Looking to address the cost and complexity of creating apps and enhanced e-books, Olive Software has developed SmartLayers, a software tool it claims will let publishers easily enrich e-book content with video, photos or links to other online content.
Joe Wikert, director of strategy and business development at Olive Software, said SmartLayers technology enables publishers to turn their digital frontlist and backlist content into a dynamic, easily revised content platform. Using the licensed SmartLayers Enrichment Tool, publishers can drag and drop photos and video--indeed links to all kinds of online content--right into their already published e-books thereby helping publishers create new revenue streams.
The software, Wikert said, allows publishers to upgrade generic prose e-books into enhanced e-books, in effect, upgrading the content with exclusive or additional material that can be offered for a premium fee. Publishers can insert whole Wikepedia pages directly into e-books—all SmartLayer added content must be hosted online—or offer supplementary content to textbooks, even quizzes and assessment tools. The software also provides publishers with analytics feedback and data on usage.
SmartLayers works via the Olive Dynamic Book, a browser-based e-reader that lets consumers read the e-book via Chrome, Firefox or any modern HTML-compliant browser. The company licences the software to publishers via a revenue sharing plan. Olive Software was founded in 2000 and has employees based in offices in Tel Aviv, Israel and Aurora, Colo.
Correction: SmartLayers can be used be used for all kinds of e-book content, not just backlist as stated in an earlier version of this story. The Olive e-reader is not called iReader as stated in an earlier version of this story and a reference to staffing was removed.
