Friday, April 1st, 2011

Introducing the LibraryThing-e, an ereader from LibraryThing

The LibraryThing-e offers easy access to all commonly-used LibraryThing functions.

After more than a year of development we are ready to unveil the “LibraryThing-e,” an ebook reader from LibraryThing. Built in a friendly and fruitful partnership with Amazon, the LibraryThing-e reader includes all your favorite LibraryThing features, and is a fully-functioning ereader designed from the ground up for hard-core bibliophiles.

Features include:

  • Read books on a high-contrast E Ink screen, good for reading in bright light or shade.
  • Download new books with built-in Wifi and 3G connections.
  • LibraryThing-e’s patented “LikeaBook®” casing feels like fine morocco leather and emits a faint “old book” smell.
  • Access Your books, Profile and Talk sections of the LibraryThing website, with special ereader-enhanced version of Tagwatch.
  • The LibraryThing-e reference collection includes special editions of the American Heritage Dictionary and the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition.
  • Though a ground-breaking arrangement with most publishers, the LibraryThing-e comes pre-installed with up to 200 of your LibraryThing books already scanned in; HarperCollins titles are restricted to a 26-page sample.
  • Docks easily with the CueCat barcode scanner (included).
  • Import books from a variety of other devices, including the Nookmooch® and GoodReader® platforms.
  • Water-repellent.
  • Text-to-Speech option with a choice of voices, including American voices (“Tim” and “Abby”) and an Australian option (“John”). “Zoë” is available as an expansion.
  • Most books are available in more than 12 languages, including French, Dutch, Catalan and Latin.
  • Built-in geolocation and our Readar™ technology matches your library with that of other LibraryThing-e readers nearby. A special expanded “Unsuggester” feature tells you where your reading-nemesis is at all times.
  • Comes in two colors: “LibraryThing Brown” and “Original Greige.” “Abby Maroon” is backordered.
  • All features are optional.

Best of all, the LibraryThing-e will begin shipping in two weeks!

Labels: barcode scanners, ebooks

74 Comments:

  1. EliYork says:

    Firstly, is it possible to get it without the CueCat? I’ve already got one… sooo, would that make it cheaper?

    Next, what kind of colour is Greige exactly? I’m trying to imagine it and I’m not really seeing it… but I’m very intrigued by the mystery of the whole thing.

    Do you also have trade publicly on any stock markets? This thing is going to be HUGE!

  2. Nile Gomez says:

    No link to Amazon for purchase? Methinks this April Tom-Foolery!:)

  3. Dave says:

    Think what date it is!

  4. maggie1944 says:

    oh, dang! I just spent the last of my pennies this month.

  5. ArmyAngel1986 says:

    As much as I would like this to be true, I’m going to have to say, “And happy Fool’s Day to you, too.” 🙂

  6. Jannes says:

    Damn, you got me excited for a moment!

  7. poolays says:

    Thanks for the smile! I especially like the name! And I’d love to have Abby read to me, it’s been years!

  8. rastaphrog says:

    All features are optional?

    I guess that means we don’t get anything! 😉

  9. Lizzy says:

    I would seriously consider buying an e-reader if it had that “old book smell”.

    Also, nice jab at HC 😉

  10. Jenn says:

    I would so buy this! You really had me excited about this for a minute, good job!

  11. Carolslib says:

    Ohhh – will it allow upgrade to RDA if the “test” is passed? Can I MARCEdit too? Is an upgrade possible on the ‘old book smell’ to include freesia? So excited!

    😀

  12. akamarkman says:

    Someone should seriously consider selling an LCD screen cleaner than leaves an “old book smell” residue. It’s even cross-platform for the Apple fans 😛

  13. Anglemark says:

    I regret to have to inform you that this infriges on three patents that I hold. You will hear from my lawyer presently.

  14. Hmmm, what day is this?

    I want one that speaks Pirate. Is that a pony?

  15. Jayle Enn says:

    You had me up to ‘old book smell’. 🙁

  16. Nerilka says:

    Shame it’s April 1 – this sounds so much better than a kindle : ) Great mock-up!

  17. Caitlin says:

    I knew this was a joke as soon as I saw “water-repellent.”

    Water-proof? Preposterous! =D

  18. Sandra Pandi says:

    Great joke! Well done – I was almost fooled!!!

  19. Jennifer says:

    The “unsuggester” is an awesome idea!!!
    Unfortunately, that, and the lack of price, were dead giveaways!
    Great work, kids!

  20. yogahz says:

    “Old book smell” is why I want this.

  21. tardis says:

    Thanks! Now I’ll never be able to buy an e-reader because nothing else can live up to this and I can’t settle for less.

  22. SqueakyChu says:

    “Zoë” is available as an expansion.”

    Are you sure you want that feature?

    😀

    Thanks for the laugh today, Tim!

  23. Peter says:

    You had me up until Catalan.

  24. Dulcibelle says:

    Probably the best joke I’ve seen today!! Too bad it isn’t a real product.

  25. LibrisCat says:

    I love the idea of having the AARC2 installed. What a great gift for cataloging geeks!

  26. OodsAteMyDingo says:

    I would totally buy this…but only if there was a “Pirate” voice, because who wouldn’t love to have a book read to them by a pirate?

    🙂

  27. Pam says:

    Need this now. I need to know where my reading nemesis is.

  28. Jan Elkins says:

    Got to say you had me going for a minute! Too funny!!

  29. jmx says:

    I certainly would buy one of these…

  30. Elizabeth Thomsen says:

    “A special expanded ‘Unsuggester’ feature tells you where your reading-nemesis is at all times.”

    Best feature ever!

  31. Meredith Regal says:

    Greige is the color you get when you mix together all the leftover paint you’ve been hoarding in your basement.

  32. staffordcastle says:

    LOL! Don’t I wish!

  33. Ha! It was the “two weeks” that really sealed the deal.

    That said, if you ever come out with this for real, I’m all over it. 😉

  34. Jamten says:

    Great work! I will never buy an e-reader without the “Old book smell”.
    Thanks for the laugh!

  35. Stever says:

    I heard it can have a special feature unlocked when you add the ‘Lace Reader’ book, by Brunonia Barry… It will begin actually reading lace, simply scan any lace and the volumes of data you never knew possible are readable on the Thing-e!

  36. Katya says:

    Why do I fall for the LT pranks every year?

  37. JenJen says:

    I hope this turns out like ThinkGeek’s tauntaun sleeping bag prank a few years ago, where there was so much demand they had to actually make it.

  38. Judith Loue says:

    One of the better April Fools of the day!!!!!

  39. Frank says:

    you guys had me till I remembered the date. Good show!

  40. Jill says:

    Brilliant! Which is not to say that I wasn’t disappointed to realize that I couldn’t actually GET a LibraryThing-e. I really like that fine Moroccan leather.

  41. Cheryl says:

    Darn! I can’t get this or the goat my favorite garden website was advertising? I’ll be pouting all weekend.

  42. Valerie says:

    The text displayed on The LibraryThing-e is pretty funny, too!

  43. Winnie says:

    Seriously, I want something that has the official name of thing-e.

  44. Elizabeth says:

    Are you sure you can’t make this? I soooo want it! I particularly like the feature whereby it comes preloaded with up to 200 of my LT books. How cool would that be!!

  45. Lman says:

    I have to say I started getting suspicious when you wrote: “Built in a friendly and fruitful partnership with Amazon !!!!!!!!!

    …but it is past April 1 here, so was almost “had”. 🙂

    All I can say in reply is: I want one!!!!

  46. Erin says:

    Old book smell my foot! Very funny;)

  47. Hoagy27 says:

    The “old book” smell gave the joke away: LOL!

  48. John says:

    Brilliant guys only just found it

    John from Australia (Does that make me the Australian voice?) 🙂

  49. einhorn303 says:

    Oh…wuh…I thought this was real until I read the comments. I’ve been gotten.

    I was thinking, “…but what formats does it support?”

  50. MsLadyLib says:

    Oh, if only. I want one! Love the color.

    (After all, we DO have the technology…)

  51. > HarperCollins titles are restricted to a 26-page sample.

    LOL

  52. Dranea says:

    You know, I was all into this…then I realized…there is no way!! But – THIS SHOULD BE DONE!! If you can make an e-reader that is compatible with amazon’s books, Library thing would be SET! You would sell MILLIONS…so get on this already, we are wanting our Library Thing-e!! :-))

  53. Ms Donna says:

    Looks like chocolate 🙂 Is it edible?

  54. cnrenner says:

    Mine arrived today. Thank you so much. This is so much more better than all my previous ebook readers! Carry on the god work.
    Oh, and giving out the first 30 of these gadgets for free was just sweet!

    Kind regards
    Christian

  55. Marie says:

    Looks neat! Sounds like a fun device. Nice!

  56. Stephanie says:

    I completely fell for this. At least until I saw “water repellent.” I really, really wanted one. Then I remembered the date and felt like a doofball.

  57. cheronamba says:

    Aw! It had me going with the “Translate” button and “Most books are available in more than 12 languages, including French, Dutch, Catalan and Latin.” I was slobbering since, I had just downloaded French and Italian dictionaries to my Kindle but am still frustrated by the lack of titles in those languages on amazon. Something was suspicious . . .

  58. NOT. NICE.

    Funny, but not nice. Thanks for the laugh.

  59. Jessica says:

    Wished I knew to expect this. I already own a Kindle!

  60. Jessica says:

    So I was told by a fellow LibraryThinger that this must be an April Fool’s day joke!

  61. Becky says:

    What I want to know is if you can borrow ebooks from the library with it? That’s the reason I haven’t gotten a Kindle. Since it’s in partnership with Amazon, I’m kind of thinking not… But since it is LIBRARYthing, you’d think they’d work to let users of their ereaders borrow library books.

  62. Cheryl says:

    ooooooooooh this is beyond cool. I like, I like. But I think I missed out on how to sign up for a free one. Is that still an option??

  63. KUIPY says:

    “Reading Nemesis” would be cool to actually have.

  64. David Wright says:

    Great minds do think alike, although I think the features of our eReader offering are even more LIBRARY thingish: http://shelftalk.spl.org/2011/04/01/the-ebook-reader-for-true-booklovers/

  65. I’ve tested this thing out and it works super well. Hopefully someday they’ll add support to play video games on it. I really want to see this game http://goo.gl/lGWg9 adapted for the eReader.

  66. Jessi Adams says:

    At first, I thought this was funny. The more I think about it, though, the more I wish it was real.

  67. mareena says:

    You had me at “faint old book smell” 🙂 Wish this were real…you could make millions!

  68. What are the dimensions of this? I want to make a case for it, so that I can carry it around in style.

  69. Leslie says:

    Wow!! I was sucked in easily and was feeling a little envious. I was actually looking for the specs and considering a trade from my Kindle.

    Evil. . . .but a little funny 🙂

  70. Mkjones says:

    Enhanced Tagwatch! Can’t wait! 🙂

  71. Debbi says:

    I was lookin gfot the ‘buy’ button!

  72. Kristine says:

    Hmm… LibrarianinBlack.net just posted a blog about Kindles and I was looking for info on the LibraryThing-e so I could share. It sounded like rights from publishers wasn’t a problem for this e-reader…

    Glad I read the comments first. 🙂 19 days later and I still got fooled. Well done, LibraryThing.

  73. Cynthia says:

    Where do you buy one of these and where are the usage instructions?

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