eBookNewser reports on wrangling between Barnes and Noble and Amazon over claims of extended battery life. It’s an interesting read, and one that shows how the strain of competition can manifest in an industry that is breaking records and delivering massive profits.
May 26
Amazon Kindle 3G with Special Offers $164
Somewhat predictably, Amazon has answered the challenge from Barnes and Noble’s Nook Simple Touch Reader ($139 USD) and Kobo’s eReader Touch Edition ($129.99 USD) with the release of their Amazon Kindle 3G with Special Offers for only $164 USD.
Basically, Amazon’s offering their Kindle 3G (usually priced at $189 USD) for $25 less, but subsidized by on-screen ads. Engadget has more on the story.
Now, what’s Apple iPad got to say about all of this competition?
May 25
The new Barnes and Noble Nook Simple Touch Reader
Ubergizmo has a post with pictures on the release of the new Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch Reader. What I like about this device is it’s hitting the market with a $139 price tag, a realistic start that hits the price mark of Amazon’s lowest priced ad-free Kindle.
It boasts a sleek new look, bearing a 6-inch improved E Ink touch-screen display. With a 2-month battery, it’s a bold statement to the other eBook market leaders. With the Monday launch of the new $129 Kobo eReader Touch Edition, I think we’re seeing another escalation in the battle for supremacy.
Can anyone say “Price War?”
May 24
$129.99 Kobo eReader Touch Edition
Marketwatch posted on Kobo’s announcement at the Bookexpo America concerning the launch of their new Kobo eReader Touch Edition. Priced at $129.99 USD and $139.99 CAD the device touted as the first International eReader is sure to shake up the eBook Reader market with its touch-screen, wireless features and access to Kobo’s massive catalog of eBook titles.
Of note in the post: the arrival of this new Kobo eReader will lower the price of the first generation Kobo WiFi eReader to $99.99 USD and $109 CAD. That marks the first time one of the big competitors in the E Ink eReader market has broken the $100 mark (without conditions or coupons on the sale!).
That’s going to cause some ripples.
May 23
Game-changing Indie Publishing
The Kansas City Star’s Noah Homola offers a detailed report on the game-changing shift to Indie publishing brought on by the eBook Revolution’s accessible technology, and the strategy of democratization embraced by the big eBook vendors.
May 21
Social future for eBooks?
May 20
Amazon eBooks outsell paper books!
You’ve probably heard this by now, but it bears repeating. Amazon announced that Kindle eBooks are now outselling print titles. (That’s paperbacks and hard covers.)
It seems the eBook Revolution’s mainstream adoption while not a surprise, is coming earlier than anyone expected.
May 19
Traditional Paper Book Publishing on the Rise
The Bookseller.com offers a story that breathes a little life into the belief that eBooks and traditional paper books might have a shared future.
Despite the massive shift to digital publishing, and the record-breaking explosion in eBook sales, publishers have reported a 5% increase in the number of ‘physical’ paper books published.
Perhaps “either/or” thinking is a thing of the past when considering the vast number of consumers accessing a global marketplace.
May 18
eBooks at home in bricks and mortar stores
PaidContent has a story about an entertainment company’s attempt to move eBook sales into bricks and mortar stores. Enthrill plans to unite the old and new by simply using a system that is already well-entrenched in the consumer imagination.
That is: book lovers enjoy shopping at book stores… even for eBooks.
It will be interesting to see how much the eBook Revolution has changed things.
May 17
Are Barnes & Noble and Amazon poised to pillage?
Benzinga.com has an interesting post about Borders heading into bankruptcy proceedings with both Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com on the sidelines apparently getting their early bids in on the former book giant’s bricks and mortar assets.
Such an acquisition might be a tempting addition to Barnes and Noble’s string of locations, but is a step into the real world a good fit for Amazon?
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