Reading and Tablet PC

OK, maybe this is more about a bold business move by HarperCollins, but that publisher is releasing entire books from its catalogue to the web, starting today. Each of the books will only be available for a month. You cannot download them to a laptop or reading device, such as the Kindle from Amazon.com, but they're available and they're free.

HarperCollins believes that offering larger segments of books for readers to flip through will generate greater sales for the company. Jane Friedman, chief executive of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide, told the New York Times that she doubted most people would read the entire versions online, but HarperCollins would track whether the editions actually helped increase sales. “We will know very soon if we sense any kind of cannibalization,” she said.

The immediate offering includes “The Witch of Portobello” by Paul Coelho; “Mission: Cook! My Life, My Recipes and Making the Impossible Easy” by Robert Irvine (from the Food Network); “I Dream in Blue: Life, Death and the New York Giants” by Roger Director; “The Undecided Voter’s Guide to the Next President: Who the Candidates Are, Where They Come from and How You Can Choose” by Mark Halperin; and “Warriors: Into the Wild” by Erin Hunter.

 With a wireless connection and my Tablet PC, I can really curl up with a good book, now. And when my eyes start to droop, I'll just use my tablet as a tiny electric blanket.