The APP and IDPF released their admittedly-limited data on ebook sales for June (and thus the second quarter and first half of the year), which as usual is leading to a variation of interpretations. eBook sales are rising, falling, slowing down, plateauing and doubling or tripling all at the same time, or so the stories go. The data shows sales of $29.8 million for June (and $88.7 million for the second quarter, versus $91 million for the first quarter). As a reminder, it reflects publishers’ wholesale dollar sales only, and it only tracks a dozen publishers, so it does not […]
eNews
eNews: Pandigital’s Second Reader; Approval for German Digital Joint Venture; More Word on Google/Verizon Tablet
Barnes & Noble’s ebookstore powers the Pandigital readers, as the company best known for their digital frames announced a new more tablet-like model with a color touch screen. Listing for $199, “it will be available at several national retailers next month.”ReleaseCnet review A joint venture between Bertelsmann and Holtzbrinck to create an online distribution company focused on German-language digital products was cleared by the European Commission.Bookseller Rumors continue to build on the release of a tablet running a version of Google’s Chrome operating system, built by HTC, now said to be set for a November 26 release.
Barnes & Noble Rolls Out “Completely New” Rebranded Nook Reading Apps
The bookseller has released new versions of its ereading apps for Apple mobile devices and PCs, now unified under the Nook brand (as previously covered). The iPad version of their app now lets readers “rate” the books they’ve read, and the line of apps promise much more customization of fonts, colors and other aspects of the screen appearance.Release In the UK, WH Smith has taken the lead in ebook pricing wars, offering all ebooks at half the publishers’ digital list price.
eNews: New Sony Readers, Wordnik’s Thesaurus, Amazon’s DTP for UK
It would be a bigger headline if Sony were not rumored to be releasing new ereaders soon. This reports claims they will be “attractively priced” and, also as expected, used the newer, brighted eInk screens.Sony Insider Wordnik.com has launched their online thesaurus, which they say is better than standard references since it “shows related words in context.”ReleaseSite As expected, Amazon has opened their digital text platform in the UK to go along with their recently-launched ebookstore, accepting works in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. The UK royalty is 35 percent for now. Amazon indicates to the Bookseller “it […]
Hamill in eOriginal; Hart in e and POD from Open Road
I didn’t realize Pete Hamill was the “patriarch of print,” but so says the paper of record in getting the first look at the announcement that at Little, Brown’s suggestion he will publish a short book on immigration in an ebook edition only this fall. Hamill has a September 16 deadline for the 40,000 to 50,000 word manusript for THEY ARE US. Little, Brown did not indicate pricing or a release date.NYT Separately, Open Road has released Jospehine Hart‘s DAMAGE and SIN as ebooks, and will follow shortly with on-demand paperbacks as well.
eReaders: Asian Producer Predicts More than 10 Million Units, But None of Them, Officially, Will Come from Plastic Logic; Amazon Wants to be Apple?
Chairman of Taiwan-based E Ink Holding Scott Liu says he expects his company’s ereader shipments to double or triple in the second half of 2010 as price cuts drive volume. Liu now anticipates full-year shipments will exceed 10 million units in 2010. He also indicates that “vendors will soon be able to provide sub-US $100 e-book readers judging from the market growth, and E Ink will help clients further lower the production costs.” E Ink Holding produces the screens for clients including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony and Hanvon.DigiTimes Meanwhile, the king of overpriced ereader vaporware Plastic Logic has admitted […]