Amazon launched their Kindle Cloud Reader today, an HTML5 reading app that works through web browsers both online and offline. By using the browser, the app can work on iPads through Safari (as long as they are running iOS4 and higher). It works on all computer-based versions of Safari, and Google’s Chrome as well. It does not currently work on iPhones, but the company says it “will be available on additional web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, the BlackBerry PlayBook browser, and other mobile browsers, in the coming months.” For iPad users, the app includes an “integrated, touch optimized store,” […]
Archives for August 2011
Washington Post Eliminates Book Editor Job, Moves Most Staff to Style Section
A reorganization of the “structure and staffing” of various weekly feature sections at the Washington Post will eliminate the position of Book World Editor entirely. That job is currently held by Rachel Shea, who has run the group for the past two and a half years. She has the option of applying for the few other jobs open at the newspaper. Most Book World staff, including fiction editor Ron Charles and the current assistant editors, will report to the paper’s Style section. But nonfiction editor Steve Levingston will report to Outlook, where the non-fiction reviews are published. Executive editor Marcus Brauchli writes in […]
Indigo Store Comps Fall and Net Losses Mount in FirstQuarter
For their fiscal first quarter ending July 2, Indigo reported sales of C$202 million, down 1.1 percent from a year ago, with an EBITDA loss of C$19.9 million (compared to a loss of just $800,000 a year ago). Physical book sales fell, as superstore comps dropped 5.4 per cent in the quarter, while their smaller-format stores were down 5.2 per cent. They also took a $3.2 million charge for their annual summer clearance sales of unsold books and other merchandise. The company’s digital business increased by 170 percent compared to last year, helped by the June launch of the Kobo Touch […]
Class-Action Law Firm Files Suit Against Publishers and Apple Over Agency Model
Class-action law specialists Hagens Berman filed suit in a San Francisco Federal Court against Apple, along with Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster, over the agency model of ebook pricing. On behalf of two people who bought ebooks, the firm alleges that Apple and the publishers are “in violation of a variety of federal and state antitrust laws, the Sherman Act, the Cartwright Act and the Unfair Competition Act.” Aside from explaining the agency model in florid terms, the essence of the complaint appears for now to rest on twists of logic and reasoning–or tautologies–rather than […]
People: Welby and Martin to Run Putnam & Riverhead Publicity Departments
Alexis Welby will join Putnam as director of publicity and Jynne Martin has been named director of publicity for Riverhead, as part of “a new strategic publicity structure that focuses on the editorial strengths of each imprint” and creates two separate publicity teams. Welby was most recently associate director of publicity for Simon & Schuster, and Martin was associate director of publicity for the Random House Publishing Group. Both start on September 6, reporting to executive director of publicity Marilyn Ducksworth. Mih-Ho Cha will remain senior publicity director for both imprints, while Michael Barson will move into a new role as senior […]
Bookselling: Effect of London Riots; Another Books-A-Million Store Replaces Borders; and More
With the London riots entering their fourth day the effect on bookstores has not been widespread, but some have suffered damage and protective measures are being put in place for others. Gay’s the Word, the country’s only LGBT bookshop, was pelted with eggs and its windows were smashed in on Monday. Pages of Hackney opened for business Tuesday in the east London neighborhood despite the continuing violence, saying in a message on Twitter “Shop is open and all members of staff are undamaged and fit for bookselling….. just about.” Both Waterstone’s and WHSmith have closed stores in several affected neighborhoods, […]