A short 11 months since the release of Indigo Book & Music Inc.’s “Shortcovers,” the company has announced the transfer of all of Shortcovers’ assets to Kobo, a brand-new spin-off company backed by industry giants from the U.S., Australia and Hong Kong.

Shortcovers, which was released in February to take the Canadian eBook market before the Kindle became available to the Great White North, was designed to be an alternative eReader which allows consumers to read books on devices they already own — their smartphone, iPod, computer or devices such as the Sony Reader.

Kobo is retaining Shortcovers’ vision of “any book for any device,” and though the actual Kobo apps won’t be released until January 2010 for Android and Palm smartphones, users of these devices can continue to use the Shortcovers app until the update is released.

Using the smartphone app or the Kobo website, users can browse or search for books to download to their device to read wherever or whenever they choose.

“We have assembled a strong syndicate of investors and partners across the channels that are key,” wrote Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis in a recent release. “We have a unique opportunity to power the eReading revolution by reaching consumers on any device they choose.”