Tokyo, March 17, 2016 - Rakuten, Inc. today announced the launch of “Readee,” a reading management app for smartphones (iOS), as a new service of its online bookstore, Rakuten Books.
Readee is an app that enables users to record and manage books they want to read, books they have bought, their progress with reading, their impressions after reading, and other information. By using the smartphone camera to read the ISBN barcode*1 listed on the back cover of books, users can record information such as book titles, author names, and cover images in the app. Books purchased on Rakuten Books are automatically displayed in the app when logging in with Rakuten Member IDs, saving the time needed to input the information*2. In addition to allowing users to classify and manage the books they have registered by setting up “shelves” which can be frelly named, by setting up categories such as book genres, author names, a rating system (in 50 stages of 0.1 point increments from 0.1 to 5.0) and favorite key words (tags) in advance, newly recorded books can be automatically classified and stored on the “shelf” applicable to its criteria, making it easy to manage and retrieve books you have recorded, according to theme.
Readee was developed with the aim of providing a simpler and more flexible means for users who enjoy reading to manage the books they buy and keep a record of their reading. In the future, Rakuten is also planning to offer an Android™ version of the app, and enhance the app’s features so that after reading a book, it is possible to share your impressions in-app or on social media.
Going forward, Rakuten Books will continue to provide opportunities for users to encounter a wide variety of books and make new discoveries through Readee.
*1 The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) refers to a globally-common number for identifying books (publications).
*2 As for the commencement of the service, the books that can be entered on “Readee” are those available under Rakuten Books’ “Books” genre (http://books.rakuten.co.jp/book/), and those available at the Rakuten Kobo eBook Store (http://books.rakuten.co.jp/e-book/). Rakuten Books’ “Books” genre includes novels and manga, but does not include magazines and other publications.
March 17, 2016
- Rakuten, Inc.
Rakuten Books Launches “Readee, Ebr>a Reading Management App for Smartphones
Overview of the “Readee Ereading management app
Service name: “Readee”
Service launch date (iOS version): February 15, 2016
*The Android™ version is scheduled to be offered around summer 2016.
Website: https://readee.rakuten.co.jp/
Website for application download (iOS version): https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/id1078551937?mt=8
* iOS is a trademark and registered trademark of Apple Inc.
* Android™ is a trademark and registered trademark of Google Inc.