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Language Technologies Introduces ReadSmart Edition Apps(TM) for the iPhone(TM) and iPod(R) Touch; Unique Apps Improve Ergonomics of Reading while Retaining Look and Design of Print Books

Posted on: Tuesday, 16 June 2009, 10:00 CDT

Text in a Document is Optimized for Reading while Preserving the Designer's Layout

TUCSON, Ariz., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Language Technologies, Inc., a software developer specializing in reading technology, today announced the launch of its ReadSmart Edition(TM) applications designed for the iPhone(TM) and iPod(R) touch at the iTunes App Store(TM). The apps, available at the iTunes App Store via books.readsmart.com, are digital books for download that retain the look and design of a print book. The apps feature ReadSmart(R) high-definition typography, which enhance text without changing the wording and--unlike other e-book formats--also preserve the fonts and typefaces of print editions while improving reading comprehension, speed, and enjoyment.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090616/NY33240 )

"Our suite of digital formatting technologies is designed to both improve the ergonomics of reading and offers publishers the opportunity to maintain the visual design elements of their work while delivering content to the iPhone and the iPod touch," said Lee Berendt, president and CEO of LTI. "We think our technology suite offers valuable enhancements for technology providers, the publishing and design communities, and especially to educators and individual readers."

ReadSmart Edition books available immediately for purchase and download include a selection of classic novels such as Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Each ReadSmart Edition book is available as a standalone app and costs from $2.99 to $4.99, depending on the amount of internal artwork. LTI is also releasing a free app, ReadSmart Preview(TM) June 2009, which will include a sample chapter of each title being released, as well as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. The company plans to release additional book titles for sale monthly as well as a free monthly preview application.

ReadSmart technology converts typesetting files used by production designers to digital editions and customizes books for the iPhone and iPod touch by making intelligent, economical use of the display. As part of this customization, ReadSmart improves the composition of text by making subtle changes to word spacing, line endings and letter width. These patented and patent pending technologies are used together to create text that is read faster, better understood, and more enjoyable to read.

"Critically, once a digital book has been created using ReadSmart, it gives a reader the experience of a book, not of a generic electronic document, which enhances the overall reading experience. ReadSmart Edition is the only electronic platform that presents the book as the designer intended," said LTI's Chief Technology Officer John Maher. "Although generic e-books preserve content and facilitate distribution, they remove the unique typographical qualities of books, which designers carefully craft through typeface choices and other design elements."

ReadSmart high-definition typography is the result of more than thirty years of research and development by Thomas Bever, Ph.D., a central figure in the fields of cognitive science and psycholinguistics for more than 40 years. Dr. Bever, chairman and founder of LTI and inventor, leads ReadSmart's development team, which includes neuroscientist Christopher Nicholas, Ph.D. ReadSmart technology applies proven scientific research through patented software algorithms that optimize reading efficiency through the spacing of text into chunks of meaning most informative to the brain.

"Our ReadSmart Edition apps are a practical example of our intense commitment to improve reading. We focus on applying today's neurological, cognitive, linguistic and vision sciences to the enhancement of everyday reading. Technology today allows us to use reading science to bring text presentation to a new level, so that reading can be enjoyed and more productive," said Dr. Bever.

The efficacy of ReadSmart has been tested and proven in a variety of print media, including textbooks, newspapers, and direct-mail solicitations. Testing has been conducted in a variety of reading populations from grade school students to older adults, including English language learners. Laboratory and field tests have shown that ReadSmart improves reading speed by up to 10 percent, reading comprehension by up to 25 percent, and reading persuasiveness and enjoyment by more than 35 percent.

"Scientists have been studying reading for 75 years and have discovered many ways to make text easier to read. It's time to apply these discoveries to the formatting of text, especially now that many people, especially students, are reading more and more material in digital format," said Steven Pinker, PhD, Harvard College Professor and Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and member of LTI's Scientific Advisory Board, a panel of leading experts on the science of reading.

About Language Technologies, Inc.

Language Technologies, Inc. is a software developer dedicated to improving the reading experience for audiences everywhere. Its patent and patent-pending ReadSmart(R) technology offers high-definition typography to improve reading comprehension, speed and enjoyment. The company's ReadSmart Edition(TM) and ReadSmart Preview(TM) applications designed for the iPhone(TM) and iPod(R) touch are available for purchase at the iTunes App Store(TM) via books.readsmart.com. These digital book apps offer classic books designed with ReadSmart formatting that retain the look and design of a print book.

About ReadSmart(R)

ReadSmart applies cognitive and information sciences to typography and formatting. It enhances reading through improvements in digital typesetting and the subtle arrangement of type on a page, without altering the content or design, and works in either digital or print formats. Based upon decades of research on the science of reading, ReadSmart has been tested extensively in laboratory and field studies. www.readsmart.com.

SOURCE Rubenstein Associates

Source: PR Newswire

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