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All posts tagged "ebooks"


Monday, July 25, 2011

Today's iPad Kindle App Update Removes Kindle Store Button

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Apple Talk" @ 11:01 AM

I was updating the apps on my iPad today - which is a daily occurrence that I wish Apple would streamline or automate somehow - and I noticed that the new Kindle app, released today, removes the Kindle Store button. This change has been brewing for a while now because Apple wants 30% of everything sold via any app. Taking 30% for selling an app itself is a good deal compared to the 50% cut most mobile developers we used to forking over in previous years. But when it comes to content where there are multiple parties involved and everyone wants a piece, 30% is untenable.

You have companies like Rhapsody and Amazon who are resellers of the content someone else creates - so they're the middle men - and Apple put a gun to their head and said "Give us 30% or get out". Amazon did the only thing that makes sense: they made the Kindle app a read-only tool, not a purchasing tool. Anyone using an iPad, myself included, will now have a degraded experience because I'll have to grab my Kindle 3 or Android phone in order to quickly purchase a book. The alternative is to buy the book via Safari on the iPad, and while it's not exactly difficult, it's certainly a lot less slower than buying from an app that allows for one-tap purchase of books.

What's your take on Apple's demand to have a 30% cut on every piece of content sold via an iOS app?


Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Apple Rejects Sony Reader App

Posted by Joe Johaneman in "Apple Talk" @ 07:00 AM

http://www.tipb.com/2011/02/01/appl...ases-app-store/

"According to the New York Times, Apple has rejected a few apps recently including Sony's Reader app, based on the way content is purchased for use within the app. Sony's Reader app is an eBook platform similar to Apple's own iBooks app and the Amazon Kindle app. Content can be found and purchased outside the app, bypassing Apple's iTunes Store and therefore bypassing Apples[sic] slice of the pie."

I really hope this isn't true. If Apple goes in this direction, I can see the ebook sellers leaving the App store. Right now, the iPad is the best device for reading ebooks because you can buy from any store. But if Apple takes a cut from every purchase, then the ebook sellers have two choices: charge more for their books on the iPad, or leave the iPad all together. I suspect they'll choose the latter. This doesn't bode well. What do you think: should Apple force ebook sellers to give Apple a cut of every ebook sale?

Tags: sony, ebooks, ipad, ibooks

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Harper Collins: eBook Sales Overtake Hardcopy Sales

Posted by Michael Knutson in "Apple Talk" @ 10:00 PM

"Another promising sign for e-books. The electronic version of a recently-released mystery novel outsold the hardcover version, according to the publisher, HarperCollins.

The thriller by Laura Lippman, "I'd Know You Anywhere," which hit bookstands Aug. 17 sold 4,739 e-books versus 4,000 hardcover versions during the first five days the title was available. However, there's no mystery why e-book sales are edging out physical book purchases."

No surprise that eBook sales are in ascent, despite the somewhat misleading title of the referenced article. Harper Collins has seen their eBook sales double in the last year, (but) today comprising (only) about 8 percent of their sales. Why, you may ask? One theory: A positive review gets posted online, and readers are immediately able to buy (acquire/download) the book online, 24x7, at a variety of sources. No more waiting for the bookstore to open at 10am tomorrow. No more "out of stock." Regardless of the platform, the book is often immediately available online, whether you're using a Kindle (number one!), a Nook, a Sony Reader, something else, or an iBooks-capable device. Instant gratification. In an attempt to appease print publishers losing revenue over sales of eBooks, Apple has offered to add iAds to books sold by Apple, but this idea has been rejected by publishers - so far. I'm a pretty avid reader, and I try to find new books online before browsing the bookshelves in bricks-and-mortar stores, but I don't think that eBooks will overtake printed books until a eBook reader arrives on the scene that is affordable to everyone. What do you believe is a realistic price point for "the eReader for the rest of us?" $29? $49? $99?


Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Apple Sued for Ebooks on iPhone

Posted by Vincent Ferrari in "Apple Software (iPhone/iPod Touch)" @ 09:00 AM

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ook_reader.html

"In a 7-page complaint filed with a Virginia district court Monday, Berne, Switzerland-based MONEC Holding Ltd accuses the iPhone maker of patent infringement, unfair trade practices, monopolization, and tortious interference for allegedly treading on its January 2002 patent No. 6,335,678 titled "Electronic device, preferably an electronic book." ... In its lawsuit, the firm takes issue with Apple's move to distribute digital book reading applications through the App Store, which it subsequently sees as an endorsement by the Cupertino-based company that its touchscreen handset can serve as a capable eBook reader."

Yet again a company, which as far as I can tell has produced nothing aside from a patent application, is trying to shut down the activities of a company that actually produced something. I'm so sick of patent wars like this one I can't even begin to tell you, but I guess that's the way the tech industry is now. Hurry up and collect a ton of patents, produce nothing, then sue anyone who makes anything that might resemble that patent in spite of the fact that you've held it for years and done nothing with it.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

(Screen grab from Classics for illustrative purposes only)


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