the future of booksthe books of the future

Why Simplicissimus?

Because we love books.

Because we want to build a future for books, and we are curious about the books of the future.

Because e-Ink technology is finally enabling us to read long documents on computer displays – comfortably.

Because the future of books - and the books of the future - needs a brand new approach from publishers, writers and readers.

Because a huge, new and exciting market is taking shape.

e-Ink Technology

E-book - U.S. Market

The Reading and Books Buying Habits of AmericansSurvey commissioned in May 2008 by Random House to Zogby International. The survey took in account a panel of 8.218 adults, representative of the U.S. population. Do you own an ebook reader?Yes: 3% I plan to buy one: 4%

Have you ever puchased ebooks?Yes: 15%

Do you feel comfortable reading digital books?Yes: 11%

E-book - U.S. Market

E-book, the future

Reading, and not only reading...

1. Annotating text with your own remarks

2. Taking notes and converting them in digital documents

3. Bringing your library with yourself

4. All your school books in just 200 grams

5. Your favourite newspapers always with you

6. Less paper in your life

E-book Publishing

E-book Publishing has to re-invent itself to survive and prosper in the digital always-on age. "95% and more of music on iPods isn’t bought through iTunes. It’s downloaded, shared, ripped, bootlegged, remixed, reformatted, torrented and then some" (Max Niederhofer, Atlas Ventures).

That's why, as a digital publisher, we want to publish ebooks - high quality ebooks, both in terms of content and formats - also to offer them for free and let people read and share them via a open web platform.

Simplicissimus - The Strategy

We address all our efforts and resources into the following business areas: • Retail, selling ebooks and ebook readers

 • Business solutions, custom applications for ebook readers 

 • Consultancy, advisory to publishers and institutions

Retail /1

Simplicissimus Book Farm is the official Italian distributor of the main e-Ink based reading devices available in Europe:  • iLiad and DR1000, by iRex Technologies• Cybook Gen3, by Bookeen• Bebook • (new models coming soon...)

We want to distribute first-rate ebook readers, so that we can gather and share information and know-how both from (and with) manufacturers and customers.

Retail /2

We're selling ebook reading devices through the following channels: • Bookshops, both online and offline (such as Feltrinelli

bookshops)• Online consumer electronics shops (such as Bow.it) • Independent shops run by enthusiast and qualified people

Retail /3

Europe doesn't have a large-scale successful ebooks store yet.  As for the contents, only a small number of ebooks is available for non-english-reader customers. Simplicissimus is willing to take this opportunity, by creating the main Ebook Store in European market.By this way, we also want to incite publishers to take at their turn the opportunity of increasing sales by publishing ebooks. 

Business Solutions /1

Simplicissimus harness the unique set of features of ebook readers developed by iRex Technologies to build custom applications for businesses and professionals.

iLiad capabilities go far beyond reading:• biggest screen and highest resolution in the market• e-Ink state of the art • ability to write notes and annotate existing documents• internet connection (wired, wi-fi and Bluetooth)• Linux-based, growing community of developers• open to third party custom applications

Business Solutions /2

Our experienced team of developers engages the customer in a two-way process.• Know the device: let the customer fully understand features

and limits of e-ink based machines• Know the costumer: discuss needs in terms of mobility,

data management, legacy apps, ...• Produce a demo: show the demo, collect feedback and fine-

tune until it matches the customer's needs• Cost evaluation: put a price on each component• Implementation: design and write the actual application • Support: keep an open channel with the customer to solve

issues, discuss updates, design new features, ...

Business Solutions /3

Case history: Shenker Institute for Languages

Thanks to Simplicissimus, Shenker was able to move all the teaching material of high-end English courses for the Italian market to the iLiad reader.• Lessons ebook:

Searchable and hyperlinked, includes audio playback in sync with the page displayed, to improve pronunciation.

• Exercise ebook:To be compiled with the iLiad stylus.

Advantages: paperless courses, no MP3-player required, no exercise sheets, huge savings on printing, shipping, handling.

Business Solutions /4

Case history: La Stampa

La Stampa is the 3rd Italian newspaper, with a circulation of about 400K copies a day. We are in the process of converting daily issues of the newspaper into a digital format to be read, on a subscription base, both on iLiad and Cybook devices.• daily download on the go, wherever you are• news archive searchable and hyperlinked• scribbling and cut & paste capabilities• ...

Business Solutions /5

Vertical applications

We're developping several applications for specific segments. We will market them as a bundle: iRex hardware plus Simplicissimus software and support. • Currently we are actively developing eLex®, aimed to law

professionals: an iRex machine equipped with searchable laws, wi-fi subscription services, an activity management tool, sync over local networks, etc... (expected release: Mar 2009)

Consultancy

Simplicissimus is positioned at the cutting edge of the Book Renaissance already announced by the 1st generation of e-Ink based devices.

We are available to share our knowledge and insights with Traditional Publishers, by offering the following services:

• digital typography• ebook production in any format • existing catalog conversion to ebook format (from OCR with

proofreading, or from main DTP formats, as QuarkXpress, InDesign, ecc...)

• ebook distribution and relationship management with main ebook resellers (Amazon Kindle, Sony Connect ecc...)

Contacts

Headquarters: Loreto, AN, Italy [map].Admin offices: Milan [map].

Website: http://www.simplicissimus.itEmail: info@simplicissimus.it

Antonio Tombolini (CEO)antonio@simplicissimus.it