Just got an e-mail from Amazon saying that I can now pre-order the next Harry Potter novel.

The publisher, Scholastic, has announced a release date of July 21, 2007. Visit the detail page on Amazon.com for complete details on the book and our Pre-Order Price Guarantee.

There are two editions for Harry Potter, Standard and Deluxe.

Standard - http://www.amazon.com/dp/0545010225

Deluxe - http://www.amazon.com/dp/0545029376

Wot - no e-book!

Details are kinda sparse on what the difference (other than price) is between the "Standard' and "Deluxe" editions.

And, of course, the eBook version will be out within 24 hours of the print version - unofficially, of course.

If only they'd make a DRM-free version and make it available through a place like Fictionwise when they bring out the print version... Just think of the extra money they would make for almost no added cost.

It's true-- they'd make a ton of money. It wouldn't stop pirated copies on this particular book, I think, but I for one would be happy to pay for the real thing (non-DRM, of course), and I think very many others would as well-- especially those who don't live near a bookstore (though Amazon now times deliveries so you get your book on the release date). And as we've seen, not producing an eBook just means that they don't get the eBook revenue, not that there won't be one. :rolleyes: Just imagine the hit to the Fictionwise servers at midnight, though! :D

BTW, I usually buy the Canadian version of the HP books (even though I live in the US), because the printer is Raincoast and they print on "ancient forest friendly" (mostly recycled) paper. Just in case anyone is interested. Amazon.ca has the preorder available now.

It's a pity that Rowling doesn't see the beauty of e-books (yet).

Remember this story (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=4501)?

If there was a reader she could write with she might notice!

...I usually buy the Canadian version of the HP books....Hey, neko -- do you know if the Canadian version varies significantly from the U.S. version? I assume that it's not printed partly in French (;)), but is it otherwise more or less the same?

Hey, neko -- do you know if the Canadian version varies significantly from the U.S. version? I assume that it's not printed partly in French (;)), but is it otherwise more or less the same?
It's more like the British version, in that "trainers" is not converted to "sneakers," etc. (Though Scholastic has been doing less of that with later volumes of the series anyway.) It's not in French. :) Also, the chapter illustrations are created specifically for the US Scholastic edition, so you don't get those. I sort of like the interior illustrations (I didn't like the first several US covers at all), but I'd still rather have the recycled paper.

As far as I know, the French version won't be out for a while -- usually translations follow months after the English release.

Correct! The French version comes 5 months after, in this case for Christmas. But I just can't stand them. She changed most of the names ( I understand she writes in French also). For example: Hogwarts translates too Poudlard... yuck! The opposing translation from French would sound like 'Lardflea' instead of Hogwarts.

I've tried reading one. It's very discomforting. Like listening to movies in the original language, I'd rather read in the original language.

The Canadian version is printed in Canada on partly recycled paper. It is a request from the author to have a native version for all countries with as little impact on nature as possible. I wonder why she has'nt jumped in the ebook versions earlyer in the game?

She was a French teacher, I believe. I don't know if she does the translations, though. I suspect not. The translator may be changing the names. I'm surprised. Even the Chinese version just has names that sound like the originals, even though they make no sense in Chinese. (I'm not talking about those whacky knock-offs for sale in the Chinese market-- I'm talking about the authorized translations. I don't know what the knock-offs do to the names, or anything else, except that I think in one Harry turns out to be related to Gandalf in LOTR.)

I'm not so sure Ms. Rowling is the one opposed to the ebook versions. I've only seen that in print once, and it was a vague statement by the journalist, not a direct quote. It could be her publisher who objects. Ms. Rowling has a lot of clout for an author, but her publisher is most likely still making the decisions about what editions to offer.

I guess they're afraid of piracy by putting ebooks in kid's reach. :rolleyes:

It is a request from the author to have a native version for all countries with as little impact on nature as possible. I wonder why she has'nt jumped in the ebook versions earlyer in the game?I didn't know that, yvanleterrible! Very interesting, indeed. And I agree that you'd think that would interest her in e-versions. Go figure. :shrug:

I'm surprised Nintendo hasn't released a reader package for the DS, to tweak Sony if for no other reason. (Yes, I know there's a homebrew version out there, but something commercial would probably draw more traffic.) They have that series of brain games. A way to read books seems right in line, and I think it could completely counter the common publisher argument that "kid's books don't sell as ebooks." Which is already false, but let kids read them on a device they already carry -- the DS or a video iPod -- and I bet they'd sell even better than they do already.