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Classics brings a different approach to reading on the iPhone

by Cory Bohon Oct 23rd 2008 at 3:00PM

A new application coming soon to an iPhone near you hopes to bring a new experience for reading e-books. Classics.app, which is being developed by Andrew Kazmierski and Phillip Ryu, will allow its users to read classic works of literature ... right on their iPhones!

Classics will feature public domain ebooks like Alice in Wonderland, Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver's Travels, and Paradise Lost. Best part of the application? The developers will be offering free updates to owners. With future updates will come a new collection of books. Classics should leave many iPhone owners flipping the virtual pages of books (just remember to charge your iPhone regularly).

Classics will be available soon on the App Store for an introductory price of $2.99. Until it is released, you can watch a short demo movie on their website, and sign up for updates.

For some insight into how Classics was made, check out the designer's blog.

Thanks for the info, Phil!



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A new application coming soon to an iPhone near you hopes to bring a new experience for reading e-books. Classics.app, which is being...
 

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Jamie

I can't believe that Phil Ryu has the audacity to post here after the fiascos that were MyDreamApp and ResExcellence.com among other abandoned projects. I've got no faith in this app ever being maintained past the first few weeks. The track record here is simply appalling...

What's particularly annoying is that he and the rest of his buddies just pretend that everything's going just fine and that none of the previous problems existed. Anyone deciding to purchase this app, just remember what happened to some of their previous projects..!

October 24 2008 at 5:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nas

When apple releases a 32gb iphone, and when i can add my own books to this (seriously why the hell not?) i'd easily pay a few bucks for something this schmexy.

But the adding my own books is probably the biggest thing.
Make it easy to add books/chapter markers/covers and this app is bloody awesome!

October 24 2008 at 3:46 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
obcm

I have to agree with some of the other people. I would never buy anything from these guys after all the stuff they have done over the years. And to TUAW, Posts like this are why you guys have no credibility anymore. It all went out the door when david chartier left.

October 23 2008 at 11:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Raphael

Hi TUAW, just when I think it's not possible to go any lower, you're always ready to drop the journalism quality down another notch. There are already plenty of apps around that do this for FREE. Why are you so excited about an app that hasn't even been released yet, costs money, and dictates to you which classics you have to read. Man, this site is terrible. Go to AppleInsider and learn how it's supposed to be done ;)

October 23 2008 at 11:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
frogracer

very nice

October 23 2008 at 8:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Catt

I obviously don't have the right pug-in to see this video on the site...

October 23 2008 at 8:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mungler

this actually appears to offer *less* functionality than Stanza. i mean, ok fair enough, the classics are great and all, but I want to read those *AND* my Iain M. Banks collection. as far as i can see, there's no way to add your own content.

October 23 2008 at 7:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to mungler's comment
Thomas

I agree -- this interface looks very nice, but I've got a long list of books, mostly in simple txt format, that I'm waiting to read, and I'd like to be able to add them to this pretty reader. Right now I use Stanza, which is nice, but somewhat difficult to add your own stuff to. Love those covers though -- it would be nice if Classics (or some other app, if any other developers are reading this) could grab the cover pics from Amazon for books I add.

October 23 2008 at 7:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brian Hanington

Oh dear! A quick look at the demo makes it abundantly obvious why Classics is head and shoulders above Stanza (which itself was brilliant). It is the reader experience that matters... and how much more tactile that experience will be with pages that are designed specifically for the iPhone, illustrations, covers (with the delightful bookshelf motif) and crunchy page-flip sounds. I'm definitely ponying up the $3 bucks, and just may finally knuckle down to reading Madame Bovary.

October 23 2008 at 5:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Katherine

OK... I know there are already a fair number of ebook readers for the iPhone, and you can get the classics for free - but the user experience on this one looks much more enjoyable, and I like the fact that the designers took the time to create little tiny book covers. I'll be looking forward to its release!

October 23 2008 at 5:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
look

Delicious Library is another app that went backwards..Losing Matt Matas was a bit much...

October 23 2008 at 5:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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