A Dymocks

bookstore across the Tasman is trialling touch-screen kiosks, at which customers can download books to a USB stick, DVD or portable device such as an iPod. Dymocks even has their own ebook reader, the iLiad (a nifty electronic notebook and a clever name!). Demand for the ebook devices has been much higher than expected, a trend which bodes well for a digital revolution (or at least an evolution) in book reading.

Kiosks where shoppers can buy ebooks are planned for all Dymocks bookshops in New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong, although when this will happen is uncertain. In the meantime, browse New Zealand bookshops online for a great read.

Image from Flickr.

And if all those hours of watching TV have whittled away your brainpower, don’t fret – it’s simple to use!

You can download programmes onto your computer to watch at your leisure through Windows Media Player, or you can view them straight away on your computer via the streaming option. All you need to do is purchase a licence to watch each show; it’s a steal at just $2.00 a pop. This fee allows you to watch the show as many times as you want for a period of seven days.

There’s great potential here for all screened television programmes to be available at any hour of the day. For now, it’s mainly New Zealand talent that’s showcased, but there are more programmes lined up for release online soon. Ondemand is a great initiative from our state broadcaster: cheers TVNZ!