The Buzz: Databases that talk, Plastic Logic V. Kindle, cute & cheap tunes to go

Cheap and Cute Tunes to Go

Among the latest in MP3 players: the pocket-sized GoGear Spark. Created by Philips, the Spark is competitive with the iPod Shuffle—as in cheap and wearable—but this cutie does the Apple device one better with its 1.5-inch 128 X 128 color display. Beside a music player (WMA and MP3 formats), the device has a JPEG photo viewer, an FM radio, and a voice recorder. It also boasts an impressive 27 hours of battery life. What more do you need for toting tunes to the gym? $49 (2GB); $59 (4GB). www.usa.philips.com.

Follett's New eBook Solution

Follett has just released new software intended to enhance the ebook experience in schools and libraries. The offline Follett Digital Reader is available for downloading and installation by users of Follett eBooks and will help them integrate content into lessons, according to Follett VP of eContent Markets Steve Siegel. “Our new reader will make picture books more viable in a digital format,” he says. www.follettdigital.com.

WilsonWeb has added a new text-to-audio function to its full-text databases. ReadSpeak, now featured on 20 Wilson products, converts HTML content to streaming audio or save it to MP3 format for later listening. Ideal for the sight-impaired, users with learning challenges, and English language learners, ReadSpeak does not require plug-ins or additional software. For details, including a list of ReadSpeak-enabled databases, visit www.hwwilson.com

NASA Launches DIY Resources

Attention podcasters. NASA is offering audio and video clips for do-it-yourselfers in the ed community to adapt in creating their own podcasts or video projects. Video of astronauts working in space and other cool clips are available for download in the “Do-It-Yourself Podcast” activity in NASA's “For Educators” section. The space agency actively encourages students and teachers to distribute their NASA projects on social networks and other sharing sites. www.nasa.gov.

TOC: A Tipping Point for Books?

Without a strong grasp of the way users engage information, publishers and librarians stand to lose their audience. That was the message presenters delivered at last month's O'Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference, where publishers, new media types, and librarians converged in New York to discuss how to engage readers in the digital age. Cory Doctorow (left), author of Little Brother, spoke about digital rights management. http://tinyurl.com/crsm6d.

Already considered a potential Kindle killer, the Plastic Logic Reader continues to generate buzz. The ereading device, due in 2010, is about the size of an 8.5 X 11 pad of paper and weighs less than many print magazines. At the O'Reilly TOC event (see left), Plastic Logic announced its first content partners, including Ingram Digital and USA TODAY.