Readwise launched Readwise Books, a platform designed for purchasing, reading, and discussing books, which is currently in beta. Existing Readwise subscribers or those with an invite can access the new service.
Tristan Homsi and Daniel Doyon describe the platform as the “Strava for reading” because it monitors reading speed, duration, and volume. “Literally, Dan and I talked about this when we first met,” Homsi said.
Homsi added, “We feel like Kindle could be so much better. We really didn’t think it would take nine-plus years to be able to get to this point.” Doyon noted that “no one sits around wanting a better Kindle” and remarked that “Everybody hates Goodreads.”
The software syncs with Kindle accounts to track books purchased from Amazon by capturing photographs of the starting and ending pages. Homsi and Doyon secured agreements with all five major US publishers to support the platform.
Readwise Books operates on a version of Android tailored for E Ink displays. Doyon stated he is not expecting users to switch ebook platforms immediately.
