Read CNN’s coverage of the iPad’s International launch here. Apple’s color touch-screen tablet and newcomer to the eBook Revolution goes on sale in Canada, UK, Switzerland, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Australia and Japan. That’s an impressive launch for the machine that also functions as web browser, movie player and video game platform. The machine is perfect for people who are willing to pay a little more to add multi-function to their eBook reading experience.
May 27
Aluratek’s Libre Reader: $150 list, $100 at Sears
BoingBoing.net (tech, culture, science blog) has posted some interesting news that is in keeping with our recent focus on low-priced eBook Readers. It seems that Aluratek’s Libre reader is hitting the market priced from $100-$150, depending where you pick it up. They go into detail at the link about its pros and cons, but can’t say anything wrong about the price.
This is just the start of a line of low-priced devices without the trimmings that will soon start to flood the market. Another great option for first adopters who are happy with the single function: ‘reading’ on an eBook reader.
May 26
$200 Full Color eBook Reader from Pandigital
Thanks Jorgen for this link to a LinuxInsider post about a $200 full color eBook reader from Pandigital that is bound to give the iPad a run for its money. The compact (5.5 by 7.5 by 0.5 inches & 16 ounces) WiFi-enabled device will arrive on the US market next month. Developers are very interested in the fact it runs on the Android platform and sports most of the functions of its soon-to-be chief rival, and much more expensive iPad.
Check out the full story here.
May 25
More about the $150 Kobo eReader
Okay. I know I’m obsessing about this thing, but come on… think of how much time we’ve talked about the pricey Kindle, nook, Sony Reader and iPad. Doesn’t an affordable E Ink eReader deserve some extra attention?
ZDNet has had some hands-on time with the $150 Kobo eReader. Check out their post here. There’s a great picture gallery too.
I think of the $150 Kobo eReader as the mainstream machine. The eBook Revolution has been waiting for a device that uses E Ink technology, and is priced to sell. It will open the door for the curious and hesitant adopters and if it becomes as popular as industry insiders think, the affordable machine puts pressure on Kobo’s competitors to lower their prices.
May 24
Free eBook Horror at SkinEaters.com
I’ve been enjoying this chap’s writing and promotions. Now that he’s got the entire Variant Effect eBook finished (he wrote it in serial installments) I’ll post this from his press release. The whole eBook’s available at the address. Enjoy!
The final installment of THE VARIANT EFFECT – Part Seven: ALPHA is now available in FREE multi-format downloads at SkinEaters.com.
May 23
Are eBooks Green or not?
Sorry for the late post. Holiday weekend here.
Stuff.co.nz ponders the Green eBook question. Data’s starting to pile up, but it’s still too early to make the call. Check it out here.
May 22
Harlequin Goes Where Many Have Gone Before
Here’s a link to a story at The Wall Street Journal describing publisher Harlequin Enterprises‘ intention to sell a novella that “will serve as a link” between a novelist’s debut book and the second, that goes on sale July 27.
It will be interesting to see if people will buy what is generally offered as a freemium out there on the web, but you have to expect that a publisher will try selling eBook samples if there’s a remote possibility that they can get away with it.
We’ll see if the eBook Revolution has evolved to allow for this kind of thing, or whether the reading public will see it as an attempt to charge $2.99 for a 15,000 word ‘linking’ novella.
May 21
Six Months in the “Year of the eBook”
Jorgen dropped off a link to the Mobility Site and an interesting post entitled: “The Year of the Ebook: The Story Thus Far” that is a nice review for eBook fans who have been following the revolution since the beginning and an education to the uninitiated. A nice recap of the highlights and major stars in the exploding eBook market. (My prediction: Kobo’s $150 eReader is going to dominate the second half of 2010.)
p.s. that’s the first time I’ve ever heard Kindle software called the “the gold standard of eBook reading,” so I guess we can pretty much assume the writer owns a Kindle.
May 20
Barnes and Noble – eBook Publishers
Here’s a MarketWatch story about Barnes and Noble again showing they’re able to think off the shelf. For a company that up until a short time ago had closed its eBook store, B&N is showing the industry how to make up for lost time.
Not only are they embracing the eBook Revolution by converting their own titles, building their nook eBook Reader, and offering special eBook friendly applications and specials to take advantage of their bricks and mortar locations, they’re also now offering an easy and lucrative eBook publishing service to independent publishers and writers.
Read about their easy-to-use publishing and distribution platform here.
May 19
New Amazon Kindle to fight iPad? What’s going on at Lab 126?
Many thanks to Jorgen for a link to a Telegraph.co.uk post that hints at mysterious activities over at Amazon.com’s research and development department. Apparently dozens of jobs have been posted at Amazon’s Lab 126 which just happens to be the division responsible for building Kindle in the first place.
Industry insiders are suggesting that Amazon is planning to guard its market with a re-design of Kindle that can go head-to-head with Apple’s full-color, multi-function iPad. Read the full story here.
Good Reads
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