AI chatbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and can now hold conversations about even the most complex topics.

It’s no surprise that every industry, including publishing, investigates how to benefit from AI, while keeping an eye on possible threats, naming only the case of training large language models (LLMs) on pirated books.

Imagine that you host a private book club meeting, where you can discuss the book you are currently reading – any time, anywhere. And the other book club member is a chatbot trained to talk about nothing else than this particular book.

It may happen sooner than you think.

YouAI is a startup that offers tools for building custom AI-powered apps. They have just added a new app to their growing collection of ready to use tools.

Called Book AI, this template “will let you turn any book into an AI”. All you need to do is upload your book’s content as a data source.

Will Knight, a senior writer for WIRED, uploaded Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to Book AI app to test it.

The Franken-bot did a decent job summarizing the book and its themes.

The chatbot also noticed some interesting similarities between the classic story of scientific hubris and the current concerns about artificial intelligence.

Once the chatbot content is ready (and every publisher or author can already do it, using tools like Book AI), the remaining task would be to include the chat seamlessly into the book.

Some companies, naming only Solution Tree, already plan to offer AI conversational companions to go with their new titles.

It would require the redesign of book reading apps to include the option to start the chatbot in one or two taps. And, ideally, this chatbot should be able to speak and recognize the voice.

Actually, the Kindle ecosystem offers two features that make it easy to imagine the chat companion coming to the Kindle even in the upcoming months.

One is Whispersync for Voice. It lets you seamlessly switch between reading your Kindle ebook and listening to its audiobook companion. Text and sound go hand in hand, and this has been doable since 2012. Already, over 60,000 Kindle books come with audiobook companions.

The other feature that makes ebooks one step closer to book chat companions is Kindle X-Ray. It provides readers with further details about the characters, places, and themes in the book they are reading.

And the best part is that Amazon doesn’t need to produce chatbot companions themselves. All they can do is provide a reliable tool for KDP self publishers, just like they do it with X-Ray. 

Having in mind how easy the process is with YouAI’s chatbot generator, it shouldn’t be the hard task to accomplish.

If you were given an opportunity to buy an ebook with a chatbot companion for an extra $3, would you test it?

Source: Why Read Books When You Can Use Chatbots to Talk to Them Instead? – Wired / Cover image: Midjourney

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Amazon’s second Prime Day event this year will take place on October 10 and 11. More are more deals are being added to Prime Big Deal Days 2023.

Interestingly, the deals featured on Prime Big Deal Days, are available for all Amazon customers, not only Prime subscribers – and they are the same as the ones listed on the main Amazon Device Deals page.

For instance, you can save up to 70% on Echo Show devices and smart home bundles. If you plan to buy a Fire tablet, the good news is that all models come with slashed prices right now, and you can save up to 50%.

Kindle e-readers are also on sale, and non-Prime Amazon customers are also eligible. 

There is only one model you can save on right now, and – quite surprisingly – it’s the top-shelf Kindle Scribe.

Four variants are offered. The entry-level Scribe with 16 GB of internal storage and the Basic Pen costs today $265 instead of $340, which means you save 22% ($75).

For reference, the same variant of Kindle Scribe was offered during the summer Prime Day 2023 for $255. Prime subscribers can expect the same price during the upcoming Prime Day.

Amazon doesn’t reveal when the deal will end, but you can be sure it will be gone by October 10, the first day of the autumn 2023 Prime Day event.

I predict the price of the basic variant of Kindle Scribe to go down to $249 this Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

P.S. Deals on refurbished Kindle Scribe models are now gone.

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A refurbished Kindle is the one that has been returned by a customer and tested by Amazon for functionality and defects.

The software is updated by Amazon to the latest available version, and the device comes with the same limited warranty as a new device.

If you accept the refurbished status of the device, you can save a significant amount of money – as soon as you know such a device is available.

The best destination to shop for refurbished Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets is the home page of Amazon Device Deals, where are currently discounted new and refurbished models appear.

Currently, Amazon is offering a deal on refurbished Kindle Scribe models. A deal on refurbished devices? Don’t refurbished devices are a deal already?

Yes, they are always cheaper than the new ones, but even they are subject to price cuts – what’s happening right now.

For instance, the Kindle Scribe with the most affordable configuration (16 GB plus Basic Pen), in the “like-new” condition, costs today only $235. On the product page, you will read that its list price is $285 – but it’s the list price of the refurbished model. The new one costs $340.

In other words, you don’t save $50 but $105, if you compare the like-new model to the new one.

There is also the refurbished Kindle Scribe with 64 GB and Premium Pen, which costs $280 instead of $420, which means you save $140.

Is it better to buy the refurbished Kindle Scribe now or wait for the autumn edition of Prime Day 2023?

Having in mind that Kindle Scribe (16 GB with the Basic Pen) was $255 during Prime Day Summer Edition 2023, you can’t expect the much lower price this year for a new device.

The deal on the refurbished Kindle Scribe will let you save $20 more right now.

The only disadvantage is the unboxing moment that won’t raise your adrenaline level. Refurbished Amazon devices are being shipped in generic Amazon-branded boxes.

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Amazon is right now sending out emails to Kindle users informing about two major improvements made to the Send to Kindle feature.

These changes apply to documents that are being added to your Kindle library through the Kindle e-reader or the app for iOS, Android, and Mac.

Improvements to pdf files

First of all, from now on, if you import a pdf file with the “Keep original layout” option enabled, the imported document will support text selection, search, and hyperlinks.

You will be able to highlight the text, as well as make text notes. Smart Lookup feature will also work in this document.

Improvements to epub, html, txt, and rtf files

Do you want to add to your Kindle library a file in epub, htm, html, txt or rft file format, or a doc, docx or pdf with “Make layout adjustable” enabled?

The new feature will let you benefit from Page Flip on your Kindle or in a Kindle app. Page turn animation is now also supported, as well as some Enhanced Typesetting features.

Page Flip is an advanced Kindle book navigation feature that makes it easy to explore books without loosing your latest read position.

Send to Kindle is Amazon’s free tool that allows you to send documents to your Kindle library on your Kindle e-reader, Fire tablet, or Kindle app. 

You can upload documents through the web, an authorized email address, the Kindle app for iOS and Android devices, or a Send to Kindle application (if available). 

It’s worth highlighting that all documents sent through Send to Kindle are protected with end-to-end encryption.

Note: Just a reminder that since the beginning of 2023 you can’t add mobi files to your Kindle. Epub is now the file format that’s accepted by Amazon.

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If you are hunting for a reasonable Kindle Scribe deal, you know that it’s not easy to spot the one that’s worth grabbing.

Unless you start thinking about the Kindle Scribe based bundle.

Usually, Kindle bundles are cheaper by more than 10% than the sum of their parts. But sometimes, these bundles go on sale, as well.

And this is the big time for Kindle Scribe bundles. Out of nowhere, Amazon decided to slash their prices by 25%. There is one condition, though: you have to be an active Prime member.

If you are, you can save between $115 and $130 on every single Kindle Scribe bundle that’s offered on Amazon right now.

The lowest price – $305 – is offered for the bundle that includes:

• Kindle Scribe with 16 GB of storage and a Basic Pen
• Amazon’s original fabric folio in Black, Denim or Rose
• Amazon’s original power adapter

You save $115 on the bundle with these specs, but you can pick up a model with larger internal memory and save even more.

For instance, the Kindle Scribe bundle with the 64 GB on board and premium Pen costs today $370 instead of $500 – just make sure to select a relevant option to see the final deal price for this variant.

Kindle Scribe is Amazon’s most advanced device. It combines the reading experience of a Kindle with the writing capabilities of a notebook. It features a large 10.2-inch display with a stylus that allows you to write and sketch directly on the screen.

What are you going to do with your savings? What about getting a hands-free accessory or a decent Kindle Scribe case cover?

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The company has just announced a series of leather covers that are designed exclusively for the new iPhone 15 models.

Two models have been introduced: The Pocket Book and The Traveler Wallet Case.

The Pocket Book cover from Pad & Quill is crafted with American full-grain leather and is designed to bundle the essentials for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

The Pocket Book for iPhone Pro costs $100, but the introductory price is lowered to $85.

The Traveler case is inspired by the classic coin wallet. The company calls is the “world’s first all leather case for iPhone 15”. It comes with a built-in stand and wallet for stand-by mode. Its introductory price is $85 instead of the regular $100.

How does iPhone 15 stack up against earlier models? It sports the Dynamic Island feature, A16 Bionic chip, 2x zoom, and USB-C post.

It’s worth mentioning that iPhone 15 comes with the brightest display (1,000 nits of typical brightness, compared to 800 in iPhone 13 and 14).

If you are looking for bookish cases for your iPhone, make sure to check out our dedicated list.

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Are you wondering when the Kindle Scribe will get a price cut that’s deep enough to justify the purchase of this top-shelf device?

Get ready for July 11, 2023. During the main Prime Day 2023 event, Amazon will offer the deal on the Scribe. The company has just confirmed it in the newest press release.

Here is the section informing about upcoming deals on Amazon devices:

Save up to 75% on select Amazon devices, including the Invite-only deal on 43” Fire TV Omni Series, Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen), Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen), Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen), and Ring Battery Doorbell Plus, Pioneer and TCL smart TVs with Fire TV built in, Kindle Scribe, and the all-new Fire Max 11 tablet.

What Kindle Scribe deal can we expect on Prime Day 2023? I expect the deal price to be no higher than $289.99 for the entry-level variant, with 16 GB of storage and the Basic Pen.

Such a deal was offered in March 2023, as a part of National Reading Month celebrations. In this case, your savings will reach 15% ($40), as the regular price of this variant is set at $339.99.

The $40 you keep in your pocket is enough to get a decent Kindle Scribe case, and it that case comes from a third-party producer, you will still have some money left to spend on cool e-reader accessories.

The Kindle Scribe is designed not only for reading, but also writing. The killer feature is handwriting support. You can choose from two compatible pens – Basic or Premium – that come free with a chosen variant. It also comes with several templates for handwritten notes.

The device sports the 10.2-inch glare-free 300 ppi touchscreen display with front and warm light, asymmetric glass front, and a USB-C port. 

Which Amazon device are you going to grab this Prime Day? You can see all currently active Amazon device deals in this handy listing.

Here is the Kindle Scribe product page on Amazon. Bookmark this page in your browser and come back on July 11, 2023, to see how much you can save.

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The deal lets you save $36 on Amazon’s popular digital subscription that includes ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines.

Amazon’s major Prime Day 2023 event is on July 11 and 12, but some deals are already active. Among them, you will find a deal on Kindle Unlimited digital subscription.

The deal lets you get 3 months of the subscription for free. The regular monthly fee is set at $11.99, so you will save $35.97.

The Kindle Unlimited deal can be reached right from the Prime Day 2023 front page. Just look for the widget saying “3 months free of Kindle Unlimited”.

Please note, that the terms of the deal may vary. It depends on the history of Kindle Unlimited with your Amazon account. 

If you have subscribed to the membership before – and especially if you have been a member several times – the offer tailored just for you may not be as attractive.

Despite the fact that some Amazon devices are already discounted by even 55%, the prices of Kindle models are still not reduced. I am especially waiting to see a price drop on the Kindle Scribe.

Before you subscribe or resubscribe to Kindle Unlimited, make sure to check out the current catalog of eligible titles.

As you may already know, KU is being currently affected by hundreds of books that were generated by artificial intelligence, and their publishers don’t disclose this fact. Here is a quick guide on how to spot AI-generated books in Kindle Unlimited.

What Kindle related deals are you going to grab this Prime Day?

⇢ Prime Day 2023

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There is a growing list of books published with the help of artificial intelligence.

Everyone knows the story of Ammaar Reshi, a product manager for a Silicon Valley fintech company, who used ChatGPT and Midjourney to create a children’s book Alice and Sparkle. 

Since August 2022, a Canadian artist Tim Boucher published almost 100 books that were co-created by AI. Boucher says he needs between 6 and 8 hours to create and publish each of his books. Imagine, a single author capable of publishing hundreds of books a year.

Obviously, ChatGPT takes credits for most of what happens in the publishing industry right now.

Currently, there are already almost 1,000 ebooks in the Kindle Store that are co-authored by AI. Specifically, ChatGPT is listed as one of their authors. These books were created by authors responsible enough to admit they use ChatGPT.

And now we come to the essence of the big problem that’s flooding Kindle Unlimited: lots of newly published books were generated by AI, and you don’t even know about it.

What’s even worse, many of these books made it to the top 100 Kindle bestseller lists. It was first discovered by an indie author Caitlyn Lynch on Twitter (here is a cover story on the Vice):

Take a look at the Best Sellers in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance eBooks top 100 chart. I can see 19 actual legit books. The rest are AI nonsense clearly there to click farm.

How is that possible? It’s directly connected with how digital subscriptions work. As you can download any book at no extra cost, you do it instantly without checking out its content. 

And when you open the book on your e-reader or in a book reading app, you just need to read roughly the length of the free sample to make this book considered as read.

The story about nonsense AI Kindle Unlimited books broke at the end of June 2023, and most of these titles are not on the main Kindle bestseller lists anymore. However, they are still on the top 100 lists for subcategories. Luckily, these books have several things in common, and I will discuss them below.

How to spot AI-generated Kindle Unlimited ebooks

The titles are usually written in capital letters

It may obviously change over time, as the creators of these books with try to adapt. But today, most of these AI books come with titles written in CAPITAL LETTERS.

I am not talking about the title that appears on the cover art, but the title that’s a part of the product page description on Amazon.

Here is a screenshot of the Top 100 Kindle bestsellers in the Teen & Young Adult category. 

Authors have Asian names

If you spot a book that is published by someone called Lam Dich Quan, Phung Linh Vang or Phuong Tuong, it strongly suggests that its content was generated by AI.

Here is the same screenshot with the highlighted names.

Book covers are made from a template

If you browse Kindle bestsellers lists or search results pages, and notice books with the same cover artwork and different titles, the chances are big these books are AI generated.

Obviously, there are many books that use the same cover artwork, naming only the books from the same series, or free Kindle books that are available in the Kindle Store.

However, compared to book series, the same cover art is used not for a few titles but dozens of them.

Again, let’s have a look at the Top 100 Kindle bestsellers in the Teen & Young Adult catgory. 

Same cover art but different authors

If you re still not sure whether the KU book was AI-generated or not, you can compare cover art. If the books with the same cover art template are published by different Asian authors, these books are AI-generated (see the screenshot above).

Books are under 100 pages

I have run through the entire list of Top 100 Kindle bestsellers in the Teen & Young Adult catgory, to spot the AI titles. Then I opened them their product detail pages.

Out of 24 titles in the Top 100 Teen & Young Adult bestsellers that I considered to be AI generated:

▸ Only one title had a print length longer that 100 (FREE MUSIC by Lam Dich Chinh), with 118 pages).
▸ 13 books were shorter than 50 pages.

Why are these books short? It’s not only about the ease of generating the content. In the case of the digital subscription it’s also about meeting conditions of the read title. The shorter the book, the biggers the chances to get the reader swipe past the required length.

Published in 2023, no publisher

The final place to find out, if the book was generated by AI or not is the “Product details” section.

None of the books I have tested included the “Publisher” field in the Product details” section.

If all the conditions listed above were met, and if the book was published in 2023 or later, you can be sure is was not written by a human but by an AI tool.

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You can grab Amazon’s most powerful e-reader for just $289 ($50 off), for a variant with the Basic Pen and 16 GB of storage.

Released on November 30, 2022, the Kindle Scribe is the most innovative and powerful e-paper device Amazon ever offered. 

It sports the 300 ppi 10.2-inch glare-free touchscreen display that’s enhanced by both the front and warm light. 

Most importantly, the Scribe is the first Amazon e-paper device that supports handwriting. It comes free with a battery-free pen, and a variety of handwriting templates (notebook, to-do-list, and diary, among them).

So far, Amazon’s newest e-reader was not offered at a reduced price. You could save on it during Black Friday 2022 even $80, but it was possible if you combined the savings on a free Kindle Unlimited free plan ($40) and getting the bundle (another $40).

As I predicted last year, the first price cuts on Kindle Scribe should come during National Reading Month 2023 – and here they are!

The entry-level variant, with 16 GB of storage and the Basic Pen, costs now only $289.99, which is a 15% price drop from $339.99. I was expecting the price to be lowered to just $299.99.

If you decide to invest in a variant with the 32 GB of storage and Premium Pen, you will also save 15%. The price is right now set at $329.99, instead of $389.99.

Plus, in every variant, you save $30 on a free, 3-month Kindle Unlimited plan.

It was worth waiting for a price cut like this. Keeping $50 in your pocket will let you buy a solid Kindle Scribe case cover – and there are plenty of them already.

The next price cuts on the Kindle Scribe should come before Mother’s and Father’s Day 2023, and surely during the summer edition of Prime Day.

The deal ends on Sunday, March 26, 2023, so hurry!

⇢ Kindle Scribe

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