Over the weekend, over 1 million iPhones were sold and lines are still forming outside Apple stores to obtain the latest innovation from Apple. The software update allowed for the existing half million phones to add third party applications. Since Friday, over 10 million applications have been downloaded from the AppStore. 8% of the Applications are ebook related.
Scoff if you must, but the iPhone might be the next publishing frontier. With the help of JS Wolf and the iPhone Bookshelf developer, Zac Bedell, I have created an iPhone Bookshelf available for any iPhone/iTouch user who has purchased the Bookshelf app. The fiction on the Dear Author Bookshelf is free fiction from various authors.
I’d like to host the free fiction of any romance author along with extended excerpts of works for those who don’t have free fiction. If you have an iPhone or iTouch with the new 2.0 software and have purchased Bookshelf, clicking this link will add the Dear Author Bookshelf to your choices on the iPhone.
If you are interested in contributing fiction to the Dear Author bookshelf, email jane at dearauthor.com!
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Open Threads at Dear Author. Want to know what new releases are out this month and what readers are excited about reading? Check out the threads below. 
We don’t like to censor comments nor do we endorse the comments of any poster. We do reserve the right to moderate comments but most of the time will not, believing, as Justice Brandeis did, that the greater good is in “more speech, not enforced silence.”
I need a new cell phone (seriously, most cell phones are not designed to last 4 years, and that’s how long I’ve had mine—it’s dying now) and would love an iPhone; I’m just waiting to hear the various reports of what people think of this version. I heard poor things about the durability of the first one.
The bookshelf app looks great; if I end up getting an iPhone I’ll have to come back for it!
Heather:
I have a first gen iphone and it is durable. I hate talking on the phone so I have tons of rollover minutes, but I love it for its email, ipod, movie screen, web surfing capabilities. With the upgraded software and third party apps, it is the perfect device. If you are already signed up with ATT, you know what to expect in terms of service and coverage.
Really? Interesting. I’ve dropped mine several times and it still works like a charm.
Yeah, I think my iPhone’s pretty durable and I love it. I just wouldn’t want it for reading books. Too small and I’m blind to begin with.
Thanks for these reviews, Jane and for establishing the Dear Author bookshelf. My husband is still trying to buy the new 3G iPhone (Well… half-heartedly trying, anyway. He keeps stopping by, but doesn’t stand on line.) When he does, I get his hand me down iPhone 2G first gen–Yay! I’m very much interested in using it as a reader and jumping on board with the Bookshelf App.
Thanks so much for the reassurances about the durability. Now I just have to wait for the demand to slow down a little—I hate standing on line for things!
You have no idea how many times I’ve dropped my phone. I do have it in a case, though, so that helps some.
Also, I think the iPhone has been given new life with the Apps store. I don’t miss too many of my jailbroken features that I gave up to upgrade to the new firmware. I love the new Apps.
Now I wonder if I need the new model or if the old one is good enough. What do you think, Jane?
I’ve dropped my phone more than once as well. I don’t think that there is any difference for most things between the new phone and the old phone. Some people actually don’t like the new phone because of it’s plastic back. I did upgrade to the 16 GB device and am happy about that. I was also fortunate to sell my old phone for good value.
My kids just bought me a new BlackBerry — sweet of them, and I didn’t have the heart to say “why not an iPhone?” My 15-year-old has the Touch iPod, though, so I’ll see if I can get him to at least show me what I’m missing with your Bookshelf. Once he’s home from summer visitation, that is (missing the kid).
The only person I have reliably heard of who went through more than one iphone (1st gen) dropped his last one in the toilet. I use mine more than I’ve used any other wireless phone I’ve had because of the big clear interface and the software keyboard. Of course that means that I mainly use it to check the weather, find locations, get Borders coupons, and watch videos. I really have no reason to upgrade right now because I’m not using my current one to its full potential.
I too have dropped my phone, with no damage. They look more delicate than they actually are. One of my husband’s co-workers actually dropped his down a flight of steps, and it still works just fine.
And after several tries ( darn Bonjour crap with Windows lol!) I now have DA’s bookshelf on my phone.
Thank you Jane :)
I downloaded Bookshelf, but now I can’t access the iphonebookshelf website to get started. =/