Craig Mod - books, interactive works, photography, etc

Craig Mod - Journal - Kickstartup

2010-07-27T21:16:43+00:00

Kickstartup

Notes on successful Fundraising with Kickstarter.com & the (re)making of Art Space Tokyo

The cornerstone of digital books - Satellite - Craig Mod

2010-06-14T14:00:41+00:00

The cornerstone of digital books

There's a great post over at kottke.org ^[1] evoking the ghost of a time-traveling David Foster Wallace, commenting on Facetime for the iPhone from back in the '90s. But Facetime's usefulness debate is for another post. The point on which I want to comment comes at the end, and you'll miss it if you've yet to have your morning yerba mate. After reproducing several paragraphs from Infinite Jest, Kottke finishes with:

Those are only excerpts ... you can read more on pp. 144-151 of Infinite Jest.

Oh, page 144? Great — let me just grab ... which edition was that?

Wouldn't it be great if we had some, oh — I don't know — *online* edition of Infinite Jest to reference? Wouldn't it be amazing if someone turned the physical edition of IJ into a digital edition?

Of course, I'm being facetious — there's a perfectly good digital version of Infinite Jest available for the Kindle.^[2] And even one for iBooks. And heck, with the late Mr. Wallace's penchant for footnotes and lexicography, having a built in dictionary and hyperlinked references makes digital a nearly ideal platform for a book like this.

So when a blogger — and Infinite Jest fanatic — wants to point out something he or she loves in the book, and that book has a digital edition, is it not mad that the digital text isn't 'publicly' referable?

Openness is a big part of the discussion behind books in HTML5.^[3] Not openness in terms of 'free' books, but openness as books being free from the referenceability prisons of eReaders. Which is not to say that applications like Kindle or iBooks shouldn't exist, or that the only way to do books is in HTML. But, one might go so far as to say that having a strong HTML based, publicly referable edition of a book is the cornerstone of a strong digital edition.

Again — just to be perfectly clear — this doesn't implicitly mean free-as-in-beer books. It requires very little imagination to come up with an open but metered system for reading books in HTML — not unlike what the New York Times is planning on doing next year with their newspaper.^[4] The system would allow anyone to link to any piece of a book, and allow those who visit the book to read 10 or 20 pages before saying, "Hey, maybe you'd like to buy this?" This is part of what I mean when I talk about "life outside eReaders."^[5]

A standup guy like Kottke has a legion of erudite, handsome, well read followers. When he tells those readers to check something out, I bet a few percentage of them would actually throw-down cash for a digital edition right then and there. Contingent on a convenient purchasing system being in place, of course.

Amazon and Google are working on systems of this very nature. Amazon has their "look inside the book" functionality which allows for, if not referencing, at least partial metered browsing of books. It's barely a hop between what they have now and what I describe — especially as integrated with Kindle editions. And Google Books ^[6] already has a system that lets you link to specific pages in scanned editions of books either out of copyright or given the Google Books greenlight by their publisher. ^[8] We're all itching to see what Google Editions has in store for us — but I'm pretty sure it's the precise opposite of less open books. ^[7]

The question isn't how long until? but when? are we going to emerge from these dark ages of digital text. Currently our digital books are locked in precious little cabinets, untouchable like some bubble boy or Grant's tumor ^[9] — or maybe it's more like a damp dungeon where every now and then they're allowed to be read by one person, and one person only. Bit by bit, digital Stephen Kings and David Foster Wallaces are chipping away behind their own Rita Hayworths (I like to imagine the whole scenario as a Tron where everyone's a digital book and thus nearsighted and without athletic prowess). And it's probably not much longer until we stop saying, "on page 144" and start saying, "right over here."

Noted:

Books over bagels: two months with iPad - Satellite - Craig Mod

2010-06-11T20:43:09+00:00

Books over bagels: two months with iPad

Oh, how unimpressed I was at first. You slippery, heavy thing, you. Causing my wrists to ache; unable to stand on your own; lower pixel density than my iPhone. Worthless!

In bed I’d reach for my paperbacks or hardcovers before I’d reach for you. You were just too awkward. Comfortable positioning eluded us. We’d dance under the covers a bit, then give up with a sigh.

Sure, photos looked great. And giant text was something to marvel at. But general typography — book typography — was still a mess. iBooks faux double page spread hurt my head. Even Kindle’s layout felt forced: line lengths were too long when the type got small. And that Pop Sci app — what the hell? To top it off, if I set you down on a table the angle was all off. Aching neck and wrists, I’d sigh again and pull out a paperback wondering just what to do with you.

There you sat on my floor, like dirty underwear in a college dorm room. Weeks went by. I didn’t even power you on. Before long you were covered in a generous layer of dust. You looked so sad, really. Gingerly I picked you up, brushed you off with a towel and decided to give you another try.

“This time it’ll be different,” I thought. “This time we’ll make it work.”

I bought a case; that simple rubbery Apple case. Suddenly, it was as if all your acne cleared up, your braces came off and you got Lasik. Who was this sitting in front of me? Confident? Well angled?

You were propable! Non-slip! And because of this you sat in usable postures. You were maturing, too — with better applications arriving every day. Instapaper was finally released bringing fine typographic control to the iPad reading experience. This, I now see, was my gateway drug. (Thanks, Marco.) Setting beautiful margins, font size and leading, I spent mornings catching up on long-form journalism — Bernstein, Clifford, Dittrich, Wallace — and digging into new books.

We refined our dance — “look,” you said, “this is how you use me,” propped up by the rubber case just behind my breakfast tea and bagel. “See, I don’t always need to be held like my cousin.” “Cousin?,” I asked. With the roll of your eye you replied, “iPhone, duh.”

Suddenly other things about you started to make sense. Kindle’s pagination combined with generously sized type made it a joy to read from afar — just a quick tap for a whole new screen of content. And the distance made up for the lack of granularity in your resolution (which, you have to admit, is looking *pretty* lame next to the new iPhone).

I began to poke — *ahem* — and prod your typographic potential; performing tests in my role as the world’s most ornery scientist. Always dissatisfied. Searching for the best balance between content and your screen.

You’re a big boned lass with a wide and long canvas, and as such can wield lots of white space. But finding the perfect point to hang the text block isn’t always obvious. Combine your two faces (landscape and portrait) with an array of fonts and, well, there’s lots of layout options to explore. What I’m trying to say is, you’re *deep*.

Day by day you reveal more of your potential and I now drain your battery with alarming frequency. Very much enjoying all our time together.

I think back to our honeymoon — maybe it was good to start off on the wrong foot. I mean, really, with so much expectation disappointment was inevitable. It was like having an arranged marriage with a beautiful Indian princess only to find out she has deadly halitosis. So many things were right on the surface, but just enough was off to ruin the experience. We’re still trying to figure out what to do in bed but the rest of the relationship seems to be going well — and your breath smells great now. Fingers crossed.

But let’s be honest: 132ppi isn’t going to hold up for much longer. So don’t give me that look when you’re back on the floor collecting dust next to my socks. In this industry the spotlight fades quick, honey, and there’s a sexier replacement just around the corner. At least we’ll always have those few books over bagels.

Craig Mod - Journal - Embracing the Digital Book

2010-04-20T21:37:57+00:00

Embracing the Digital Book

Let's talk about text.
Let's talk about the digital book.

Collected quotes: books on the iPad - Satellite - Craig Mod

2010-04-07T18:53:00+00:00

Collected quotes: books on the iPad

A collection of quotes about digital books on the iPad. I was keeping these for myself in a text file and thought it could be a useful resource for others. They are displayed in reverse chronological order by date of publication. If you'd like something included here please mail me@craigmod.com.

Winnie the Pooh is included as a free sample, and the choice is genius — it’s a beloved story, a good read, and best of all (from Apple’s perspective) it can’t be read properly on the Kindle because the color illustrations are a big part of the experience. No book on the Kindle will ever look this good. The Kindle has its own advantages — its books are generally cheaper, its selection bigger, and e-ink works better in bright sunlight — but Winnie the Pooh epitomizes the iPad’s advantages.
— John Gruber, Daring Fireball, April 7th, 2010

I see the consummate iPad reading experience to be one that is, on the surface, traditional: heavily textual, quiet, hand-held. But lurking beneath the words is the whole Internet, ready to be questioned — “Find other works that quoted this,” “Where was the Marshalsea prison?”, “Which of my friends is also reading this?”, “What is that attractive person across from me reading?”
— Liza Daly, The New York Times, April 6th, 2010

Sharing, embedding, extending, is what gives promise to the networked book. Without it, we are reduced to linking out, which, while more simple for the reader on a digital device, is really no different to giving a source in a footnote in a printed book. In a closed container, we deny everything that the possibilities of electronic books bring; we’re limited to the syntax of the static web page and the boundaries of the printed book.
— James Bridle, Book Two, April 6th, 2010

I've been looking at the iBooks app with an eye toward designing eBooks for the iPad and have a first collection of observations I hope you find useful.
— Liz Castro, Pigs, Gourds and Wikis, April 5th, 2010

Overall I’d say iBooks is pretty good for a first-generation ePub reader. The biggest concern is of course that once you purchase books from iTunes, you’re locked in to only reading them in iBooks.
— Liza Daly, Threepress Consulting, April 5th, 2010

I suspect many people expect the iPad to put the Kindle out to pasture, but I’m not entirely convinced. What the Kindle has going for it is its simplicity as a unitasker. The Kindle does one thing well: allow you to read books. (It also lets you read magazines and newspapers, though it does that a bit less well—but then again, Apple’s iBooks app doesn’t support magazines or newspapers at all.) It’s cheaper than the iPad, and will presumably get cheaper still in the face of such stiff competition. If a friend or relative came to me and said that all they wanted was a book reader, nothing more, I would happily endorse the Kindle.

So is the iPad a great device for reading? I have to say yes, mostly thanks to the remarkable flexibility allowed by the variety of apps in the App Store. Now, people who find it hard to stare at backlit LCD screens for long periods of time will probably not share this opinion; but as someone who stares at backlit computer screens all day, every day, I didn’t have a problem with it.
— Jason Snell, MacWorld, April 4th, 2010

... will the iPad dethrone the Kindle?

I don't claim to have the answer but I may have clues. There are more than 40 e-book readers out there. Apple may be the largest threat to the Kindle among them, but it is not a slam dunk. At least in the short term, I do not see the iBook reader as a Kindle killer. I read a lot of books and I don't buy any that are not available on the Kindle. I am Kindlzed. The 5 once device never burdens the wrist. The iPad is just one and a half pounds -- not a lot compared to a laptop or even a netbook -- but compared to the 5 once Kindle it is almost five times as heavy. If you spend a lot of time reading you may develop a need for a wrist brace. The other thing is the lighting. The Kindle uses e-ink -- it is reflective -- like paper. The more light the better. The iPad has back-lighting. I was using the iPad out on the terrace today and it was very difficult to see the screen clearly. The Kindle was clear as a bell. (I watched a movie on the iPad indoors later and the quality was fantastic). The journalists that got to see the iPad in person in January reported that the room was dim. Why would that be? I suspect because good lighting makes the backlit screen harder to read.
— John Patrick, Patrikweb, April 4th, 2010

We know there's a lot of talk about reading with this type of display versus a Kindle or other E-Ink device, but we'll just be straight with you -- it didn't hurt our eyes to use this as a reading device. You're able to crank the brightness down a significant amount, but it's also just a matter of adjustment. After a few minutes we didn't see the device or the screen tech anymore -- we saw a book. We won't speculate on what prolonged use will feel like, but there is data out there that suggests the technology might not be as important as some people think it is when it comes to e-reader displays.
— Joshua Topolsky, Engadget, April 3rd, 2010

Compared to iBooks, Kindle for iPad feels a bit more pedestrian, as it doesn't feature fancy animations. Pages just slide left and right and instead of two-page view when you flip the iPad to landscape mode, you just get a single page with a very wide layout. The Kindle app also doesn't allow users to customize the font of a book, though it does offer the standard screen brightness and font size settings.
— Frederic Lardinois, ReadWriteWeb, April 3rd, 2010

The iPad Screen is Not Your Desktop Screen - Satellite - Craig Mod

2010-03-27T19:10:28+00:00

The iPad Screen is Not Your Desktop Screen

I was having dinner — Thai — with a close friend the other night when suddenly he asked, “Why does the iPad do color but not the Kindle?”

He’s an author. The impression was that any e-book reading device’s screen must be, like the Kindle, using E Ink. ^[1] And that Apple had a special E Ink that does color and is fast.

I think this is a valid misunderstanding by the average consumer. Especially by the segment of consumers who see the iPad mainly as a consumption device for text-heavy media.

When I told him the Kindle and iPad use vastly different screen technologies he was concerned. The concern is: if the iPad's screen uses the same technology as our desktop screens, how can it possibly be more comfortable for reading?

Or: aren’t backlit displays the bane of our reading experience?

The very idea of reading an entire novel on our home computers sounds painful. But why? What is the Kindle/iPhone/iPad overcoming?

I think there are five reasons why we've never enjoyed reading books on our computers:

The distance between reader and the text is too large
Vertical orientation is unnatural for book consumption
Using a mouse to manipulate position in a book is sterile
Computer screens aren’t technically optimized for text
Desktop OSes aren’t optimized for concentration

The fourth point becomes less relevant as screen technology advances, but the first three aren't going to change. And the last point is perhaps most insidiously disruptive to stress-free long-form reading: modern desktop OSes are optimized for multi-tasking and short bursts of concentration. Not sitting around the hearth enjoying, you know, Joyce.

I’ve now read several books ^[2] and dozens of long-form journalism pieces on my iPod Touch and iPhone. Anyone who has done the same knows it’s incomparable to the desktop reading experience. The screen is close to you, position is manipulated by touch, orientation is intimate and the pixel density is much higher than that of our desktop displays. These factors combine to make reading a joy — even on a backlit screen! (I actually do most of my iPhone reading with white text on a dark background.)

I find myself consuming more long-form journalism on my iPhone (thanks to smart applications like Instapaper) than ever before. In fact, long-form The Atlantic or The New Yorker articles seem to be the ideal length for the iPhone. And I suspect we’ll see a renaissance of this kind of journalism moving forward.

That the iPhone/iPad OS gets out of the way, let’s us focus on one thing at a time and doesn’t insinuate a constant need to switch contexts is just icing on an already delicious reading cake.

So while yes, the iPad screen may be of the dreaded backlit variety, it's not the same backlit experience we've all come to loath. In a week we’ll know just how the iPad stacks up. But if the iPhone is any indication — E Ink or not — the reading experience should be just lovely.

Noted:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Ink ↩
The Great Gatsby, Bird by Bird, On The Road, Rework, Tokyo Vice, Free↩

Craig Mod - Journal - Books in the Age of the iPad

2010-03-03T22:51:43+00:00

Books in the Age of the iPad

Print is dead. Digital is surging. Everyone is confused. A collections of thoughts on the future of books in the context of the iPad.

Craig Mod - Journal - Annapurna Moonrise

2010-02-01T16:59:11+00:00

Annapurna Moonrise

Night photography at Annapurna base camp, and a travelogue on reaching the sanctuary.

Craig Mod - Journal - GF1 Field Test — Video Supplement

2009-12-21T17:41:59+00:00

GF1 Field Test — Video Supplement

A supplementary gallery of video taken while hiking in Nepal.

Craig Mod - Journal - GF1 Field Test — 16 Days in the Himalayas

2009-12-09T18:22:10+00:00

GF1 Field Test — 16 Days in the Himalayas

Part travelogue. Part camera review.

A look at traveling with Panasonic's new DMC-GF1 Micro Four Thirds camera coupled with the Lumix 20mm f1.7 lens in the mountains of Nepal.

Craig Mod - Journal - @font-face: The Potential of Web Typography

2009-07-26T23:52:38+00:00

@font-face: The Potential of Web Typography

Fine typography has always been one of the stumbling points of web design. Limited at most to a handful of cross-platform specific fonts, web designers have often found it necessary to hack their way into typographically nuanced territory. Technologies such as sIFR and Cufon utilize Flash and Javascript techniques to achieve typographic variety, but often at the expense of clumsy technological implementation. @font-face brings with it the hope of a standard, cross-platform, cross-browser, lightweight method for referencing font-files not found on end users' computer. In other words: it allows web designers to store fonts on their server and reference them in CSS, regardless of what fonts the user browsing the page has installed.

Craig Mod - Photography - An Open Tibet - 3 of 3

2009-06-11T20:28:49+00:00

An Open Tibet - 3 of 3

Craig Mod - Photography - An Open Tibet - 2 of 3

2009-06-11T20:27:44+00:00

An Open Tibet - 2 of 3

Craig Mod - Photography - An Open Tibet - 1 of 3

2009-06-11T19:32:47+00:00

An Open Tibet - 1 of 3

Craig Mod - Photography - Drepung Monks, Tibet

2009-01-07T02:13:12+00:00

Drepung Monks: Tibet

Craig Mod - Interactive - Everymoment Now: Context and Scope to the Moments Shaping Our Lives

2008-09-10T16:49:08+00:00

Everymoment Now

Craig Mod - Interactive - artspacetokyo.com: Companion Site for Art Space Tokyo

2008-06-05T22:52:01+00:00

Art Space Tokyo - online

Craig Mod - Photography - Sukiyabashi Jiro: Sushi Chef, Japanese Living Treasure

2008-01-09T16:18:42+00:00

Sukiyabashi Jiro Portraits

Craig Mod - Photography - Nigiri Te: The Hands of Sushi Gods

2008-01-07T16:25:19+00:00

Nigiri Te: Hands of Sushi Gods

Craig Mod - Photography - Eighty Six: Four Years After Oriental Granny

2007-06-07T20:01:40+00:00

Craig Mod - books, interactive works, photography, etc

Craig Mod - Journal - Kickstartup

Kickstartup

The cornerstone of digital books - Satellite - Craig Mod

The cornerstone of digital books

Noted:

Books over bagels: two months with iPad - Satellite - Craig Mod

Books over bagels: two months with iPad

Craig Mod - Journal - Embracing the Digital Book

Embracing the Digital Book

Collected quotes: books on the iPad - Satellite - Craig Mod

Collected quotes: books on the iPad

The iPad Screen is Not Your Desktop Screen - Satellite - Craig Mod

The iPad Screen is Not Your Desktop Screen

Noted:

Craig Mod - Journal - Books in the Age of the iPad

Books in the Age of the iPad

Craig Mod - Journal - Annapurna Moonrise

Annapurna Moonrise

Craig Mod - Journal - GF1 Field Test — Video Supplement

GF1 Field Test — Video Supplement

Craig Mod - Journal - GF1 Field Test — 16 Days in the Himalayas

GF1 Field Test — 16 Days in the Himalayas

Craig Mod - Journal - @font-face: The Potential of Web Typography

@font-face: The Potential of Web Typography

Craig Mod - Photography - An Open Tibet - 3 of 3

An Open Tibet - 3 of 3

Craig Mod - Photography - An Open Tibet - 2 of 3

An Open Tibet - 2 of 3

Craig Mod - Photography - An Open Tibet - 1 of 3

An Open Tibet - 1 of 3

Craig Mod - Photography - Drepung Monks, Tibet

Drepung Monks: Tibet

Craig Mod - Interactive - Everymoment Now: Context and Scope to the Moments Shaping Our Lives

Everymoment Now

Craig Mod - Interactive - artspacetokyo.com: Companion Site for Art Space Tokyo

Art Space Tokyo - online

Craig Mod - Photography - Sukiyabashi Jiro: Sushi Chef, Japanese Living Treasure

Sukiyabashi Jiro Portraits

Craig Mod - Photography - Nigiri Te: The Hands of Sushi Gods

Nigiri Te: Hands of Sushi Gods

Craig Mod - Photography - Eighty Six: Four Years After Oriental Granny

Eight Six