Mar 12

Barnes and Nobles continues to adapt…

Thanks to Jorgen for a link to another example of Barnes and Noble thinking ‘beyond the box.’ This story at zdnet says the venerable bookseller is planning to have a Barnes and Noble App in place and ready in time for the Apple iPad’s release.

This App would allow iPad users to access B&N’s large selection of titles, reading and lending groups. Of course, Apple still has to approve the App, and that might be the sticky part, since iPad has its own iBooks eBook Store. Now we’ll see if Apple truly understands the digital age, or if resists by clinging to the worn out old notions of proprietary formats and content control. The B&N eBook Reader ‘nook’ is really not in competition with the iPad, so allowing iPad adopters options like shopping at B&N should be a win-win for Apple, yah?

Mar 11

Another Bold move at Barnes and Noble

We all know that Barnes and Noble has its own eBook Reader the Nook. What we didn’t know was that the Nook will soon share shelf space with Samsung’s E60 eReader. eWeek.com has the story here. That’s right, Samsung is going to partner with B&N for the upcoming E60’s release so the new device can access the bookseller’s eBook sales and lending features through PC connection or built-in WiFi. Get the specifics on the E60 at Engadget.com.

I’m impressed by Barnes and Noble’s late-stage but solid entry into the eBook Revolution. This kind of democratic, free enterprising stance is exactly the kind of thinking that will assure B&N a place in the future of digital publishing. It’s all about selling books in the end, isn’t it? In fact, when you look at it from the book or eBook retailer’s point of view, it shouldn’t matter what device is used, so long as people buy eBooks. In a marketplace that is quickly filling up with new eReading devices, these retailers might be able to get back to what they do best.

Mar 10

iPad perfect for 55+?

Jorgen sent along a link to a Betanews story that suggests the Apple iPad is perfect for baby boomers (55+ years) and older adopters. The author, Joe Wilcox, suspects the device’s multi-functionality yet relative ease-of-use, makes it a perfect fit. It’s a web browser and shopper, movie, music, email and reading device that doesn’t ask a lot from its user.

I think there’s some truth to the article, though it can be dangerous to generalize about that particular demographic. (I’m reminded of the 85-year-old man at a coffee shop I frequent who was reading an eBook on his iPhone.)

Mar 09

Microsoft Stirs the Pot with Courier

Microsoft is releasing a sweet little dual-tablet called “Courier” that comes with a unique design as well as reading and writing features that are sure to get sabers rattling over at Apple’s iPad headquarters.

Engadget’s got the story here with pictures and video. The device (Microsoft refers it as a “digital journal”) opens from a 5″ x 7″ profile into a pair of similarly sized facing LCD screens. With built-in camera, NVIDIA Tegra 2 graphics and interactive stylus features for inputting information, this is an eBook Reader and foldable tablet that is bound to make ripples in the eBook Revolution.

Mar 08

Duet Navigator – That has a nice ring to it…

Jorgen sent us a link to an ubergizmo.com post highlighting Spring Design’s Alex making its way to the mainstream by way of a visit to the FCC. We’ve mentioned it before, the device is Android-powered with full browser capability offering the juice to compete in the iPad multi-function market.

And don’t forget the Duet Navigator, the patented dual display design that offers a 6-inch E Ink display and 3.5-inch color LCD. I’m especially impressed by the way they’re grounding some of the device’s multi-function capability in the hardware. This might just be the sort of thing that eBook lovers will jump on, giving them the easy-on-the-eyes display of E Ink and the full color option for net, games and video. Very cool.

Mar 07

Barnes and Noble thinks outside the BOX

Thanks Jorgen for this link to a story at Publishers Weekly about Barnes and Noble’s test marketing print books bundled with eBooks. The deal should start sometime in the next 60 to 90 days and involves selling eBook editions of titles at serious discounts when customers buy regularly priced print books.

They’re experimenting with the bricks and mortar storefront edge that they’ve got over every competitor in the United States. The move links their ink and paper past with the digital future.

It’s also nice to see them admitting how attractive print on demand technology is to modern book sellers. They’re kicking around the idea of setting up a print on demand (or while you wait) service at Barnes and Noble locations. The digital age is all about options. Kudos to B&N.

The eBook Revolution is here to stay. If you can’t beat it, join it!

Mar 06

Apple iPad Available April 3, 2010

Get the full story about the iPad’s release at CNN.com. Pre-Ordering starts March 12, and the devices will be available in the U.S. on April 3.

It will be interesting to see how big an impact this machine has on the eBook Revolution. I still think it’s a greater threat to laptops and netbooks.

The consumer will decide, yah?

Mar 05

Penguin Shows off Mega-Apps for iPad

Obviously, this video speaks volumes. Check out Penguin’s “Digital Books” for iPad below. It’s the kind of eBook Reader that Mr. Spock might carry around with him. It’s like having Encarta/Atlas/Video Game/iPhone App/Facebook Reading Circle/Email all in one touch-screen device. (Can anyone say Netbook?) Great for many, and it’s easy to see there will be a big market for this device, but it will certainly separate the “I like the peace and quiet of reading novels on my eBook Reading device” crowd from the “I wish my iPhone was bigger” set.

Mar 04

Moving the Look from Book to eBook.

Jorgen dropped off a link to a Publishers Weekly post with highlights from a second discussion panel: From Book to E- Book: Aesthetics, Design and the Digital in their Think Future series. Panel guests included Matteo Bologna, founder and creative director of Mucca Design, a branding agency responsible for delivering “many, many book jackets” to clients like Penguin and HarperCollins.

It’s a good read with some specifics that designers will appreciate and readers will find astonishing.

Mar 03

Looks like a March 3rd eBook Revolution Grab Bag

As the eBook Revolution continues its charge into 2010, we find ourselves with a varied but unexciting news day. So I’ve got a grab bag of links.

First of all, thanks to Jorgen for a link to this Reuters story that has Rupert Murdoch seriously insulting the Mexican people and predicting the demise of the Kindle because it was “just for reading books.” Honestly, why do we keep listening to this man?

We’ll draw your attention to an InformationWeek report heralding Freescale’s launch of a cheaper eReader processor chip. They say the new chip offers a rendering performance twice as fast as the old version.

jkOnTheRun.com has a post about ASUS launching its DR-900 at CeBIT in Hanover, Germany. Its an eBook Reader with an iPad look. There was no mention of pricing or availability.