The question raised in tech columns lately has been whether Barnes & Noble’s Nook can keep pace with the technological refresh and innovation of the much larger Apple, Google, and Amazon–and Wednesday the company aims to answer “yes” with two new high-resolution reader-focused tablets. They are introducing the seven-inch Nook HD and the 9-inch Nook HD+, with proprietary high-quality screens, at competitive prices. The smaller model starts at $199–directly comparable to the new Kindle tablet (Nook gives you an AC adapter and no ads as part of the price, but it’s their 8GB model; their 16GB version, the same as […]
eNews
Barnes & Noble Hires Patrick Rouvillos To Oversee International Nook Expansion; Dixons Retail Added As New UK Partner
Barnes & Noble has solidified its plans to expand NOOK beyond the US and the UK with the appointment of Patrick Rouvillois as vp, managing director for international, reporting to Jamie Iannone. Rouvillois, who will work out of Luxembourg, was most recently global cmo and head of eCommerce for Carrefour. “We’re thrilled to have Patrick join the team as we embark on our international expansion of the NOOK brand into the UK and beyond,” Iannone said in a statement. “Patrick brings strong leadership to the role, and his vast background in the retail, consulting, telecom and media sectors will be […]
eNews: Google Brings eBooks to Japan; Kobo Adds Portugal; Nook Launches Video; and UK to Appoint eLending Review Panel
After launching Google Play, including ebooks, in Korea, Google will open the service and sell their Nexus 7 tablet in Japan as of October 2, with the device retailing for 19,800 yen ($250.) Reuters reported that executive chairman Eric Schmidt attended the launch, telling a briefing that the continuing growth of the smartphone market would set up a battleground among companies getting into the online shopping space: “It is the defining platform and the defining battle in our industry.” Google Play in Japan will include Japanese-language ebooks. Elsewhere in international expansion, Kobo is extending its partnership with FNAC in France […]
eNews: Google Launches in Korea, and More
Apparently Google launched an ebook venture in Korea earlier this month, with participation from publishers including Woongjin, Ridibooks and Munhakdongne Publishing. An unnamed official told The Korea Herald (found via The Digital Reader), “We picked Korea since the adoption rate of smart devices, including smartphones, are one of the highest among other nations.” Korea Herald Yale University Press announced that they have received a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation “to launch extensive market research and development of a new electronic model for illustrated books.” The award and subsequent work is intriguing since so far illustrated books have lagged […]
Penguin Sues MacAdam/Cage For Licensing Vreeland eBook Rights They Never Legally Acquired
A case quietly filed in New York Supreme Court this summer demonstrates the perils of issuing previously published works as ebooks without all parties being crystal clear on who controls those rights. At issue is the ebook edition of Susan Vreeland’s 1999 bestseller GIRL IN HYACINTH BLUE, originally published by McMurray & Beck (later absorbed into MacAdam/Cage). In the breach of contract complaint filed on June 20, the novel’s paperback publisher Penguin is suing MacAdam/Cage, alleging the small press licensed Penguin ebook rights that they did not control. The original licensing agreement between Penguin and McMurray & Beck made no […]
Frances Coady Launches Brightline, With Backing from Diller and Rudin, and Collaboration from the Atavist
After months of rumors, there are at least vague details about the ebook publishing plans of IAC chairman Barry Diller and film producer Scott Rudin. They have formed Brightline, led by Frances Coady–who left Picador, where she was president and publisher, in a February restructuring after 12 years at the imprint–with $20 million in funding from IAC. In parallel, the NYT reports, there is a partnership between Brightline and The Atavist, in which the two “will exchange an undetermined amount of minority equity interests in each other’s ventures” and publish together in an otherwise undefined partnership. The two companies will […]