Synchronized consumption modes for e-books

1. A computer-implemented method for switching between synchronized consumption modes of an e-book, the method comprising:

storing a first version and a second version of the e-book, the first version supporting a first consumption mode of the e-book and the second version supporting a second consumption mode of the e-book;

storing signposts associated with the first and second versions of the e-book, the signposts including corresponding locations within the first and the second versions of the e-book;

receiving feedback regarding activity of a plurality of users associated with content in the first version of the e-book;

receiving a current location in the first version of the e-book;

determining a current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book;

adjusting the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the received feedback; and

transmitting for presentation the adjusted current location in the second version of the e-book.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining locations in the first version of the e-book matching locations in the second version of the e-book; and

creating signposts specifying the matching locations in the first and second versions of the e-book.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the first version is a text version supporting a reading consumption mode of the e-book, and the second version comprises audio content supporting a listening consumption mode of the e-book and determining the matching locations comprises:

converting portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book into text snippets corresponding to the audio content;

determining a confidence score associated with each text snippet, the confidence score indicating a likelihood that the text snippet was correctly converted from a corresponding audio portion;

identifying text snippets with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted; and

determining parts of the text version of the e-book that match the text snippets converted from the portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book to a reviewer for manual verification;

receiving, from the reviewer, an input indicating whether the signpost correctly indicates corresponding locations within the first and second versions of the e-book.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

determining the current location in the second version of the e-book as the location in the second version specified in the determined signpost.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

inferring the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the current location in the first version, the determined signpost, and empirical data indicating consumption rates for a typical user for consuming content in the first consumption mode.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a sparsity of the stored signpost responsive to a distance between two consecutive signposts associated with e-book or responsive to a total number of signposts for the e-book;

responsive to a comparison of the sparsity to a threshold, transmitting content from the first version of the e-book and content from the second version of the e-book located between two stored signposts for presentation to a reviewer;

receiving a selection from the reviewer indicating matching locations in the transmitted content from the first version of the e-book and the second version of the e-book; and

storing the received matching locations as an additional signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for switching between synchronized consumption modes of an e-book, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

storing a first version and a second version of the e-book, the first version supporting a first consumption mode of the e-book and the second version supporting a second consumption mode of the e-book;

storing signposts associated with the first and second versions of the e-book, the signposts including corresponding locations within the first and the second versions of the e-book;

receiving feedback regarding activity of a plurality of users associated with content in the first version of the e-book;

receiving a current location in the first version of the e-book;

determining a current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book;

adjusting the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the received feedback; and

transmitting for presentation the adjusted current location in the second version of the e-book.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , further comprising instructions for:

determining locations in the first version of the e-book matching locations in the second version of the e-book; and

creating signposts specifying the matching locations in the first and second versions of the e-book.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the first version is a text version supporting a reading consumption mode of the e-book, and the second version comprises audio content supporting a listening consumption mode of the e-book, and instructions for determining the matching locations comprises:

converting portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book into text snippets corresponding to the audio content;

determining a confidence score associated with each text snippet, the confidence score indicating a likelihood that the text snippet was correctly converted from a corresponding audio portion;

identifying text snippets with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted; and

determining parts of the text version of the e-book that match the text snippets converted from the portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , further comprising instructions for:

transmitting a signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book to a reviewer for manual verification; and

receiving, from the reviewer, an input indicating whether the signpost correctly indicates corresponding locations within the first and second versions of the e-book.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

determining the current location in the second version of the e-book as the location in the second version specified in the determined signpost.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

inferring the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the current location in the first version, the determined signpost, and empirical data indicating consumption rates for a typical user for consuming content in the first consumption mode.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , further comprising instructions for:

determining a sparsity of the stored signpost responsive to a distance between two consecutive signposts associated with e-book or responsive to a total number of signposts for the e-book;

responsive to a comparison of the sparsity to a threshold, transmitting content from the first version of the e-book and content from the second version of the e-book located between two stored signposts for presentation to a reviewer;

receiving a selection from the reviewer indicating matching locations in the transmitted content from the first version of the e-book and the second version of the e-book; and

storing the received matching locations as an additional signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book.

15. A computer system for switching between synchronized consumption modes of an e-book, the computer system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

storing a first version and a second version of the e-book, the first version supporting a first consumption mode of the e-book and the second version supporting a second consumption mode of the e-book;

storing signposts associated with the first and second versions of the e-book, the signposts including corresponding locations within the first and the second versions of the e-book;

receiving feedback regarding activity of a plurality of users associated with content in the first version of the e-book;

receiving a current location in the first version of the e-book;

determining a current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book;

adjusting the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the received feedback; and

transmitting for presentation the adjusted current location in the second version of the e-book; and

a processor for executing the computer program instructions.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:

determining locations in the first version of the e-book matching locations in the second version of the e-book; and

creating signposts specifying the matching locations in the first and second versions of the e-book.

17. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the first version is a text version supporting a reading consumption mode of the e-book, and the second version comprises audio content supporting a listening consumption mode of the e-book, and instructions for determining the matching locations comprises:

converting portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book into text snippets corresponding to the audio content;

determining a confidence score associated with each text snippet, the confidence score indicating a likelihood that the text snippet was correctly converted from a corresponding audio portion;

identifying text snippets with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted; and

determining parts of the text version of the e-book that match the text snippets converted from the portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted.

18. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:

transmitting a signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book to a reviewer for manual verification; and

receiving, from the reviewer, an input indicating whether the signpost correctly indicates corresponding locations within the first and second versions of the e-book.

19. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

determining the current location in the second version of the e-book as the location in the second version specified in the determined signpost.

20. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

inferring the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the current location in the first version, the determined signpost, and empirical data indicating consumption rates for a typical user for consuming content in the first consumption mode.

21. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:

determining a sparsity of the stored signpost responsive to a distance between two consecutive signposts associated with e-book or responsive to a total number of signposts for the e-book;

responsive to a comparison of the sparsity to a threshold, transmitting content from the first version of the e-book and content from the second version of the e-book located between two stored signposts for presentation to a reviewer;

receiving a selection from the reviewer indicating matching locations in the transmitted content from the first version of the e-book and the second version of the e-book; and

storing the received matching locations as an additional signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book.