What does a marshmallow have to do with your child’s future? If you want to know, explore Ellen Galinksy’s new Vook, Mind in the Making: The Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, and learn how a sugary treat (or two) can teach your child the skills they need to succeed.

With Galinsky’s Vook, all parents can raise focused, mature and successful children, with guidance from top child development specialists. Galinksy’s book offers hundreds of tips that parents and teachers can use to help children reach their full potential in our fast-paced, multi-tasking world. The Vook is a powerful combination of Galinksy’s text and 50 videos of the latest child development research conducted over the past eight years.

We’re extremely proud of this Vook — which we’ve made available in three separate volumes so it’s easily digestible on-the-go or on your computer. To try it out, start with Volume 1 — which you can see here.

Start teaching your children life skills today!

We’ve created Vooks that do everything from show you how to crush it to show you how to cook it. But we’ve always been open to exploration, so we jumped at the chance to work with filmmaker, animator and New York Times blogger Jeff Scher on a project that would bring this renowned artist into the tech world. Scher’s Vook, Best of Times is a gorgeous compilation of 14 of his best, most beautiful animations paired with 14 of his columns for the New York Times Opinionator Blog.

Scher’s work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art and has been shown at the Guggenheim Museum, Pompidou Center in Paris, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and at film festivals around the world. Now, it’s available as a Vook on the Web and the iPhone.

It’s the marriage of technology and art that Vook was made for. Best of Times, with music, animation, and text, truly brings the visions of this experimental filmmaker and artist to life.

Experiment today with this exquisite mixed-media experience. We think you’ll have the Best of Times.

We could not have been more excited yesterday morning when we found out that we were nominated for a Webby Award in the category of Best Mobile Video. Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by the New York Times, The Webby Awards are the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet. This nomination recognizes Vook as setting the standard for innovation and creativity in video. The Webby Awards receive 10,000 entries and simply to be nominated is a huge achievement in itself.

We’re in a category with only four other nominees doing great work of their own. We are so impressed with the video produced by Fate’s in Your Hands,  MLB at Bat,  NFB Films iPhone App, Ustream Mobile Share Life’s Moments. We’re proud to share this honor with them, and we hope that you explore their pages on the Webby award site.

The Webby Awards give Vook and other sites recognition for accomplishments in a very specific category, and offer the opportunity for everyone to become aware of the latest technology. But they also provide a venue for you to simply find Web sites you like–and give them a public nod. Like other nominated sites, Vook is eligible for a Webby People’s Voice Award, which is voted online by the global Web community.  That means that from now until April 29th, all of our friends, family, loyal users, twitter followers, and fantastic blog readers can vote for us to win the People’s Choice Award.

If you fit into any of those categories, or simply love Vook, please let us know via our People’s Choice Award page!

We hope you enjoy all the great sites featured by the Webby Awards. And stay tuned–winners be announced on May 4, 2010 and the 14th Annual Webby Awards will be in New York City on June 14, 2010. We can’t wait to see who the winners are, but we’ve got a few favorites lined up…

In the past two years, technology has turned the publishing industry on its head. Here at Vook, we fully believe that all these changes are a chance for progress.  By taking advantage of the available technology, we can empower writers, filmmakers and anyone who wants to share their message to be even more creative and far-reaching.

Vook is in the unique position of being simultaneously a technology company and a publishing company. This year’s London Book Fair will provide the opportunity for us to meet lots of great people involved with and interested in these two worlds. We expect new ideas, thought-provoking conversations and insight from across the spectrum.

Vook’s CEO and founder Brad Inman will be in London to engage in these dialogues, both as a panelist and an attendee. Brad will participate in the process of bridging the gap between digital and traditional publishing.

On April 19th, Brad will speak with Jane Friedman and Jeffrey Sharp, co-founders of Open Road Integrated Media on a panel titled, “New Forms of Adaption: From E-book to Every Screen.” The panelists will shed light on the business of digital media, with a special focus on online marketing, author branding and bringing authors and their works
to all screens.

Brad will also speak on the panel, “Disrupting Content: ­ Lessons and perspectives from outside the publishing industry,” with the founders of Daily Lit, Flat World Knowledge and Mendeley. The panelists all come from start-ups that are changing the publishing industry with technology. They will share their experiences on the melding of these two worlds, and reflect on what each can offer the other.

This is a watershed year in publishing, and this year’s London Book Fair wholly represents that. We can’t wait to see what comes out of the many presentations and discussions there.

To celebrate the London Book Fair at home, we will be giving away Vooks around the time of Brad’s presentations. Follow @vooktv to learn more at the date approaches!

You can also contact Brad directly if you’re attending the Book Fair and would like to connect in London or back in the States.

Brad’s easily accessible through twitter (@bradinman), email (brad@vook.com) and telephone (510-735-7904). Don’t hesitate to reach out!

By now, you’ve probably gotten plenty of emails with the signature, “Sent from my iPad.” The iPad’s obviously here in a big way. Apple sold $150,000,000 in iPads over the weekend — which makes this, according to Seth Godin, “the biggest launch ever.”

So how did they do it? Your instinct might be to assume that Apple has the magic touch, and as a smaller business or individual, you could never pull off a similar feat. Not true, insists Godin. “In fact,” he says, “they work even better for smaller gigs and more focused markets.” In his blog post today, “Secrets of the biggest selling launch ever,” Godin distills the tactics, strategies and commitment employed by Apple that can be applied by everyone.

One of his suggestions was “Build A Platform for Others to Play in.” Godin himself has done some “playing” in the iPad platform with his Unleashing the SUPER Ideavirus iPad app. And even though it’s still “early days,” Godin’s Vook iPad application is climbing the iTunes paid iPad app charts in Books. The momentum is just building for both Vook and the iPad, and we can’t wait to see who else will come play.

Today, as most of you are (hopefully) aware, is Tuesday. Tuesday, for those of us in the working world, is a tough day for getting motivated. All the other days have something going for them. On Monday we have that beginning-of-the-week burst. Wednesday we celebrate because it’s the middle of the week.  Thursday is when you suddenly realize how much you have to accomplish and get a major adreneline rush. Then there’s Friday, when you throw yourself fully into work knowing that you won’t have to do it again for two days. (Unless you’re addicted to Twitter and obsessed with the iPad.)

But Tuesday requires an extra push, such as a motivational speech from business guru Gary Vaynerchuk or some serious business insight from pro-marketer Seth Godin. Here at Vook, we draw inspiration from those guys all day long, and we figured that everyone else could also use some help today.

So we decided to give away free Vooks. Every two hours, we’ll either give away a copy of Crush It or Unleashing the SUPER Ideavirus.

Just follow @vooktv on Twitter and watch for  a tweet including a username and password. The first person to purchase the Vook using the username and password gets to keep it. Just change the password to one of your choosing.

Good luck, and Happy Tuesday!

See below for all the stuff our lawyers ask us to include:

No Purchase Necessary to Enter or Win. Void where prohibited.

Eligibility: Open only to legal residents of the District of Columbia and the fifty United States who are 18 years of age or older. This Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted.

To Enter:  You (”Entrant”) may enter this Sweepstakes by filling out all required sections and successfully transmitting to Sponsor the online survey. Each Entrant who meets all eligibility requirements will be automatically entered in the Sweepstakes.  Alternate E-Mail Entry:  To enter without filling out the online survey, Entrant may send an email with the words “VOOK SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY” in the Subject Line and your complete name, address, home telephone number, and e-mail address to info@vook.com.  Limit one entry per person and/or email address. Incomplete entries are void and will be disqualified.  Sponsor is not responsible for malfunctions of electronic or telephone equipment, computer hardware, software, malfunctions of Entrant’s email provider or ISP, late, lost, incomplete misdirected entries or entries not received in time for the drawing.  Use of a street address is required and cannot include a PO Box, PMB, AP/FPO or similar address.

Entries as well as answers to the online survey become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned.  Proof of mailing or transmission does not constitute proof of delivery.  Online entries will be deemed to have been submitted by the Entrant utilizing the e-mail address on file with Sponsor. The Sweepstakes begins October 5, 2009 and ends October 7, 2009. Only those entries submitted and received during the aforementioned dates are eligible to win.  In case of a dispute as to the identity of the Entrant using the Internet, the authorized account holder of the email address used to enter the Sweepstakes at the time of entry will be considered the entrant.

Prizes and Timing : Grand Prize: One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive a $100 iTunes® gift card.  Ten (10) Second Place Winners will receive a $10 iTunes® gift card.  Approximate Value: TOTAL PRIZE VALUE is $200.00.  Approximate retail value (ARV) of prizes is $200.00.  Odds of receiving a prize depend on the number of entries. One winner of the Grand Prize and ten Second Place Winners will be selected by random drawing from all eligible entries received.  To be eligible, entry must comply with these Official Rules and be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on October 7, 2009.  The drawing will be held on or about October 8, 2009. Winner will be notified by email and/or telephone.

Miscellaneous: All federal, state and local taxes, and all income and any other taxes, fees and surcharges will be the sole responsibility of the winner.  No substitution, assignment or transfer of prize is permitted except by Sponsor due to unavailability, in which case a similar prize of equal or greater value will be provided. Sponsor is not responsible or liable for the acts of third parties.  Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen items.  Only stated prizes will be awarded and prizes have no cash value.  The Sweepstakes is governed by the laws of the State of California, with venue and jurisdiction in San Francisco, California, and all claims must be resolved in the courts of San Francisco, California. By entering, Entrant agrees: (1) to release Sponsor from all liability, loss or damage arising out of his/her participation in the Sweepstakes and with respect to his/her acceptance and use/misuse of the prize; (2) to be bound by these Official Rules; and (3) that the decisions of the judges are final and binding on all matters relating to the Sweepstakes. In the event the Sweepstakes is compromised by a non-authorized human intervention or other causes beyond the control of Sponsor which, in the opinion of Sponsor, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play, or if the Sweepstakes cannot be operated, conducted or completed as planned, for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend, cancel, modify or terminate the Sweepstakes. Should the Sweepstakes be terminated prior to the stated expiration, notice will be posted at http://www.vook.com/blog.  Winners List: To receive a list of winners after October 8, 2009, mail a self-addressed stamped envelope to:  VOOK LLC, Attention: VOOK Survey SWEEPSTAKES, 1100 Marina Village Parkway, Ste. 102, Alameda, CA  94501.

Please write info@vook.com for a copy of the official rules. © 2009.  VOOK LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

Sponsor:  VOOK LLC, 1100 Marina Village Parkway, Ste. 102, Alameda, CA  94501.

When we last left off, we were eagerly counting down the hours to the release of iPad. We weren’t alone. People lined up hours in advance. Apple stores served breakfast. The twitter stream was abuzz with anticipation.

Finally, the doors opened. The release of the iPad this Saturday was not just a red letter moment for Silicon Valley, it marked a turning point for the publishing and film industries, and a great opportunity for those invested in the future of media. The team at Vook has been working hard for months to prepare apps for submission to Apple, and we are ecstatic that 19 of our Vooks are now for sale in the iTunes store as iPad apps.

The iPad has provided us with a platform to make our content even more compelling, dynamic and unique. In many ways, it seems like the iPad was literally made for us. As eBookNewser wrote, “This has got huge potential on the iPad, and Vook’s already off to a strong start.” To share our excitement with you, we’re giving away two titles for free: The Shakespeare “Love, Love, Love” app and The Sherlock Holmes Experience. With bigger screens and higher video quality, our iPad applications show off the expanded functionality of the new device and make for a truly enhanced reading experience.

We’ve gotten a wonderful response from authors, filmmakers and fans. Gary Vaynerchuck, author of Crush It told us he’s thrilled with his Vook, and so are his fans. We’ve also gotten great feedback on Seth Godin’s Unleashing the SUPERIdeavirus as readers recognize the incredible potential for Vooks on the iPad.

And this is just the beginning! We’ll be adding more titles to our iPad app page all the time, and continuing to explore the many possibilities of this new medium.

What are your feelings about the iPad? Leave us a note in the comments below!

We recently sent out a survey to members of the Vook community to find out what our readers thought of our Vooks. In 40 hours, we got a tremendous 367 responses expressing an incredible amount of enthusiasm for the Vook, mixed media and enhanced reading. Overall, 84 percent of people said they liked or loved their Vook. 75 percent said they would recommend the product to a friend.  Given the proven merit of word-of-mouth marketing, this kind of enthusiasm bodes well for both the product and the future of a thriving mixed media industry.

50 percent also said the Vook offered a better experience than an e-book and 42 percent said it was impossible to compare the two. Users felt the Vook experience could not be compared to the traditional e-book experience. There is a wide-open space ready to be occupied by a whole new product.

It seems that users are keen to spend their time and energy in that new space. Half of users replied that they would “definitely re-read” their Vook, and over 50 percent predicted they would “definitely” or “probably” purchase another Vook. It is obvious that the Vook is capable of engaging users, provoking conversation and getting attention. There is a prime market eager to receive this type of mixed media experience. In plain English: The people want this. There is a great future for devices and platforms that enable them to have it.

Tomorrow, the iPad comes out. Our apps are already available for it — and when you get your iPad you can try Shakespeare and Sherlock Holmes for free! We’re thrilled to be on iPad and our survey results show that readers can’t wait either.

If you would like to know more about the Vook Community Survey, please email Matthew at Matthew@vook.com. We look forward to hearing from you!