[note: this was my pick for this week's #AppColiseum - if you like it, go vote for it here]I used to be quite the reader. I read a lot of books, mostly from the library because I liked the walk. It was one of the first independent things my parents let me do (where that library is now, I wouldn't let my son ... or even myself walk around there alone).
But then came along iSilo with my Palm Pilot and I started getting eBooks. Then I read even more. I read tons and tons on my many Palm devices (which I still blame for my sore eyes these days).
So less and less I would buy a hardcopy of a book. Certain books I'd have to buy, any Douglas Adams, Tolkien and my favourite: Joe Shwarcz.
But I want to read them on my phone too... in fact I'd prefer to read them there, and just buy the hardcopy (especially when I get to meet an author and they sign my book... but do I buy both?
Well, BitLit Media is looking to help you with that by letting you tell them which books you have on your shelf and they'll let you know if you can get a discount on the e-copy or even if it's free.I saw this first on Dragon's Den and it's an awesome pitch and idea. I just had to download it on my phone.
The idea here is you take a Shelfie... a portrait of your bookshelf. You do it like a panorama and it will process the image into what it recognizes as spines for books.
Then it contacts the publishers of those books, and BitLit has made a deal with them that if you own the book already they can let you purchase the digital copy at a discount.
How does it work? Well, to prove you own it you'll have to take a picture of the inside of the book, this prevents you from just buying it from Chapters and returning it (or just doing it at Chapters).
Very cool idea. I'll be 'shelfie-ing' it up for the next while.
Happy reading!
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