Apr 27

nook Pulls Past Kindle, iPad Pushes for the Lead.

Electronista reports Barnes and Noble’s nook outselling Amazon’s Kindle in March making it the first time the frontrunner has been surpassed by the growing competition. Read the specifics here. We should mention, the results also say that iPad may have outsold both in the weeks around its release, even though only a third of those adopters said they would use the multi-function device to read eBooks.

Exciting developments, with B&N playing it’s bricks and mortar card to win. This also explains why Amazon is courting storefront representation for Kindle as shown in its recent deal to sell their device through Target stores.

Apr 26

Barnes and Noble adds value to the Nook

It looks like Barnes and Noble is going to ramp up the performance of their eBook Reader, the nook, with some new abilities specifically designed with the bricks and mortar experience in mind. Some of these new elements will only work if you take your nook next time you visit a B&N near you. For instance, your nook will automatically connect to their fast and free Wi-Fi to activate the new Read In Store feature that allows customers to peruse entire eBooks free of charge–in store. Read the rest of the post at TradingMarkets.com for a full list of new features, that includes a wider range for wireless connectivity.

I’m still giving B&N top marks for finding novel ways of integrating the new eBook experience with the traditional bricks and mortar template.

Apr 25

Color E Ink on the way…

Jorgen popped by with a link to an interesting PCWorld story about Color E Ink Readers on the none-too distant horizon.

Liquavista is working on high efficiency color E Ink displays that show text, still photos and animation. The process is called electrowetting and it may offer some interesting options for eBook Reader designers who want to give iPad-like functions without the eyestrain.

Apr 24

Are eBooks ‘Greener’ than Books?

Our friend Jorgen commented on yesterday’s post with a link to an article at EbookWeek.com that delves into the environmental impact of eBooks and compares it to ‘paper’ book greenness with much more depth than The Washington Post story.

It seems that there is a clear environmental benefit to going digital.

Apr 23

Environmental Impact of Books versus eBooks

Yesterday’s Earth Day celebrations included this article in The Washington Post by Political Bookworm Steven Levingston that begins to compare the environmental cost of switching to eBook Readers from paperback and hard cover books.  The eBook publishers tout the move to digital as more environmentally friendly, sidestepping the need to harvest the millions of trees required to feed the world’s appetite for paperbacks. However, as the article points out, the use of technology in eBook Readers raises the specter of toxic waste.

As I said, the article ‘begins’ the comparison. eBook Readers need time on the market for their environmental impact to be accurately calculated.

Apr 22

Book versus eBook Pricing Revisited

Many thanks to Jorgen for digging up this contentious and detailed article by BNET’s Erik Sherman where he takes The New Yorker’s Ken Auletta’s book-pricing arithmetic to task.

I found it an interesting investigation of the number crunching, though it hardly settles the debate regarding the public perception that low-maintenance eBooks should be low-priced.

Missing from Sherman’s piece is any mention of the publishers’ sometimes dodgy mathematics and their unwillingness to change their business models to suit the eBook Revolution. All that overhead may be difficult to justify in the shift to digital.

Apr 21

Kindle’s Mission – Amazon Goes on the Offensive

You can bet all the hype around iPad has not fallen on deaf ears over at Amazon.com, makers of the Kindle and leader in the eBook Reader market. That while they were trying to find a way to compete across the digital divide between the online and bricks and mortar world. With Sony and Barnes and Noble landing their respective readers on store shelves, how does an online giant like Amazon compete?

Today in Tech: The Working Guy over at Yahoo News Blog has a story here about Amazon’s plans to put Kindles on the ground, with rumored distribution deals at Target and Best Buy.

I’m glad they’re staying focused on an exploding E Ink market that already has lots of opportunity and competition. While they must have been tempted to dive into color displays to compete with iPad, it’s likely Amazon’s long experience with books, eBooks and readers gives them a better understanding of the hardcore reading market’s needs, yah?

Apr 20

Writing eBooks: It’s a Living.

Thanks Jorgen for a link to a Galleycat post about Jack Daniels series author J.A. Konrath who claims to be making a living on royalties earned from the sale of his eBooks. It’s an interesting article that points out the flaws in the traditional print system and sings the praises of the digital age. Also some interesting sales stats and promotional ideas. It’s worth a read.

Apr 19

What Does the Future Hold for Dedicated eBook Reading Devices?

Here’s a link to a post at eBookmagazine that talks about the future of dedicated eBook Readers (like Kindle, Sony Reader, nook etc.) in a world of multi-function iPads and tablets.

In the article, author Martin Hoscik predicts that despite their practical natures,  the sole purpose devices have a difficult future in  a multi-tasking world.

I think the key is price. Rather than compete with iPad and turn eBook readers into more expensive televisions and music players, make them CHEAPER and sell them everywhere. The high price of (most) E Ink Readers is the greatest threat to their existence.

Apr 18

Kobo’s $150 eBook Reader Review

The National Post offers a review of Kobo’s new $150 eBook Reader due out this summer. I’ve called this machine a ‘game changer’ and I’m sticking to it.

It’s great for the first adopter or curious and it’s priced for the mainstream.