Classics iPhone App
October 30, 2008
Most eBook readers let you download books online, or transfer them from your computer. Classics takes an entirely different approach by bundling only a select few books, each with its own cover and illustration drawn from scratch by artists David Lanham and Sebastiaan de With. The result (packaged together with a great custom UI, sound and animation) really makes the app shine in a way that no other eBook reader I’ve seen has attempted. It’s the interface you’re paying for though; all the books are public domain and are available for free through other eBook readers.
Currently 12 books have been packaged and included in Classics. Free updates will include more books in the future. My only concern is the possibility that after two or three more books the developers will stop development and move on to something new. A lot of recent talk about the App Store indicates that sales fall dramatically once your app drops out of the new and featured lists. However, both Phil Ryu and Andrew Kaz have told me via Twitter that they are in fact dedicated to continual updates, and a have a lot of great stuff lined up for it.