Publishers Weekly is reporting that Penguin is severing ties with OverDrive, the service that provides digital content to libraries, as of February 10. Penguin’s reasons for such a move aren’t all that clear because they issued such a nonsensical, vague statement, it sounds like they just don’t like ebooks. Period:

“Looking ahead, we are continuing to talk about our future plans for eBook and digital audiobook availability for library lending with a number of partners providing these services. Because of these discussions, as of February 10, 2012, Penguin will no longer offer additional copies of eBooks and audiobooks for purchase via OverDrive. Physical editions of Penguin’s new and backlist titles will continue to be available in libraries everywhere.”

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If you’re a parent with a toddler or older, you know that a tablet can be a lifesaver when it comes to keeping your kid occupied. There’s nothing easier than sitting your kid on the couch, handing them your Kindle Fire and letting them play with it for several hours while you take a much-deserved nap. That’s just good parenting.

However, a tablet like the Kindle Fire is tied to your Amazon account, which is also tied to your credit card. It’s important to child-proof your Kindle Fire before handing it over to your kid’s grubby little hands. This means preventing him/her from watching your NC-17 movies and keeping your kid away from the dark side of the internet.

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No matter how careful you are, it always seems inevitable that you will one day drop your tablet computer. Whether it’s an iPad, Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet, gravity doesn’t play favorites.

So which tablet can take a tumble and come out unscathed? Here’s a quick video demonstrating a Nook Tablet and a Kindle Fire falling from different heights on to different ground surfaces. Enjoy!

The Authors Guild isn’t holding anything back in their criticism of Amason’s Lending Library. The library program is available to Amazon Prime members, who pay $79 per year for membership.

The Authors Guild’s main complaint is that Amazon is lending out ebooks for free without the publisher’s permission, or even the author’s permission.

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Amazon’s Kindle Fire is now available to order. I’ve read a few reviews of the Fire, and they all seem pretty positive. A lot of reviews do point out the big differences between the Fire and iPad. Overall though, I think the Fire will be a viable, lower cost alternative to the iPad.

Here is a good video review from laptopmag.com that shows the Kindle Fire being put through the paces. Enjoy!

Steve Jobs really was a genius. And I’m not just saying that because of his recent passing (RIP). The products Apple comes out with are always beautifully designed and surprisingly simple.

But Jobs’ genius didn’t just extend to making great products, he was also a cunning businessman who knew how to give Apple a leg up on the competition.

A great example of this is how Steve Jobs single-handily forced Amazon’s hand when it came to ebook pricing. He looked at how Amazon’s was pricing their ebooks and basically said their business model was stupid.

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There’s nothing new about taking a newspaper, magazine or even a book into the bathroom while you do your…uh…business. Usually the bathroom is the one place people can get a little peace and quiet, making it ideal for reading.

Now we live in an age of iPads and eReaders. So it naturally follows that people will take their shiny new electronics into the bathroom to read as well.

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If you’ve been wanting to trade in that dusty old Sony Reader for a shiny new Amazon Kindle, you’re in luck. Amazon has extended their trade-in program to include non-Amazon e-readers.

According to TechCrunch you can get anywhere from $25 to $135, depending on the condition and model of your old e-reader. Instead of cold-hard cash, Amazon will send your payment in the form of a gift card.

The process is relatively simple: Just enter in your product’s information and Amazon will give you a pre-paid shipping label to print out (that’s right, free shipping!). Throw the package in the mail and you’re set.

If you’re short of cash, like I frequently am, this might be a good way to help finance that new Kindle Fire you’ve been drooling over since it has been announced. Or, you can blow all the money on ebooks. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Amazon wants authors to deliver their books directly to readers by cutting out the middleman: Large publishing houses. The largest online retailer has been doing just that for a few years now by allowing authors to self-publish their ebooks and sell them in the massive Kindle ebookstore.

But Amazon is getting into the “traditional” publishing game. They are scouting for authors, offering them contracts, and then promoting and selling their books. Amazon is the agent, publisher and bookseller – all wrapped up into one.

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Ebooks are taking libraries by storm. After all, why buy an ebook, read it once and then archive it when you can “rent” an ebook at no cost. And forget about checking out an actual print book. Those things are like dinosaurs.

Okay, I might be exaggerating a little, but not much. According to Mediabistro, ebook checkouts from libraries are up significantly from last year:

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