After failing to launch as promised last October, Sony has opened their Reader Store in the UK, offering approximately 100,000 titles. Still not launched, and probably not coming until summer–as has been known to some for months now–is Nook‘s international expansion, and its partnership with the UK’s Waterstones in particular. The Bookseller obtained Nook’s proposed contract with UK publishers, which asks for worldwide distribution rights. Kobo, which has been talking about launching a self-publishing platform of their own since late last year with few details, said at LBF that the new service will debut some time “this quarter,” before the […]
eNews
Ruckus Launches Own Reader App, Focused On Building Reading Skills
Ruckus Media Group is launching a Ruckus Reader app Monday through iTunes, in the vein of Scholastic’s Storia platform and PlayTales (originally Touchy Books). The focus of Ruckus Reader is on the acquisition of reading skills, and it includes learning assessment reports so that “parents can easily understand their child’s reading level and their progress week-to-week.” Focused on preschoolers through second graders, the Ruckus Reader has three different reading levels, for emergent, beginning, and independent readers. And it’s designed to “match age-appropriate standards determined by the Common Core State Standards. “Children practice early reading skills from letter sounds, word recognition, […]
A Glimpse of Nook At LBF
Since Nook’s presence at the London Book Fair is an object of fascination for some, here is a picture of where they will conduct business on the show floor (still being set up on Sunday): a closed meeting room (adjacent to regular booths.
BN’s Newest Simple Touch Reader Has a Front-Lit Screen
Thursday afternoon Barnes & Noble announced the newest version of its standalone e-reading device would come with a front-lit glowing screen that solves what the company believes is the “number-one problem couples have in bed — having their sleep interrupted, or being prevented from falling asleep, when their partner reads with the light on.” Now called Nook Simple Touch Reader with Glowlight, it retails at $139 and is available for pre-order immediately, shipping in early May. The new model, whose specs were leaked Wednesday by The Digital Reader, is $40 more expensive than the non-glowing version, and has about half […]
Corporate: Indigo Raises Co-Op Again; Dutch Investor Buys Selexyz; and More
When Canada’s dominant book chain Indigo made comprehensive changes to its co-op program last year, local publishers were not exactly happy. Now they are upset again over further co-op increases that went into effect on April 1, but are only beginning to register with some publishers. Quill & Quire reports that Indigo “raised co-op fees from 4 to 5 per cent for books sold online or in its brick-and-mortar stores – an increase of 25 per cent.” In an email to publishers and distributors obtained by Q&Q, Indigo vice-president for adult trade Bahram Olfati said the co-op fee increase was […]
People, Etc.
Patrick Nolan has been promoted to vp, editor-in-chief and associate publisher at Penguin Books, reporting to Kathryn Court. He fills the position being vacated by Stephen Morrison when he joins Picador. Nolan has spent the past 12 years as director of trade paperback sales, and in his new role Nolan will be responsible for overseeing the editorial direction and shape of the Penguin Books list. “Patrick has been a big part of Penguin’s success over the last decade, and I very much look forward to working with him in his new role,” Court said in a statement. Ryan Chapman will […]