Kobo Pulse is free, and will first appear in Kobo's eReading App for iPhone and iPad. Soon after, it will extend to Android, Kobo eReaders and other platforms. The new Facebook integration will roll out over the next few months, the company said.

Get Social, Bookworm

"With Kobo Pulse we are capturing the zeitgeist of every book in the world, and enabling readers to be a part of it, to contribute to the life of the book, while reading," said Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis in a statement.

I'm not exactly sure what he means, but any quote with the word "zeitgeist" is worth repeating.

I'm also not sure if instant access to social networks improves or impairs the reading experience. If you're enjoying a book, do you want to stop and interact with fellow readers? Some people will, of course, and for them Kobo Pulse is probably a good thing.