

    Thanks!

    Todd

  • The God Solution – available now on Kobo and Amazon!

    The God Solution – available now on Kobo and Amazon!

    The God Solution on Amazon.comThe God Solution on Kobobooks.comMy first published book is now available for purchase as an ebook on both Amazon and Kobo. This means that you can read it on pretty much any device out there (ipod, iphone, android, etc.)

    Here’s a synopsis of the book:

    In 2008, Richard Dawkins wrote a book called “The God Delusion”. The book offered a controversial critique of belief in God. I felt that his critique was flawed on numerous fronts. This book is a summary of my thoughts and a defence of my faith.

    Richard Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion, has become a go to source for Atheists when they attempt to dispel the validity of religion. Unfortunately, Dawkins’ arguments are flawed. In this thought provoking book, Todd Dow refutes The God Delusion through a thorough analysis of Dawkins’ arguments. Chapter by chapter, I pinpoint the issues with Dawkins’ arguments, outlining the flaws in Dawkins’ logic and offering valid and sound responses to each of the issues that Dawkins addresses.

    The following topics are addressed:
    Straw Men – Dawkins’ weak proofs of God
    The Ultimate 747 – Is that the best he’s got?
    Problems with Organized Religion
    The objective roots of morality
    The Historical Jesus
    The problem with fundamentalism
    The slippery slope of abortion
    Why not rid ourselves of religion, politics and economics?
    Childhood abuse and brainwashing
    On evolution and concluding thoughts

    And, as an added bonus, I have included an appendix that contains a thought experiment entitled, “Should Atheists Have Children?”

    Please do go pick up a copy of my book and let me know what you think – feel free to offer your feedback in the comments below and (more importantly) provide your feedback on my book page on Amazon.com or Kobobooks.com.

    Happy reading!

    Todd

  • Why I bought a Kindle instead of a Kobo or a Sony Reader

    Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite - Latest GenerationFull disclosure: I use an Amazon affiliate link in this post. See my disclosure page for more info on my use of affiliate links.

    I bought one of the Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6″ Display, Graphite – Latest Generation when they first came out at the end of September 2010. As a result (and because I’m a geek in general), a few people have asked for my recommendations on which e-reader to buy. Here’s my “pitch” to them: My two cents (or, why I bought a Kindle instead of a Kobo reader or a Sony Reader):

    1. Kindle’s form factor, with the keyboard, is the nicest of the bunch (yes, that’s subjective);
    2. Kindle’s e-ink screen was the best available when it first went on sale;
    3. Sony has a touch screen, but, according to reviews, it degrades the reading experience – the screen isn’t as clear apparently;
    4. Kobo reader was reeeeeally slow – I was excited by the sold-in-Canada Kobo, but it’s performance was terrible!
    5. Kindle has amazon’s back-end system behind it – my favourite feature is the ability to email content to your Kindle device it will even convert content when you email it. See here for more details:
      1. Kindle Personal Documents details
      2. Full Kindle feature-set
    6. Amazon’s inventory can’t be beat. They have a HUGE selection of books;

    I bought my Kindle (the latest generation one that went on sale Sep 27) a couple of months ago and I love it. Primarily, I love it because of the reading experience. I have been a heavy reader on my ipod touch and my palm pilot before then. I find it easier on the eyes than a backlit screen. And, the battery life (almost a month!) is awesome. The killer feature for me though is the ability to email content to it. In fact, I have never synced my kindle with a computer. All content has been delivered wirelessly via email.

    The Sony Reader is expensive for what it does. And, the fact that you need to sync with a computer makes it cumbersome to manage content. Those two factors alone put the Sony device out of the running for me.

    Oh, and I only bought the Kindle with WiFi. I didn’t see a reason to invest in the 3g support.

    One last thing… Calibre: If you’re a geek, if you like managing your book inventory on a PC, or if you simply like to tinker, I can’t recommend Calibre enough. It manages all of your books locally on your PC. It will convert them into different formats (EPub to Mobi to pdf, to whatever). If you don’t care about this, don’t worry about it. But, if this is something you’ve been looking for, then look no further.

    Oh, as a bit of a footnote, CNet has provided a very informative post that provides some additional info and context required to make a decision. Don’t just take my word for it. See what they’ve got to say as well.

    I think that’s it. What do you think? Why’d you buy the device that you bought? Or, what features are you waiting for before committing to an e-reading device? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

    Todd

  • Making money using Amazon’s affiliate program – some advice from ProBlogger

    ProBlogger Blog Tips offers some great advice on making money using Amazon’s affiliate program. It’s worth the read. Here are Problogger’s tips, broken into three posts:

     11 Lessons I Learned Earning $119,725.45 from Amazon Associates Program

    10 More Amazon Associate Program Lessons I Learned on My Way to Six Figure Earnings

    10 Last Tips on Making Money from the Amazon Affiliates Program

    What’s your experience been like using Amazon’s affiliate program?