http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2006/12/01/8395114/index.htm?postversion=2006121409
Coming soon: The most inclusive reader's catalog in the world, at your
fingertips.
By Emily Maltby, FSB Magazine
December 14 2006: 9:36 AM EST
(FSB Magazine) — Buying a book could become as easy as buying a pack of
gum. After several years in development, the Espresso - a $50,000
vending machine with a conceivably infinite library - is nearly
consumer-ready and will debut in ten to 25 libraries and bookstores in
2007. The New York Public Library is scheduled to receive its machine in
February.
The company behind the Espresso is called On Demand Books, founded by
legendary book editor Jason Epstein, 78, and Dane Neller, 56, but the
technology was developed six years ago by Jeff Marsh, who is a
technology advisor for New York City-based ODB <
www.ondemandbooks.com>.
The machine can print, align, mill, glue and bind two books
simultaneously in less than seven minutes, including full-color
laminated covers. It prints in any language and will even accommodate
right-to-left texts by putting the spine on the right. The upper page
limit is 550 pages, though by tweaking the page thickness and type size,
you could get a copy of War and Peace (albeit tough to read) if you
wanted.
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For more on the future of publishing, see the articles linked from
www.ondemandbooks.com
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://www.xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
http://www.glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
http://www.sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
