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?

Our friend Jorgen dropped by with a link to a story at Techdirt that offers some interesting (and somewhat frightening) developments that may have ‘social’ ramifications for the eBook Revolution.

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?

May 16

Still a Future for Bookstores?

The Columbus Dispatch offers a story that runs contrary to the grim publishing industry mood that has been predicting the demise of the bookstore. Bookselling giant Borders’ filing for bankruptcy has fueled the rumors of destruction for an industry struggling to adapt to the eBook Revolution.

This post says new bookstores continue to open despite the doom and gloom, and while the future is dark for over-sized franchises, it may be bright for independent shops.

May 14

Future of publishing, or did they miss the eBook boat?

GoodeReader has an interesting post on the future of publishing, where independent bookstores are finally making the attempt to join the eBook Revolution, in this case, by adopting Espresso (print while you wait) Book Machines.

I used to be certain this was the future, and it may still hold, but I begin to think they dragged their feet too long. With eBooks and eBook Readers being embraced, and coming to dominate publishing, is it too late for the print while you wait machines?