Introduction and Quick Start Guide

Please note ReadCloud is still in development and you are therefore accessing a pre-release version. PLEASE BE PATIENT when opening the books - it will take a few minutes to download and convert the text and it may look as if the application freezes - but it will get there for most books. However, some books can still not be opened in ReadCloud. 

We have scheduled formal trials in select schools for October 2010 with the ability to open all ePUB and PDF files (quickly). We'll also be adding new in-copyright textbooks and literature from international publishers. Educators will also be able to upload files to share with the classroom or reading group. 

See our To Do List of items to complete for the official launch of version 1.0: http://demo.readcloud.com/ToDoList

For additional bug reports or feature requests please email them to jeremy@readcloud.com

To start using ReadCloud you need to do the following:

1) If you are not already logged into http://demo.readcloud.com log into your account with your username and password or sign up by clicking this link http://demo.readcloud.com/user/register. If you are having problems signing in or have forgotten your password, you can reset it by clicking this link http://demo.readcloud.com/user/password

2) Join our example group at http://demo.readcloud.com/node/29429 then Click on the Online Reader or  Click on "Download Reader" and then click on "Install now" - this will install the eReading software which will only take a few minutes

3) The eReading software can be launched from your desktop or the online browser and will let you read books, use the look-up features and make your private annotations. You can also read your book when you are off-line and make annotations which will be synced to our servers when you are back online (soon to come the dictionary can be downloaded to it also works offline). However, if you want to start sharing your annotations with your friends you have to create a reading group (see 4) or join an existing reading group.

4) SOCIAL eREADING - when you want to share annotations inside the eBooks you have to log in to http://demo.readcloud.com and go through the following steps:

a) Click on "Create Reading Group". Here you can decide if what access other user of ReadCloud will have to your Reading Group. By making it by invitation only you can create a completely private classroom or book club where annotation only will be shared amongst its members which you control by inviting members. After saving it your new group will appear on the left.

b) Click on your Reading Group shown to the left to manage members. In the add members column you can simply paste emails of your friends and by clicking "Import". If your friends are already using ReadCloud they will be added to your Reading Group, if not, new accounts will be generated and email invites will automatically be sent to your friends to join your reading group".

c) Click on "Best Loved Novels" or "Book Search" to find a eBooks that you and your friends want to read.

d) Click on the eBooks that you want to read and assign it to your Reading Group by selected one of the tags "Currently Reading", "Suggested Reading" or "Have Read"

e) When launching the eReading software from your desktop, the eReader will automatically update with the new Reading Group information from our servers. All annotations that you and your Reading Group friends make will now be shown inside the eBook.

Enjoy your reading and sharing!