Aug 03
Geeky-Gadgets.com has posted a story about the third generation Amazon Kindle selling out in a week. A trip to the Amazon website will show you that the WiFi and 3G versions are temporarily sold out. (New orders ship Sept. 4, 2010.)
With the recent price-wars and waves of eBook Readers finally reaching the mainstream en masse, this promises to be an exciting Christmas for writers and readers.
Aug 02
Desire Athow at ITProPortal speculates here on the future of the Kindle as a multi-function tablet device.
Athow cites some of the new Kindle’s abilities as clues to the evolution of a hybrid machine that can compete with iPad and the stampede of low-priced Android tablets that are expected on the market.
Aug 01
Barnes and Noble is deflecting the challenge of a low-priced Kindle by using its bricks and mortar presence in an ongoing effort to take the Nook eBook Reader to the top.
PCWorld reports B&N’s plan to create Nook boutiques in its superstores, dedicating floor space near their cafes to display Nooks, Nook accessories and give live and video demonstrations.
This is a shrewd move and exploits B&N’s real world storefronts in direct competition with Amazon’s virtual shops. Like so much tech, eBook readers sell themselves when placed into the hands of potential buyers, something that Amazon is unable to do for Kindle with its mail order and delivery system.
Jul 31
TechConnect Magazine reports that DMC WorldWide’s Copia will introduce a $99 eBook reader (called Ocean5 or Wave5) this fall with a 5″ color LCD screen designed around the Copia platform.
Additionally, they’ve got plans to release six more eBook readers of various sizes bearing from 6″ – 9″ screens and ranging in price from $199 to $299.
Jul 30
Here we go. InformationWeek (and others) reports on Amazon’s launch of a $139 WiFi Kindle. This dramatic price drop is Amazon’s challenge to the already heated eReader pricing war putting this new Kindle model into the clear lead.
This in conjunction with a release of the third generation Kindle with Wi-Fi and 3G wireless technology for $189.
It’s obvious that Amazon is not willing to give up any ground easily, as this move puts its Kindle options into the must-have category, ahead of nook and Sony’s recently price-reduced offerings.
I’m still waiting for Kobo’s eReader response. (After all, their $150 eReader started the price war.)Â They’ll either return with a new wireless version of the device to match Kindle’s new price or they’ll take advantage of their economy class, USB hookup and non-touch-screen platform to be the first E Ink eBook Reader for under $99. Since low-priced eBook Readers seem to be the future of the eBook Revolution, can they resist being the first to break that price point? I doubt it, yah?
Jul 29
I’m not sure if we’re supposed to be surprised by this, but CNN (and lots of others) says Amazon has sold all of its Kindles. This after the online book retailer dropped the Kindle price from $259 to as low as $189.
So, let me get this straight, Amazon dropped the price of the Kindle (Remember Kindle 2 first hit the market at $379) and as a result more people bought Kindles… Oh and there was a corresponding increase in eBook sales… And the high-price of new eBooks (while still too high) is no longer dominating the news…
Sounds logical. Also sounds like something a lot of us have been saying since the whole eBook Revolution started up. (Don’t you just hate when they try to cover an error by calling it a “change in strategy.”)
Jul 28
At $120 the Aluratek Libre eBook Reader is the “good” part of Border’s online eBook store “Good. Better. Best.” selection of eReaders. Unlike the other book giants, Borders has not released an eReader of its own, and instead sells a suite of options to keep their focus on selling eBooks. It’s an excellent move, and one that I think will be the template for future eBook sellers.
The Libre uses a 5-inch LCD screen, which to me is where the device seriously diverts from the E Ink pack, but with the wide variety of reading options out there, Aluratek’s economy class device might very well find a market.
TabletPcReview.com reviews it here.
Jul 27
Thanks Jorgen for dropping by with this link to an article at FutureBook.net reporting on a recent US judgment that blows a hole in the digital rights management (DRM) used by eBook publishers. Even though DRM has been widely abandoned by the music industry since it tended to punish or at least inconvenience honest consumers, publishers entering the eBook Revolution have created several digital locks for their eBooks in an attempt to dictate how consumers use the purchased products.
It seems that this new judgment makes it legal in the US to remove the DRM from an eBook to allow “read aloud function” and other specialized format converters.
Read the full story here.
Jul 26
While I was away…
Just missed this by a hair. A July 20th story at The Wall Street Journal reports Amazon.com announcing eBook sales surpassing hard cover sales for the last three months. This should help any tardy publishers make the decision to join the eBook Revolution.
and…
American Breaking Headline News says Barnes and Noble has launched an Android version of its nook eBook reader. Check out the full story here. Further, B&N plans to rebrand its eReader apps for other platforms.
I have a feeling things are going to get very hot this August as companies position themselves for a digital back-to-school rush. What’s the lead up to Christmas going to be like?
Jul 15
You’ll have to forgive another week of missed headlines as eBook Rumors takes a short summer break. Thanks for visiting, enjoy the grab bag of stories below, and be sure to look for fresh rumors and posts the week of July 25th. Enjoy!
* Gizmodo Australia is talking about Video-Capable ePaper here. Big opportunity for the eBook Revolution… as long as we can keep ads to a minimum.
* The $179 Pandigital Novel eBook reader with large 7-inch colour touchscreen and runs Google Android in the background, but someone hacked it to run Android direct, turning the machine into a nice Android OS Tablet. The full story is here at GadgetVenue.
* eSchoolNews has a post about Read:OutLoud University Edition eBook reader. Designed for ease-of-use as an eBook Reader the machine will make life easier for university/college students and/or veterans with disabilities.
* Educational software provider Blackboard is inking a deal with Barnes & Noble to get the bookseller’s educational titles into the B&N eBook store for students. Read more about it at Forbes.
* USAToday has a story about millions of books being digitized for the disabled. Read more about it here.
* The Financial Post has a Research Report about the Chinese eBook Reader market for 2010-2011. Read the post here.
* Read another Kindle DX review at The Hindu.
* Read the Wall Street Journal post about Japanese Publishers embracing the eBook.
* A very interesting read at BSCReview. The title speaks for itself: “Dr. StrangeNook, or, How I learned to stop worrying and love the eBook reader.â€
* CollegeNews says that half of college students plan to buy an eBook reader next year. Read the story here.
* Wired.com’s GeekDad tests iPad cases here.
