With colleges about to open for the fall semester, Barnes & Noble officially launched their online textbook rental business, competing with Chegg and others in this fast-growing sector. At the same time, they have added a free “study platform and software solution that gives college students the freedom and flexibility to access eTextbooks, other digital content and organizational tools to learn more efficiently, collaboratively and across content sources and formats.” It works on standard PCs and Mac computers. Called Nook Study, information about the app and downloads are available from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nookstudy/.Release
Archives for August 2010
Plus, Another eReader Gives Up
Foxit Corporation admitted today that they will “cease development of the eSlick Reader, its own electronic reading device” and focus on their PDF viewing software and other solutions. In the announcement, avp of sales Erik Bryant bravely pretends that “our decision to discontinue eSlick is to eliminate the possibility of competing with our partners.”Release
Connecticut’s Statement on eBook Pricing Focuses on MFN Clauses
Following yesterday’s short piece on the questioning of Apple and Amazon by the Connecticut attorney general’s office they issued a press release and posted letters sent to both companies. AG Richard Blumenthal is currently running for the US Senate seat being vacated by Christopher Dodd. Though favored to win, Blumenthal suffered somewhat in May after admitting that “on a few occasions I have misspoken about my service” in the military, erroneously indicating he had served in Viet Nam. (The NYT also revealed that Blumenthal received multiple deferments between 1965 and 1970 before joining the Marine Corp Reserve.) Some observers wonder […]
Connecticut Joins Texas In Investigating Agency Model eBook Pricing
After our exclusive report in June on preliminary questioning underway from the anti-trust division of the Texas Attorney General’s office into pricing practices for ebooks immediately following Apple’s entry into the marketplace, a New York-based antitrust lawyer told us knowingly that other states were conducting similar inquiries but declined to provide any specifics. Now Bloomberg reports that at least one other player is Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal’s office, saying “the information was disclosed in an e-mailed statement.” The news service says they are “investigating agreements between the country’s largest e-book publishers and Amazon.com and Apple that may block competitors […]
Amazon “Sold Out” of Not Yet Available Kindles; Google Editions Headed for September?
Amazon’s site indicates that they are “temporarily sold out” of both of the new Kindle models announced last week for shipment at the end of August. The etailer’s UK carries the same message. Customers are invited to “order now to reserve your place in line,” with new pre-orders expected to ship within a week after the launch date, on or before September 4. Keen observers have noted that, despite reports from members of the Google Books team that their Editions service would launch in late June or July, it is now August. Publishers tell us that in recent discussions with […]
People, Etc.
Nielsen BookScan general manager Jim King, who has been with the US version of the data service since it started in 2000, is leaving the company later this month to pursue new opportunities. President of Nielsen Book Jonathan Nowell says, “Jim has been an outstanding colleague and I have really appreciated his efforts over the past ten years. He has done a great job with BookScan and worked tirelessly on behalf of his clients to help improve the efficiency of the US book business.” An announcement on succession will be made later. James Peltz and Donna Dixon have been named […]