The WSJ looks at Rick Richter’s Ruckus Media and other children’s book app initiatives. Richter estimates the cost of creating each app at between $12,000 and $30,000, and says they have 75 titles under contract, including a deal with Jon Scieszka–who says “I think that what we’ll find in the new app world is that the original stuff will really fly,”WSJ Scribner is the latest publisher to take a crack at selling short works for 99 cents, offering 69 essays by Chuck Klosterman, “almost all” of which have appeared in books already. They are also offering six thematic collections of […]
eNews
eNews: Auel in eBook; Random Children’s Picks App Partner; Google Editions Announced–for Japan
Jean Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear books will be released for the first time as ebooks on October 6 as Crown prepares for the release of the sixth and final volume, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES, March 29, 2011.USAT Random House Children’s has partnered with Seattle-based digital media agency Smashing Ideas to develop book-based children’s apps “that marry story, design, and technology.” The agency co-created the Alice for iPad app. Google, which was supposed to launch Editions in Japan in mid-2010, has actually announced the service for a 2011 debut there. Strategic partner development manager at Google Japan Yoichi […]
Tablet Mania and More eNews
Packing in as much as we can: 1. Kobo released a new desktop computer app, which they point out works with other company’s EPUB devices including nook and Sony Reader, letting readers buy from Kobo and read on other machines.Release 2. Kno has raised another $46 million in financing, and says their giant, dual-screen color tablet will ship “later this year” and start student beta testing shortly. It ratifies them as the leading player for the moment in bringing tablets to the college market.Release 3. Engadget got early photos and marketing materials for HP‘s bizarre new tablet + printer combo, […]
Bookselling: BN Predicts; HBG eBooks Restored; ABC Invites Comment on Proposed ABA Merger; Treeline Readies Regional Show Catalogs
Barnes & Noble put out a press release in which they “predict” the big books for fall, basically listing dozens of titles already expected to be commercial hits. Yesterday, the bookseller put out another press release noting that they will promote two trade paperbacks every month under their BN Recommends banner.Release Diesel eBooks reports that, 153 days into the agency model, they are back in business with Hachette Book Group‘s ebook titles. They still have not been able to restore sales of Simon & Schuster and Macmillan ebooks yet.Post The Association of Booksellers for Children has officially invited comment–from members […]
More on Samsung’s Tablet
Further to yesterday’s story on Samsung tablet’s and their Kobo-powered reader app and store, the company will release the device in Italy first and then in other parts of Europe in an agreement with Vodafone. A US release is still expected for this fall, after the company lines up a cellphone carrier. Executive Hankil Yoon says in an interview with the WSH that they expect to ship 10 million units worldwide next year. WSJ
Sony Releases Like Its 2009
As long-expected, Sony finally released the new versions of their Readers. The prices remain surprisingly high and out of step with the market, ranging from $179 for the Touch Edition up to $299 for the Daily Edition (which is the only model in the line with any wireless connectivity.) The company also finally acknowledged their lack of reading apps for mobile platforms and said they will release iOS and Android apps soon. They eliminated their unsuccessful touchscreen technology in favor of a new infrared optical touchscreen that is already receiving good reviews, now featured on all of the Sony models. […]