Even though huge online players like Amazon and Apple are working on ways to provide users a marketplace to resell “used” digital downloads like mp3s and e-books, neither plan really deals with the most salient problem with reselling digital products — getting rid of the original copy. [More]
We’re Pretty Sure That A ‘Book’ Should Have More Than One Page
By December 11, 2012
The first definition of the word “book” in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is “a set of written sheets of skin or paper or tablets of wood or ivory.” A set. Doesn’t that mean more than one? Maybe e-books are forcing us to redefine what we believe about a book is and how it ought to behave, but there are a few things that are non-negotiable. Doug thinks that the “more than one page” thing is kind of non-negotiable. His child picked out a book from Barnes & Noble’s Nook store that turned out to be more of a leaflet. [More]
Here’s Why Digital Rights Management Is Stupid And Anti-Consumer
By November 26, 2012
Comparisons of downloadable books and music to their ancient, tangible predecessors are an old, old meme, but sometimes the comparison applies. For example: if reader Synimatik had bought a paperback book a few months ago and picked it up to read now, the book’s pages wouldn’t magically glue shut just because the credit card she normally uses at the bookstore has expired. That’s how it works when you want to read a book downloaded from Barnes & Noble, though. [More]
Department Of Justice Joins E-book Pricing Probe
By December 8, 2011
The U.S Department of Justice has joined its counterparts in the European Union in looking into the pricing of e-books. A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed that the agency’s probe was concerned with the possible “anticompetitive practices involving e-book sales.” [More]
Penguin Will March New Ebooks Out Of Library Lending Program
By November 23, 2011
Readers used to loading up on free ebooks they download through their libraries will have fewer options available. Penguin announced it will keep its new ebooks off of the OverDrive lending program due to security concerns. [More]
Amazon Launches $199 Kindle Fire Tablet, $99 Kindle Touch
By September 28, 2011
Amazon today announced its long-awaited tablet, the Kindle Fire. The 7-inch tablet will be available in November for $199. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also announced out two new Kindles: the $99 touchscreen Kindle Touch, and a $79 version of the traditional Kindle. Both will include “Special Offers.” Ad-free versions will be available at higher prices. [More]
Authors Guild Sues Universities For Amassing Digital Book Library
By September 13, 2011
Authors who believe they are being ripped off by institutions of higher learning are taking four universities to court for scanning about 7 million copyright-protected books into a digital library, allowing students and faculty to download out-of-print work. [More]
Amazon Considering Netflix-Like Service For Ebooks
By September 13, 2011
The future of reading may involve shelling out a subscription fee to access an infinitely long electronic bookshelf. Amazon is reportedly in talks to launch such an endeavor, attaching it to its premium, $79-a-year Amazon Prime program. [More]
Google Books Announces E-Reader Deal With Harry Potter Books
By July 25, 2011
If there were ever two unstoppable money-making forces, it would be Google and the Harry Potter franchise. So it makes perfect sense that those two market dominators would team up for Google’s eBooks. [More]
Writer Sells 1 Million Self-Published Kindle Books
By June 22, 2011
The publishing industry may be struggling, but you wouldn’t know it from the success of some ebook writers, including one who has become the first self-published author to sell 1 million Kindle downloads. [More]
Bestselling Business Books Now Available In Comic Book Form
By March 10, 2011
Even the most accessible books about business and personal finance can tend to be dry reads. That’s why a publishing company is releasing a handful of these titles in the always fun comic book format. [More]
Google's eBooks Store Is Open For Business
By December 6, 2010
After several months of delay and vague launch dates, Google has finally opened up its Google eBooks store (formerly known as Google Editions). [More]
Amazon Wants You To Read Mags on Kindles And Books Wherever You Want
By November 10, 2010
In an effort to get more magazines and newspapers onto the Kindle platform, Amazon has begun offering publishers up to 70% of the revenue their periodicals bring in. To get the cash, publishers would have to make their rags available on not just Amazon’s hardware Kindle, but on the Kindle app on phones and computers. The deal could make it easier for consumers to read, say, the latest imponderable Malcolm Gladwell essay, and keep their place when moving from computer to phone to iPad. It could also undermine efforts by Apple to position the iPad as the best platform evar for periodicals. [More]
Kaplan Giving Away 90 Study Guides To iDevice Users
By August 24, 2010
If you’re in the market for high school or college study guides and you have access to an iDevice from Apple, Kaplan is giving away 90 different titles between now and August 30th through the Apple iBookstore. Sadly, you can’t access the iBookstore on iTunes, so you’ll have to get to it through an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. [More]
Barnes & Noble Wants To Sell Itself, But Who's Gonna Buy It?
By August 4, 2010
Barnes & Noble shares are soaring after it announced that it was up for sale and may even go private, or merge with Borders. [More]
Geek Squad Will Turn On Your Ebook Device For You For $29.99
By August 4, 2010
The best way to understand Geek Squad is to realize that they will help you with anything if it means they can charge you a fee. Want batteries in your remote control? Having trouble putting a USB plug into its port? Need to know the time? OPTIMIZE IT WITH GEEK SQUAD. Those are just solid business ideas and not (yet) actual services, but Geek Squad’s real offerings are almost as absurd. For example, Nate from the-digital-reader.com snapped this photo of their newish “eBook Device Setup” service for your Nook or Sony Reader, which promises to turn it on (“provide a functionality check”) and show you how to read (“what to expect when you take the device home”). [More]
Apple Sued Because iPad Does Not Work "Just Like A Book" As Claimed
By July 28, 2010
A new class action suit filed in California takes issue with how the iPad shuts off automatically if it overheats. In particular, however, the suit claims that the marketing phrase “reading on the iPad is just like reading a book” is misleading, and that Apple is therefore engaging in fraud and misleading consumers. This is great news for me, because I was thinking of suing Apple for not providing dustjackets for iBookstore titles but my friends told me I shouldn’t. [More]
Is It Okay To Download A Pirated Copy Of A Book You Already Own?
By April 6, 2010
Yesterday we wrote about someone who downloaded a pirated copy of a game after he couldn’t gain access to the copy he’d already paid for. In that case, which most of our commenters supported, it was clear that the consumer was trying to resolve a problem created by the DRM. But what about if you own a printed copy of a book and you simply want to read the ebook version? Should you have to pay for a second copy? Randy Cohen, who writes the The Ethicist column for the New York Times, says downloading a copy you find online is ethical. [More]
