Barnes & Noble has launched the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, which it calls "the world's largest eBookstore," a part of its website that will offer more than 700,000 titles that may be read on a range of devices and computers, including iPhones, iPods, Blackberrys, as well as a new Plastic Logic eReader that will be introduced early next year. The new e-reader, an "ultra thin 8.5 x 11 inch wireless" device, is "especially designed for business professionals," B&N said.
New books and bestsellers will be priced at $9.99, the same price as Amazon offers most e-books. The store's offerings include more than 500,000 free public domain books from Google. B&N said it expects to offer more than a million e-books within in the next year. The store will include an upgraded version of the eReader application, part of B&N's purchase of Fictionwise earlier this year.
Also on the eBookstore: B&N's app for iPhone and iPod users, which includes the ability to get information about a book by taking a picture of the book's cover with the iPhone's camera.
In a statement, BN.com president William J. Lynch said: "Today marks the first phase of our digital strategy, which is rooted in the belief that readers should have access to the books in their digital library from any device, from anywhere, at any time. "
According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon has about 300,000 e-books available for the Kindle and Sony sells about 200,000 e-books and offers 500,000 Google books.
Sarah Rotman Epps, an analyst with Forrester Research, told the Journal: "The biggest news here is the multi-channel integration of [Barnes& Noble's] physical store and e-book store via the iPhone. It makes use of B&N's biggest asset: the brick-and-mortar store."
New books and bestsellers will be priced at $9.99, the same price as Amazon offers most e-books. The store's offerings include more than 500,000 free public domain books from Google. B&N said it expects to offer more than a million e-books within in the next year. The store will include an upgraded version of the eReader application, part of B&N's purchase of Fictionwise earlier this year.
Also on the eBookstore: B&N's app for iPhone and iPod users, which includes the ability to get information about a book by taking a picture of the book's cover with the iPhone's camera.
In a statement, BN.com president William J. Lynch said: "Today marks the first phase of our digital strategy, which is rooted in the belief that readers should have access to the books in their digital library from any device, from anywhere, at any time. "
According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon has about 300,000 e-books available for the Kindle and Sony sells about 200,000 e-books and offers 500,000 Google books.
Sarah Rotman Epps, an analyst with Forrester Research, told the Journal: "The biggest news here is the multi-channel integration of [Barnes& Noble's] physical store and e-book store via the iPhone. It makes use of B&N's biggest asset: the brick-and-mortar store."
Questions:
- So.... What do you all think about eBooks?
- Does anyone have some type of eReader?
- What do you think of the prices of the eBooks being the same as soft cover books?
- Are you really saving money when you purchase a $300-$400 eReader and STILL have to pay $9.99 for the books?
I have the Sony Reader (which I love)... it was a x-mas gift and we spent about $260 on it. I don't regret getting it because it is quite handy when on vacation... you know not having to lug around 3-4 books. You can buy all the e-books you want before the trip and just have the reader ready in your purse. But I don't get much use out of it. I get so many books for review purposes that unless an ebook is made available I get the physical books. Now, I have been known to buy e-books because you can't beat the price, but mostly I don't get as much use out of it as I would like. I buy my books thru the Sony e-book site (it's like an itunes for books) and they range anywhere from free to $9.99.
ReplyDeleteWhile $9.99 is still too high, I think this is a great move for B&N. The fact that these books are not restricted to one viewing source is a big plus. (One reason I will never get a Kindle - I'd get a Sony Reader, too.)
ReplyDeleteL. Diane Wolfe
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
www.spunkonastick.net
www.thecircleoffriends.net
I have a Kindle and agree that $9.99 is still too much for an ebook. I think I've only bought 3 at that price. I generally buy books that are in pb and the Kindle price ranges from $3 - $7. Lots of freebie books out there too. I know you can read the Kindle books on the iPhone or iTouch so it's not limited to just the Kindle. What I really like is the Whispernet delivery of books to the Kindle. No downloading to computer, etc (or whatever the lingo is, lol). I still read a lot of "dead tree" books (arcs, review copies, etc) and use the library. It's just another way for me to read and I really like it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, thanks!
I personally LOVE to collect books. I'm in the process now of rearranging/decorating my room to include a whole wall of Ikea Billy Bookcases. I don't think I could ever buy an eReader. If it's given to me as a present thats fine, but I don't think I'd even ask for one. Let's say I DO go on vacation one day and would like to take 3 or 4 books, as incovenient as that sounds, I find spending $300 (plus the books) to be an even BIGGER inconvenience than lugging around a few books. PLUS, as my book soulmate Isalys pointed out, the strain on our eyes would KILL us.
ReplyDelete♥V
I'm still undecided and kind of wary on the concept of eReaders. Truth is that I probably already spend an unhealthy amount of time in front of a computer screen, I can't imagine spending my leisure staring at another screen too (it can't be too good for your eyes). I love to collect my books, I love the smell of the pages as they age (which probably makes me sound like a weirdo, haha) so for those reasons, I'm perfectly content to buy books the old-fashioned way. Also, on occasion, I might lend out a book to my mom or a friend, I wouldn't be as quick to lend out a $300 machine as I would a $10 book, lol.
ReplyDeleteI do have a few questions for the eReader advocates:
• What happens if your eReader breaks or a new model comes out, do your purchases become obsolete?
• I could read for hours at a time, do you guys find that your eyes get tired after reading for a long time? Does the little machine get hot?
I'm sorry...I have a lot of questions!
♥Isalys
I don't care for ebooks myself. I prefer the feel of a book in my hands as silly as that may sound.
ReplyDeleteI currently own an iPod Touch, and have the Kindle App, and now have recently downloaded B&N new app as well. I also have Stanza app. I don't read many books on my iTouch, unless I'm desperate to read a book...or now with Stanza I can convert review books that come in PDF form to my iTouch so I'm not stuck reading them on the computer.
ReplyDeleteI honestly wouldn't buy either the Kindle or the Sony Reader though, too much money! (I'm cheap).
Jenni @ Falling Off The Shelf
No need to worry about your eyes... my handy-dandy reader has three font options... the smallest looks more or less the same type as you would read in a book, there's a medium font and then there's the ginormous font which breaks one page down to almost three.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention it also comes in handy for students who don't want to lug around those big textbooks... yep, you can also get those. It even has a highlighter feature which you know you need to mark certain important notes in our books.
Another nice thing is it is basically weightless so it is definitely a treat to carry around in your purse.
Don't knock it 'till you try it. But don't take me wrong I also enjoy the feel of a book in my hands... as I'm sure you already know.
The Kindle is not back lit so there's no eye strain. There is a choice of six font sizes.
ReplyDeleteWhat it comes down to is personal preference and $$. I don't try to "sell" people on eReaders because I was one of those who thought I'd NEVER use one. My husband surprised me with one at Christmas (had to wait until February when the Kindle 2 was available). I hadn't asked for one so it was truly a surprise.
Our kids (all in their 20s) would not be able to spend the $$ on an eReader at this point. They buy pb or go to the library.
I always buy the book with my eyes i have trouble reading eBooks
ReplyDeletepenney
luvhistoricalromance(at)gmail.com
Nely, good point about the textbooks!
ReplyDelete